The defendant appeared to be praying.
Her lawyer glanced at the jury; they didn’t seem swayed by her pose of innocence.
“Did you kill him?” he asked his client.
She bowed her head. “No.”
“Isn’t it true that you had sex with him before he disappeared?”
“Yes, but he left afterward, and I never saw him again. Maybe he mated with someone else.”
The prosecuting attorney rose. “Objection.”
“Sustained,” the judge said “Just answer the question. Did you kill him?”
“No. He was young and healthy and strong.” The mantis gave the judge an apologetic look. “So he got away.”