The Night Fire (Harry Bosch #22) - Michael Connelly Page 0,38
Haller said.
He turned and looked back at Bosch and nodded. Bosch got up to get Morales.
18
From the start, Albert Morales seemed like a man with a chip on his shoulder. He clearly did not want to be in court on his day off and showed this by acting uninterested and giving clipped answers to every question. This was a good thing, in Bosch’s eyes. He believed that the EMT’s obvious dislike of Haller would give more credence to anything the defense lawyer managed to extract from him that was beneficial to his client.
Bosch was again watching from the last row. This was not because he had to be near the exit, but because the last row gave him cover from the eyes of the courtroom deputy, who was posted at a desk in front of the door to the courthouse holding pens. The use of electronic devices was prohibited in all but the hallways of Superior Court. The deputies often cut law enforcement officers and prosecutors slack, but never the defense. And Bosch needed to be able to communicate with Haller as he conducted his examination of Morales without having previously questioned him. It was a high-wire act without a net and Haller wanted all the help he could get. He wore an electronic watch that received texts from his phone. As long as Bosch kept his messages short, Haller would be able to get them on the watch and check them as though he was checking the time.
After the preliminaries of name, occupation, and experience were out of the way, Haller got down to business, asking Morales if he had received a call regarding a man down at the Starbucks on First Street on the day of the Judge Montgomery murder.
“I did,” Morales said.
“And did you have a partner with you?” Haller asked.
“I did.”
“Who was that?”
“Gerard Cantor.”
“And you two treated the man who was on the floor of the Starbucks?”
“We did.”
“Do you recognize that man in the courtroom today?”
“Recognize? No.”
“But you know he is in the courtroom?”
“Yes.”
“And how is that?”
“It’s been all over the news. I know what this trial’s about.”
He said it in an exasperated tone that Haller ignored as he pressed on.
“So you know that the defendant in this case, Jeffrey Herstadt, is the man you treated on the floor of the Starbucks that day?”
“Yes.”
“But you don’t recognize him?”
“I treat a lot of people. I can’t remember them all. Plus, he looks like he got cleaned up while in jail.”
“And because you can’t remember all the people you treat, you write reports detailing what you did on each call for help, correct?”
“Yes.”
Foundation laid, Haller asked the judge for permission to bring a copy of the Fire Department incident report that was filed by Morales after the incident with Herstadt. Once that was okayed, Haller put a copy down in front of Morales and returned to the lectern.
“What is that document, Mr. Morales?”
“The incident report I filled out.”
“After treating Jeffrey Herstadt at the Starbucks.”
“That’s right. It’s got his name on it.”
“Can you read the summary to the jury?”
“Yes. ‘Subject fell or seized on floor of business. All vitals good. Oxygen levels good. Refused treatment or transport for minor head laceration from fall. Subject walked away.’”
“Okay, what does that last part mean? ‘Subject walked away.’”
“It means exactly what it says: the subject refused any help from us and just got up and walked away. He went out the door and that was that. I don’t know why it’s so important.”
“Well, let’s try to make it clear to you. What does—”
Saldano stood up and objected.
“Your Honor, he’s badgering his own witness when the witness has legitimate concerns about what he is doing here. As do I.”
“Mr. Haller, you know better,” Falcone said.
“Yes, Your Honor,” Haller said.
“And I join the witness and the prosecutor in questioning how we are advancing the search for truth with this witness,” the judge added.
Morales looked out into the gallery and found Bosch. He gave him a fuck-you look.
“Judge,” Haller said, “I think it will become clear to all concerned very quickly if I am allowed to proceed with my witness.”
“Then please do,” Falcone said.
Haller checked his watch as if noting the time and read Bosch’s first text:
Get to the gizmo.
“Mr. Morales, the summary on your incident report says ‘All vitals good. Oxygen levels good.’ What does that mean?”
“His pulse and blood pressure were measured and within acceptable levels. His blood was oxygenated. Nothing was wrong.”