Letters From Will

Chapter Sixteen

Rita

"All rise!"

Here we go again, another day starting in Persephone's trial. This will be quite a day. I wouldn't want to be in Mickey, the Mouse, Davenport's shoes, no, siree.

"Your honor, at this moment, the defense would like to amend the defense witness list," I inform the bench as the courtroom opens for business. "A surprise witness has come forward with crucial information for these procedures."

"Your honor, approach?" requests the Mouse.

Rebecca calls us up with a gesture and I approach the bench carrying copies of my updated witness list. I hand a copy to the court reporter in passing, she will file it on the records; one copy I give to the judge and another one to Mickey, the Mouse.

The judge takes one look at the document in front of her eyes and does a double take. She reads again what is written there; she lifts her eyes and looks at Mickey and then, at me. She reads the document a third time and pulls her reading glasses off her face. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Not at all, your honor," I answer. "Not at all!"

Mickey's eyes are open so wide they might pop out of their sockets. "Your hon... honor..." he stutters, "this is the very... ahem... the very first time the People hears about this witness... I... I object..."

"I said it was a surprise witness, Michael," I patiently explain as if I was talking to a small child. "This witness only came forward a couple of days ago and I only believed my eyes after a Skype conference."

"Why hasn't the People been apprised of this witness before, Mrs. Calhoun?" asks the judge.

"Because we had to make sure the witness would be able to be present in court today," I answer so innocently.

"And is your witness in court?" asks the judge, her eyes glinting.

"I expect my witness will be present shortly. I had an associate of mine pick my witness up at JFK Airport and I have been informed they are encountering some traffic on their way to the court."

"Your honor, I object to this witness's testimony in its entirety!" Mickey was outraged. "This is nothing but a publicity stunt, a piece of cheap drama!"

"I assure you this witness is bringing crucial information, your honor," I reply. "In fact, the defense's whole case might hang on this witness's testimony."

Rebecca actually smiles, but she pulls herself together quickly. "I have a notion about where the defense is going and I agree with Mrs. Calhoun. If my suspicion is correct, then it is crucial information indeed. Objection overruled, Mr. Davenport." The judge picks up her gavel. "We will have a short interval, half an hour, so your witness can get here. This court is in recess." She bangs her gavel loud and stands up to go to her chambers. As I turn around to return to the defense table, I swear I can hear Rebecca muttering to herself, "I've got to see this..."

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"Rita... yesterday... they took me back to Rikers so fast, I couldn't even thank you properly..." Persephone is wolfing down food I had delivered to the waiting room for breakfast. "You tore Jeff a new one! It was beautiful!"

I take a sip of my coffee. "That was fun! He so richly deserved it!" We are waiting for news from my surprise witness.

Persephone polishes off her smoked salmon French toast. "Do you know where Charlie is? I haven't seen him yet."