Part 27 (1/2)
”Were they all Faber pencils?”
”No, there were different kinds, plus some Fabers.”
”Did you see a pencil sharpener anywhere in the house?”
”No. I didn't look for one.”
”In searching, you looked at everything in the studio, didn't you? Behind pictures on the wall, under drawers, behind cus.h.i.+ons? It was a thorough search, wasn't it?”
”Yes.”
”And you didn't see a pencil sharpener. Is that correct?”
”Yes.”
She took Alex's pencil from the evidence bag and handed it to the detective. ”Will you examine this one that was removed from Mr. Feldman's house and tell us if it was sharpened with a pencil sharpener?”
”It doesn't appear so,” he said after turning the pencil around and around.
”Detective, was it sharpened with a knife?”
”Yes, I think it was.”
”Can you see distinct knife-blade cuts on the wood?”
”Yes.”
She put the pencil back in the bag, and started to walk to the defense table. Then she turned back to face him. ”Detective Stedman, were you specifically looking for evidence that would implicate Mr. Feldman in the crime?”
”Objection!” Novak said angrily. ”That's an improper question and she knows it!”
”He ignored other items that were equally out of place,” she said, just as hot as Novak was, ”and homed in on the only one that could vaguely be related to Mr. Feldman. The implication is clear.”
Judge Mac tapped his gavel and said, ”You're both out of line. No cross-dialogue, please. Objection sustained.”
She nodded, then asked, ”Detective, when you arrived at the Marchand house, did you have a conversation with the deputies or the sheriff?”
”They told us the situation,” he said.
”You arrived with others? Who were they?”
He named two other detectives.
”All right. What did that conversation consist of?”
”They said there'd been a murder, and they'd done a little looking around. Not much more than that, I guess.”
”Did anyone mention that a deputy had gone to check on Alex Feldman?”
He hesitated, then said, ”It might have been mentioned.”
”Try to remember, Detective. Did anyone mention Alex Feldman in any context?”
He had to blow his nose again, and she waited. ”Someone said something like there was bad feelings on the part of a neighbor. He might have said his name.”
”Did he say that Alex Feldman was an artist?”
”I don't recall,” he said.
”Do you recall who said there might have been bad feelings?”
”I'm not sure. It might have been Calvin Strohm. He knew Gus Marchand, I think.”
”Did you know Calvin Strohm before that day?”
”Yes. We'd been on the same cases a couple of times.”
”What else did Deputy Strohm say about the neighbor?”
”Nothing, just that there were bad feelings.”
She studied him for a moment, and he began to search in his pocket for another tissue. She did not wait this time. ”How did Calvin Strohm describe the neighbor?”
”I don't think he did,” he said, then he blew his nose.
”You mean he said there were bad feelings and nothing else?”
”He might have said the neighbor was weird looking, something like that.”
”Exactly what did he say, Detective?” she asked sharply.
Detective Stedman glanced at Alex for the first time, then looked away. ”He said he was ugly as sin, and you wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley.”
”What else?” Barbara demanded.
”He said they thought he was into kiddie p.o.r.n or something like that, and he'd been spying on Marchand's little girl.”
”Anything else?” Barbara asked icily.
”He said they thought his house had pictures of naked girls, little girls. Then Lieutenant Whorley told me to inspect the premises.”
She didn't move for a second or two, then she said, ”And armed with that a.s.sessment, you went looking for evidence. And found a pencil.”
”Objection,” Novak cried. ”Is that a question or an editorial? I ask that her comment be stricken.”
”Counsel's last comment will be stricken. Ms. Holloway, must I remind you of proper trial procedure?”
”No, Your Honor,” she said. ”I apologize to the court. Detective Stedman, you were with the group who searched Mr. Feldman's house. Did you find any pictures of naked girls of any age?”
”No, ma'am.”