Up to bat

Chapter 20

Both Mike and Connie had a sleepless night, but court day, was court day, and they were professionals.

Outside the courtroom doors, Stanford Bennett, the defense lawyer, was assuring Cantrell he wouldn't have to be on the stand too much longer. Big deal if he (Cantrell) had a crush on Paige Regan, Bennett waved that idea aside, little damage was done.

The way Bennett saw it, what other questions could Cutter ask without sounding repetitive?

Cantrell nodded with relief as Bennett patted him on the shoulder and they entered the courtroom.

Mike and Connie were already seated when Bennett took his seat and Cantrell went up to the witness stand.

Court was back in session.

Mike stood up, buttoned his jacket and confidently walked up to Cantrell on the stand, "Good morning, Mr. Cantrell."

Cantrell merely nodded, ready for Mike's first question.

"Mr Cantrell, do you like pornography?"

Although everyone in the courtroom by now was familiar with Mike's method of questioning, there were still some audible gasps heard.

W-what?" Cantrell asked, as he colored slightly, hoping he heard wrong.

Mike expected to hear Bennett's objection. Sure enough, the defense lawyer did not disappoint.

"Objection!"

Judge Cruz did not waste any time, "Sustained."

Mike did not look fazed as he walked back to the prosecution table. His blue eyes sparkled with amusement as he glanced down, for there on the legal pad, Connie had written, "You're on the pitcher's mound..strike him out!"

Putting aside their personal feelings, Mike and Connie were still a legal team. And Connie was all about supporting Mike as she nodded to him confidently.

Mike picked up a piece of paper she had handed him and walked back towards Cantrell.

"If I may, your Honor, I would like to present exhibit A…"

He showed the judge a copy before presenting the original to Cantrell.

"Now, Mr. Cantrell…this was your shared credit card bill for living expenses at the beach-house. Do you recognize this sheet as your credit card statement?"

Cantrell glanced quickly at the sheet, "Probably."

"Probably?" Mike repeated, "This either is or is not your credit card statement, Mr. Cantrell."

Cantrell looked irritated.

"Then...I guess, it is, alright?"

Mike acknowledged.

"Fine...now, Mr. Cantrell, will you please read out loud the entry I am pointing to?"

Cantrell read the line Mike had indicated with his pencil.

"Uh, Netflix." he stated.

"Good. Thank you. And what exactly is NetFlix, Mr. Cantrell?"

Cantrell sighed impatiently.

"It's a DVD rental service. You get the DVD's through the mail. When you mail it back, you can rent a different DVD."

"Yes, good explanation there…" Mike then moved his pencil down a few lines on the statement page, "Now...could you please read this line to me?"

Cantrell looked at the line and his eyes got large. He looked at Mike with a stunned expression.

"Mr. Cantrell?" Mike encouraged him to answer.

He cleared his throat, "SexFlix."

"SexFlix? Really?" Mike asked, "And could you please tell us what SexFlix is?"

"It's…it's another DVD rental service."

"Yes, it is," agreed Mike, "And how is it different from NetFlix?"

"They, uh, have different movies to rent…"

"What kind?"

Cantrell looked pale, "Porn movies."

"I see," said Mike, "So before, when I asked if you liked pornography, perhaps I should have asked if you liked watching pornographic movies instead."

"Doesn't everyone?" he looked around the courtroom with innocent eyes.

"We are only referring to you, Mr. Cantrell, "Mike sharply reminded him, "So, let me reword my original question …do you enjoy watching pornographic movies?"

He shifted uncomfortably, "Sometimes."

Bennett had begun to rise.

"…and" stated Mike, gesturing towards the defense lawyer, "perhaps Mr. Bennett over there is standing to say he also enjoys watching them!"

Snickering in the gallery could be heard, and Connie had to hide his smile.

"Objection!" Bennett strenuously stated, "He's badgering the defense counsel!"

His comment caused more small snickerings throughout the room.

"Withdrawn!" Mike declared, but the judge did not look too happy.

"Mr. Cutter," warned the Judge, "As entertaining as you may be, I will not have you turn my courtroom into a circus again! Had we not already discussed this in closed chambers? Do you, perhaps, need a written reminder?"

Mike had the good sense to look contrite.

"I sincerely apologize, your Honor," Mike ruefully stated, "Perhaps my line of questioning has been a bit…too unconventional. I, therefore, would like to call up my colleague, Miss Rubirosa, to continue the questioning of the witness, Mr. Cantrell."

Mike looked over at Connie as she stood, waiting for the signal from the Judge to proceed.

The Judge considered the matter, "Although the request is highly unusual, I will defer the question over to defense counsel...Mr. Bennett, do you have any objections regarding Miss Rubirosa taking over for the prosecution?"

Bennett looked over at Connie.

Great, smirked Bennett, his confidence building. Cutter is tripping over himself and now needs to bring in the second string. Bennett was going to love this.

He'll rip Rubirosa to shreds.

"None at all, your Honor," Bennett smiled politely, "In fact, I welcome Miss Rubirosa as the lead attorney."

Unceremoniously, Mike and Connie switched places. When Mike got back to the table, he glanced at the legal pad which now read, "…bottom of the ninth, and I'm at bat."

"Good morning, Mr. Cantrell," Connie greeted him, "My name is Miss Rubirosa….You remember me from the beachhouse, don't you?"

Cantrell appreciated this softer approach, "Yes."

Connie acknowledged with a smile, "I'd like to ask you some questions, if I may?"

Cantrell nodded, smiling back at the comely prosecutor, "Sure!"

Connie looked pleased.

"Thank you...I will try and make this as painless as possible."

Larry Cantrell leaned back, relaxed, as Connie continued.

"Mr. Cantrell, I need to go back and regrettably ask you that awkward question regarding..." she leaned in, almost whispering the phrase, "... adult movies…"

"Oh, I understand," Cantrell actually urged her on.

"And don't worry, I am not judging you, Mr. Cantrell, " Connie assured him, "After all, it's not illegal to watch adult movies."

"Of course you're right," Cantrell acknowledged.

"So, Mr. Cantrell..."

"Yes?"

"...regarding, these adult movies... do you have a favorite?"

She said it in the same kind tone, but the words caused Cantrell to look confused, "What?"

Connie's eyes showed determination.

"I don't doubt that you heard every single word of that question, Mr. Cantrell!" Connie's voice suddenly sounded more authoritarian now, "so please, answer that question!"

If Cantrell had looked pale before, he looked absolutely albino now.

He shot a glance at the defense table, hoping to get a cue from Bennett. But Connie had deftly moved her body so that it blocked his view of the defense lawyer.

Mike smiled. He hadn't expected the body block. She's good...

Not knowing what to do, Cantrell then quickly turned towards the judge.

"I want to plead the fifth, your Honor!" he announced suddenly.

"Mr. Cantrell, " Connie now sounded impatient and insistent, "We've dealt with that issue previously...you cannot."

Bennett shot to his feet, "Your Honor, the witness has asked for counsel!"

"I did not hear those words come out of Mr. Cantrell's mouth, your Honor," Connie told the Judge.

"Not in so many words, " Bennett asserted, "but Mr. Cantrell is at a lost as to how to respond to these ridiculous questions!"

"I've only had the chance to ask one question, Your Honor, " Connie's response was immediate, "and Mr. Bennett cannot attest to Mr. Cantrell's state of mind, unless Mr. Bennett is ready to testify that he is a psychic!"

"But Mr. Cantrell is obviously in need of some advice!" Bennett argued, "That is why he is pleading the fifth!"

"The fifth amendment was intended to prevent self-incrimination," Connie asserted, "Mr. Cantrell is not on trial here. He is merely a witness who is being questioned to name his favorite movie of a specific genre."

The Judge nodded, "I have to agree with Miss Rubirosa, Overruled."

Bennett was visibly sweating, "Then, your Honor, due to the lateness of the morning, I would like to call for a ten minute recess!"

The Judge sighed and looked at her watch.

"Your Honor, " Connie stood firm, "I will make my point very shortly and I do not want this witness to leave the stand!"

The entire gallery seemed to be at the edge of their seats for they did not want the break, either.

The Judge peered at a sweating Bennett. Mike leaned forward, willing the Judge not to call recess.

The gallery was still.

"No recess," the Judge at last announced.

Connie had not realized she had been holding her breath until Bennett sat back down.

"So, I will ask again, Mr. Cantrell," inquired Connie, "do you have a favorite pornographic movie?"

"No."

"Then, Mr. Cantrell, have you ever heard of a pornographic movie called 'Sleeping Booty?" Connie asked.

Larry Cantrell's mouth dropped.

"…Mr. Cantrell?" Connie prodded.

"Uh, can you repeat that title?" Cantrell looked uncomfortable.

"Sleeping Booty. Have you seen or heard of it?"

"I don't think so."

"You don't think so? So perhaps?" Connie asked.

At that point, Mike inexplicitly got up and left the courtroom.

Connie had walked back to the prosecution table to retrieve a paper. Before he left, Mike had written on the legal pad, Love the way you say 'booty'.

Connie had to work at keeping her composure as she picked up another paper and walked back to Cantrell, who looked totally baffled.

"M-maybe that's the title," he stated, " but we rent…a lot of those, um, kind of movies, and I'm not good with movie titles."

"Then let me refresh your memory, Mr. Cantrell."

Assuredly, Connie produced a paper for him to see, announcing it as exhibit B, "According to SexFlix, that particular DVD had been rented and sent to the beach-house that you shared with Mr. Martin and Mr. North. Then it was mailed back to them the day after Miss Regan reported the assault. Did I get that right, Mr. Cantrell?"

"I-I don't recall."

"I would like to produce People's Exhibit C," announced Connie, as she walked over to the prosecution table. She then picked up a DVD and announced, "I have in my hand a copy of 'Sleeping Booty'."

The rear double doors of the courtroom suddenly burst opened, causing all eyes to turn towards the back.

The bailiff opened held the doors opened as Mike returned, wheeling in a portable TV with a DVD player attached.

"If I may, your Honor," Connie said, still holding the DVD, "there is one short scene I would like to play as Exhibit D."

The courtroom hushed. Everyone's eyes were focused on the TV screen as Connie inserted the DVD.

"Objection!" Bennett stood up.

"Overruled," the Judge announced, without even hearing Bennett's argument. She, like everyone else, was anxious to see the evidence.

"But..." Bennett began, and then realized he needed to sit down.

The courtroom lights were dimmed and Mike inserted the tape Connie had handed to him; one of many tapes TJ had to preview over many hours to get the right scene.

Mike then pressed the play button.

The screen was snowy and suddenly there was a picture.

It was of a bedroom, the main furniture being a king sized bed. There were two men and a woman, already in various stages of undress, on top of the bed. It was a rough ménage a trios, with the two men tossing around the female like a plaything.

"Turn her over, Jesse," sneered one.

"Yeah, Phoenix, like that, flip her, flip her!"

Connie wasn't looking at the screen. She was looking at the jury's reaction. They sat in silence, glued to the screen.

Then she scanned the room towards Bennett in time to see the look of defeat in his eyes. The courthouse was quiet of any noise except what was coming from the TV.

The two young defendants looked sick as the scene continued.

Edward North's father, Jackson North, disgustedly stood up and left in the middle of the proceedings. But no one cared.

The three actors on the screen were now in the exact positions Paige had previously described in her testimony regarding Martin, North and her.

"Bend her over, Phoenix…"

"Yeah, do her like that, Jesse..."

And there it was.

The exact same dialogue that Paige Regan had testified that the assailants had used that night, played out right before everyone's eyes.

Connie now viewed the prosecution table. Paige was proudly sitting up, her spine straight. Their eyes met and Paige smiled and nodded. She wiped a tear from her cheek.

Finally Connie turned and looked at Mike, who had turned off the video.

When he looked back at her, he was smiling. He nodded, his eyes sparkling with pride.

And Connie felt her own eyes getting watery.

.

.

The trial was over, the courtroom had been cleared.

The two winning prosecutors began packing up their papers in their briefcases.

"You played it perfectly," Mike complimented her, as if they had not had the awkward conversation the night before.

"Thanks, Mike" smiled Connie, thinking everything had smoothed over for them, "I guess this calls for a celebratory drink. My treat!"

She received a silent response.

Her victorious mood vanished when she saw the way Mike was staring at her with his penetrating blue eyes. His expression had become remote.

"Connie, I can't stay. ..In fact, I'm leaving for the airport now."

His tone was emotionlessly monotone. She heard the words, but didn't want to believe them as she tried to move closer to him.

"No, Mike…"

But Connie stopped, when she saw that he actually stepped back. Obviously Mike wanted to preserve the distance between them.

"I told you, Connie," his voice scraping at his throat, "it's all or nothing."

She looked down, trying to absorbed his words. Her breathing came in short little gasps. She didn't want it to end this way. But Mike had his life to return back to, and it would be unfair of her to ask him to stay if she could not make any promises.

She held her head high. At least her pride would not allow him to see how much this was killing her.

"Well then…" she tried to keep the trembling out of her voice, as she observed him, "if you must go..."

It was no use to delay the inevitable. She forced herself to look right at him, trying to fill her mind with every detail of his face; the depths of his blue eyes, the elegant planes of his cheeks, the shape of his sensual mouth.

The air felt heavy as he returned her gaze, his throat dry, his heart aching.

He took in a deep breath.

"Good-bye, Connie."

At least she had managed to hide the sadness in her eyes. She forced herself to squeeze out a smile.

"Have a nice trip back, Mike."

He nodded and turned to go.

She tried to occupy her mind with other things. Looking down, she methodically began putting away the rest of her papers in her briefcase. But it didn't stop her from being aware of his retreating footsteps, or of the slamming of the courtroom door.

After fumbling with the lock of her briefcase, she looked up and found herself alone.

Her eyes stung. All she could see was an infuriating blur, as she felt an insistent tear trickle down her cheek. She brought her hand up to quickly wipe it away.

She missed him already. A slight memory entered her mind of their visit to the observatory; how they had intimately watched a shooting star traveling across the darkened skies.

Her time with Mike, she realized, was exactly like that shooting star; it had been brief, yet striking.

And like that star, it was a bright and wonderful phenomenon.

Until it/he had vanished from her sight.

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