Witness for the Defense Read Online Free

just let us know when your client arrives.”
    I stood, but pointedly ignoring me, Kellogg turned to Randy.
    “And what brings you to my humble little courtroom?” he asked.
    Typical Kellogg. A big-name lawyer and his two-thousand-dollar suit got instant respect.
    “The Tomlinson arraignment and bail motion,” Randy answered.
    “No bail, huh,” the judge grunted. “Mr. Lipton, are you prepared for Mr. Rogers’s bail motion?”
    “Your Honor,” the D.A. replied as he lifted his pants over his expanding belly, “the Tomlinson matter has been specially assigned to another member of our office, Mr. Kroft. If your clerk will call him, I know he strongly opposes bail.”
    Lipton glanced at me. “However, I am ready on Mr. Dobbs’s case,” he said, like I was an afterthought. “And I believe he is also requesting a bail reduction.”
    “Just one moment.” Kellogg said to Lipton and then turned back to Randy. “I apologize for you having to wait, Mr. Rogers. But I’ll make sure Mr. Kroft is up here momentarily. In the meantime, we will handle Mr. Dobbs’s case.”
    I stepped forward, trying my best not to smile. Randy wasn’t as high on Kellogg’s pecking order as he might have hoped. If he’d been some out-of-town powerhouse, Kellogg would have had the A.D.A. up there in a matter of seconds.
    “Before we set a prelim date, Mr. Dobbs,” Kellogg said, turning to give my client the once-over, “you also want to be heard as to bail?”
    Normally, Kellogg would be gawking at someone half as good-looking as my client. But with her lack of sleep, wrinkled denim dress, and unkempt hair, she didn’t get more than his parting glance.
    “I would,” I said.
    Kellogg waved at me to proceed.
    “Your Honor, Miss Cappell has been a resident of San Francisco County for over fifteen years. She has been employed as a grade school teacher for six of those years and has had no prior contact with the criminal justice system. I am requesting she be released on her own recognizance.”
    “And how do you feel about that?” Kellogg asked Lipton, but not before he smiled at Sarah, again.
    “We would strongly oppose the defendant being released OR,” Lipton said, glancing over his shoulder to see whom Kellogg was smiling at. “She lives next door to the victim, and we are afraid she might try to continue her aberrant behavior.”
    “Aberrant behavior!” I said, more than a little too loudly. “My client is being charged with statutory rape. In the realm of things, I would hardly characterize such behavior, even if she is guilty, as aberrant.”
    “Your Honor,” Lipton continued, “our investigation is ongoing. We have information that the listed victim may not be the only one.”
    It was absurd. He was implying that my grade school teacher was some kind of serial statutory rapist . I couldn’t believe it. And the sound of Randy chuckling behind me sure didn’t help. I tried to gather my thoughts.
    “If Mr. Lipton has other victims,” I said, glaring at the stocky D.A., “then tell him to file additional charges. Otherwise, he should be instructed to limit his argument to the charges before the court and not baseless rumors.”
    Lipton didn’t miss a beat. “All we are asking for is fifty thousand, which is exactly what the bail schedule calls for. If we do file additional counts, Mr. Dobbs can rest assured we will be requesting additional bail.”
    I looked up at Kellogg, hoping to see that he shared my opinion. Unfortunately, he was still staring at Sarah. I was sure he hadn’t heard a thing either one of us had been saying. Clenching my teeth, I moved a few steps to my right to block his view.
    Oblivious to what was really happening, Lipton went on. “Additionally, since Miss Cappell is a school teacher and is therefore around minors on a daily basis, I would request that as a condition of bail, the court restrain the defendant from teaching until this matter is resolved.”
    I slammed the palm of my hand on