'Why?'
'We came because we're your partners, and you and me, we're brothers. You came because you've never gotten over Rebecca. If you didn't come down here and defend her and she ended up in prison, you'd never get over her. You'd blame yourself for that, too. You'd be taking Boo down to Huntsville every month to see her because you're that kind of guy. You'd be sentencing yourself and Boo to prison with her, you'd never be able to get on with your lives.'
Scott stared at the sea.
'You representing your ex-wife charged with murdering the man she left you for-there ain't another lawyer in the country who'd do that… at least not for free-but you're doing it 'cause that's who you are. So do it. You signed up to be her lawyer, so get your butt in the game and defend your client. She's innocent, now go in there and prove it. Put Pete and Benito and Gabe on the goddamned stand and get in their faces till they fess up. One of them killed Trey Rawlins. Now get off your ass and do your job. Like Pajamae says, Man up, Scotty!'
'You really think she's innocent?'
'I do. I didn't before, but I do now. It's the Muertos or the mob or Pete, but it ain't her.'
'Thanks, Bobby.' Scott stood. 'Let's do it.'
'You gonna eat that?'
'What?'
'The rest of your poor-boy.'
Scott needed to build his case like a symphony to a crescendo-to the moment in the trial when the killer of Trey Rawlins would reveal himself to the world. So he started quietly.
'The defense calls Ricardo Renteria.'
A short Latino man wearing a black suit entered the courtroom and walked up to the witness stand as if escorting diners into the main dining room at Gaido's. He took the oath. He was the waiter who had served Rebecca and Trey the night of his death.
'They look very happy to me,' Ricardo said. 'Mr. Trey, he drink very much, and Miss Rebecca, she drink too. They laugh and act like they are in love. When they leave, Miss Rebecca, she say Mr. Trey asked her to marry him. She was very excited.'
'Where was Mr. Rawlins when Ms. Fenney told you that?'
'In the men's room.'
'Did they argue at any time during the evening?'
'No. But Mr. Trey, he had the fat lip. He did not say why.'
'What time did they leave?'
'A little before ten.'
'No further questions.'
The D.A. asked only one question: 'Mr. Renteria, did Trey Rawlins tell you that he had proposed marriage to Ms. Fenney that night?'
'No. He did not do that.'
Now Scott would reveal Trey Rawlins' golf life. So he called Tess McBride. She walked up the center aisle wearing a skin-tight cleavage-revealing white blouse, a black miniskirt, and high heels. She looked like a high-class hooker or a Hollywood starlet. She took the oath then sat in the witness chair and assumed a pose for the cameras. She had cheated on her husband just as Rebecca had cheated on him. But it wasn't his place to break up a marriage.
'Ms. McBride, did you know Trey Rawlins?'
'Yes.'
'How?'
'He was a pro golfer on tour, like my husband. Brett McBride.'
'Do you know Rebecca Fenney?'
'Yes.'
'Were you friends with her?'
She glanced at Rebecca. 'Yes.'
'Did you and your husband socialize with Trey and Rebecca while on tour?'
'Yes.'
'Were you aware that Trey had affairs with other women on tour?'
'Yes.'
'Did you inform Rebecca of that fact?'
'No.'
'Why not?'
'It was none of my business.'
'Did Rebecca ever mention to you that she was aware of those affairs?'
'No.'
'Did she act in any manner that suggested she knew of Trey's affairs?'
'No.'
'Did Trey ever mention to you that he was going to leave Rebecca?'
'No.'
'No further questions.'
The D.A. stood and asked one question: 'Ms. McBride, did Trey Rawlins ever tell you that he was going to marry Rebecca Fenney?'
'No.'
Tess McBride gave the cameras her best runway walk all the way out of the courtroom. Scott called Lacy Parker and Riley Hager and asked them the same questions. They gave the same answers, except Lacy got in a mention of her new website where her movies could be purchased. The D.A. asked the same question to each of them and got the same answer. Scott then called Brett McBride.
'Mr. McBride, did you know Trey Rawlins?'
'Yes.'
'And what was your opinion of him?'
'Not good.'
'Why?'
'I was pretty sure he was having an affair with my buddy's wife.'
'Do you think Rebecca Fenney was aware of that affair?'
'No.'
'Do you like Rebecca?'
'Yes.'
'Why?'
'She and my wife, they're like sisters. Neither of them are wild, like some of the other wives on tour. They're both good girls.'
Scott stared at Brett McBride. Not only did he look just like the guy in Sling Blade, he was just as dumb.
'Mr. McBride, did you witness Pete Puckett throwing Trey Rawlins against the lockers in the locker room at the Challenge tournament earlier this year?'
'Yes, I did.'
'And did you hear Pete Puckett threaten to kill Trey Rawlins if he did not stay away from his daughter, Billie Jean Puckett?'
'Yes, I did.'
'And that was one week before Trey was murdered?'
'Yes.'
'Thank you, Mr. McBride.'
The D.A. stood. 'Mr. McBride, did Trey Rawlins ever tell you that he was going to marry Rebecca Fenney?'
'No.'
Scott called Donnie Parker and Vic Hager. They dressed the same, looked the same, and testified the same.
