Part 40 (1/2)
Judge Hobbs sucked in his breath. Debated whether a reprimand was in order. ”Proceed,” he said tersely.
”And what did you do?”
”Melvin registered at the Oakwood Motel. I registered in another unit from which I could observe his actions.”
”What did he do?”
”He went to the bank, talked to the people who were going to be witnesses.”
”The banker and the teller? Roger Randolph and Lilly Clemson?”
”That's right.”
”The witnesses who were killed.”
”Yes.”
”He spoke to them at the bank?”
”That's right.”
”When was this?”
”Last week. He came up Wednesday morning to check out the witnesses.”
”That's when he saw them in the bank?”
”Yes.”
”Is that the only place he saw them.”
”No.”
”Really? Where else?”
”He took Lilly Clemson out to dinner.”
”When?”
”Later that night.”
”Where did they go?”
”To the Country Kitchen.”
”Did he meet her there?”
”No. He picked her up at her place.”
”And drove her home after dinner?”
”Yes.”
”Did he go inside?”
”No. But they sat in the car for a while. Probably trying to talk her into inviting him up.”
”That's speculative, and will go out,” Judge Hobbs said. ”I realize there's no objection from the plaintiff, but please try to keep the questioning within legal bounds.”
”Yes, Your Honor.” Becky turned back to the witness. ”Did he ever go inside?”
”Miss Baldwin.”
”It's not speculation, Your Honor. I'm asking if she knows for a fact.”
”Yes, he did.”
”How do you know?”
”I saw him.”
”You followed him to her apartment and watched him go inside?”
”That's right.”
”When was that?”
”The night she got killed.”
CHAPTER.
53.
By the time Judge Hobbs got done pounding the courtroom to order, all dreams of playing golf had vanished in the mist. ”Excuse me, but did you just say you saw the plaintiff go into the decedent's apartment on the night of the murder?”
”That's right.”
”Mr. Fleckstein, stand up! Counselor, I offered you a continuance on the grounds that your client's arrest on suspicion of murder might have a negative influence on the outcome of this hearing. It never occurred to me this hearing might have a negative influence on the outcome of your murder case. It now appears that it does. If it should turn out that in any way, you have conspired to poison the jury pool and prove that your client cannot get a fair trial, I would consider that to be tantamount to the type of questionable ethics that might be of interest to the bar a.s.sociation. This woman is the wife of the defendant. Under ordinary circ.u.mstances, she would not be allowed to testify against him at the trial. If by allowing her to testify here and 'inadvertently' let slip damaging evidence against him in his murder case, you hope to get such evidence excluded at his trial, and hope to exclude any other evidence the prosecution might hope to introduce as fruit of the poisonous tree, it would be a very serious matter.”
”That was not my intention, Your Honor.”
”Well, I'd sure like to know what your intention was. Because I can't think of one that could possibly be construed as legal.”
”Yes, Your Honor. I should point out, Your Honor, that at the moment the witness's statement stands uncontested. I have the right to cross-examine.”