Page 102 of Two Kinds of Stranger

‘Therealstory, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, lies in the strange gaps in the prosecution case. It lies in the story the district attorneywill nottell you. As this case unfolds, you will see holes in the prosecution’s story. They are the questions the prosecution can’t answer. There are inconsistencies and mysterious events surrounding this case. That is where the truth lies. As those questions and inconsistencies arise, we will point them out to you. We will help you see the real story. Because the truth is that Christine and Kevin are innocent, and the real killer is out there laughing at the district attorney. Because two innocent people are on trial, and the real guilty man is not...’

Castro couldn’t contain himself any longer. He stood with indignation on his face and spat his objection to the judge. Just as Kate had hoped.

‘Objection, Your Honor. Can you advise defense counsel not to refer to the defendants by their—’

‘Leave that with me – it’s not your place, Mr. Castro. I run this courtroom. Do not interrupt defense counsel’s opening statement,’ said Judge Ross.

‘You see,’ said Kate to the jury, ‘the district attorney doesn’t want you to hear the real story. All we ask you to do is listen, forthe truth. You will know it when you hear it.’

39

Kate

NYPD Officer Bud Deakins had had his uniform dry-cleaned for this court appearance.

Kate could tell.

Some of the thin, plastic dry-cleaning bag was still visible. A torn piece had been pinned to his shirt beneath the badge on his breast pocket. As if he’d ripped the plastic covering off in a hurry to get into his uniform, maybe late for court, and hadn’t noticed some shreds remained behind.

The thumbnail of toilet paper, complete with bloody dot in the center, that clung to his throat confirmed he had gotten ready for his court appearance in some haste and had cut himself shaving.

Good, thought Kate.

Officer Deakins looked to be in his early twenties, a rookie who had a routine encounter with Arthur Cross, never expecting it to lead to an appearance as a key prosecution witness in a murder trial. Deakins would have some limited court experience, but this would no doubt be his most important day on the job so far. Maybe ever.

Hence the shaving cut, the dry-cleaned uniform and the look of fear in his eyes as he took the witness stand. His hand shook as he placed it on the Bible and took the oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Castro would have spent some time preparing him for today. Peppering him with fast, awkward, even insulting questions–toughening up the kid so that he could better face the evil defense attorneys.

Castro began leading him through the easy questions, his rank, time on the job (only six months out of probation, so still a rookie), his precinct and did he remember attending the home of Arthur Cross in relation to a complaint of assault that Mr. Cross had made.

Officer Bud Deakins answered quickly with a tremorous voice, as if he was standing on a vibrating plate.

‘What kind of a name is Bud, anyway?’ whispered Harry.

‘I have no idea. I thought it was a nickname,’ said Kate, then turned her attention back to the witness.

‘What happened when you attended Mr. Cross’s home?’ asked Castro.

‘I identified myself as an officer, informed Mr. Cross that I was there to get a report of his complaint and—’

‘Just a moment, Officer, can you describe Mr. Cross as you saw him that day?’

‘Yes, sir, he was wearing a cast on his arm, and it was held in a sling across his chest. I think he was wearing—’

‘That’s fine. Just tell us what Mr. Cross told you.’

‘He informed me that the previous evening, around ten p.m., he opened the front door and two guys rushed the door, got him onto the ground. They told him to stay away from the lawyer and his family, and then one of them, a very large and powerful man, assaulted him by breaking his arm.’

Kate tutted. Cross couldn’t admit that a woman had knocked him to the ground and broken his arm. That would be. . .unmanlyfor a twisted asshole like Cross. And he wasn’t reporting Bloch to the cops because he wanted his friend, BrunoMont, to take his own particular kind of revenge on her and didn’t want that attack to be linked back to him.

What he did want was to make things as difficult as possible for Kevin and Christine. His entire reason for existing was to make their lives a misery, and more, until his thirst for revenge had been satisfied. Kate knew that satisfaction would only have come from something dark, bloody and violent.

‘I see, Officer Deakins, and did you establish who the lawyer mentioned by Mr. Cross was?’

‘Yes, sir. He said it was Kevin Pollock and his wife Christine White. That they must have arranged this assault.’

‘What did you do to progress this assault investigation?’