Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury

Author:Karen Kingsbury
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction
ISBN: 9781590520208
Publisher: Multnomah
Published: 1998-12-31T22:00:00+00:00

intrigued. He turned to the witness. "Did you date your notes, Mr. Crabb?"

"Yes, your honor. I'm a business student at Cal State Northridge... and, well, I guess I write the date on just about everything."

Judge Horowitz smiled. "And you are willing to testify under oath that you wrote those notes immediately after the accident?"

"Yes, your honor."

"Very well. Objection overruled."

Hannah turned briefly toward Carol, and the two shared a quick grin. This was why Matt had been looking forward to the bartender's testimony. The man kept notes!

283 hl

Matt cleared his throat and continued. "Let me see if I understand this. After the accident, you wrote down the date and some details about the defendant, is that right?"

"Yes, I have it right here." Nick held up a piece of notebook

paper.

"I see." Matt moved closer to the witness stand and peered

at it. "And what prompted you to write these notes?"

Nick swallowed and glanced nervously at Brian Wesley. "I,

uh...I read about the accident in the newspaper, and I knew

the guy'd been drinking at The Office. I served him. I figured I

might have to talk about it one day in court, so I jotted down

some details."

Matt smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Crabb. That was very conscientious of you."

Hannah saw Harold Finch whisper something to Brian

Wesley.

Matt continued. "Now, did you note anywhere on that sheet

how many drinks Mr. Wesley consumed on the afternoon in

question?" "Yes... it's, uh, right here." Nick studied the piece of paper. "I

served Mr. Wesley about six shots of whiskey and eight beers."

A murmur ran through the courtroom, and Hannah shut her eyes. Fourteen drinks. No wonder Tom and Alicia hadn't lived long enough to say goodbye.

Matt waited for the crowd to still. "So fourteen drinks altogether,

is that right?"

"I'm estimating, but I think so. It could have been more."

Matt raised an eyebrow, and Hannah saw him glance briefly

at the jury. She followed his gaze and saw that they looked

stunned. They might drink, they might know someone who

drank... but fourteen drinks? "Now, Mr. Crabb, did you make

any notations about how long Mr. Wesley-had been drinking?"

Nick glanced down at his notes again and gulped. "Yes. He came in after lunch sometime, maybe one, one-thirty. And he left after three."

280

Harold Finch looked restless but he remained in his seat. Matt nodded. "Is there any way you can be certain about

those times, Mr. Crabb?"

Hannah willed the bartender to say the right thing. Please... Please...

"Well, there was a movie running on the bar TV, Rocky II. Mr. Wesley arrived just as I was putting it in, and it was over by the time he left." Nick glanced at his notes once more. "I figured that had to be at least two hours."

"Fine. So he drank for two hours-fourteen drinks, maybe more-is that right?"

"Yes, sir." Hannah watched the young bartender expectantly. She knew what was coming.

Matt stood squarely in front of the witness stand. "At some point Mr. Wesley decided to leave, is that right?"

"Yes."

"Were you concerned that he might be too drunk to drive

home?" Matt kept his tone matter-of-fact. This wasn't the time

to point fingers at the bartender.

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