Claim of Innocence by Caldwell Laura

Author:Caldwell, Laura [Caldwell, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Suspense
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-09-08T23:43:01+00:00

41

Maggie and I took Valerie into the order room, the one where we’d talked to Martin that first day of the trial.

Valerie seemed to read my thoughts. “How is your grandfather?” she asked Maggie.

“Thanks for reminding me. I want us to call him. He seemed pretty rested when we talked this morning. He asked that I let him know what Zavy testified to.”

Valerie nodded. “Let’s call him.”

Maggie hit a button on her cell phone and turned on the speaker. Her grandmother answered then quickly put Martin Bristol on the phone.

“Hello, ladies.” Usually, his voice was booming, lawyerly, take-charge. But this voice was smaller, weaker. “How was the testimony of Mr. Miller?” he asked.

Maggie nodded at Valerie to answer.

“It was difficult to listen to, Marty,” she said. “But it was essentially what we expected.” Her eyes moved to Maggie, who pushed the phone a little closer, then gave Martin a full rundown of the testimony, told him we were about to prepare for cross.

“Excellent,” Martin said. “Well, it sounds like you have everything taken care of.” He cleared his throat. “And that’s good. I’m feeling a bit stronger—” we all shot each other glances; he didn’t sound stronger “—but I have to do some research on a few old cases of mine.”

None of us said anything. It wasn’t typical for lawyers to dredge up old cases just for the heck of it.

“Research?” Maggie asked.

“Yes. But I’ll be keeping my eye on you ladies. In fact, I’m about to call the Illinois Crime Lab.”

Maggie’s eyebrows moved together in a confused expression.

“The place where they do DNA testing?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Was there any DNA in this case?”

“No.”

When he didn’t continue, Maggie frowned a little. “There was no DNA of importance,” she explained. “There was DNA from Valerie and Amanda in the kitchen because they prepared the meal. There was also DNA of Zavy and Amanda and their kids all over the house. Exactly what you would expect. No one is introducing any DNA evidence in this case, because there’s no value added. Right, Marty?”

“Yes, exactly right. As I said, this has to do with another case. A case I handled years ago.”

Maggie’s brow dropped lower over her eyes. When no one said anything, she spoke up. “Okay, well…let us know how things go on that.”

“Will do,” Martin said vaguely.

After we’d turned off the phone, Maggie looked at Valerie and me. “He’s never done anything like this before. I can only imagine that he must be feeling his age again, what with being sick and all. He must be reviewing his life, reviewing his work.”

A sad silence settled into the room. All of us looked down at the round, fake-wood table, thinking of the Mar tin Bristol we knew—the powerful Martin, the sharp Martin, the firmly-in-the-present Martin.

Valerie exhaled loud. “It doesn’t sound like he’s coming back to the case.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Maggie reached out a hand and patted Valerie’s. “I’m sorry.”

Valerie gazed down at the table. But then she looked up at Maggie with a grateful expression.

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