Across the aisle, Reid Calloway leaned back slightly in his chair, looking entirely too pleased with himself for a man about to lose an argument.
Eleanor gathered her notes and walked toward the witness stand.
Just before she reached it?—
Reid winked.
Quick. Infuriating. Entirely too attractive for nine-thirty on a Monday morning.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Oh, we are not doing this today.
She turned back to the witness.
“Mr. Dalton,” she said calmly, “you testified that you clearly saw my client leave the parking lot that evening.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“And you’re certain of the time?”
“Yes.”
Eleanor paced slowly in front of the stand.
“And yet,” she said, lifting a page from her file, “in your statement to Officer Grant, you said you left the restaurant at nine fifteen.”
The witness shifted.
“Well… around then.”
“Not nine thirty?”
“No.”
“Interesting.”
Across the room, Reid watched her carefully dismantle the testimony piece by piece.
He knew exactly what she was doing.
Setting the trap.
Just as Eleanor opened her mouth to ask the next question?—
The courtroom doors creaked open.
April Whitaker slipped inside.
Eleanor barely glanced over?—
Until April caught her eye.
April gave her a look.
Then subtly nodded toward the back of the courtroom.
Eleanor followed the gesture.
