Perfect Justice

52.

BEN CONSIDERED WAIVING CROSS-EXAMINATION altogether. Dunagan apparently was determined to destroy Donald Vick, and if that was the case, the sooner he was off the stand, the better. But Ben had to try to keep the jurors from making up their minds before the defense called its first witness.

On the other hand, there was no point in pretending he was friendly with this man. So he didn’t.

“Are you trying to tell this jury that ASP is just a peace-loving, civic-minded bunch of regular guys? Kind of like the Peace Corps? Or the Boy Scouts?”

“Well,” Dunagan said, “I see no cause for sarcasm.”

“Grand Dragon Dunagan, isn’t the ASP motto ‘The only good gook is a dead gook’?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” And of course, Ben couldn’t prove he was lying, since he hadn’t pocketed any of the man’s propaganda.

“Isn’t it true that you and your followers are expecting a big race war any day now?”

“Some people do believe that will happen, including people who are not members of ASP. I just hope it doesn’t come to pass.”

“Come on now. Isn’t it true you’re setting up all these armed camps so that when the big war hits, you can take over and turn the South into a gigantic whites-only country club?”

“Your honor,” Swain complained, “I don’t see the relevance of this. Mr. Dunagan is not on trial.”

“Agreed. Move on, counsel.”

“Your honor,” Ben said. “Mr. Swain opened the door to this line of questioning. It goes to the witness’s credibility.”

“I said move on, counsel!” Tyler’s bushy eyebrows moved together till they formed a straight line across his face.

Ben gritted his teeth and changed the subject. “Didn’t you tell me that your armory didn’t have any bolts that fit the crossbow that was stolen?”

“It seems I was mistaken. After I talked to you, I was informed that—”

“I don’t want to hear any hearsay,” Ben said, cutting him off. He didn’t know what Dunagan was about to say, but it didn’t sound helpful. “Is a crossbow difficult to fire?”

“Hell, no. All you do is point it and pull the trigger. A five-year-old could do it.”

“Do you train your men in the use of the crossbow?”

“Of course. Including Donald Vick.”

“Despite your haste to single out Donald, the fact is, all your men had access to the crossbow and knew how to use it, right?”

“That’s true.”

“Thank you. I have—”

“But of course, all the other men were in camp, where they were supposed to be, at the time of the murder. The only man missing was Donald Vick.”

Ben squeezed his eyes tightly closed. It would be pointless to object. The jury had already heard it.

He couldn’t think of any more questions to ask. And every second Dunagan remained on the stand, prospects looked a little dimmer for Donald Vick. “No more questions, your honor.”

Ben returned to his seat at defendant’s table. He just hoped that he had sewn enough seeds of uncertainty to keep the jury from making up their minds.

But he doubted it.