Between Black and White (McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers #2)(84)

“Your Honor, we had no idea that Mr. Pickalew would be a witness for the defense,” Tom said, thinking as fast as he could as he went through what Ray Ray had indicated “his witness” would say. “Based on what this witness will reveal, it is our position that justice demands that Mr. Pickalew be heard.”

“And just what is this witness going to reveal?” Connelly asked, her voice awash with frustration and annoyance. “Really, Mr. McMurtrie, I agree with the General. I cannot imagine how Mr. Pickalew can testify in this case.”

“This witness”—Ray Ray began, and everyone else in the room stopped talking. Ray Ray, who had been standing near the back of the office, took a step forward. He did not look at Judge Connelly. Instead, he focused his eyes on Bo—“is going to reveal the names of the men who were present at the clearing at Walton Farm when Roosevelt Haynes was murdered.”

The room remained utterly silent as Ray Ray took another step into the room. He was now standing right in front of Bo, his side to the judge.

Bocephus Haynes rose to his full height of six feet four inches tall.

“And just how in the hell are you going to do that, Pickalew?” Helen asked, her voice a high-pitched whine. “Good grief, how much have you had to drink today?”

But no one else in the room moved or spoke. All eyes were on Ray Ray and Bo.

“I’m stone sober,” Ray Ray said.

“How?” Bo asked, his voice an anguished crackle. “How can you name those men?”

Tom rose and stepped between his two friends.

“How?” Bo repeated, looking over Tom’s shoulder and into the eyes of Ray Ray Pickalew. “How?”

“Because I was one of them,” Ray Ray said.





71


Seconds after Ray Ray’s pronouncement, Sheriff Ennis Petrie and two deputies burst into the judge’s chambers. When Ray Ray had begun talking only to Bo, Judge Connelly had pressed the security button. Everyone in the room turned to Ennis, who was looking at Connelly.

“Sheriff, please take Mr. Pickalew into custody and hold him in my clerk’s office across the hall.”

The sheriff did as he was told, taking Ray Ray by the arm.

“I’m sorry, Bo,” Ray Ray said. “I’m so sorry.”

As Ray Ray was led out of Connelly’s chambers, Bo slowly sank to his seat, his legs wobbly.

“Judge, it would be highly prejudicial and improper to allow Mr. Pickalew to testify in this case,” Helen began. “This case is about Andy Walton’s murder. Not Roosevelt Haynes. Besides, Mr. Pickalew has rights. He will be confessing to murder.”

Connelly leaned back in her chair and rubbed her eyes with her hands. “Son of a . . . bitch,” she said, shaking her head as if to rid it of the memory of what she had just seen. Her eyes shifted to Tom for a response.

Tom glanced down at Bo, who was clearly in shock. “It is very ironic,” Tom began, “for General Lewis to be concerned about Mr. Pickalew’s rights. Based on what Mr. Pickalew has already admitted to all of us here, I do not think he will have any hesitation to testifying on the stand to what he saw . . . and what he did. It is our expectation that such testimony will place Larry Tucker and Dr. George Curtis as participants in the lynching of Roosevelt Haynes. We have already heard testimony from Darla Ford that she informed Larry Tucker that Andy Walton intended to confess to this murder in the two weeks or so before Andy was killed. Mr. Tucker’s phone records from the Sundowners show multiple calls to Dr. Curtis in the fourteen days prior to Mr. Walton’s murder. Combined with Darla Ford’s testimony, Mr. Pickalew’s expected testimony will provide a strong motive for either Curtis or Tucker to have committed the murder of Andy Walton.”

“Judge, there is not a shred of physical evidence linking Dr. Curtis or Mr. Tucker to this crime. No evidence was found at the scene of the crime implicating either man.”

“Your Honor, Larry Tucker’s strip club is the scene of the crime. How big of a physical link does General Lewis need? Mr. Haynes is on trial for his life. He should be allowed to show an alternative theory for this crime.”

Judge Connelly slammed both hands on her desk and abruptly rose to her feet. “I’m going to allow it. The defense is entitled to show evidence of other suspects’ motive.”

“Your Honor, this witness wasn’t disclosed. You should not allow this ambush.”

“Mr. McMurtrie, when did you know that Mr. Pickalew would be a witness for the defense?” Connelly asked, turning to Tom.

“A few seconds before my partner called his name. Ray Ray hadn’t told us anything.”

“Ray Ray is one of Mr. Haynes’s lawyers,” Helen said, clearly exasperated by this turn of events. “A lawyer should not be allowed to testify in a case where he is also appearing as counsel.”

Connelly waved her hand at Helen as if to swat the argument down. “I’m going to allow it. It’s relevant to motive, and”—she paused, gazing down at Bo, who still sat shell-shocked in the chair before her—“it’s the right thing to do.”





72


Helen Lewis walked back into the courtroom in a daze. What in God’s name was going on? She could feel the case slipping away. In truth, she had felt it slipping since last night. Since the moment she noticed the portion of the St. Clair Correctional Facility visitor’s log she had missed during her first read.