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CD: Yeah, sorry Melly—Melissa—only calls him Russell when she’s pissed

Officer Ali: Can you list who else was present at the scene?

CD: It was me, Rusty and Melly, obviously, and James McCann

Officer Ali: Was James McCann also employed by the Tripps?

CD: Don’t you have all this information already?

Officer Ali: Please just answer the question, Ms Duncan

CD: Do I …? Do I need a lawyer?

Officer Ali: That depends Have you done so that requires a lawyer?

CD: Ever?

Officer Ali: In relation to the events that occurred on July 13 of this year

CD: Oh No I wasn’t—it wasn’t ht?

Officer Ali: This isn’t a courtrooated to answer any of these questions I’ht’s timeline

CD: Jaotten back froet Rusty It was sort of a mess, and Melly was pissed, and—

Officer Ali: I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves We need to go back a little further

CD: How far back do you want o?

Officer Ali: How about the beginning?

CD: I started working for Melly when I was sixteen I’o that far back

Officer Ali: Let’s begin with the end of their first television sho Spaces

CD: Yeah Okay That’s a good place to start

When I was little, my family had a hen named Dorothy My dad called her Dotty for short She was a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte—fairly fancy chicken for our neck of the woods Her terra-cotta feathers were tipped with blue, and so unusual in color they didn’t look like they were real Dorothy stood out against the dusty background of our s farm and was always the center of attention in the yard She was prettier than the other hens, she was definitely noisier, and despite lower-than-norgs It’s not that the other hens weren’t perfectly good chickens; it’s that Dorothy was that much better

She was also sort of a bully

I’m always reminded of Dorothy when I look at Melissa Tripp I realize how that sounds—coe that pops into ht now at the party Dorothy would strut around the coop, head high, pecking at everything she could reach and daring the other hens to come at her Like her, Melly sweeps around the roo soe

“Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” The crowd quiets as Melissa holds a Waterford cha with unshed tears Melly drinks only when there’s no getting around it, and lass, not chane

“Alcohol is nothing but empty calories and can make you messy,” she once told me “I have zero ti frolass of rosé fro as you work for me, Carey, neither do you”