Marine One

The judge said, 'You may.'

I handed a copy to the clerk, who handed it to the judge, and I handed the other copy of the photograph to the first lady. I returned to the lectern. 'Mrs. Adams, do you recognize the setting in this photograph?'

'Only when you asked me about it at my deposition-'

Hackett said, 'Objection, Your Honor. This photograph is irrelevant. We objected to it when he listed it on his exhibit list-'

'It's relevant to her familiarity with Colonel Collins, Your Honor.'

'And that's irrelevant,' Hackett added. 'Mr. Nolan somehow accessed confidential government photographs from the White House security system. He's not entitled to have those photographs and is not entitled to have them here.'

Before the judge could respond, I said, 'Your Honor, I'm not offering this into evidence. She said she couldn't recall having conversations with Collins. I simply would like to have this marked as next in order and use it to refresh her recollection. I could use a plate of spaghetti to refresh her recollection if it would help.'

The judge nodded. 'He may use anything to refresh recollection, Mr. Hackett. He has not offered it into evidence, and we will discuss the means of obtaining these photographs and whether or not they should have been produced later. You did not file a motion to preclude these photos, so we will deal with them as they come. You may proceed, Mr. Nolan.'

'Thank you, Your Honor. Mrs. Adams, do you recognize this reception?'

'Well the date is stamped in the upper-right-hand corner, so it was December seventeenth, a few months before my husband was killed.'

'And if I could direct your attention to the middle of the photograph, I believe that is you standing there in a ball gown. Am I correct?'

'Yes, that's me.'

'Would you please tell the jury what you're doing?'

Hackett debated whether to stand up, but didn't. She waited, then said, 'I am standing there.'

The jury chuckled.

'Is it your belief that the photograph shows you doing nothing but standing there?'

'That's right.'

'Mrs. Adams, who is standing next to you, in the direction toward which your head is turned?'

'That is Colonel Collins.'

'The pilot of Marine One on the night your husband was killed, right?'

'That's correct.'

'From this photograph, Mrs. Adams, it looks like your mouth is perhaps six inches from his ear and your mouth is open as if you are speaking, would you agree?'

'It's a little difficult to say, but it could be.'

'And where is Colonel Collins's hand, his left hand?'

She stared at the photograph and then looked up. 'It appears to be behind me.'

'It is behind you, but on you. Right?'

'I don't know.'

'His hand is either in the small of your back or… lower. Right?'

Hackett jumped up. 'Objection, Your Honor, this is pure speculation.'

'Sustained.'

'Does that photograph refresh your recollection on whether you've had conversations with Colonel Collins?'

'I don't really remember any. He may have been saying, 'Excuse me.' I don't know. I don't remember talking to him.'

'Do you deny that this photograph is authentic?'

'I don't know. I don't know where this photograph came from. I can't tell you whether it's authentic or not.'

'Well, on that date was the reception for the prime minister of Japan, do you remember that?'

'Yes. I remember that.'

'What were you saying to Colonel Collins?'

'I don't remember saying anything to him.'

'Your Honor, may I approach again?' I handed a second picture to the clerk, to Hackett, and to the first lady.

'Mrs. Adams, this is another photograph that I'd like you to look at. It is of a different reception, one for the delegates from NATO. Do you remember that reception?'

'Yes, I do.'

'If you look in the left-hand corner, the bottom left, you're standing facing Colonel Collins perhaps eighteen inches apart. Do you see that?'

'Yes.'

'Again, it appears that your mouth is open and you were speaking. Were you speaking to Colonel Collins?'

'I don't know. Perhaps… What difference does all this make?' She put the photograph down and looked at me. 'What exactly is it you are trying to imply, Mr. Nolan?'

'I'm not trying to imply anything, ma'am. I'm simply asking whether you had a conversation or relationship with Colonel Collins.'

'What if I did?'

'It would be up to the jury to decide the relevance-'

Hackett had had enough. 'Your Honor, this is leading nowhere. Mr. Nolan is fishing and simply trying to assault the first lady through innuendos that have no bearing on anything. These are desperate trial tactics and we need to have it stopped.'

'Do you have anything further in this area?' the judge asked me.

'I'll move on, Your Honor.'

The judge looked at the clock. 'Would this be a good time to break for the day, Mr. Nolan?'

'Yes, Your Honor, that would be fine.'

'Very well. Court is adjourned until tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. We will recommence with the cross-examination of Mrs. Adams. I assume you have additional cross-examination, Mr. Nolan?'

'Briefly.'

'Very well. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you are not to discuss this case amongst yourselves, your family, or read or learn anything else about this case outside of the courtroom. I will instruct you about that every single day, but please keep it in mind. The only facts you learn about this case are right here in this courtroom, and you don't discuss it with anybody until you get into the jury room when you begin your deliberations. Do you understand that?'

They all nodded.

'Court is in recess until tomorrow morning at nine.'

We stood as the jury filed out of the courtroom and closed the door behind them. Everyone else began to discuss the case immediately, and some journalists hurried from the courtroom. The rest of us made our way out in an orderly fashion only to encounter the journalists standing outside the courtroom. I waved them off and proceeded to my car.

Kathryn met me halfway to the car. 'Let's get together at your conference room. We need to talk.'

30

RACHEL RODE WITH me on the short drive and we reconvened at my office. Journalists waited there too, but we kept them out of the building. The president of WorldCopter, the general counsel, Kathryn, and Brightman were all there.

Dolores had ordered food. Kathryn said before anybody had a chance to sit down, 'Mike, what are you doing with the first lady? I thought you were going to ask her a couple of softball questions, not try and make it look like she was having an affair with Colonel Collins and conspiring to kill her husband. Help me understand what you're doing here.'

I drank a Coke deeply. I said, 'All I can tell you at this point is that it doesn't have anything to do really with the first lady, and it has everything to do with those photographs.'

'What do you mean, it has everything to do with those photographs? What does? What is your point?'

'I'm working on a theory, the fourth theory that I can't really discuss yet. If I even mention it, to anybody, it could completely blow up in my face. So you're going to have to trust me.'

'I need to know what it is I'm trusting you with before I know if I can trust you.'

I pushed back. 'I know those questions were odd, and I'm sure the press will chew me up for being mean to the first lady, implying she was having an affair with the pilot or something. I understand all that.'

I looked at Justin. 'Justin, have you heard from Curtis?' Curtis was the investigator I had hired after Tinny's murder. I told him his job was to find out the name of the Secret Service agent in charge of security at Camp David on the night of the accident. 'I haven't heard from him on that Secret Service agent's name. Tell him to pull out all the stops. I've got to have that name.' Justin nodded and hurried out of the boardroom.

I continued, 'Look, I have sort of a crazy theory I'm developing, and unfortunately we don't have a lot of time. I've got people in the field, the experts are working, and I'm trying to put it together.'

Kathryn was exasperated. 'Put what together? Tell me what you're working on.'

'I can't.'