For the People Chapter 24
"Mr. Barlow, how are you employed?" Kate inquires after a thin and balding witness is sworn in.
"I'm the fulfillment manager for Mer-Z Medical supplies," Judson Barlow replies, the tips of his fingers pressed against the wood of the witness stand.
"And what does your job entail?" Kate inquires.
"Objection!" Mace Kudrow protests. "I see no relevance of Mr. Barlow's duties to the accusations against Mr. Duffy."
"I intend to show a connection shortly, Your Honor," Kate responds.
"Then proceed to do so Ms. Beckett," Judge Willis instructs. "Mr. Barlow, you may answer Ms. Beckett's question."
"I oversee the retrieval of Mer-Z's merchandise from inventory, and its packing, shipping, and delivery to our customers," Barlow explains.
"And did your customers include The Women's Health Clinic in Manhattan?"
"Until it burned down, yes."
"And had you ever received any complaints from the clinic that they didn't receive the shipments as ordered?"
"I did," Barlow admits. "I received multiple complaints that the shipments were shorted on some items."
"Which items, Mr. Barlow?"
"There was a variety: gloves, antiseptic wipes, bandaging materials, but particularly syringes."
"Syringes intended for the injection of medications?"
"Yes."
"And who filed those complaints, Mr. Barlow?"
"Dr. Fiona Morgan."
Gasps ripple through the courtroom, drawing a warning look from Judge Willis.
"And had you received similar complaints from other customers?" Kate continues.
"Yes, I did, from a number of clinics all around the country."
"And did you investigate the origin of those complaints?"
"Yes, I did."
"And what did your investigation show?"
"That the shipments were complete when they left our facility."
"So how do you account for the shortages?" Kate presses.
"We employ several carriers to transport our shipments. All the shortages occurred on shipments with only one of those carriers, Son-Rise Logistics."
"And other than the shortages, does Son-Rise Logistics differ in any specific way from other carriers?"
"Son-Rise Logistics claims that it allots a percentage of its profits to various charitable causes."
Kate holds up a small booklet. "Permission to approach the witness, Your Honor."
"Go ahead, Ms. Beckett," Judge Willis allows.
"Mr. Barlow, I'm handing you a brochure, marked as the People's exhibit 163. Do you recognize it?"
"Yes, it's one of the promotional materials I received from Son-Rise Logistics."
"And would you read the small portions highlighted on page four?"
"List of non-profits with members sitting on the Son-Rise Logistics Board. Four Corners Call, a mission of the Enter Salvation Community Church."
Kate nods. "Mr. Barlow, have you recently seen the name of the Enter Salvation Community Church anywhere in addition to the exhibit I showed you?"
"I saw it on the signs of some of the demonstrators for Mr. Duffy, outside."
Kate smiles. "Yes, I thought it looked familiar. That's all I have."
A flash of anger in his eyes, Mace Kudrow rises." "Objection, Your Honor. Whether or not the church is demonstrating for Mr. Duffy is irrelevant."
"Sustained," Judge Willis responds. "The reference to the Enter Salvation Community Church at the demonstration is stricken. Cross Mr. Kudrow?"
Kudrow takes a second to button his well-cut suit jacket. "Mr. Barlow, do you know for an absolute fact that Son-Rise Logistics had anything to do with any shortages in shipments from Mer-Z Medical?"
"To an absolute fact, no," Barlow concedes.
"And do you have any direct evidence that the Enter Salvation Church is in any way connected with any shortages involving the Woman's Health Clinic?"
"No, I don't," Barlow admits.
"Thank you, Mr. Barlow. That's all I need."
"Recross, Ms. Beckett?" Willis inquires.
"No, Your Honor," Kate replies.
Willis turns to Barlow. "You may step down. Fifteen-minute recess before the People call their next witness."
"Hey," Rick responds instantly when Kate calls him from a stall in the ladies' room. "ZNN hasn't posted anything yet. How did laying your first paver on Duffy's path to perdition go?"
"OK, I think. The observers in the courtroom jumped right on the connection to Fiona Morgan. I believe the jury did too, but I can't be sure. And I doubt Mace Kudrow can unring a bell I rang for them regarding Duffy's supporters. Still, I wish you could have been there to watch them."
"I would have loved to be your eyes on the prize, but I can understand why Judge Willis is limiting the seats to press. With this case, the natives could get restless at any time. Still, it sounds like you're planting seeds of doubt that Duffy was actually on a holy mission."
"I hope so. My next witness should help with that, assuming the jury believes her. Some of them may have an instant aversion to her relationship with Fiona Morgan. I'll try not to stress that any more than I have to, but Kudrow will probably pounce on it as a sign that Fiona was not in service to God."
Rick's raspberry buzzes from Kate's phone. "Too bad he doesn't seem to raise as much of a ruckus over bearing false witness. Listen, when you get home tonight, I want to have something ready to keep you in fighting form. What sources of nutritious energy is the little one craving?"
"I think the word nutritious might be stretching it. I'm dying for ice cream. Even whatever the stuff they claim is ice cream in the cafeteria is calling me right now. I just won't have the time to eat any until the lunch recess."
"And you shouldn't waste your precious lunch recess on that – whatever it is. When do you think Willis will bang his gavel?"
"He doesn't usually use his gavel to call a lunch break, but probably around one. He doesn't like to interrupt witness testimony if he can help it. And on occasion, I've noticed his wife showing up with what looks like food around that time."
"OK. I know all the hideaways in the courthouse by now. I can hang out in the ceremonial courtroom on the third floor until Willis calls time. And I'll bring you a healthy salad to offset the evil of your frozen confection. How about Peanut Butter Cup Dream?"
"Sounds perfect."
"Great! See you later."
"Ms. Cadence," Kate begins as a robust-looking woman settles herself into the witness chair, "what was your relationship to Fiona Morgan?"
"She was my wife. We'd been together since she was in medical school," Sharon Cadence explains, "and then when the law allowed it, we got married."
"I'm very sorry for your loss, Ms. Cadence. As your wife, did Fiona Morgan confide in you?" Kate asks.
"She wouldn't tell me anything about her patients. She believed doctors should always respect confidentiality. But we talked about everything else."
"Did Fiona ever talk to you about supplies for the Women's Medical Clinic?" Kate probes.
"She did more than talk, she raged. She told me someone was stealing medical supplies, and not just from the clinic, but from a lot of clinics. She said she'd talked to doctors, nurses, and administrators from all over the country. A lot of them were being shorted. And she wanted to find out who was responsible. It was a mission with her, like making sure women got medical care whether they could afford it or not."
"And did she say if she had found out who was responsible?"
"She said the rip-offs were happening when shipments came by Son-Rise Logistics."
Mace Kudrow springs to his feet. "Objection, hearsay!"
"Offered only to show the victim's state of mind," Kate responds.
"I'll allow it for that purpose. The jury will draw no conclusions regarding any activities by Son-Rise Logistics based on Ms. Cadence's testimony," Judge Willis instructs.
"And, Ms. Cadence, did Fiona tell you if she planned to take any action regarding the alleged thefts?" Kate continues.
"She said she planned to go after Son-Rise Logistics and whoever else was behind them. The clinic had a lawyer on its Board. Fiona told me she was planning to talk to him. I don't know if she actually did."
"And do you know the name of that lawyer?" Kate presses.
"Fiona just called him Mark. I didn't get a last name."
Kate smiles encouragingly as she hears the name of her next witness. "What you've been able to tell the court is very helpful, Ms. Cadence. The board membership of a non-profit is a matter of public record. Mark is enough to point us in the right direction."
