“I didn’t say anything like it.”
“But you know if Anna was a virgin?”
Noah wondered if Maggie remembered their conversation. None of this had come out at the PFA hearing. It had been more broadbrush. He didn’t know whether to lie or tell the truth. The truth would get him in worse trouble, so he lied. “I believe she was.”
“How did you know?”
“My wife told me.”
“Dr. Alderman, didn’t you proposition her sexually during the driving lesson?”
“No.”
“Your testimony is that you put your hand in Anna’s lap to get her phone?”
“Yes, I thought she wanted me to.”
“But she didn’t ask you to get her phone, did she, even according to your version of the incident?”
“No, but I thought it was implied. She said, ‘oops, my phone fell.’” Noah realized they hadn’t asked this at the PFA hearing, either.
Linda frowned. “Dr. Alderman, your testimony is that you think it’simpliedthat when a young girl’s phone drops into her lap, you are entitled toplungeyour hand between her legs to retrieve it?”
“Objection, Your Honor.” Thomas jumped up. “That mischaracterizes my client’s testimony.”
Linda faced Judge Gardner. “Your Honor, that’s the substance of what Dr. Alderman just testified to.”
Judge Gardner shook his head. “Sustained. Ms. Swain-Pettit, I’m going to ask you to rephrase.”
“Thank you, Your Honor,” Thomas said, sitting down.
“Your Honor, I’ll strike the question and ask another.” Linda turned to Noah. “Dr. Alderman, isn’t it true that you used the dropped phone as an excuse to put your hand into Anna’s lap?”
“No.”
“Isn’t it true that you had growing lustful urges toward Anna?”
“No.”
“Let’s explore that further,” Linda said, motioning to her paralegal.
Chapter Thirty-two
Maggie, Before
Maggie drove home from the dealership with Anna, glancing in the rearview mirror to see Simon in the black Range Rover, followed by another black Range Rover, like a caravan of Bulgarian diplomats.
“Are you mad at me?” Anna asked, shaky. “Please, don’t be mad.”
“I’m not mad, but I wish you hadn’t done it.” Maggie chose her words carefully. She was trying to build their relationship and she didn’t want to hurt their new closeness.
“I thought I was doing a good thing.”
“Why?” Maggie kept her tone even. “You didn’t tell me.”
“Because it was a surprise.”
“But not a good one.”
