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Defense rose to his feet, trying to suppress a smile and look stern. “Your Honor, the prosecutor throughout this trial has been leaning entirely on what we deem to be circumstantial evidence and has wasted everyone’s time with the smoke and mirrors of the so-called experts who have come in to testify. And now her eyewitness has failed to show up, possibly to prevent herself from committing perjury.” He pressed the tips of his fingers onto the defense table. “To preserve judicial economy and federal resources, Defense asks for a dismissal with prejudice and an expunction of these charges from Kyle Offsed’s records.”
“Counsels will approach the bench,” the judge said.
Kyle might go free?
“Your Honor,” Olivia began, “the witness bravely came to court yesterday and was ready to testify. As you know, the afternoon session was postponed. I hope everything is well for you and your family, sir. Perhaps something outside of the witness’s control is making her late. If the court would—”
Defense jumped in, “The court should consider the pain and stress that my client has endured, exposed to this entire trial of—and I will repeat—nothing but circumstantial evidence and an assault on my client’s character and good name. Ms. Gladstone wishes to send my innocent client to prison for life and yet cannot produce a single eyewitness? This is not to be borne.”
The judge turned to Olivia, “Ms. Gladstone, I—”
The door at the back of the courtroom opened. Holding onto Beowolf’s ears like reins, Candace walked in, making her quivering way down the aisle with Nutsbe supporting her by the elbow.
“I believe the motion is moot, your honor,” Olivia said. “My witness has arrived.”
“Proceed.”
“State calls Candace Hockman to the stand.” Olivia sent a glance toward the jury. They edged forward in their seats to watch the procession. Normally, facility dogs needed to be in place before the jury came in. The dogs should remain out of their sight throughout. Olivia mentally crossed her fingers that this visible entrance wouldn’t get Beowolf banned from the procedure. “Judge Madison,” Olivia tried to prevent any friction as defense counsel rose with a finger stabbing the air, “a reminder that permission has been granted to allow Ms. Hockman to have a court support K9 with her today.”
“K9, not horse,” the defense counsel protested.
Candace’s face was splotchy red, and her eyes were swollen nearly shut. She must have been crying long and hard. Olivia imagined that Nutsbe had accomplished a miracle in getting Candace here at all, let alone only fifteen minutes late.
In contrast to Candace’s face, Nutsbe’s expression was rigid. He looked like he was going through his own personal hell. As bad as she should feel, it still twitched the corners of Olivia’s mouth as she tried not to smile at him.
Candace moved into the witness box.
When the bailiff came forward to administer the oath, Candace placed her hand on the Bible, said, “I do,” and sank into the chair.
Beowolf sat to her side, his head draped over her lap, his jowls spreading wide.
Nutsbe handed Candace a drool rag, then went to the seat that Olivia’s paralegal vacated when she saw who was coming through the door.
A movement from over at the defense table pulled Olivia’s attention around.
“You told me this would work.” Offsed was on his feet. He was using his barrel of a belly as a battering ram, bumping his lawyer’s face. “You said, ‘Watch this, you’re about to walk out of here a free man.”
The bailiff was talking into his radio; his hand rested on the butt of his gun.
“You said,” Offsed spat out, “if that chick didn’t show up, I’d walk out of here a free man. Free.” He bounced his belly into the lawyer again, and the defense had to grab at the table to stop himself from tipping backward. As soon as the feet of the chair were back on the ground, the defense jumped up. “Judge, I seek permission to withdraw from this case immediately.”
Was this planned? Were they going for a mistrial?
Kyle Offsed’s skin had changed to a reddish-purple. He was an overripe plum of seething anger. Veins throbbed at his temples. He gripped his hair and pulled it until it stood out wildly.
This was what Candace had described to Olivia—a transformation from something recognizable into something demonic.
Offsed planted his foot on his chair and climbed onto the table. There he stood with legs wide.
Candace’s wails of horror, accompanied by the judge’s pounding gavel and insistent command, “The court will come to order!” became the soundtrack for this terrifying scene.
Olivia moved around her table, dragging her chair to get some physical impediment into the aisle, separating them from this devil.
She glanced around, focusing only long enough to find Candace curled on the ground of the witness box. Nutsbe stood at the judge’s desk like a lineman, knees bent, arms ready for a tackle. He had visibly expanded himself. His gaze was razor sharp.
Nutsbe was intimidating as hell in his warrior mode.
Olivia blinked, then forced her attention back to Offsed, obviously in the throes of a psychotic break.
