by Ellie Smith
Chapter 4
Phil looked down at the notepad that lay in front of him. It had been four days since he had left Dani Hayward at the curb by the police station. He had not heard from her once in those entire four days. Had she made any progress? He sniffed silently. Was she still in Dallas? He admitted that he did not have the answer to either question.
"Mr. Blakely?"
Phil met the scrutinizing gaze of the judge.
"Cross-examine?"
He nodded and rose to his feet. "How long were you married to Harold Thornton?"
"Objection!" the District Attorney snapped and was on his feet. "Irrelevant."
"Sustained," the judge agreed.
"Mrs. Thornton," he said from his position in the middle of the floor. "According to the police report, you left the house at six-thirty the night your husband was murdered. Is that correct?"
Felicia Thornton nodded. "Yes, that's correct."
"And the golf clubs were delivered before you left?"
"I guess so. I was busy packing for my trip."
Phil returned to the defense table, picked up the yellow pad and faced the witness again. "Where were you going on your trip?"
"To visit my sister in Chicago."
"You were flying out of DFW?"
"Yes."
Phil studied the blank pad with a frown before returning his gaze to the witness. "What time was your flight scheduled to leave?"
"9:07."
"Did your husband drive you to the airport?"
"No," the woman replied as she wove her fingers into the lace handkerchief she was holding. "My brother and his wife drove me."
"Why not your husband?"
"He does his lecture schedule for the following week's class on Thursday night then goes to bed early. I didn't want to bother him."
"Did you fly to Chicago alone?"
Felicia Thornton nodded. "Yes, I did."
Phillip Blakely heard a noise behind him and turned to see Dani Hayward standing by the railing. Well, at least she was still in Dallas and evidently she had found something. "Your honor," he said quickly. "May I have a moment?"
The gray haired man behind the bench nodded.
Phil joined Dani, taking the paper she handed to him. He opened it and read....
'Ask Felicia Thornton if she was aware her husband was keeping company with one of his students.'
He met the dark gaze for a moment before turning back to the court. "Mrs. Thornton," he said and stuffed the paper into his jacket pocket. "Were you aware that your husband was keeping company with one of his students?"
The look on the woman's face gave him his answer as he heard a rise in voices behind him.
"Objection!" the District Attorney snapped.
"I withdraw the question," Phil said quickly and returned to his chair. The expression on his client's face told him that he was just as shocked at the question as the witness had been. He smiled to himself as the judge closed the days’ proceedings.
"How'd you find out about that?" Richard Clark asked in a whisper before the bailiff reached him.
"You knew about it?" the attorney asked sharply.
The defendant nodded glumly. "But I promised Harry I’d keep my mouth shut."
"I'll be over to talk to you later," Phil told his client as the bailiff touched the man's arm. He was putting his papers in his briefcase when someone sank to the chair beside him.
"Did you get your answer?"
"I sure did," he replied to the brunette. "Felicia Thornton knew what her husband was doing." His forehead furrowed. "And so did Richard Clark."
"That isn't all he knows. "I'll fill you in over dinner then I want to go have a talk with your client."
