The KenKen Killings Part 7

"I will need to call a witness."

"For what purpose?"

"To identify the evidence."

"Is the witness here in court?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Very well. Call your witness."

"Call Roger Randolph."

Cora glared as the banker made his way to the witness stand. He did not meet her eyes. His manner seemed reluctant. Cora didn't give a d.a.m.n. If the son of a b.i.t.c.h testified against her, she'd be d.a.m.ned if she was solving his break-in.

"Your name is Roger Randolph?"

"That's right."

"You work at the First National Bank?"

"Yes."

"What do you do there?"

"I approve loans."

Cora rolled her eyes. Even in court the banker described himself as the benevolent giver of money. She wondered if that const.i.tuted perjury.

"You have other functions at the bank?"

"Yes, of course. I'm a manager. I monitor transactions, a.s.sist the tellers with any problems."

Cora gnashed her teeth, wondered how much the tellers appreciated his officious meddling.

"The tellers come to you when they have problems?"

"That's right."

Becky Baldwin was on her feet. "We will stipulate the man is a saint. Is there a point to this?"

"There certainly is. Mr. Randolph, do you recall an occasion last week when a teller asked you to approve a check?"

"Yes, I do. One of our tellers brought me a check that had been deposited for collection. She wanted to know if it was all right."

"Mr. Randolph, I hand you a check and ask you if it is the one you are referring to."

The banker took the check, looked it over. "Yes, it is."

"And who is the check made out to?"

"Cora Felton Markowitz."

"Cora Felton Markowitz?"

"That's right."

"Do you know a Cora Felton Markowitz?"

"I don't know a Cora Felton Markowitz. I know Cora Felton, of course. She's sitting right there."

"But you don't know if she's the woman who presented the check."

"Well, according to the teller-"

The little lawyer put up his hand. "That would be hearsay, Mr. Randolph. The teller will speak for herself. So, the check was made out to a Cora Felton Markowitz. And on whose account was the check drawn?"

"The check was from the account of Fleckstein and Stone, conservators for the estate of the late Chester T. Markowitz."

"And what is the amount of the check?"

"Ten thousand dollars."

"And why did the teller bring it to you?"

"She said-"

Fleckstein held up his hand. "Never mind what she said. Just tell us what concerned her about the check."

"There was typing on the back of the check above the endors.e.m.e.nt. It was somewhat unusual. The teller wanted to be sure it was all right."

"There is typing on the back of that check?"

"Yes, there is."

"Could you read it for us, please."

Mr. Randolph read from the check. " 'I, Cora Felton Markowitz, do hereby agree that the amount of this check, to wit ten thousand dollars, represents the entire amount of the inheritance specified and/or implied in the last will and testament of my husband, Chester T. Markowitz, and I hereby relinquish any and all claims on any and all moneys which might be discovered to be part of the estate of the said Chester T. Markowitz.' "

"Your Honor, we offer the check in evidence. If the defendant is not willing to stipulate she is the one who endorsed it Cora Felton Markowitz, we offer to produce a handwriting expert to so testify."

"The defense is not going to stipulate a thing," Becky said.

Fleckstein nodded as if that were exactly what he expected and turned back to the witness. "Was there a deposit slip with the check?"

"Yes, there was."

"To whose account was the check deposited?"

"To the account of Cora Felton."

"Not Cora Felton Markowitz?"

"No, just Cora Felton."

"You saw nothing wrong with depositing Cora Felton Markowitz's check to Cora Felton?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It is common practice for women using their maiden names to receive checks made out in their married ones. Particularly in the case of women no longer living with their husbands. Such checks are deposited to their accounts as a matter of course."

"And you a.s.sumed that- Withdraw the question. The fact is, the check was deposited to the account of Cora Felton?"

"That's right."

"Do you know Cora Felton personally?"

"Yes, I do."

"Is she in the courtroom?"

"Yes, she is. She's the woman sitting with her attorney at the defense table."

"There you are, Your Honor," Fleckstein said.

Judge Hobbs considered. "Ms. Baldwin, do you have any evidence to refute the presentation made by the plaintiff?"

"Frankly, I'm not sure, Your Honor," Becky said. "If I might have a short adjournment?"

Judge Hobbs smiled. This was exactly what he always hoped for in a marital dispute. The attorneys would take a recess and work out a settlement out of court. "Very well. It would appear that there is at least sufficient grounds to proceed with this complaint. So let's take a recess, and we will pick this up at..." Judge Hobbs checked the docket. "Tomorrow's no good. Let's see. Wednesday. Ten o'clock Wednesday morning."

Lennie Fleckstein grinned triumphantly and glanced over his shoulder at the back of the courtroom.

Bad move.

Cora Felton, who was glaring at the little attorney and fantasizing elaborate methods of open heart surgery she might perform without anesthesia, naturally followed his gaze.

Silhouetted in the light streaming in the doorway was the shadow of a man leaving the courtroom. He was of average height. His body was lean, but not skinny. His stance was sure, solid, athletic. A fedora was perched on his head at a rakish angle. His jaw jutted out aggressively, challenging the world, but the outline of his lips was a c.o.c.ky grin.

Cora sucked in her breath.

Melvin.

CHAPTER.

11.

Cora came out of the courthouse and looked around. Melvin was nowhere to be seen. That figured. The slimy son of a b.i.t.c.h was as elusive as ever. Cora could recall once on her honeymoon Melvin had gone out for a pack of cigarettes and been gone for five hours. It was only later she found out he didn't smoke.

Becky Baldwin followed Cora out. "Hey, I'm sorry you didn't like the ruling, but we didn't expect to win today."

"I was looking for Melvin."

"Melvin wasn't here."

"Yes, he was. He was hiding in the back. I saw him slip out after Hobbs adjourned court."

"Are you sure?"

"No. And that's just like him, to make me doubt my own senses."

It occurred to Becky that if Melvin wasn't here, he could hardly be blamed for doing that, but she figured it wasn't a good time to point that out.

People were pouring out of the courthouse now. Melvin's attorney was among them.

Cora's eyes blazed. "Hey, shyster, was that your client hiding in the back?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"What my client meant to say," Becky amended hastily, "was she congratulates you on an excellent presentation of your case, and wonders if your client happened to be present."

Lennie Fleckstein had been prepared to take Cora Felton's attorney down a peg, but Becky Baldwin's charm was not lost on him. He smiled and said, "The seat next to me appeared to be empty."

"Some clients are shy. Like to stay in the background."

"I notice your client doesn't."

"Let's not discuss my client."

"And yet you want to discuss mine. That hardly seems fair."

"Hey! I'm standing right here," Cora said.

"And I'm speaking for you as your attorney." Becky pointed to Aaron Grant, who was hovering nearby. "Why don't you talk to your niece's husband. He could probably use a story." She frowned. "On second thought, that's not such a great idea, either. Why don't you go construct a crossword puzzle."

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen," Cora muttered. "You wanna act like my attorney, fine. Ask him if his client's here. It's a simple yes-or-no question. All this legal double-talk is just the slimy evasions of-"

"I think I'd like to jump in here," Becky said. "Mr. Fleckstein, I'm sure you've handled enough cases to realize that these matrimonial issues are not always amicable. I hope we can put this aside and discuss it as professionals."

"That would be nice."