After Anna(14)

Thomas paused. ‘How did you get such a good look at the car in Dr Alderman’s driveway?’

‘Because I ran toward it when I was chasing the dog.’

‘When you heard the shout, how did you feel?’

‘Alarmed, I mean, I sensed it was a bad thing. Instinctively.’ Weissberg frowned. ‘I still feel guilty about it. It’s just that I got so distracted when the dog ran away. I didn’t want him to get hit.’

‘Your Honor, may I approach the witness?’ Thomas returned to counsel table when Judge Gardner nodded, and he slid three copies of a document from atop his legal pad, then handed one each to the judge, Linda, and finally to Weissberg. ‘Mr Weissberg, I’m showing you a computer printout and I’m asking you, does this represent the phone calls you made that evening?’

‘Yes.’

Thomas nodded. ‘Your Honor, I move this printout into evidence as Defendant’s Exhibit 32.’

Linda waved her hand, dismissing it. ‘No objection, Your Honor.’

‘It’s admitted.’ Judge Gardner nodded, and Thomas faced the witness stand.

‘Mr Weissberg, does it show the phone call with your girlfriend commencing at 9:02 P.M. and ending at 9:47 P.M.?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did you tell her that you heard a shout?’

‘No.’

‘Do you know how long you stayed on the phone with her after you heard the shout?’

‘No.’

‘Now, after you caught the dog, did you walk back down Dr Alderman’s street?’

‘Yes.’

‘And did you pass Dr Alderman’s house?’

‘Yes.’

‘And did you look in Dr Alderman’s driveway?’

‘Yes, I did. I remembered about the shout.’

‘And what did you see in Dr Alderman’s driveway the second time?’

‘I saw that another car had pulled in behind the Range Rover.’

‘And what type of car was that?’

‘It was a gray Audi SUV.’

Noah breathed a relieved sigh. Weissberg’s testimony had gone beautifully. Thomas had made his point. Noah’s Audi SUV hadn’t been in the driveway when the shout was heard, presumably from Anna.

‘I have no further questions. Thank you, Mr Weissberg.’

Thomas returned to counsel table as Linda shot up, brushed off her suit, and powered to the witness box.

‘Mr Weissberg, my name is Linda Swain-Pettit and I represent the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Thank you for your time today.’

‘You’re welcome,’ Weissberg answered with a warm smile, not realizing it was a formality.

‘You said you were certain that you heard the shout coming from the direction of the defendant’s house, isn’t that correct?’

‘Yes.’

‘But you also said it was a nice night, is that correct?’

‘Yes.’

Linda turned to Judge Gardner. ‘Perhaps Your Honor would take judicial notice of the fact that it was clear and temperate at that hour of the evening, 72 degrees and low humidity. I verified this information with accuweather.com.’

‘Fine, go ahead.’ Judge Gardner nodded.

‘Thank you, Your Honor.’ Linda turned back to the witness stand. ‘Mr Weissberg, do you recall whether any residents had their windows open that evening?’

‘No, I don’t.’

‘But you testified that people were inside watching television, didn’t you?’

‘Yes, I did.’

‘Mr Weissberg, didn’t you know that because you saw flickering TVs?’

‘Yes. You can see inside the houses, and people had TVs on.’

‘So it’s certainly possible the windows were open, given the temperate weather, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, I suppose so.’ Weissberg blinked behind his glasses.

‘And isn’t it also possible that the sound you heard was coming from a television?’

‘No, I think I heard it from the driveway.’ Weissberg shook his head.

Noah remained impassive, but he felt like cheering.

Linda frowned. ‘But you can’t be absolutely 100 percent sure that’s where the sound came from, can you?’

‘I think I’m pretty sure.’

Linda shot him a look. ‘Mr Weissberg, you think you’re pretty sure, but you were on the phone at the time, were you not?’

‘Yes.’

‘And if your dog is a beagle, he pulls when you walk him, doesn’t he?’

‘Yes, the whole time.’

‘Doesn’t he pant when you walk him, too?’

‘Yes.’

‘Mr Weissberg, so we’re clear, you’re walking him, he’s tugging and panting, and you’re talking with your girlfriend, isn’t that correct?’

‘Yes.’

‘Mr Weissberg, what was the subject matter of the conversation?’

At counsel table, Thomas shifted in his seat, but didn’t object. Noah’s heart began to sink. Linda appeared to mull it over, but he knew she already had a plan.

Weissberg hesitated. ‘It was about our relationship.’

‘Was it a calm or emotional conversation?’