The Accused........part 3

Bo is free on bail. Bo and Nora remain in the courtroom after the arraignment

Bo: Thanks
Nora: Bo, we've got three weeks to work on your defence and I'm not going to waste any time. So are you committed to helping me?
Bo: Yes, of course. What do you want me to do?
Nora: OK, be in my office early in the morning. In the meantime, if you think of anything, anything at all that we could use, write it down. You never know what can arise from just any insignificant bit of data. I don't care if it sounds stupid... I want to hear it. Got it?
Bo: Got it. I've got all the time in the world now that I've been suspended
Nora: Three weeks may sound like a lot of time, but it isn't. We can't waste a minute.
Bo: Right! Thanks again Nora. I mean that.
Nora was getting a bit irritated: You know what? I don't want to hear that from you again. It was my idea to take this case on, no matter what my motives are, and no matter what has gone on in the past, or what you or I feel about Sam or Matthew's real father right now it just doesn't matter. We've got a job to do and we are going to do it the best way we know how - we need to get you off and that's what we are going to do.
Bo looked at Nora square in the face, turned around and left the courthouse.

Nora's home office the next morning: Bo arrives just as Mary Ann is taking Matthew out in his stroller. Nora is
frantically typing something up on her computer. She looks up, her glasses sliding down her nose, and points to a chair motioning Bo to sit
Nora: I'm sorry I seemed a bit hard on you yesterday but I've got a job to do
Bo: I just thought we could go through all of this as friends - it just seems a bit awkward being just another client
Nora: Yea, well... let's start. What have you come up with?
Bo: A few things.
Nora pulls out a clean piece of paper and starts writing
Bo: I can remember the name of the cab company and the description of the cabbie that picked me up that night
Also, the power lock system on my car is broken, so my car wasn't locked that night - anyone could've gotten in
It's about a 20 minute walk from my place to the murder site. If we can prove that I took a taxi home at 10, I would have arrived at my place about 10:10, walked back to the location by let's say 10:30 - change shoes for some reason, shoot Sam, go back to my car and take off the shoes and walk another 20 minutes back to my place in order to get the call at 11. That's a heck of a lot to do in 50 minutes
Nora: 40 minutes walking time leaves 10 minutes to kill Sam - that's more than enough Bo - anything else? By the way, forensics dusted your car for prints - I've called for that report to be delivered today
Bo: I just thought of something - I'm jumping around a bit - Rick the bartender was the one who called the cab for me. He could testify that I'd had a bit too much to drink. I never have to ask him to call one for me, he just knows when I'd want one and automatically calls for me.
Nora: Ok, we'll talk to him and make sure he remembers that night and ask him to testify on your behalf. Your putting a little too much importance on this cab Bo. We need more.
Bo: Oh
Nora: Don't get me wrong... it's a good start
Bo: What about character witnesses? There must be someone around here who still likes me!
Nora: Who? Like Hank - I don't think we can use him! But we can pull some of the cops, especially someone like Lisa who has credibility and has worked with you on some tough cases.
Bo: And Viki
Nora: Her future husband's brother is the victim - I don't know
Bo: What about someone like Melanie MacIver?
Nora: Oh yea, I heard you've "worked" very closely with her
Bo: Nora!
Nora: Bo! Ok, maybe Lanie (she gags as she says her name) So, we have Rick the bartender, the cabbie, Lisa and maybe another cop, Melanie maybe... Let's get back to this later. Now we need to make a list of anyone we can think of who knew Sam
Lindsay was in jail, and so was Will
Melanie, Colin, Ben, Viki, Hank, RJ, Max, Asa, Renee, Blair, Todd, you, me - ok now who would want him dead
Bo: Asa, but he was in Texas last week and I think Max was with him - we should check that out
Nora: Good, who else?
Bo: Todd - he was upset that Sam wouldn't represent him in court - I'll get someone to find out where he was that night
Nora: Thanks - cause I'm sure not going anywhere near him if I don't have to
Bo: What about Colin? - he hated Sam for taking Melanie's side in the divorce
Nora: Colin has an alibi, me. We had dinner together that night. He brought me home about 11:30
Bo: Oh, I see. I just thought since he did kidnap you...
Nora: And saved my life and probably Matthew's life - you know I dropped the charges against him
Bo: Yea, I still don't understand it but... I can't think of anyone else, except maybe a client we don't know
Nora: Maybe, and I have an idea, it's a bit far-fetched but I'm gonna look into it
Bo: Who do you have in mind, Nora?
Nora: Sam received a call about a week before he died. It came through on his office phone. I have no idea who he was talking to, but he seemed upset. I was playing with Matthew in the living room and didn't hear much of the conversation, but I remember something now. He said something like - "there was nothing I could do - I'm sorry, I'm really sorry". So, maybe he did let down a client or someone. I'm going to see if I can get a record of the calls on that phone for that day - you just never know.

To Be Continued