Perfect Game by Leslie Dana Kirby

Author:Leslie Dana Kirby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press, Inc.
Published: 2014-12-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Forty-one

(Friday, September 8–Monday, September 11)

Washington D.C. detective, Vincent Castiglione, was next to testify. At Wallace’s request, Castiglione had provided a courtesy death notification to Jake at the St. Regis Hotel in D.C. According to Castiglione, Jake had not seemed surprised at the news of his wife’s death, his tears had appeared feigned, and he had forgotten to ask how his wife had died until several minutes had passed. When Castiglione had offered to drive Jake to the airport, Jake required no time to pack up. Castiglione said it was as if Jake had been awaiting his arrival. The Defense objected to this as speculative and had it stricken from the record. Still, the image of Jake, bags packed, just sitting and awaiting notification made an impression. Maybe he had even rehearsed his tearful response.

Next, the Wakefield life insurance agent testified that Liz had come in alone to change her beneficiary from Jake to Lauren a few days before her death. Liz had offered no explanation for the beneficiary change and the agent had not asked for one.

The next witness, Sonia Jamison, worked for the twenty-four-hour insurance claim line. She testified a male had called to inquire about a life insurance payout at about six-thirty a.m. Phoenix time on July twenty-fourth. The caller had identified himself as Jacob Wakefield and indicated his wife had died. Ms. Jamison had advised the caller that information about the life insurance benefit could only be released to the designated beneficiary, who was not listed as him. The caller had become angry and belligerent, demanding to know when the beneficiary had been changed. The call had ended with the caller threatening, “You can expect to hear from my attorney.”

During cross-examination, Jamison admitted that she couldn’t be sure the caller had really been Jake Wakefield. Candace whispered something to Ryan who quietly exited the courtroom.

“In fact, the caller could have been any number of people, right?” Pratt asked.

“Whoever called knew Elizabeth Wakefield’s social security number,” Jamison hedged.

“The caller could have been a news reporter trying to get information about this case, isn’t that right?”

“I suppose so.”

Ryan returned to court just as Pratt was wrapping up his cross-examination, slipping some documents to Candace before resuming his front-row seat next to Lauren. Candace reviewed the document and turned around to reward Ryan with one of her hundred-kilowatt smiles.

When Jamison had been excused, Candace jumped up and asked to be heard on a motion.

Judge Robles recessed for lunch, but asked the attorneys to stay back so he could hear the motion. “What’s that all about?” Lauren asked Ryan as they headed to the war room for lunch.

He grinned. “I tracked down the phone records for the insurance company on the morning of July twenty-fourth.”

“And?”

“There was only one incoming call to the claims office between the hours of six and seven that morning. It came in at 6:27 a.m. Want to guess where the call came from?”

“Jake’s cell phone?”

“Not quite, but almost as good.”

Lauren shook her head. “I give up.”

“A pay phone at Washington National airport in D.

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