Olivia 5

Summary

• Olivia is a beekeeper and checks her colonies before an extended absence due to a court trial she must attend.
• She observes and describes the complex behaviors and communication methods within the bee colony before her departure.
• Olivia hopes the jury at the trial will operate with a collective intelligence like her bees.
• Asher's (the defendant's) trial for murder begins, and personal details about his appearance and demeanor are given.
• There's a heavy media presence outside the courthouse, causing added stress for Asher and Olivia.
• Jordan gives Asher and Olivia guidance and strategies for managing reactions during the trial.
• Prosecutor Gina Jewett portrays Asher as abusive and presents her case accusing him of murder.
• Jordan, the defense attorney, counters by humanizing Asher, suggesting he loved the victim, and questions the prosecutor's narrative.
• Police Officer Owen Tubbs testifies about the scene he encountered at the victim's house and his interactions with Asher there.
• Jordan challenges Tubbs' testimony, highlighting Asher's lack of past disturbances.
• Olivia has flashbacks about her prom date, Mike Newcomb, who also testifies and details police procedures and evidence found.
• Mike Newcomb's testimony implies Asher's presence at the crime scene, text messages to the victim, and inconsistencies in his statements.
• Olivia copes with stress by writing down random objects and memories of a family dessert tradition involving her mother and Asher.
• Jordan challenges the evidence presented by Mike Newcomb, questioning the reliability of fingerprints and suggesting Asher's presence at the victim's house was innocent.
• Olivia has an emotional exchange with Asher during a recess, recalling a childhood memory to bolster his courage.
• Medical Examiner Rooney McBride testifies, stating that Lily's cause of death was a homicide from head trauma, though Jordan questions the thoroughness of the autopsy.
• Jordan discovers through McBride's testimony that a potentially significant piece of information was overlooked: Lily was transgender, lacking a uterus and ovaries.
• Olivia reflects on a painful personal encounter with Mike Newcomb at a farmers' market, connecting her selling honey products to their past history and her own experience with domestic abuse.