The Promise by David R Spiegel

Author:David R Spiegel [Spiegel, David R]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shomer Press
Published: 2020-03-05T16:00:00+00:00

As Michael walked to the podium and shuffled through his notes, Leslie cleared her throat and poured herself a glass of water. The facial muscles near her bad eye were twitching, and she reflexively moved her right hand toward her face before stopping herself. When he stared at her, she looked away momentarily before looking back at him.

No question she was nervous. Ordinarily, that was an advantage Michael would try to exploit. But at the moment, he was simply feeling sorry for her. Not a good start for his cross.

He started with safe topics.

Other than the matters referred to in her testimony, she had never been involved in Alvin’s business.

She had never seen any of Alvin’s business records.

She had no knowledge of Peter’s last name or any business he was associated with. Nor had she ever met him.

She was relying solely on the gallery owner’s description about his dealings with Peter.

He was scoring necessary points. But it was clear from the bored look on Judge Crown’s face and his impatient glances at a clock in the rear of the courtroom, that he needed something more dramatic, something that would highlight the fact that the entire foundation of Leslie’s testimony was based on a potential lie.

“Professor Shelton, as I understand your testimony, you are saying that Alvin Lake told you he bought fake prints from someone named Pete or Peter. Correct?”

“Yes.”

“So, your entire testimony is based on Mr. Lake’s assertion that he was ripped off?”

“As well as my independent examination of the prints.”

“But that was based on Mr. Lake’s initial claim that he might have been ripped off. You were simply confirming what he told you. Correct?”

“That’s right.”

She leaned forward, not sure what to expect next. Out of the corner of his eye he saw he had the Judge’s attention as well. Good.

“Has it ever occurred to you that Mr. Lake was playing you? That he was using you to test the waters with prints that he, not this man you refer to as Peter, was trying to sell?”

Dexter immediately objected that the question was speculative, but Leslie answered before the Judge could rule.

“Of course not.”

“But my hypothetical fits your facts, doesn’t it?”

This time, Judge Crown sustained the objection before Leslie could answer. But Michael didn’t mind. Leslie’s negative response to his hypothetical had given him a useful opening.

“Would it be a fair assumption that you rejected my ‘he’s playing you’ hypothetical about Mr. Lake because you think he’s incapable of doing something so duplicitous?”

“That’s absolutely right.”

“Did you ever ask Mr. Lake if he sold prints to Peter?”

Michael continued to refer to Maloff as Peter to highlight the lack of certainty in Leslie’s earlier testimony.

“It never occurred to me.”

“Did you ever see any paperwork regarding the deal between Mr. Lake and Peter?”

“No.”

“And, of course, you never spoke to Peter. Correct?”

“That’s right.”

“Your disagreement with my hypothetical is based solely on your intuitive feelings about Mr. Lake—isn’t that correct?”

She was silent. The vein near her bad eye was pulsing. She rubbed the side of her face with her hand, put it down, then rubbed her face again.

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