Sidney Sheldon - Tell me your dreams

Silence.

David was yelling now. "What's the matter with you? Are you too frightened? That's what happened in the courtroom, isn't it? Did you hear what the jury said? Ashley's guilty. You were afraid to come out. You're a coward, Toni!"

They looked at Ashley. There was no reaction. David looked at Dr. Salem in despair. It was not going to work.

"Court is now in session. The Honorable Judge Tessa Williams presiding."

Ashley was seated at the defendant's table next to David. David's hand was wrapped in a large bandage.

David rose. "May I approach the bench? Your Honor?"

"You may."

David walked toward the bench. Brennan followed him.

David said, "I would like to present new evidence to this case."

"Absolutely not," Brennan objected.

Judge Williams turned to him and said, "Let me make that decision, Mr. Brennan." She turned back to David.

"The trial is over. Your client has been convicted and-"

"This concerns the insanity plea," David said. "All I'm asking for is ten minutes of your time."

Judge Williams said angrily, "Time doesn't mean much to you, does it, Mr. Singer? You have already wasted a great deal of everyone's time." She made her decision. "All right. I hope this is the last request you'll ever be able to make in a court of law. The court is recessed for ten minutes."

David and Brennan followed the judge to her chambers.

She turned to David. "I'm giving you your ten minutes. What is it, Counselor?"

"I want to show you a piece of film. Your Honor." Brennan said, I don't see what this has to do with—"

Judge Williams said to Brennan, "I don't, either." She turned to David. "You now have nine minutes."

David hurried over to the door leading to the hallway and opened it. "Come in."

Hugh Iverson walked in, carrying a sixteen-millimeter projector and a portable screen. "Where should I set it up?"

David pointed to a corner of the room. "Over there."

They watched as the man set up the equipment and plugged in the projector.

"May I pull down the shades?" David asked.

It was all Judge Williams could do to hold back her anger. "Yes, you go right ahead, Mr. Singer." She looked at her watch. "You have seven minutes."

The projector was turned on. Judge Goldberg's chambers flickered onto the screen. David and Dr. Salem were watching Ashley, who was seated in a chair.

On the screen, Dr. Salem said, "She's completely under."

David walked up to Ashley. "I want to talk to Toni.... Toni, want you to come out. Do you hear me? Alette...want you both to talk to me."

Silence.

Judge Williams sat there, her face tight, watching the film.

David was yelling now. "What's the matter with you? Are you too frightened? That's what happened in the courtroom, isn't it? Did you hear what the jury said? Ashley's guilty. You were afraid to come out. You're a coward, Toni!"

Judge Williams got to her feet. "I've had enough of this! I've seen this disgusting performance before. Your time is up, Mr. Singer."

"Wait," David said. "You haven't—"

"It's finished," Judge Williams told him and started for the door. Suddenly, a song began to fill the room.

"A penny for a spool of thread.

A penny for a needle.

That's the way the money goes,

Pop! goes the weasel."

Puzzled, Judge Williams turned around. She looked at the picture on the screen.

Ashley's face had completely changed. It was Toni. Toni said angrily, "Too frightened to come out in court? Did you really think I would come out just because you ordered me to? What do you think I am, a trained pony?"

Judge Williams slowly moved back into the room, staring at the film.

"I listened to all those bloody gits making fools of themselves." She mimicked one of their voices. " 'I don't think that multiple personality disorder exists.' What idiots. I've never seen such—"

As they watched, Ashley's face changed again. She seemed to relax in her chair, and her face took on a shy look. In her Italian accent, Alette said, "Mr. Singer, know you did the best you could. I wanted to appear in court and help you, but Toni wouldn't let me." Judge Williams was watching, her face blank. The face and voice changed again. "You're bleeding right wouldn't," Toni said.

David said, "Toni, what do you think is going to happen to you if the judge gives Ashley the death sentence?"

"She's not going to give her the death sentence. Ashley didn't even know one of the men. Remember?"

David said, "But Alette knew them all. You committed those murders, Alette. You had sex with those men and then you stabbed them to death and castrated them...."

Toni said, "You bloody idiot! You don't know anything, do you? Alette would never have had the nerve to do that. I did it. They deserved to die. All they wanted to do was have sex." She was breathing hard. "But I made them all pay for it, didn't I? And no one can ever prove I did it. Let little Miss Goody Two-shoes take the blame. We'll all go to a nice cozy asylum and—"

In the background, behind the Chinese screen in the corner, there was a loud click.

Toni turned. "What was that?"

"Nothing," David said quickly. "It was just—"

Toni rose and started running toward the camera until her face filled the screen. She pushed against something, and the scene tilled; part of the folding Chinese screen fell into the picture. A small hole had been cut in the center.

"You've got a fucking camera behind here," Toni screamed. She turned to David. "You son of a bitch, what are you trying to do? You tricked me!"

On the desk was a letter opener. Toni grabbed it and lunged at David, screaming, "I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you!"

David tried to hold her, but he was no match for her. The letter opener sliced into his hand.

Toni raised her arm to strike again, and the guard ran to her and tried to grab her. Toni knocked him to the floor. The door opened and a uniformed officer ran in. When he saw what was happening, he lunged at Toni. She kicked him in the groin, and he went down. Two more officers came running in. It took three of them to pin Toni to the chair, and all the time she was yelling and screaming at them.

Blood was pouring from David's hand. He said to Dr. Salem, "For God's sake, wake her up."

Dr. Salem said, "Ashley... Ashley... listen to me. You're going to come out now. Toni is gone. It's safe to come out now, Ashley. I'm going to count to three."

And as the group watched, Ashley's body became quiet and relaxed.

"Can you hear me?"

"Yes." It was Ashley's voice, sounding far away.

"You'll awaken at the count of three. One... two... three... How do you feel?"

Her eyes opened. "I feel so tired. Did I say anything?"

The screen in Judge Williams' s office went blank. David walked over to the wall and turned on the lights.

Brennan said, "Well! What a performance. If they were giving out Oscars for the best—"

Judge Williams turned to him. "Shut up." Brennan looked at her, in shock. There was a momentary silence. Judge Williams turned to David. "Counselor."

"Yes?" There was a pause. "I owe you an apology."

Seated on the bench, Judge Tessa Williams said, "Both counsels have agreed that they will accept the opinion of a psychiatrist who has already examined the defendant, Dr. Salem. The decision of this court is that the defendant is not guilty by reason of insanity. She will be ordered to a mental health facility, where she can be treated. The court is now adjourned.'

David stood up, drained. It's over, he thought. It's finally over. He and Sandra could start living their lives again.

He looked at Judge Williams and said happily, "We're having a baby."

Dr. Salem said to David, "I would like to make a suggestion. I'm not sure it can be done, but if you can arrange it, I think it would be helpful to Ashley."