“And then?”
“We sent them to the FBI, and we got a positive make on her.”
“Would you explain to the jury what you mean by a positive make?”
Sheriff Dowling turned to the jury. “Her fingerprints matched other fingerprints on file that they were trying to identify from the previous murders.”
“Thank you, Sheriff.” Brennan turned to David. “Your witness.”
David got up and walked over to the witness box. “Sheriff, we’ve heard testimony in this courtroom that a bloody knife was found in Miss Patterson’s kitchen.”
“That’s right.”
“How was it hidden? Wrapped up in something? Stashed away where it couldn’t be found?”
“No. It was right out in the open.”
“Right out in the open. Left there by someone who had nothing to hide. Someone who was innocent because—”
“Objection!”
“Sustained.”
“No more questions.”
“The witness is dismissed.”
Brennan said, “If it pleases the court…” He signaled someone at the back of the courtroom, and a man in overalls came in, carrying the mirror from Ashley Patterson’s medicine cabinet. On it, in red lipstick, was written YOU WILL DIE.
David rose. “What is this?”
Judge Williams turned to Mickey Brennan. “Mr. Brennan?”
“This is the bait the defendant used to get Deputy Blake to come to her apartment so she could murder him. I would like this marked as exhibit D. It came from the medicine chest of the defendant.”
“Objection, Your Honor. It has no relevance.”
“I will prove that there is a relevance.”
“We’ll see. In the meantime, you may proceed.”
Brennan placed the mirror in full view of the jury. “This mirror was taken from the defendant’s bathroom.” He looked at the jurors. “As you can see, scrawled across it is ’You Will Die.’ This was the defendant’s pretext for having Deputy Blake come to her apartment that night to protect her.” He turned to Judge Williams. “I would like to call my next witness, Miss Laura Niven.”
A middle-aged woman walking with a cane approached the witness box and was sworn in.
“Where do you work, Miss Niven?”
“I’m a consultant for the County of San Jose.”
“And what do you do?”
“I’m a handwriting expert.”
“How long have you worked for the county, Miss Niven?”
“Twenty-two years.”
Brennan nodded toward the mirror. “You have been shown this mirror before?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve examined it?”
“I have.”
“And you’ve been shown an example of the defendant’s handwriting?”
“Yes.”
“And had a chance to examine that?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve compared the two?”
“I have.”
“And what is your conclusion?”
“They were written by the same person.”
There was a collective gasp from the courtroom.
“So what you’re saying is that Ashley Patterson wrote this threat to herself?”
“That is correct.”
Mickey Brennan looked over at David. “Your witness.”
David hesitated. He glanced at Ashley. She was staring down at the table, shaking her head. “No questions.”
Judge Williams was studying David. “No questions, Mr. Singer?”
David rose to his feet. “No. All this testimony is meaningless.” He turned to the jury. “The prosecution will have to prove that Ashley Patterson knew the defendants and had a motive to—”
Judge Williams said angrily, “I’ve warned you before. It is not your place to instruct the jury on the law. If—”
“Someone has to,” David exploded. “You’re letting him get away with—”
“That’s enough, Mr. Singer. Approach the bench.”
David walked to the bench.
“I’m citing you for contempt of court and sentencing you to a night here in our nice jail the day this trial is over.”
“Wait, Your Honor. You can’t—”
She said grimly, “I’ve sentenced you to one night. Would you like to try for two?”
David stood there, glaring at her, taking deep breaths. “For the sake of my client, I’ll—I’ll keep my feelings to myself.”
“A wise decision,” Judge Williams said curtly. “Court is adjourned.” She turned to a bailiff. “When this trial is ended, I want Mr. Singer taken into custody.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
Ashley turned to Sandra. “Oh, my God! What’s happening?”
Sandra squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry. You have to trust David.”
Sandra telephoned Jesse Quiller.
“I heard,” he said. “It’s all over the news, Sandra. I don’t blame David for losing his temper. She’s been goading him from the beginning. What did David do to get her so down on him?”