Chapter Twenty-Five
Excerpt from Testimony of Hugo Aguilar
Ada Olson: Looking back now, Mr. Aguilar, do you have any regrets about your relationship with Ms. Montgomery?
Hugo Aguilar: I loved Jolene.
Ada Olson: But you left and never looked back. Without saying goodbye. You went on and lived your life—went to college, got married. Had two children . . .
Hugo Aguilar: That’s not true.
Ada Olson: What do you mean?
Hugo Aguilar: I wrote her a letter explaining everything.
How I lost my funding to train at The Palace.
I found out when I went home for the holidays.
I couldn’t afford to come back. And then, I just—I just quit while I still had time to go to college.
It wasn’t what I wanted. But I didn’t have a choice.
Ada Olson: That’s not what you told everyone at The Palace.
Hugo Aguilar: No—I didn’t tell anyone but Jolene about the money. I wanted to leave with my head held high.
Ada Olson: But Jolene never got the letter. She never heard from you after you left.
Hugo Aguilar: But—no. I wrote her a letter. I sent it to Emile and asked him to give it to her.
Ada Olson: You sent a letter to Emile Dresiér? To give to Jolene?
Hugo Aguilar: Yes.
Ada Olson: Are you aware that Emile never gave it to her?
Hugo Aguilar: I had no idea. My God . . . Jolene.