The Professor (McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers #1)(69)

“And what was Dewey’s position with the company?” Take it slow.

“A driver. Trucker, I guess. Not sure if he had a job title or anything. He just drove the truck.”

“And did you have personal knowledge of how often he worked?” Let’s lay a little foundation.

“I was his wife. Sure. When he wasn’t home, he was on the road. Plus, he would talk about his work schedule.”

“He was on the road a lot, wasn’t he?” Rick asked.

“Objection, your honor. Counsel is leading the witness,” Tyler said, standing.

“Sustained,” Judge Cutler responded. “Don’t lead, Counselor.”

Rick walked a little towards Wilma, pausing. The objection had given him a dramatic opening. All the jurors were focused on him.

“Ms Newton, would you please describe for the jury what Dewey’s schedule was like at Willistone?” Rick walked back to his spot at the end of the railing, catching a few jurors’ eyes. Most of them, though, were watching Wilma. Perfect. He turned and waited for her response.

God, please forgive me, Wilma thought, looking at JimBone and Jack Willistone out in the galley. Nothing for me. Everything for them.

“It was fine,” Wilma said, in a calm, clear voice.

There was a gasp from one of the jurors, and Rick was sure he had misheard.

“Ms Newton, could you repeat your answer? I didn’t hear you.”

“It was fine. Dewey always told me he liked the schedule he was on. Normal hours. Decent pay.” She smiled and Rick froze.

Oh, holy shit.

“But... didn’t you... I... I met with you.” Rick struggled to put his words together. “You said... you told Ms Murphy, my associate, and me that it was crazy... that Dewey told you it was crazy. That Dewey told you that Willistone was forcing him to drive more than the law allowed. Right?”

“Objection, your honor. Counsel is leading the witness. His question also calls for hearsay.” Tyler looked at Rick when he finished his objection, and the bastard’s smugness was palpable. He expected this, Rick thought.

“Sustained on leading. Don’t lead your witness, Counselor.” Judge Cutler leaned over the podium and made eye contact with Rick. He looked concerned, no doubt realizing that the witness was testifying contrary to Rick’s opening statement.

“Ms Newton, did we meet back in February of last year to discuss this case?” Let’s try this again.

“Yes.” Wilma had not flinched. She was poker-faced and, actually, pleasant.

“Did we discuss Dewey’s schedules at Willistone?”

“Yes, we did.”

“And how did you describe them then?”

“I’m sure the same way. I mean, that was a long time ago.” She looked right at Rick, then the jury, many of whom were sitting on the edge of their seat.

Damn, damn, damn.

“Ms Newton, did you not tell me that Dewey’s schedules were crazy? That was your word, wasn’t it? ‘Crazy’? Did you not say that?”

“Objection, your honor. Mr Drake just asked Ms Newton four questions. Could he break it down a little?” Tyler’s arrogant and patronizing voice made Rick’s stomach churn, but Rick forced himself not to look at the bastard. Just try to stay calm.

“I’ll rephrase, your honor,” Rick said, walking towards Wilma.

“Go ahead,” Cutler said.

“Ms Newton, did you ever, in my presence, describe Dewey’s schedules at Willistone Trucking Company as ‘crazy’?”

She leaned towards Rick, glaring back.

“Absolutely not,” she said. “I would never have said that.”

“Did you ever, in my presence, say that Dewey told you that he was being forced to drive twenty hours at a time?”

“Never. I remember you asking me questions like that and wanting me to say those things, but I never did. Dewey loved that company,” she said, looking at the jury. “And they treated him good.”

I can’t believe this is happening, Rick thought. He knew he needed to regroup, but he was unable to stop the next question from coming out of his mouth.

“You told me that Dewey got a couple of speeding tickets, because Willistone’s schedule forced him to speed, didn’t you?”

“No, Mr Drake. I never said that.”

“You also said that Jack Willistone inspected the driver’s logs himself every week, making sure that whatever was on the logs was compliant with DOT regulations, regardless of how many hours were actually driven.”

“No, I never told you or anyone else that.”

“Ms Newton, you told me that Dewey was so scared of Jack Willistone that a lot of times you helped him fill out his driver’s logs so it looked like he was under ten hours.”

Wilma shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. My husband never said those things, and I never helped him fill out his driver’s logs.”

Rick felt heat sting his forehead. This is a f*cking ambush. “Ms Newton, I met with you. You told me everything I just asked you about.”

Tyler rose, but then shook his head and sat back down without raising an objection.

“Mr Drake, I remember our meeting and I remember you wanting me to say those things.” She looked right at the jury. “But I never, ever said those things. Dewey’s schedules were reasonable at Willistone. He...” Wilma’s voice cracked and her lip trembled. “Dewey loved that company.”