Chapter 17 Chapter Fourteen

Massachusetts, Boston Wednesday, June 7, 2006 3:50 pm Randolph stood up from the dock, sorted out his notes, and stood still in front of the podium, his movements were obviously slower than usual.Even though he was apparently ready, he still stared at Lianna for a long time.Leitner looked, and eventually she had to avert his gaze.Randolph's fatherly demeanor can be awe-inspiring at times. Miss Lightner, Randolph's voice is pure and elegant.How would you rate your own attire in the office? Lian Na smiled helplessly.It should be relatively normal.What's wrong? Do you think conservative or modest can describe your usual dressing style?

I never thought about this question. Marlene.Richart, your office manager, did you ever hint that your dress style is inappropriate? Lian Na was as embarrassed as a fox caught in a chicken coop.She looked at Tony, then at the Judge, and finally back at Randolph. She did say something similar. How many times have you said that? how could I know?Several times. Did she ever use adjectives like sexy or provocative? It seems to have used it. Miss Leitner, you stated in your testimony that Dr. Berman became interested in you about a year ago. Yes. Do you feel like it has something to do with your choice of clothing?

how could I know? You mentioned in your testimony that at first you felt a little embarrassed because he was married. Yes. But a year ago, Dr. Berman had officially separated from his wife.The relationship between the two was tense at the time.Everyone in these offices knows that, right? may be. Is it possible that you have a crush on Dr. Berman rather than him on you? Maybe subconsciously.He looks good. Did it ever occur to you at the time that Dr. Berman was not immune to provocative clothing because he lived alone after all. Never thought about it. Miss Leitner, your testimony states that on September 8, 2005, you lived with Dr. Berman in his Boston apartment.

Yes. How did you live in it?Did Mr. Berman invite you to move in with him? not completely. Have you discussed the possible benefits and difficulties of cohabitation? No. It's actually your own decision to move in.Yeah? Well, since I'm spending the night there every night, is it necessary to pay rent for two properties? You didn't answer my question.You moved into his apartment on your own initiative without consulting Dr. Berman.Yeah? He didn't complain about anything, Lianna said angrily.He is so happy every night. I'm asking you, did you move in on your own initiative?

Yes, I moved in on my own, Lianna said angrily.He likes it very much. That won't be established until Mr. Berman testifies, Randolph said, looking over his notes.Miss Leitner, on the evening of September 8, 2005, Jordan.Did Dr. Berman mention Newton Memorial Hospital when Mr. Stanhope called to explain his wife's condition? Not mentioned. Did he ever say that it was better to go to the Stanhope's house than to go straight to the hospital, because the Stanhope's house was closer to the concert hall. No.He didn't mention the hospital at all. When you and Dr. Berman arrived at the Stanhope's house, were you waiting for him in the car?

no.Mr. Berman let me in to help him. As far as I know, you were holding a portable electrocardiograph? Yes. What happened when you got to Mrs. Stanhope's bedroom? Dr. Berman began to rescue Mrs. Stanhope. Did he look worried at the time? He must be worried.He and Mr Stanhope immediately called an ambulance. As far as I know, he asked you to perform artificial respiration for the patient when he performed rescue. Yes.He taught me how to do it. After Dr. Boman saw the patient's symptoms, was he worried? very worried.The patient was bruised all over, his pupils were large and unresponsive.

As far as I know, the ambulance took Mrs. Stanhope to the hospital very quickly.How did you and Dr. Berman get to the hospital? I drive his car.Dr. Berman went in an ambulance. Why did he go in an ambulance? He said that if the condition changes, he can deal with it in time. It was a long time before you saw him, and Mrs. Stanhope had died by then, hadn't she? I saw him in the emergency room, and he had a lot of blood splattered on him. Was the patient discouraged when he died? Looks not in a good mood. In other words, Dr. Berman tried his best to treat the patients. Yes. When he found out that all his efforts had been in vain, he seemed very upset.

I think it should be said to be depressed, but it didn't last long.In fact, when we got back to the apartment, we had a pretty good Friday night. Miss Leitner, allow me to ask a personal question.In my opinion, you are a woman of great character.Have you ever said something insincere or exaggerated your feelings when you were angry? Everyone is like this, Lian Na smiled a little forcedly. Was Mr. Boman a little sad after receiving the summons that night? Very sad, I've never seen him like this. angry? very angry. In this case, according to your statement, he has no guards on his lips, to Patience.Stanhope has a lot of inappropriate comments, is it possible that they are just angry words.You think, he tried his best to save her that night, and in the year before her death, he basically went to the clinic once a week.

Randolph paused, waiting for Lianna to answer. There was silence for a long time, Judge Davidson said, and the witnesses for the prosecution must answer this question. Did you ask a question just now?Lianna was obviously a little confused.I didn't catch it. Ask again, Judge Davidson said. I mean, on the night Dr. Berman got the summons, he told Patience.Stanhope's comment actually reflected his inner anxiety.His true affection for the patient is reflected in his hard work and visits to the clinic almost every week for a year, and in the fact that he tried his best to save her on the night of her death.My question is, Miss Leitner, do you think that makes sense?

Maybe.I have no idea.Maybe you should ask him. I'll definitely ask him, Randolph said.But first I want to know, are you still living in the Boston apartment that Mr. Berman is renting? Jack turned sideways and whispered to Alexis that some of Randolph's questions and comments were sharp, Tony.Fasano should have vehemently opposed it.He used to always be quick to take the bait.I don't know what happened this time. Perhaps when Lianna testified earlier, the judge had a private conversation with the lawyers of both sides.It's only fair for both sides to give way. Well, that makes a lot of sense.Jack said.Whatever the reason, Randolph did his best.As Jack continued to listen, Randolph began skillfully grilling Lena about how she felt after the medical incident and Craig moved back home.Jack knew Randolph's thinking very well. He was constructing the image of Lianna's abandoned wife, so that the jury would think that her previous testimony was out of hatred and therefore not admissible.

Jack whispered to Alexis, I ask you a question, you have to tell the truth.Do you mind if I sneak out now?I want to play a game of basketball for exercise.But if you want me to stay, I will stay.I think the worst part is over.What follows is nothing but self-destructive imagery. go!Alexis said sincerely.Go exercise!I appreciate you being with me all the time, but I'm fine now.Go out and relax.The judge will announce an adjournment shortly.He usually ends around four o'clock. are you sure you are okasked Jack. Sure, Alexis said.The kids and I ate early, but you'll have something to eat when you get back.Take it easy, but watch out, Craig gets hurt a lot when he plays.do you have the key There are keys, Jack said.He leaned over and gave her a quick hug. Jack stood up, whispered to the person in the same row as him, walked slowly to the aisle, and then glanced at the seat Franco used to sit in.To his surprise, Franco was not in his seat.Although Jack didn't stop, he still searched for the rogue in the gallery.When Jack reached the door, he turned and scanned the gallery again quickly.Franco is not there. Jack pushed the door open with his back and walked backwards out of the courtroom.Not seeing Franco in his usual place made him a little uncomfortable.He couldn't help worrying about bumping into him somewhere small and cramped, like an underground parking lot.If he had encountered this situation a few years ago, he might not have thought much about it.Now he is going to hold a wedding in two days, and it is impossible to ignore it like before.In addition to himself, he now has to consider one more person, so he must be extra cautious, that is to say, be prepared.He'd had the idea of ​​buying a pepper spray the day before, but hadn't done it.He decided to check it out today. The elevator entrance on the third floor was crowded with people.There were four courtrooms on this floor, and the door of one of them was suddenly opened, and the crowd poured out like a tide, obviously the trial had just ended.Some people gathered and chatted, while others rushed to the elevator entrance, wondering which of the eight elevators would arrive first. Jack approached the crowd, looking around to see if he could catch Franco.Jack thought it was unlikely that something would happen in the courthouse.He was worried about going out. At the security checkpoint at the entrance of the building, Jack stopped and asked the uniformed guard if there was a hardware store nearby.The guard told him to look for it on Charles Street.This street is the main commercial street in the Beacon Hill area. Jack heard from the guard that this street is easy to find, and that it needs to cross the park, which is the only way for Jack to pick up his car in the parking lot.The guard also told him that it was best to go west, through the Beacon Hill area, where the road network is criss-crossed.Jack thanked him and walked out of the courthouse. Jack is still looking for Franco everywhere, but he can't find it.Jack felt a little paranoid and couldn't help laughing secretly.According to the guard, the general direction was opposite to the court exit, and Jack walked along the perimeter of the court building to the back of the building.The streets are narrow and winding, unlike the boxy neighborhoods of New York.Jack kept walking, and suddenly found that Denis Street had become Myrtle Street inexplicably.Most of the houses are simple, long and narrow four-storey brick and wood townhouses.He was pleasantly surprised to find a lovely toddler playground nearby, full of kids and young mums.He passed the Beacon Hill plumbing store, where a chocolate-colored Labrador squatted outside the door.This dog is very kind, and it is not suitable to be a watchdog at all.Jack reached the crest and began to descend slowly. He asked a passerby if he could find Charles Street in this direction.The man told him it was this way, but it would be better to turn left at the next street, where there was a small convenience store, and turn right onto Pinckney Street. As the slope got steeper, Jack realized that Beacon Hill was not just a place name, but a real mountain.The houses along the way are getting bigger and more elegant, but the style is still very low-key.On the left is a small sunny square.There are very strong cast iron railings around, a row of old elm trees over a hundred years old, and a small piece of green lawn.After a few more blocks, we finally reached Charles Street. Compared with the remote side street just now, Charles Street is the main road.Although both sides of the road are full of cars, there are still three lanes for driving.There are various small shops on both sides of the road.Jack found the Charles Street Hardware Store under the guidance of a pedestrian. When he entered the store, he was still hesitating whether he really wanted to buy a pepper sprayer.Away from the courts and Craig's case, Franco's threats also seemed distant.But now that he had come this far, he decided to buy one anyway.The owner is a square-faced, friendly guy who also happens to be named Jack.If he hadn't heard someone call the owner's name, Jack would not have realized the coincidence. Jack didn't ask for a bag, so he put the pepper spray in his right jacket pocket.Now that I have made up my mind to buy this long and narrow tube, it is natural to put it in a convenient place.Armed with this weapon, Jack strolled down Charles Street and back to the Boston Common to retrieve his Hyundai. Once back in the dark, damp, empty parking lot, Jack decided that the pepper spray should be bought.The last thing he wanted was to run into Franco on such an occasion.But once in the car and headed for the tollbooth, Jack felt a little paranoid again, secretly amused, and thought it might be guilt.In hindsight, Jack knew he shouldn't have kneed Franco's genitals in the driveway of the Stanhope house.But after thinking about it, if he hadn't taken measures at that time, things might have gotten out of hand.The man Franco obviously didn't know how to control his emotions, and he had a strong tendency to violence. Jack drove the car out of the dark underground garage, and was greeted by bright sunshine.He was determined not to think of Franco again.He pulls over to check Alexis' altered map.He felt his heart beating faster, and he was excited to think that he would soon be able to play a game of three-on-three basketball to his heart's content. The course is near Memorial Avenue, which is shown on the map next to the Charles River.The thing is, Memorial Drive is in Cambridge, which is on the other side of the river.From his previous driving experience in Boston, it was not easy to drive there, because there were not many bridges.His worries were not unreasonable. The map showed all kinds of complicated road conditions, non-left turn lanes, one-way streets, dazzling street signs, and Boston drivers who were not easy to mess with. Against all odds, Jack drove to Memorial Drive and soon found Warren's friend David.That outdoor basketball court that Thomas was talking about.Jack parked the car on a side street, got out, and opened the trunk.He pushed aside the autopsy tools Latasha had given him, took out his basketball outfit, and looked around, trying to find a place to change, but he couldn't find it for a long time.So he went back to the car, and like a jujitsu actor, he took off his coat and put on shorts in the car.The bikers, rollerbladers, and joggers along the Charles River didn't notice him. After making sure the car was locked, Jack jogged back to the basketball court.There were about fifteen men on the field, all of varying ages, but all over the age of twenty.Jack was forty-six, and he figured he must be the oldest here.The game hasn't started yet.Everyone is shooting or showing off ball-handling skills, and a few veterans on the court are still talking about each other. Jack has played street basketball in New York for many years, and he knows the rules on the court, so he deliberately looks cold.At first, he's just throwing the ball back to guys who are practicing shooting.It took a while for him to start shooting. His aim really attracted the attention of many people, but no one said anything.After another fifteen minutes, Jack felt a lot more relaxed, so he casually asked about David.Thomas' whereabouts.The other party didn't speak, just pointed him in the direction. Jack approached David.He was one of the few people who fought the most fiercely.Just as Jack imagined, David was black, in his thirties and forties, slightly taller and heavier, with a big beard.To be honest, he has more hair on his face than on the top of his head.But the most striking feature is the look in his eyes: he loves to laugh.Clearly loves life. Jack stepped forward and introduced himself.David gave Jack a hug when he came up without concealment, and then shook hands with him warmly. Warren.Wilson's friends are my friends, David said enthusiastically.Warren also said you played well.Hey, you're on my team, okay? Okay!Jack said. Hey Aesop!David yelled at the other player.You're out of luck tonight, man.You can't play.Change to Jack!David slapped Jack hard on the back and added, as an explanation, that man always had a story to tell.So we all call him Aesop. It was a great game: on par with Jack's in New York.Jack quickly realized that he was lucky to be on the same team as David.Despite the close score, David's team kept leading.For Jack, that means the game has been played without a break.For more than two hours, he, David, and three other teammates picked by David kept the lead.By the end of the game, Jack was exhausted.He looked at his watch on the sidelines, it was past seven o'clock. Are you coming tomorrow night?Jack started to pack his things, David asked. Maybe, Jack replied. We're definitely coming. Thank you for letting me play together. Hey man, it's because of your skill. Jack felt a little weak in his legs as he stepped out of the wire fence.Right after the game, he was drenched in sweat and his clothes were drenched.There was a gentle breeze blowing from the river, and the clothes were almost dry by now.Jack walked slowly.Exercise has helped him a lot.For these few hours, he didn't have to think about anything other than the game, but the reality couldn't be avoided after all.He shuddered at the thought of explaining it to Laurie.Tomorrow is Thursday, but he still doesn't know when he can start the autopsy, let alone when he can finish it and return to New York.He knew that she would be very angry when she heard the news, and he could understand, but the key was that he didn't know how to tell her. Jack walked to his milky white car, opened the door, and was about to get in when a hand stretched over his shoulder and closed the door heavily.Jack turned sharply to see Franco's sunken eyes and a face that wasn't exactly cute.The first thing that crossed his mind was that goddamn ten-dollar-and-forty-nine-cent pepper spray that he managed to buy and was lying in his coat pocket in the car. We've got some grievances to settle, Franco growled. Jack was so close to Franco that the garlic taste in Franco's mouth almost made him vomit. Correction, Jack said, throwing his head back violently.He was forced by Franco to cling to the car door.I don't think there is any grievance between the two of us, so there is no way to talk about ending it.Jack noticed that there was another man behind Franco, who seemed to be with him. Stop pretending, Franco muttered.I mean the last time you knelt on my life. You forced me, I didn't want to do it at first. Antonio, hold him down!Franco took a step back as he spoke. Jack tried to take advantage of this gap to get rid of Franco's entanglement.He was wearing sneakers, and although his legs were still a little soft after playing, he believed that he must run faster than these two hooligans.But Franco lunged forward, grabbing Jack's T-shirt with his right hand and pulling it back, while hitting him hard on the mouth with his left fist.Antonio grabbed one of Jack's arms and tried to throw the other arm behind his back.At this time, Franco raised his right fist again, trying to beat Jack hard. The punch never came down.A piece of water pipe fell on Franco's shoulder.He yelled in surprise, his right arm suddenly went limp, his left hand covered his injured shoulder, and he bent down in pain. The water pipe points to Antonio again.Let him go, man!David said.A dozen basketball players suddenly appeared and surrounded Jack, Franco and Antonio aggressively.Several people had ironware in their hands, and one person held a baseball bat. Antonio let go of Jack and stared at the group. Are you from around here? David's voice is not as fierce as before.Aesop, search for weapons. Aesop walked over and quickly unloaded Franco's gun.Franco did not resist.Antonio was not carrying a gun at all. I advise you to go away as soon as possible, David said and took the gun from Aesop. I can't spare you, Franco yelled at Jack, and took Antonio away.The basketball player moves out of the way to let them pass. Warren said hello to me, David said to Jack.He said that you are easy to get into trouble, and asked him to rescue you several times.You are in luck.When these two gangsters were wandering around the court just now, we were watching them.what happened? It was a bit of a misunderstanding, Jack wasn't telling the truth.He touched his lips with the tip of his finger, and it bled. If you need help, just come to me.Better get some ice now, your lips are swollen.You take this gun.In case that guy comes to trouble you, be prepared. Jack politely declined and did not take the gun.He thanked David and the others, got in the car, and the first thing he did was get the pepper spray out.Then he leaned closer to the rearview mirror to check his injuries.The right side of his upper lip was swollen and slightly blue.There was a visible line of blood on the chin that had dried.My God, he muttered.Warren was right that he was quite the troublemaker.He wiped off the blood as best he could with the front of his T-shirt. On the way back to the Bermans' house, Jack wonders whether to tell a fib that he got injured playing basketball.Basketball requires physical contact. He plays so many times and devotes himself so much, it is normal for him to get a little injury occasionally.The thing is, Craig and Alexis must be pretty upset by now after a day in court, and he doesn't want to add to their burden.If they were telling the truth, they would definitely feel that Jack was implicated because of them.In fact, it is unnecessary to think so. Jack softly opened the front door with the key Alexis had given him.Shoes and clothes are held in hand.He was trying to sneak upstairs and take a shower first without bumping into anyone.He wanted to cool his lips with an ice cube.But it's been a long time since the injury, and waiting another fifteen minutes doesn't make much difference.He closed the front door silently, but his hand rested on the doorknob.He had a vague sense of foreboding; it was too quiet in this room.It used to be that every time he walked through the door, there was at least a little background noise: the sound of the radio, the phone ringing, or the TV.There was no sound in the room at the moment, it was eerily quiet.He noticed the Lexus parked in the driveway, so at least he was sure the Craigs were home.Then he felt that there might be something wrong with today's trial. Jack walked swiftly and silently down the corridor to the archway leading into the dining room, still clutching the pile of clothes.He leaned against the door, thinking that there should be no one in the restaurant.To his surprise, the whole family gathered on the couch, with the Craigs sitting at opposite ends of the sofa.At first glance, I thought they were watching TV.But the TV wasn't on at all. From Jack's angle they couldn't see their faces.He stood at the door for a while, trying to see what the family was doing.There was no movement for a long time.Confused, Jack went into the house to find out.When he was about ten feet away from the couch, he tried calling Alexis' name.If the family is discussing personal matters, he doesn't want to interrupt.But he can't seem to just walk away. Craig and Alexis looked back at the same time.Craig stares at Jack.Alexis stood up.Her face was gloomy, and her eyes were a little red.problem occurs.Something big happened.