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“Because you blew the whistle?”
“Objection! Counsel is leading the witness,” Kramer said, coming to his feet.
“I’ll rephrase, Your Honor. Dr. Chen, why was your employment terminated after twelve years?”
“I was told it was for ‘budgetary reasons.’”
O’Mara dropped her head, letting the power of the doctor’s words stand without embellishment. Then she lifted her face to the witness.
“I only have one more question, Dr. Chen. Who was the doctor who admitted Jessica Falk through the emergency room?”
“Dr. Dennis Garza.”
“To your knowledge, did he conduct a follow-up exam of Mrs. Falk when she was in the ICU?”
“His signature was on the chart.”
“Thank you. That’s all I have for you, Doctor.”
Chapter 52
AS KRAMER GOT UP to cross-examine Dr. Chen, Yuki swung her head, scanning the courtroom until she found Dr. Garza three rows ahead on the aisle. That scum.
He was getting up from his seat, raking his black hair away from his forehead as he headed toward the door. Yuki’s face burned.
Where is that bastard going? Get back here, Garza. You need to listen to this!
Yuki stood, too, excusing herself, working her way across the row of knees again, stepping on toes, banging the bench-back with her briefcase.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry.”
By the time she reached the hallway, Garza was out of sight.
Yuki saw elevator doors closing. She ran forward, pressed the button, reversing the doors. But the elevator car was empty.
She arrived at the lobby in time to see the back of Garza’s navy-blue jacket, the man striding purposefully, heading away from her and out of the courthouse.
Yuki followed him, her heels clacking loudly on the lobby floor. Now she was wondering what she was going to say or do when she caught up with him.
This was so unlike her, Yuki thought as she pushed open the heavy door, stumbling into the blinding light outside. She wasn’t this impulsive.
She was organized, disciplined.
But right now, she couldn’t stop herself. The obsession was taking over, as if she were in a wild Hitchcock movie.
Yuki searched the sidewalk, saw Garza heading along McAllister toward the Civic Center, head up, forging through the pedestrian traffic.
Yuki followed, running at times to catch up with him, then pacing herself behind him; finally, she called out his name. “Garza!”
The doctor stopped, and he spun around to face her. He squinted his eyes against the sunlight.
Yuki drew closer, stopping just short of handshaking distance.
“I’m Yuki Castellano.”
“Yes, I know who you are. The question is, why are you stalking me?”
“I asked the medical examiner to autopsy my mother’s body,” she said.
