Part 26 (1/2)

The brooch was there, pinned to her decolletage on the left, calling attention to the swell of the breast. Jade Brown had been a mouse; none was a lovely creature. ”It is beautiful,” May said. ”And so are you.”

”You made it possible,” none said.

May glanced around. Geode was somewhere else at the moment, not having much interest in groceries, male fas.h.i.+on. ”I know it is none of my business, but have you-?”

”Soon.”

”I'm glad.”

She went outside. Geode was there, just standing. ”We seem to be back to square one on the firefly,” May said.

”Cyrano's working on it. It will feed again in two days. He will wait for it at the cabin.”

”Not alone, surely!”

”He says it won't come if he isn't alone. He knows what he's doing.”

”Surely so! But so, it seems, does the firefly.”

Geode shrugged. none emerged. ”Thank you so much,” she said, like a hostess to a departing guest.

”You're welcome,” May said, smiling as she returned to her car. Indeed none was welcome! Perhaps it had been her story which had pointed up the distinction between a worthless man and a good one, so that May's mind had sought and found that distinction between Bull and Frank.

She waved as she drove around the loop and out. none, now standing beside Geode with one arm around him, waved back.

* 32 - NONE WATCHED MAY go, feeling warm. The woman had done her the courtesy to inquire, and she had answered. Now it was in the open, in its covert way, and she felt free to be close to Geode in company. May had set it up; she deserved to see it.

They had had an excellent tour of the ranch, this time using a canoe to pa.s.s around some of the edge of it in the reed- and water-lily-overgrown Tsala Apopka Lake, and along the side of the Withlacoochee River. They had seen an alligator, and a big swimming turtle, but no firefly. Geode liked all living things, even alligators, so now none did too. He had shown her more of his world, and now it was time for her to show him more of hers.

They had supper, then went to his room for the night. ”Leave the light off,” she said. ”This one requires imagination.”

He shrugged in that way he had. ”Lie on the bed, without your clothes,” she said. ”I will sit here without mine.”

He obeyed. Naked, they shared the bed, in their separate positions, as the darkness became complete.

She took his left hand in her left. ”You may not like this story,” she said.

He merely squeezed her hand. He liked anything she told him, as long as she stayed with him. That was, of course, a great part of what attracted her to him.

The Trial was well advanced. The Prosecution had presented its case and fairly d.a.m.ned the man; there seemed to be no doubt he was guilty, especially since he had confessed. But the Defense insisted on entering a plea of Not Guilty for him. It seemed that the Defense had a secret weapon, and the Jury was becoming quite curious as to what it might be.

”Your Honor,” the lawyer said, ”the Defense wishes to present only one piece of evidence, but it is not in our possession. We ask that it be subpoenaed.”

”What is it?” the Judge inquired, curious himself.

”Your Honor, it is the 8-mm recording of the Victim's testimony.”

There were dropped jaws in the Jury box, and a murmur of astonishment in the Audience. The Judge blinked and reflexively rubbed his ear. ”Whose testimony?”

”The Victim's. The film is in the possession of the Prosecution.”

The Judge suppressed further reaction and turned to the Prosecution. ”You have such a film?”

The lawyer for the Prosecution looked abashed. ”We interviewed her, of course, Your Honor, but elected not to show the film. She is, after all, a child.”

”I know that!” the Judge snapped testily. ”If she wasn't, there would be no Trial! Why didn't you show it?”

”We felt it would be inappropriate, Your Honor, and we did not need it to establish our case.”

”What is the general nature of it?”

”The Victim, in her own words, establishes the guilt of the Defendant beyond any doubt whatsoever.”

”Then what the h.e.l.l was inappropriate about it?” the Judge demanded. He was quickly irritated by irregularities occurring in his orderly courtroom.

”We just feel it is unnecessary, and could be awkward,” the lawyer said inadequately.

The Judge turned to the lawyer for the Defense. ”You wish to show a film which will only confirm the guilt of your client?”

”Yes, Your Honor.”

”Are you mad? What kind of defense is this?”

”Your Honor, if you will allow the film to be played in its entirety, I believe its relevance to the Defense will be apparent. The Defense asks that this film be shown.”

”I find this just about impossible to understand! I remind you that you are obliged to do the best job you can for your client, to establish his innocence of the charge against him. If you instead try to undermine his case and cause him to be convicted, you are betraying your trust and could be held in contempt and disbarred. Do I make myself clear?”

”Yes, Your Honor. I am doing my best for my client. I understand the child has a virtually eidetic memory for detail, and that her statement is most comprehensive.”

The Judge threw up his hands. ”Turn over the film,” he said to the Prosecution.

”But, Your Honor!” the Prosecution protested. ”This is a travesty!”

”I will determine that without your a.s.sistance,” the Judge said grimly. ”As far as I'm concerned, you're both crazy! Turn over the film.”

”Exception!” the Prosecution said.

”Noted,” the Judge said, giving him a curious look.

So the controversial motion picture film was shown in court. The Judge and Jury were mesmerized by it, and appalled.

Nymph was five years old. She had big green eyes and a mop of orangy-brown hair, and was a cute and active girl. But she was pensive as the lady interviewer introduced herself and explained that they were making a picture of this, so that the little girl would not have to go to the big, scary courtroom. ”But where is Mad?” she asked plaintively.

”Do you mean Maddock Stoller?” the interviewer inquired.

”Yes, Mad. My friend. Why can't I talk to him instead?”

”Because we must talk about him,” the interviewer explained. ”It is not nice to talk about a person when he's listening.”