Part 37 (2/2)
”Yes, they were regular attendees of the Wednesday-night prayer meetings.”
”Did he seek you out after the regular proceedings?”
He hesitated and a wrinkle appeared in his smooth forehead, then he shook his head. ”I think I asked him if he was troubled.”
She nodded. ”Is it a regular event to have a little social time after the prayer meetings? Cookies, juice, things of that sort?”
”Yes.”
”Was he partic.i.p.ating in the social after the prayer meeting?”
”Yes.”
”At that time had he done or said anything to indicate a troubled mind?”
”I don't believe so.”
”Was it at that social event that you asked him if he was troubled?”
”Yes.”
”Why, Mr. Koenig? Was he being loud or disruptive at that time?”
”No. Of course not. I told him I had heard rumors about trouble with his daughter, and I asked him if he wanted to talk about it.”
”At that point did he become disturbed and even agitated?”
”Yes. It upset him that I had heard something about it.”
”What had you heard, Mr. Koenig?”
He looked more distressed than before, then looked beyond Barbara, and shook his head. ”I'd rather not say.”
She turned to see Rachel sitting by her aunt, with Mrs. Dufault's arm around her shoulders; Rachel looked like a corpse, pale to her lips, and so stiff that it appeared that if her aunt let go, she would fall over like a stick.
Novak objected then. Rumors had no place in the court, he said.
”Your Honor,” Barbara said sharply, ”I'm afraid rumors have a lot to do with the conversation Mr. Koenig has related. Apparently Mr. Marchand was not disturbed or agitated until Mr. Koenig mentioned rumors. We should hear what those rumors consisted of.”
”Overruled,” Judge Mac said. ”Please answer the question, Mr. Koenig.”
”I heard that Rachel was being stalked by the man they called the devil freak,” he said. ”I told him that if there was any truth to the matter, it had to be stopped.”
”Who told you those rumors?”
”I don't know. Several people spoke of it; I forget who they were.”
”All right,” Barbara said. ”So you brought up the rumor yourself and initiated the meeting. Did you invite Mrs. Marchand and Rachel to meet with you also?”
”No.”
”Why not?”
”I thought this was a matter for Rachel's father to handle.”
”Have you spoken to Rachel about this?”
”No. There has not been an opportunity to do so.”
”Have you made an attempt to speak to her about this?”
”I went to their house on several different occasions, but Mrs. Dufault said Rachel was ill, or that she was too upset to want to talk.”
”Mr. Koenig, is it the duty of anyone who is in contact with children in an official capacity-teachers, social workers, preachers, whatever-to report any suspected abuse of those children?”
”I believe it is.”
”Have you reported any suspected s.e.xual abuse, or stalking and endangering of Rachel Marchand?”
”No, I haven't. As I said, I have not had the opportunity to speak with her. I have no basis for making such a report.”
”Did you urge Mr. Marchand to make such a complaint?”
”Yes, I did. I believed it was his duty to his daughter to do so.”
”Did you have any more basis then for the legitimacy of the charge than you do today?”
”I thought he would know more about it than I did. And Gus Marchand did not lie.”
”Mr. Koenig, do you make any distinction between deliberate falsehood and mistaken belief?”
”Objection! Counsel is hara.s.sing the witness.”
”Sustained. Move on, Ms. Holloway.”
”No more questions,” she said curtly.
Novak was into his redirect examination when Barbara heard a commotion behind her in the courtroom. She turned to see Rachel walking out like a somnambulist, with Ruth Dufault at her side, trying to hold her back. Dr. Minick watched for a second, then he rose and followed them.
There was a buzz of excitement in the air, whispered words, and over it all from the open microphone before Matthew Koenig came his voice in a prayer: ”Lord, have mercy on the child. Deliver her from evil. Protect her from the evil one. She is a good child. Lord, I beseech you, deliver her from evil...”
Like a thunderclap Judge Mac's gavel struck, then again. And the bailiff was crying for order in the court.
When quiet was restored, Judge Mac said coldly, ”Mr. Novak, continue.”
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