The undercover pigs saw the crowd and swiftly stowed their guns. I waved at them and smiled. If looks could kill, man, I’d have been a goner.
I was alive, but they’d gotten to Marco. With the only eyewitness to Diego’s murder dead, there was no chance he would recant his testimony. Like as not, I failed.
And I was probably going away for a long, long time.
Chapter Forty-Four
Sophie
I knew from the smug expression on DA Miller’s face he had something tricky up his sleeve. I figured it had something to do with the two strangers in the gallery he had been speaking to when I entered.
I checked my phone. Less than ten minutes before court was due to begin. Judge Moreno was such a hard ass that I feared what would happen if Indro weren’t sitting in the gallery or next to me at the defense table by then.
Indro blew through the doors less than ten seconds before Moreno made her entrance. His cheeks burned bright red, his hair in disarray as if he’d been running out in the cold. For all I knew, he had been. Indro sat down beside me, and I could tell by the grim set of his jaw something terrible had happened.
We had no time to discuss it, however, as Moreno made her entrance just as he sat down. We all rose as the blade-thin woman cut her way up to the bench. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the two strangers sitting right near the bar separating them from the prosecution’s table. Whatever Miller was up to, she hadn’t been made privy to it. That gave me a sliver of hope.
Miller got right to work. He called Indro to the witness stand. We exchanged glances and Indro shrugged. I wasn’t sure what Miller thought he could accomplish by calling Indro back to the stand.
“Mr. Lastra,” Miller began. “You claim that you were forced to cut Diego Malone’s throat in self-defense.”
“That’s how it went down, yeah,” Indro said. He glanced over at the judge. “Did this guy come down with amnesia or what?”
Moreno’s eyes narrowed. “The bench will now remind the prosecutor that we’ve already heard Mr. Lastra testify.”
“I do have a point, Your Honor,” Miller said smoothly.
“Very well, you may continue, but this trial has gone on long enough as it is.”
“I understand, Your Honor. I’ll be brief.” He turned to Indro. “Mr. Lastra, you claim Diego Malone had you pinned down on the ground, and you cut his throat from that position.”
“Hey, I’m not proud of it, but what was I supposed to do? Let him bludgeon me to death with that chunk of concrete?”
Fortunately, the concrete lump had been found with Diego’s fingerprints and DNA on it. I nodded in approval. Indro was cool as a cucumber up on the stand.
“Thank you, Mr. Lastra. No further questions.”
“You may step down, Mr. Lastra.” Indro nodded at Judge Moreno and sauntered back over to our table.
“If the court will indulge the prosecution, Your Honor, the state would like to set up a demonstration.”
“What kind of demonstration, Mr. Miller?” Moreno folded her hands and glared down at him from over her glasses. “We have no time for any grandstanding stunts.”
“This is essential to our case. I intend to prove Mr. Malone’s injuries could not have occurred if he and Mr. Lastra were in the positions the defense has presented.”
I stood up, my heart skipping a beat. “Objection, Your Honor.”
“On what grounds?”
“The prosecution did not inform the defense of this ‘demonstration’ beforehand.”
“I’m only demonstrating what’s already been presented in court before, Your Honor. There’s just a visual reference for the jury now.”
Moreno pursed her lips. I could see she was about to allow Miller’s demonstration. Of course, I knew Miller was right. The injury didn’t happen at all the way Indro had stated it had.
“May I approach the bench, Your Honor?”
Moreno cocked an eyebrow. “Proceed.”
Miller joined us, and we had a little pow wow between the three of us.
“Your Honor,” I said, “DA Miller isn’t presenting evidence, he’s putting on a show. I’m afraid it will prejudice the jury.”
“It will do no such thing,” Miller said with a sniff.
“Your Honor, please,” I said. “If this farce is allowed to continue, then the jury won’t recall any of the evidence presented during testimony. They’ll just remember the stunt. Besides, the defense should be allowed to present its own demonstration. It’s only fair.”
Miller chuckled. “The defense has grown desperate.”
Moreno looked at me and frowned. “How long would you need to present your own demonstration, Ms. Vercetti?”
“Two, three days.”
“Oh, come on!” Miller winced at the sound of his own, too-loud voice. Moreno glared at him. I was glad he hadn’t informed her ahead of time. Judge Moreno was easily annoyed.
“I’m in no mood to delay these proceedings further.” She heaved a heavy sigh. “All right, Ms. Vercetti. You win. There will be no demonstration today.”
“But Your Honor—”
“I don’t wish to hear it, Mr. Miller. By your own admission, the demonstration won’t reveal anything you haven’t already presented.”
It sure was fun, watching Miller choke on his own metaphorical bile. He gave a curt nod and stiffly moved back to his table.
“Thank you, Your Honor.”
Moreno’s lips twitched into a sneer. She didn’t like doing me favors, but I’d played off her own desire to keep the trial moving forward, and her distaste for theatrics.
Miller had to settle for some hastily drawn poster boards of his theory. The jury’s glazed expression let me know they weren’t all that interested. That boded well for me and Indro.
“Well, here comes the big reveal,” I said eagerly as Miller wrapped up. “The only card he has left to play is Glen Gilberti’s testimony. Once I expose him for being Marco—”
“That’s not going to happen,” Indro said glumly.
“What? Why not?”
To
