After Anna(71)
‘No, he’s fine.’
‘Did he give you a hard time about the car?’
‘No.’
‘Did he bring up the Jamie thing?’
‘No. It’s nothing he did.’ Anna pursed her lips. ‘It’s just that I felt kind of uncomfortable.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know, but I just felt, uncomfortable. Maybe because of all the drama.’ Anna looked away. ‘I think it’s better this way, really, Mom.’
‘You sure?’ Maggie asked, worried that the rift between Anna and Noah was getting worse.
Anna turned away, eyeing the canvases. ‘That was so thoughtful of you to do that.’
‘It was fun,’ Maggie said, troubled.
Chapter Forty-nine
Noah, After
TRIAL, DAY 5
‘Dr Alderman, let’s briefly review your testimony, shall we?’
Noah nodded, not knowing whether he should answer. It sounded as if Linda was about to end her cross, and it couldn’t come soon enough. He straightened in his chair.
‘Dr Alderman, Anna Desroches moved into your home on April 22, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘And she was murdered only eighteen days later, on May 10, is that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘You thought she was beautiful, didn’t you?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you complimented her on her looks during your driving lesson, did you not?’
‘Yes.’
‘And after you learned that she stood to inherit $50 million, you offered to give her driving lessons, is that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘And when Anna asked you if your son Caleb could go, you lied to her about the real reason he couldn’t go, telling her that it was because she had to concentrate, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘Anna would later claim that you touched her inappropriately on the thigh during that driving lesson, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’ Noah realized that Linda was taking him methodically through the most damning facts of his case. She was simply dismantling him, the way a butcher breaks apart a chicken carcass, piece by piece, wedging back the legs and wings until the joints break, then tearing the limbs off.
‘About a week after that driving lesson, on May 6, you and your wife held a barbecue at your home, and after the barbecue, Anna claimed that you kissed her and tried to touch her breast, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘And on Monday after the barbecue, on May 8, Anna filed a Petition for a Protection From Abuse Order, signed by both Anna and your wife, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘But before Judge Hamilton could reach her decision, you reached a settlement whereby Anna agreed to withdraw the Petition and you agreed to leave the home, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘You moved out of your home, and only two days after that, on Wednesday, May 10, a text was sent from your phone to Anna’s phone, asking her to come to your house, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘Anna was strangled to death that very night on your front porch at about that time, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘You called 911 from the scene, did you not?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you spoke to the dispatcher for a little over a minute?’
‘Yes.’
‘And one minute after you hung up with 911, you called your lawyer, with whom you spoke for twelve minutes, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘Dr Alderman, you’re aware that your DNA, hair, and threads from your clothes were found on Anna’s body, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘You are also aware that Anna’s DNA, hair, threads from her clothes were found on your clothes, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘Your wife didn’t visit you in prison while you were incarcerated, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’ Noah assumed Linda had checked the prison’s visitor logs.
‘Your wife didn’t testify in your defense at the PFA hearing, did she?’
‘No.’
‘And she didn’t testify in your defense at this trial, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘Dr Alderman, given all of these facts, which are undisputed, how do you expect anybody on this jury to believe that you are anything but guilty of Anna’s murder?’
‘I –’ Noah started to say, then realized he had no way to finish the sentence.
‘Your Honor, I have no further questions,’ Linda said flatly, then strode back toward counsel table.
Noah felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He had expected to feel relief, but he knew how badly it had gone.
‘Thank you.’ Judge Gardner looked at Thomas. ‘Mr Owusu, do you have redirect examination for the witness?’
‘No, Your Honor. Thank you.’ Thomas half-rose, shaking his head, and Linda looked over at Thomas, pausing just before she sat down, but her expression remained professional.