“By that, you mean the same customers keep coming back to you?”
“Yes, sir.” His voice was proud. “We give good service.”
“Tell me, Mr. Mentakis, was Mrs. Savalas one of your regular customers?”
“Oh, yes, sir. Mrs. Savalas loves plants and flowers.”
The Chief Justice said impatiently, “Mr. Demonides, the court does not feel that this line of questioning is pertinent. Would you move on to something else, or…”
“If the court will let me finish, Your Honor, this witness has a very important bearing on the case.”
The Chief Justice looked toward Napoleon Chotas. “Mr. Chotas, do you have any objection to this line of questioning?”
Napoleon Chotas looked up and blinked. “What? No, Your Honor.”
The Chief Justice stared at him in frustration, and then turned to Peter Demonides. “Very well. You may proceed.”
“Mr. Mentakis, did Mrs. Savalas come to you one day in December and tell you that she was having problems with some of her plants?”
“Yes, sir. She did.”
“In fact, didn’t she say that there was an infestation of insects that was destroying her plants?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And didn’t she ask you for something to get rid of them?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Would you tell the court what it was?”
“I sold her some antimony.”
“And would you tell the court exactly what that is?”
“It’s a poison, like arsenic.”
There was an uproar from the courtroom.
The Chief Justice slammed down his gavel. “If there’s another outburst, I’m going to order the bailiff to clear this court.” He turned to Peter Demonides. “You may continue the questioning.”
“So you sold her a quantity of antimony.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And would you say it’s a deadly poison? You compared it to arsenic.”
“Oh, yes, sir. It’s deadly, all right.”
“And you entered the sale in your record book, as you are required to do by law when you sell any poison?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And did you bring those records with you, Mr. Mentakis?”
“I did.” He handed Peter Demonides a ledger.
The prosecuting attorney walked over to the judges. “Your Honors, I would like this to be labeled ‘Exhibit A.’” He turned to the witness. “I have no more questions.” He looked over at Napoleon Chotas.
Napoleon Chotas looked up and shook his head. “No questions.”
Peter Demonides took a deep breath. It was time for his bombshell. “I would like to introduce Exhibit B.” He turned toward the back of the room, and said to a bailiff standing near the door, “Would you bring it in now, please?”
The bailiff hurried out, and a few moments later he returned carrying a bottle of cough syrup on a tray. There was a noticeable amount missing. The spectators watched, fascinated, as the bailiff handed the bottle to the prosecutor. Peter Demonides placed it on a table in front of the jurors.
“Ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at the murder weapon. This is the weapon that killed George Savalas. This is the cough syrup that Mrs. Savalas administered to her husband on the night he died. It is loaded with antimony. As you can see, the victim swallowed some—and twenty minutes later he was dead.”
Napoleon Chotas rose to his feet and said mildly, “Objection. There is no way the prosecuting attorney has of knowing that it was from that particular bottle that the deceased was medicated.”
And Peter Demonides slammed the trap shut. “With all due respect to my learned colleague, Mrs. Savalas has admitted that she gave her husband this syrup during a coughing spell on the night he died. It has been kept under lock and key by the police until it was brought into this court a few minutes ago. The coroner has testified that George Savalas died of antimony poisoning. This cough syrup is loaded with antimony.” He looked at Napoleon Chotas challengingly.
Napoleon Chotas shook his head in defeat. “Then I guess there’s no doubt.”
Peter Demonides said triumphantly, “None at all. Thank you, Mr. Chotas. The prosecution rests its case.”
The Chief Justice turned to Napoleon Chotas. “Is the defense ready for its summation?”
Napoleon Chotas rose. “Yes, Your Honor.” He stood there for a long moment. Then he slowly ambled forward. He stood in front of the jury box, scratching his head as though trying to figure out what he was going to say. When he finally began, he spoke slowly, searching for words.