David Kessler - No Way Out

Alex looked at Andi, inquiringly. She spoke.

“After we’ve called our next witness: Eugenia Vance.”

“Your Honor that’s another matter that I wanted to talk about,” said Sarah. “We were given no prior notice of this witness until after she was issued with an emergency subpoena.”

The judge looked hard at Andi.

“Yes she has a point there doesn’t she Miss Phoenix? You obtained this emergency subpoena via the Ventura County Superior Court, bypassing normal procedure and protocol.”

“Your Honor, I know that it’s customary to obtain a subpoena from the trial court, but in this case, time was of the essence. I knew that the witness might be reluctant to come so that meant we’d have to give at least the statutory five days notice or she’d file for a postponement. And we didn’t want any more delays in the proceedings. The case was due to resume on Monday and it was late at night last Wednesday when we realized that this witness had relevant testimony. I was in Ventura County at the time, as was the witness. Therefore I resorted to the expedient of obtaining the emergency subpoena from the Ventura court for Your Honor’s subsequent approval.”

“And what exactly is this relevant testimony that this witness is expected to give,” asked the judge.

“Well we don’t actually know that she will give it Your Honor. We were also planning on asking the Court for permission to treat Ms Vance as hostile.”

“It gets better and better,” Sarah muttered under her breath, almost breaking into laughter.

“Okay, well let’s assume for a moment,” said the judge, “that she does give the evidence that you’re hoping for. What evidence is that?”

“We believe that Ms Vance has been in contact with Bethel Newton, in violation of her promise not to do so. We think that she may have been influencing Miss Newton’s testimony.”

“Great!” said Sarah slapping her thigh. “If that’s the case the Court should grant a mistrial without prejudice and Ms Phoenix should step aside on grounds of a conflict of interest. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, she should also have to step aside over these pending charges of hacking into the DNA database.”

Andi looked round at Sarah and spoke quietly, whilst technically still addressing the judge.

“I may yet have to step aside. But I think it’s in everyone’s interests that this case be expedited. It’s already dragged on longer than expected and we’re running up to the end of the slot in the docket that this case was assigned to.”

The judge spoke, to regain Andi’s undivided attention.

“Miss Phoenix, is there any particular reason why you believe that Miss Vance has been influencing Miss Newton?”

“Yes Your Honor, but I’d rather not state it just yet. Let’s just say that Ms Vance was… observed talking with Miss Newton by… another person….”

“If so, she would be in contempt of court.”

“I know Your Honor.”

“And you want to ask her this in direct examination?”

“Yes Your Honor.”

“And to do so effectively you need to be able to treat the witness as hostile.”

“Yes Your Honor.”

“And you believe that if the Court gives you permission to do this, you can expedite the outcome of this case one way or the other.”

“Yes Your Honor.”

Ellen Wagner looked at Sarah, expecting further objections. But this time Sarah remained silent and offered a slight shrug.

“I think that I’m going to allow this witness to be called and allow the defense to treat the witness as hostile.”

They ought to have been enemies, but a bond of sorts was developing between Louis Manning and one of the cops who was guarding him. Maybe it was because this particular cop was going through a rough divorce and hadn’t quite managed to reign in his subconscious misogyny. Maybe it was just because they were thrown together and sharing a set of common experiences borne of mere proximity.

But for whatever the reason, the bond was there. That was why the cop had been only too happy to bring Manning a cup of coffee from the vending machine in the corridor, when he had asked for one, and also to bring one for himself. However Manning remained handcuffs in accordance with Police Department rules. Fortunately this didn’t prevent Manning from drinking coffee with his free hand. So he and the cop sat before the TV, their coffee cups in hand.

“Can you turn it louder?” said Manning.

They were watching Court TV and were avidly following the Elias Claymore trial. For the last half hour, they had been treated to a long session of analysis by various lawyers and other experts, including a former prosecutor a current defense lawyer and a jury psychologist. Now there were murmurings and a flurry of activity and signs that the court was about to reconvene.

Suddenly Louis Manning clutched his chest and started coughing.

“What’s the matter?” asked the cop.”

“Ha… ha… heart.”

The cop understood immediately and, putting his coffee cup down on the bedside cabinet, went running from the room to summon a nurse or a doctor. As soon as he was out of the room Manning went to work, getting the sleeping pills out of the bedside cabinet and dropping them into the cop’s coffee cup. He saw no need to stir it, as the heat of the coffee would surely dissolve them well enough. Then he went back to feigning the coughing.

The cop came back into the room with a nurse. He increased the time spacing between coughs, giving the impression of bringing it under control and then spoke to the nurse.

“Sorry, the coffee went down the wrong way.”

The nurse looked at the cop irritably. He shrugged sheepishly.

“I thought you said it was your heart?” said the cop.

“Sorry. I thought it was. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to start a panic.”

The nurse gave him a quick check and then left. The cop settled back into his chair with his coffee, keeping his eyes on the TV. But his mood had turned decidedly colder.

When the Court convened and the judge was seated, Andi rose confidently.

“Your Honor the defense calls Gene Vance.”

The bailiff opened the door to the witness room.

“Call Gene Vance!”

There was a tense moment as Andi held her breath, wondering if Gene was going to appear. Andi had not had any contact with her for a week and wasn’t sure if she would even turn up. She had hoped that Gene would call her and make the first move towards making peace. But she realized that Gene was probably thinking the same thing. Besides, how could they make peace between them when this was still hanging over them?

And how could Andi let it go when she still had a client whom she was sworn to serve according to her highest professional standards?

After what seemed like about half a minute, Gene emerged from the witness room into the courtroom. A few steps into the room she stopped and looked nervously at Andi. There was no anger now, nor even a trace of resentment; just a look of self-pity, and the residual trace of confusion. The bailiff took a step towards her and guided her to the witness stand.

The Clerk established with a quick question that she was an atheist and gave her the card to affirm.

“I do solemnly affirm that the evidence I give the court shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

The clerk sat down, leaving Gene to face the penetrating stare of the woman who had once been her lover.

“You are Eugenia Vance?” asked Andi.

“Yes.”

She asked Gene to state her address for the record. It sounded silly, asking her to state the address, which they still technically shared. But it was part of the formality of trial proceedings and she had to do it.