a cloud literally filled the Sound at dusk today

Well today has been a productive day but probably the most slogging through molasses I’ve felt since I got here.  I’m still utterly inspired being here and grateful for this opportunity and…it’s heavy.  Really heavy.

I wrote a long chapter this morning about the morning Cindy was found.  Revisiting the room we were in, the emotions we (I) were feeling.  It’s not easy.  But I have to do it.

The rest of the day I’ve spent on Cathy Hughes’ truly brilliant closing argument.  When I can step out of myself and just read it from a perspective of a legal argument (which is how I survive and survived in the courtroom back then), it’s astonishingly genius.

I will just share some excerpts I highlighted.  I wish you legal eagles out there reading could have seen her in action, ever.  She is without a doubt the most brilliant prosecutor I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen quite a few now.

Some excerpts:

She wasn’t exactly sure though because you remember her diary where she says, could they be manipulators.  I forget exactly how she put it.  High class manipulators, heavy duty manipulators, something like that.  And of course there was something in the back of her mind, there must have been something in the back of her mind that made her suspicious because she was going to take this insurance police back to Illinois, these two insurance policies back to Illinois for Christmas so she could discuss them with her dad, and isn’t it interesting that she is murdered before she can do that?  And I suggest to you, Ladies and gentleman, that she was murdered so that she couldn’t do that.

And later, in rebuttal after the defense suggested I’d lied on the stand:

Not only that, but Kathy told you — I guess I feel like I have to address this.  Why would Kathy want her sister’s murderer to go free?  And that is exactly what would happen if she were in here lying about an innocent man.  She’s got no reason to lie to you, and she told you that he played that telephone answering machine for her and there was no message from him on that machine. He never made a call because he knew his wife was dead.

And finally:

Surprise person.  Does it send a chill down your spin to think of this defendant telling his wife that he had a surprise for her that night, maybe a surprise person for her that night?  Doesn’t that just chill you to the core?  Because, boy did he.  Boy did he have a surprise for her that night.

And folks I’m done for the day.  I’m going to spend tomorrow doing something fun, like helping my man create his own blog in the morning (exciting, he’s a writer among other things) and I do think I’ll get outside, walk and maybe take myself for a nice meal or in to Seattle.  I think I need a little break/day off from all of this crime and darkness.

G’nite…..and TGIF!  Oh and Go Seahawks!  I figure I have to root for them since I’m here.  I’m kind of thinking of inviting myself upstairs to watch with my hosts or finding a local sports bar just to get in to the action with the local spirit.  I think that would be super fun, don’t you?