12th of Never

Chapter 71

KINSELA STOOD SIX FEET from the witness box with his hands clasped behind his back.

“I’m sorry, Your Honor,” he said. “I didn’t mean to make light of the proceedings.”

From the smile in Kinsela’s pale blue eyes, it was clear to Yuki and everyone else in the courtroom that Kinsela was enjoying himself enormously.

The judge said, “Watch yourself, Mr. Kinsela. Don’t make me angry.”

Kinsela apologized again, and then he continued his examination of the witness.

“Lieutenant, were you dating Ms. Lagrande at the time you met with Keith Herman?”

“You mean at the time when Keith Herman asked me to kill his wife and kid?”

“If that’s what he actually did. But let me be more precise. Were you dating Ms. Lagrande before February of last year?”

“I guess so.”

“Please answer yes or no.”

“I don’t keep a date book, for Christ’s sake. What do you think I am? A fifteen-year-old girl?”

Kinsela said, “Your Honor. Please tell the witness to answer the question.”

The judge spoke to the witness. “Lieutenant Meserve, you will either answer Mr. Kinsela’s questions truthfully or you will be held in contempt of court. You will be fined and jailed. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir, Your Honor.”

“Go ahead, Mr. Kinsela.”

Kinsela let the moment drag out for a second or two, then said, “Who was the informant who referred Keith Herman to you, Lieutenant?”

“I can’t reveal my sources.”

Kinsela put his hand on the witness stand and leaned toward the witness. “Let me help you, Lieutenant. Lynnette Lagrande sent Keith Herman to you for the purpose of arranging the murder of Jennifer and Lily Herman, isn’t that right? Lynnette Lagrande was your so-called confidential informant.”

“I—I—I refuse to answer on the grounds of the Fifth Amendment.”

“You’re afraid you’ll incriminate yourself, Lieutenant? Is that because Lynnette Lagrande conspired with you to put Keith Herman up to contracting hits on his family? Isn’t it true that it was Lynnette who wanted Jennifer and Lily Herman dead? She wanted to marry Keith Herman for his money, and then Keith would have an accident. The fatal kind.”

“I take the Fifth. Didn’t you hear me—”

Kinsela kept going, ran right over what Meserve was saying. “And then, after Keith Herman was in the ground, and Lynnette was a wealthy widow, she could share her life and her new fortune with you. Isn’t that the way it was supposed to go? Isn’t that why you refuse to answer my questions?”

Meserve’s face was florid and yet the skin around his eyes had gone white. He shouted, “Killing Lily was Keith’s idea.”

“Is that so?” Kinsela said. “You’re saying Mr. Herman wanted his daughter killed, and yet Lily is alive, isn’t she? And Jennifer Herman is quite definitely dead.”