The Copy by Grant Boshoff

McBride himself established Dr. Stein's bona fides in court just last week."
    McBride rounded on him. "Well, you've done something!" he growled. "I should have known. Your tactics have been strange from the start. Never cross-examining a single witness? Who does that? You've been sitting there biding your time, knowing the game is rigged. This hoax has been planned all along, hasn't it?"
    May simply snorted in response, and McBride proceeded to lay into him with a host of further accusations.
    Judge Lemar leaned back and watched the heated exchange, heated at least on one side. The coolness and composure of James Scott May was intriguing, given the circumstances, and Lemar couldn't help but acknowledge the rising curiosity in himself of where the defense's case was going.
    "Enough!" he said with a thump of his fist on the desk.
    "But, Your Hon-" stammered McBride.
    "No more, Counselor!" Lemar covered his face with both hands then closed his eyes and began massaging his jowls. The coolness of his callused hands served to relax him and focus his mind.
    At length he opened his eyes and turned to the District Attorney. "How long does your team need to verify Dr. Stein's findings?"
    "It's already underway. We'll know the truth within a half hour."
    Lemar nodded slowly then turned and fixed on James Scott May. "Counselor, assure me that you have a very specific and legally sound path that you are treading with this evidence."
    May nodded emphatically. "Yes, Your Honor, I do."
    Lemar leaned forward and lowered his voice. "I'm going to allow you to proceed, Counselor, however, let me be very clear: if your strategy does not follow the letter of the law or if there are any courtroom theatrics, I will take the District Attorney's advice regarding censure - or worse."
    May opened his mouth to speak but the judge raised a finger. "And I don't need to tell you that if the DA's team doesn't corroborate your evidence one hundred percent, you'll find yourself on the wrong side of the witness stand."
    May nodded again. "Perfectly understood, Your Honor, and thank you."
    "We reconvene in one hour," said Lemar, dismissing them with a wave. He lifted a newspaper from his desk, settled back into his chair with a grunt and snapped it open in front of him.
    "Oh, one last thing, Your Honor," said May as he stood. He reached into the side pocket of his briefcase and produced two pieces of paper, one of which he placed squarely in the middle of the judge's desk and the other he handed to McBride. "Our supplemental witness list, as requested." He turned and headed for the door.
    Judge Lemar lowered the newspaper and peered down at the crisp linen sheet, empty except for the engraved law firm letterhead and a single typed name. Lemar shot a reflexive look at the district attorney, then to James Scott May.
    "Is this a joke, Counselor?"
    "Absolutely not, Your Honor."
    "You're building your entire case on a single remaining witness - and that witness is your client?"
    "Correct, your Honor," replied May.
    Lemar shook his head. "For your client's sake, I hope to God you know what you're doing."
    May gave a slight bow and feigned a tipping of the hat. "Good day gentlemen. I'll see you in an hour."
    With that he was gone, leaving the judge and district attorney looking at each other in disbelief, the unspoken question hanging heavily in the air between them.
     

 
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FOURTEEN
     
     
    JEFF SAT AMID a vortex of paper, sick to his stomach.
    In his mind he tried to play out the last eight years as if he'd lived them. How could Geoffrey have gone so far astray? Would he have done the same, had the roles been reversed? But he had, hadn't he? It was him who'd started down this path, making decisions based on his own experiences and ambitions. How could he have chosen differently? The circular logic did nothing more than give him a dull headache and a cold lump in his throat. The papers around him began to lose focus and he jammed the heels of his