'Mr.Stendahl,' Stone continued, 'what are the documents you have just been handed?'
Stendahl flipped quickly through them. 'They appear to be the results of another physical examination taken by Mr.Manning.'
'On what date?'
'A year after our company's doctors examined him.'
'Would you read the first paragraph, which has been highlighted?'
Stendahl found the paragraph. ''Paul Manning is a forty-year-old author who has come in for a physical examination prior to an extensive sea voyage. Mr.Manning has no complaints, but he is desirous of being examined and taking a copy of his medical records on his journey. Mr.Manning is six feet, two inches tall and weighs…'' Stendahl paused.
'Go on, Mr.Stendahl.'
''… weighs two hundred and sixty-one pounds, rather too much for a man of his frame, The results of blood tests show a serum cholesterol count of three hundred twenty-five and serum triglycerides are four hundred and ten. These are both dangerously elevated, the high end of normal being two hundred and twenty for cholesterol al one hundred and fifty for triglycerides. Because of these numbers, in conjunction with Mr.Manning's lack of regular exercise, I have advised Mr.Manning to immediately undertake a program of exercise, a diet low in cholesterol and other fats, and to bring his weight down to a maximum of two hundred pounds.' 'Does this sound like the man your doctors examined?' Stone asked.
'No. It would appear that Mr.Manning changed his eating habits after our exam.'
'Do you think it possible that Mr.Manning might have lost weight and watched his consumption of fats prior to your examination, so that he would have been insurable, then reverted to his old ways after the exam?'
Sir Winston was on his feet. 'I object, Your Lordship. This calls for a conclusion on the part of the witness.'
'Sustained,' the judge said.
'Let me put it another way, Mr.Stendahl,' Stone 'Would you think that the man described in this exam was, and I quote, 'a heart attack waiting to happen'?'
Sir Winston was up again.
'I withdraw the question, Your Lordship,' Stone cutting him off. 'We would like the medical examination report to be Exhibit Number One for the defense.' Now he had to wade further into shallow water, violating the rule of every that attorney: He was going to ask a question he didn't know the answer to. 'Mr.Stendahl,' he said 'was there a provision in Mr.Manning's insurance policy covering double indemnity?'
Stendahl hesitated a moment, then answered, 'Yes, there was.'
Thank God, Stone thought. 'Would you explain to the court the meaning of the term' double indemnity'?'
'It means that if the insured suffers accidental death, then the death benefit is doubled.' 'So if Paul Manning had died accidentally, the death benefit would have been twenty-four million dollars?'
'That is correct.'
'Now, Mr.Stendahl, I ask you to imagine the circumstances surrounding Paul Manning's death: he is alone with his wife in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Let us say, merely for the purposes of argument, that Mrs.Manning has decided to kill her husband. Having done so, would it not then be very profitable for her to claim that he had died as a result of an accident at sea?' 'Yes, I suppose it would.'
'Profitable to the extent of an additional twelve million dollars?'
'Yes.'
'But instead, she has asserted that he died as the result of a heart attack, has she not?' Sir Winston was up. 'Objection; no testimony to that effect thus far.'
'Sustained,' the judge said.
'Let me put it this way, Mr.Stendahl. In your experience as an insurance investigator, would a person who had decided to murder an insured do so under conditions of maximum profitability?' 'Yes.'
'Not under conditions which would pay only half the available money?'
'No.'
'Then, as an experienced investigator, when determining the facts of this case, would you say that Mrs.Manning is more likely or less likely to have murdered her husband?'
Stendahl sighed. 'Less likely.'
'One final question, Mr.Stendahl,' Stone said. 'As a witness in this trial, you are not entirely objective, are you?'
'I beg your pardon?'
'What I mean is, you have an ax to grind in this case, do you not?'
'I don't know what you mean.' But he looked as though he knew exactly what was meant.
'Mr.Stendahl, can a person murder another, then collect on his life insurance?'
'No. A murderer is not legally entitled to benefit from his crime.'
'So if Mrs.Manning should be convicted in this court, what would be the next action of you and your Company?'
The ax fell on Stendahl. 'Ah, we would of course endeavor to recover the money already paid.'
'So, you and your company have a twelve-million-dollar ax to grind, do you not?'
'I, ah, see your point,' Stendahl said softly.
'I'll take that as a yes. Thank you, Mr.Stendahl; no further questions.' Stone sat down and gripped the edge of the table so that his hands would not be seen to tremble. Now the playing field was better than even; it was tilting his way.
Sir Winston dialed no redirect. He was not looking happy. He called his next witness. 'The prosecution calls Captain Harold Bean, of the St. Marks Constabulary.' A well-starched officer took the stand and the oath.
Now, Stone thought, we find out what, besides the diary, the police might have found on the Expansive.
CHAPTER 52
Sir Winston shuffled some notes, then addressed his witness. 'Captain Beane, in the pursuit of your duties did you have occasion to visit the yacht Expansive at the marina in English Harbour?' 'I did.'
'For what reason?'
'I received a call from the customs officer at English Harbour saying that a death had occurred on a yacht which had just sailed into the harbour.'
'What did you find when you arrived at the marina?'
'I found Mrs.Allison Manning alone on the yacht. She told me that her husband had died aboard while they were en route from the Canary Islands to St.Marks.'
'Did she mention a cause of death?'
'She said he had died of natural causes; she strongly suspected a heart attack.'
'Did you later have occasion to search the yacht?'
'I did, after the preliminary questioning of Mrs.Manning.'
'Did you find any evidence aboard the yacht to support Mrs.Manning's contention that her husband had of natural causes?'
'No, I did not.'
'Did you find any evidence aboard the yacht to sugthat Mr.Manning might not have died of natural
'I did.'
Sir Winston held up the leather-bound diary for the to jury see, then handed it to the officer. 'Did you find book?'
'I did.'
'After comparing it with other documents aboard the yacht, did you find the book to be in the handwriting of Paul Manning?'
'I did. Mrs.Manning confirmed that.'
'In what form is the book written?'
