12th of Never

Chapter 34

YUKI, LIKE EVERYONE else in Arthur R. Nussbaum’s courtroom, watched Lynnette Lagrande come through the wooden gate in the bar, which separated the gallery from the judge, jury, and prosecution and defense tables. She was wearing a black-and-white print dress with a high collar and a hem that hit midcalf. The thirty-year-old woman was so stunning that the simple dress only enhanced her spectacular figure.

Lagrande swore to tell the truth, then took her seat and crossed her legs at the ankles. When she moved her wavy black hair away from her eyes, she revealed her beautiful, heart-shaped face.

Yuki walked up to the witness and asked, “Ms. Lagrande, what kind of work do you do?”

“I teach first graders at John Muir Elementary School. I’ve had this job for four years and I love it.”

“Are you acquainted with the defendant?”

“Yes, I am.”

Lagrande didn’t look at Keith Herman, but he fixed his sharklike eyes on her.

“How did you come to meet Mr. Herman?” Yuki asked.

“Two years ago, Lily Herman, Mr. Herman’s daughter, was in my class. I met him one day when he came to pick her up after school.”

Under Yuki’s questioning, Lagrande described the course of her relationship with the defendant: parent-teacher conferences, accidental meetings in town, then a lunch with Mr. Herman that turned romantic and was the start of a liaison that had continued for more than a year.

“How would you characterize your feelings for Mr. Herman at this time last year?”

“I loved him.”

“And did he ever tell you how he felt about you?”

“He claimed to love me.”

Yuki brought a packet of letters and e-mails from the prosecution table to the witness stand and showed them to the witness.

“Do these cards and printouts of e-mails belong to you?”

“Yes. They’re mine.”

“Your Honor, I’d like Ms. Lagrande to read some passages from this correspondence and then I’ll introduce all of it into evidence.”

Kinsela said, “Your Honor, the defense concedes that the defendant expressed feelings of love for the witness.”

“The tenor of the correspondence goes to motive, Your Honor,” said Yuki.

The judge was attacked by a fit of sneezing. Everyone in the courtroom waited him out. A few people, including Yuki Castellano and John Kinsela, blessed him.

The judge blew his nose. He thanked everyone, then he said, “I’m not going to deprive the jury of the opportunity to hear these communications, Mr. Kinsela. Ms. Castellano, please proceed.”