16th Seduction (Women's Murder Club 16)

“Lieutenant, did you find any direct evidence linking me to the bombing at Sci-Tron?”

“We found circumstantial evidence, Mr. Grant. Your presence at the incident. Your avid interest and expertise in explosives. Your notes found in your laboratory.”

“So to be sure we all understand, the answer is no. You found no physical evidence at the site of the bomb—no DNA, no fingerprints—and there were no witnesses who could connect me to the bombing, isn’t that correct?”

“Most homicide cases are built on circumstantial evidence.”

“Please answer the question, Lieutenant. Did you find any direct evidence connecting me to the bombing, yes or no?”

“No,” said Brady. “But we have plenty of reason—”

“Your answer is no. You have found no direct evidence, right, Lieutenant Brady?”

“Right.”

Yuki reminded herself to breathe. Brady was doing fine, walking a narrow line between answering the question and underscoring the truth. Grant pressed on.

“Lieutenant, did you have any other suspects?”

“No.”

“None at all? No one who had a grudge of some kind? Maybe a terrorist group? GAR, for instance?”

“The video purporting to be from GAR was a frat-boy prank. So no.”

“So you concluded that even lacking physical evidence against me, I was the person who perpetrated this horrible tragedy?”

Brady just stared at Grant.

“Answer the question, Lieutenant. Lacking physical evidence against me, did you have no other suspects but me, yes or no?”

“You admitted to the bombing before you claimed ignorance,” said Brady.

Grant shouted, “Your Honor.”

The judge asked the witness to answer the question.

Brady said, “We had no other suspects.”

Grant put his hands in his jacket pockets, looked down, and seemed to be gathering himself for his next charge.

“You’ve stated that I was your only suspect, isn’t that right, Lieutenant Brady? And still you charged me and are part of a conspiracy of law enforcement to tar and feather me on my way to the gallows.”

Yuki stood, saying, “Objection, Your Honor. Mr. Grant is argumentative. Move to strike Mr. Grant’s remarks.”

Judge Hoffman said, “Sustained.” He ordered the statement to be stricken from the record and instructed the jury to disregard Mr. Grant’s characterization of the proceedings. “Don’t do that again, Mr. Grant.”

Grant said, “I’m sorry, Your Honor. I didn’t realize that was against the rules.”

The judge said, “Move on, Mr. Grant. Do you have any other questions for your witness?”

“Yes, I do.” Grant asked, “Lieutenant Brady, are you related to anyone involved in this trial?”

Brady shifted in his seat. Yuki felt her heart contract and then resume beating with a hard, rapid patter. A dense silence pervaded the courtroom as everyone listened for Brady’s answer.

Brady said, “ADA Castellano is my wife.”

“I see,” said Grant. He pivoted to look at the jury. A sunbeam came through the windows at just that moment, lighting his face. He went on. “So let me see if I’ve got this right. You’re in charge of this one-suspect case, and your wife is prosecuting me. Is that collusion or something? I’m not sure of the term.”