Open and Shut - By David Rosenfelt Page 0,75
about an hour later and completely takes over. He arranges for Nicole to be transferred to a more prestigious hospital near his home, and is already having his personal physician consult with the doctors who have taken care of Nicole.
Philip has very little to say to me, and I can't say that I blame him. He's warned me that something terrible could happen if I didn't back off, and he's been proven right.
OUR DEFENSEBEGINS ON MONDAY MORNING, AND our first witness is Lou Campanelli, the leader of a local drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. Kevin has interviewed him over the weekend, and has reported to me that we have some gains to make by putting him on. Kevin also has come up with a way that we can use Lou to help our theory that Willie was framed.
A lot of people talk a good game about helping people, but Lou Campanelli has devoted his life to it. He is sixty-four years old, and has been helping people deal with their addictions for the past forty-two of them. There aren't enough Lou Campanellis in the world.
After I take him through his background and have him describe the type of program he runs, I ask him if Willie was a member of that program.
Lou nods. “He was an outstanding member. Totally committed to remaining sober.”
“So were you surprised to discover that he was found drunk the night of the murder?”
“I was quite surprised. It's always a possibility, of course, every day can be a struggle. But yes, in Willie's case I was surprised and disappointed.”
“What about drugs?” I ask. “To the best of your knowledge, did Willie ever use drugs?”
Lou shakes his head firmly and emphatically. “No way. Willie lost a sister to drugs. He wasn't just against them for himself; he wouldn't tolerate anybody else using them either. It just isn't possible.”
I nod. “What would you say if I told you that there has been testimony about drug needle marks in Willie Miller's arms?”
“I'd say somebody's lying.”
I go over to the defense table, and Kevin hands me a folder.
“Your Honor, I would like to introduce this as defense exhibit number four. It is the results of the blood test taken at the time, which shows no drugs in Mr. Miller's blood whatsoever.”
I walk back toward Lou, whose face shows something between a grin and a sneer. “I told you.”
I can't help but smile. “Yes, you did, Mr. Campanelli. Now tell me … as an expert on alcoholism … how does one go about getting drunk?”
“What do you mean? By drinking alcohol.”
“Does the alcohol get into the drinker's bloodstream?”
“Yes.”
“Is drinking the only way to do it?”
“Far as I know,” he says.
“Suppose,” I ask, “suppose I were to inject a large amount of alcohol into your arm with a syringe. Would that do the trick? Could you become drunk that way?”
Wallace realizes where I'm going. “Objection. Pure speculation.”
“Overruled. Witness will answer the question.”
Lou shrugs. “I guess it would. Sure.”
“Objection! Your Honor, the witness is not qualified as an expert in this area.”
Hatchet overrules again and Wallace asks for a conference out of earshot of the jury. We go back to chambers, where he again makes the case that I am advancing wild theories that Hatchet should protect the jury's delicate ears from having to hear. Hatchet refuses to do so, and we head right back into the court.
As I stand to continue my direct examination of Campanelli, I notice Laurie coming in the back door and sitting at the defense table.
“Mr. Campanelli,” I resume, “could such a large amount of alcohol be injected into a person's bloodstream that the person could be rendered totally drunk? Smashed?”
“Sure.”
“So that he couldn't remember anything afterward? Including the injections?”
“I guess it would depend on the person, but … why not?”
I smile. “I don't know why not, Mr. Campanelli. I don't know why not at all.”
I go back to the defense table as Wallace starts his cross-examination. I hear him getting Campanelli to speak about how common it is for program members to fall off the wagon and go on binges.
I lean over to talk to Laurie. “Any news on the license plate?”
She nods. “Yes, but you're not going to like it. It's a registered plate, top government security clearance. There is no way to find out who has it.”
This is a stunning piece of news. The goddamn government is trying to kill me?
Campanelli leaves the stand, and Hatchet announces that one of the jurors has a medical