Seeing Is Deceiving by Lionel Webb & Mary Wickizer Burgess

Author:Lionel Webb & Mary Wickizer Burgess
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mystery, novel, sleuth, murder, detective
Publisher: Wildside Press
Published: 2011-07-20T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Turner Redland was on his feet after a short pause. “The People call Jonas Waghorn.”

The older officer climbed into the stand, gave his name and rank, took the oath, and then sank down into the chair. He stared wistfully at a ray of sun angled through the high-arched window, as if he wanted to follow that sunlight far, far away to some warmer and responsibility-free climate.

Redland began by leading him skillfully along much of the same ground through which he had taken Hudson, this time pressing for a more detailed description of the dead girl’s appearance as he had found her.

The judge suddenly said, “It’s a bad follow-up to this kind of testimony, but we’ve reached time for our lunch recess.”

Gail swore under her breath at the notion of the jury members left with a recollection of violence described in detail, just before a two-hour lull.

Damon, however, smiled encouragingly at her while being taken away by the guard, oblivious of the various traps into which she had fallen.

She headed out, eavesdropping shamelessly on the trial buffs second-guessing every move that had been made by either side.

At the courtroom door she nearly bumped into Damon’s mother who, like her son, seemed pleased by what had taken place and unaware of any problems.

“Those cops, they sure caught it from you,” she said admiringly. “I didn’t think you were that good.” Mrs. Powell wasn’t being sarcastic, she only saw that the enemy was being attacked, not that the same enemy was striking back in force.

“But there is one thing,” she added.

Here it came.

“Of course it isn’t really your fault, dear. It’s nothing you’ve done.”

Now that Gail had botched up a morning’s vital work, one friend had appeared in her corner!

“What’s disturbing you?”

“Well, it’s just that the judge isn’t paying attention to what’s happening.”

“What are you saying?” Gail was so staggered by Mrs. Powell’s total lack of awareness that she almost fell over in surprise.

“Whenever I look at him and he isn’t talking, he’s just sittin’ there with his eyes closed, paying no attention at all!” Mrs. Powell shook her head in annoyance. “Any mother would be disturbed by the sight of him.”

“Hmm…judges often sit like that during testimony,” Gail said, picking her words carefully. “It helps them concentrate on the words that are being spoken. Judges don’t necessarily have to see everything in order to hear and understand the testimony.”

“Well, maybe so in some cases, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that particular judge wasn’t taking catnaps up there—you know what I’m saying?”

“I’m sure he was paying great attention, Mrs. Powell.”

It did seem almost inconceivable that anyone could have so failed to understand what had taken place on the first morning of her son’s trial for murder.

Funny, though, in a way.

But as Gail headed off to lunch, she didn’t feel a bit like laughing.

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