Naive by Charles Royce (world best books to read .txt) 📕

Lennox transcribed it to me,” Jenna says. “I don’t remember everything because after I printed it out, he told me to delete it, which I did.”

“Can you paraphrase it at least?”

“The gist was that this guy, this Ghost character, had been Lenny’s drug dealer during the time he was using. When Lenny started getting clean, he tried to shake this guy. Even tried to help him by suggesting recovery. The guy threatened Lenny several times, stalked him outside meetings, beat up some of his friends, even pulled a knife on him once.” Jenna looks at the jury. “He was petrified, said if anything ever happened to him, to look for the guy. Even gave his address.”

“Do you remember where this Ghost guy lives?”

“Somewhere in Alphabet City. Avenue C? D? I’m sorry, I don’t remember.”

“Thank you, that’s all we have for this witness,” Shawn says, followed by an immediate, “One more thing, Jenna. Did you know your Wi-Fi is accessible from Shawn and Lenny’s apartment?”

“Objection!”

“Sustained! Mr. Connelly, would you like to lay a foundation for this shiny new narrative?”

“Not at this time, your Honor.”

“Somehow I didn’t think so. Your witness, Ms. Lerner.”

“I have nothing for this witness.”

“Court is adjourned until tomorrow at 9:00am,” says Judge Wilson, banging his gavel. “Let’s get an early start. If anyone comes across a Starbucks on their way, I’d like an almond milk latte.”

C h a p t e r   3 9

“You’re coming across as kind of a dick,” Micah says as soon as Shawn enters the visiting room.

The sunlight that normally beamed through the small opening in the top of Micah’s visiting room is fading into a blurry illumination on the ceiling just outside. Micah is dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans, while Shawn is still in his tan tweed suit from court. Noticing the disparity, Shawn loosens his tie.

“I’m sure I was.” Shawn changes the subject. “Now listen, even though Jenna just implicated James West’s company, and we already talked about his voice message the night of Lenny’s death, I am not bringing him in as a witness. The first rule of calling a witness is to know what they’re going to say. If West simply denies everything, we look like complete idiots. If he brings up some angle about the phone call that lets him off the hook completely, we’re fucked. And I think it’s always better to just leave the question lingering in the jury’s minds, which it already is, but I’ll make sure of it in closing argument. Remember we don’t have to prove the company did this, just simply argue that you didn’t.”

“Makes sense.” Micah says with little affect. He stares at Shawn.

“Then why do you keep looking at me like that? What? That little outburst pointed at your girlfriend? Micah, I did that only to set up a very particular part of our defense.”

“What? Pointing in the direction of Jenna? She was cleared, Shawn. Clear alibi, like Josh. Like me. All at the same event.”

“Did you know her Wi-Fi is available from your condo?”

They both stand arms crossed, almost like funhouse-mirror reflections of each other. About the same height, same age, yet Micah is clearly bigger, and without the dad bod.

“So, you found a familiar Wi-Fi accessible from our home, and now you think Jenna recorded us in our living room? Why on earth would she do that?”

“Hey, my job is to defend you zealously, blah blah blah.”

“Shawn, I’m serious. She’s my friend, and I thought she was yours too.”

Shawn knows he’s walking a tightrope. He senses his strategy is coming to life, but he also feels like it’s killing him.

“She is a friend.” He buries the emotion. “A friend who got fired by your husband. A friend who lives close to you, who has access to your home, who used to work balls-deep for a corrupt company. Do I think she could do this to Lenny? No! Do I think I need to suggest that she could? Absolutely. You didn’t stab your husband, so who did? The company, the jilted employee, the Ghost. They didn’t follow through with anybody. So they’re gonna get it all.”

C h a p t e r   4 0

((Bang bang bang.))

The judge hits the gavel on its stand, rattling the Starbucks cup resting next to it. He takes a sip.

“Okay, who’s up?” asks the judge, wiping the froth from his lip with his robe. “Thanks for this … whoever gave me … anyway, okay, let’s go.”

Shawn recognizes his cue. “Defense would like to recall Officer Mateo Palino.”

While Officer Palino takes the stand and is sworn in, Shawn takes a small white metal table from the side of the room and rolls it in front of the jury. On top of the table sits the small African box that houses the tiny camera that could have recorded the murder. Astrid feels her eyes begin to roll, but stops and blinks instead. Shawn puts on blue latex gloves, opens the plastic bag containing the hand-carved box, and removes the camera from inside.

“Thank you, officer. I just have a few questions about this box right here. First, can you tell me where you found it?”

“Yes, it was in the back left corner of the victim’s living room, where the kitchen peninsula meets the back left wall, sitting on top of a side table.”

“And which direction was it facing?”

“Toward the living room away from the wall.”

“And what did this hand-carved box have inside of it?”

“A camera.”

“What type of camera?”

“It was wireless.”

The jury begins to move a little. Some look at others right next to them. Some move forward in their chairs as if they want to hear better.

“A wireless camera. And can you read me your notes about this wireless camera, please, officer, right there?” Shawn points downward.

Officer Palino has his notes on the witness stand right in front of him, courtesy of Shawn, who had placed them there earlier in anticipation of the day’s events.

“Wireless camera still warm. Possible recording