The Accused ............part 5
The Palace Restaurant
Nora: I better get home Bo. I want to go over my stuff for tomorrow
Bo: Sure. You're not going to sleep tonight are you? You never
do before you present your case
Nora smiling sadly: You know me, don't you Mr Buchanan
Bo: Just about everything there is to know, and I still love you!
Nora: You do?
Bo: Yes I do.
Nora: Oh Bo, I wish we could turn back the clock. We had something
so special, something I never dreamt would ever happen to me.
I fell in love with you the first time I met you and I remember
every little detail of our relationship. But so much has happened
Bo. Do you really think we could ever get that back?
Bo: No
Nora: Oh...I...
Bo: No, I don't think we can go back but I think we could go forward.
We messed up real bad Red, but don't you see, we could wipe the
slate clean and try to start over again, as long as we still love
each other. That's all that really counts now, isn't it?
Nora: I do love you Bo. I've never stopped loving you. Is that
really enough?
Bo stands up and holds out his hand. He leads Nora to the dance
floor and takes her in his arms. She melts as he holds her tighter
and she gently presses her cheek to his. The world no longer existed.
It was just the two of them, together as one. Did the music stop?
They had no idea. Neither one could let go. Nora opened her eyes
eventually and poked Bo. They looked around and saw an empty restaurant
and a man in the back sweeping the floor. They looked at each
other and smiled - "closed the joint again!"
They parted in the parking lot after a short but intense kiss.
Nora: Goodnight Bo, sleep well
Bo: Can't we...?
Nora: No, not tonight. I'll see you in court. We'll celebrate
as soon as this case is over.
Bo: Ummm....celebrate sounds good.
The courtroom. Nora is asked if she
is ready to begin.
Nora: I am your honor. The defense calls...
Nora called four witnesses to testify on Bo's behalf. Everything
went as planned.
BF: Before you call your next witness, Ms Buchanan, we will take
a 15 minute recess.
All stand
Nora squeezes Bo's hand: Ok Bo you're next. Just answer the questions
- don't elaborate on anything unless I prompt you. You ok?
Bo: I'm just so glad you're here with me. I don't know what I
would have done if you hadn't agreed to defend me.
Nora: It's gonna be fine. You'll see.
The courtroom was full to overflowing. Everyone was there to give
Bo support or report about it. He had to control himself - he
would not let Hank get to him.
Nora: The defence calls Mr Bo Buchanan
to the stand
Bo rises and slowly walks to the witness stand. After swearing
in he takes a few deep breaths and sits down.
Nora: Mr Buchanan, please tell the court where you were the night
in question
Bo: I arrived at Rodi's Bar about 9:20 pm. I sat at the bar and
had a beer by myself. I ordered another and as I was finishing
it I saw Sam Rappaport and Ben Davidson sitting at a table, staring
at me. I walked over to them and Sam and I got in a heated conversation.
I was upset. I pulled at him and yelled at him and after Ben pulled
my away I left.
Nora: Then where did you go?
Bo: A taxi pulled up at the door shortly after I walked out and
I was taken straight to my apartment. I got home about 10:00.
Nora: And then
Bo: I just stretched out and listened to some music. I may have
fallen asleep for a bit. I got a call about 11 from the station
and was told that a body had been found in an alley near Rodi's.
I walked to the site and was there about 11:20.
Nora: You have heard the testimony of Mr Davidson who said that
you shouted at Mr Rappaport " your days are numbered - you
better watch your back"
Bo: Yes, I don't deny saying something like that
Nora: Can you please tell the court what you meant by that?
Bo: Well... it was all about your baby Matthew. Sam and I had
been tested regarding his paternity about a year ago and the results
came back as Sam Rappaport being his father. We had no reason
to think otherwise until recently. It appeared that Lindsay Rappaport
had bribed the lab tech to make sure that the tests were in Sam's
favor. We just recently found this out and the real test results
are unknown to us. I wanted the tests to be done again as soon
as possible and Sam was stalling. When I said that your days are
numbered, I meant that Sam's days with Matthew were numbered as
I could be his father - when I said you better watch your back,
I meant that if he didn't agree to the test being done again soon,
I would go behind his back and have it done.
The mumbling in the courtroom became very disturbing. Fitzy grabbed
her gavel and pounded. "Order in the court. Order in the
court. One more outburst and this room will be cleared."
Silence prevailed once again.
Nora: So the argument was about Matthew's paternity, and not a
death threat?"
Bo: Yes it was about Matthew
Nora: Thank you Mr Buchanan. Now about the shoes prints. Did you
wear the shoes in question in or around Rodi's?
Bo: I bought those shoes that day. I had never even put them on
outside the shoe store.
Nora: Then how do you explain the soles of the shoes being dirty
- compatible with the dirt at the murder scene?
Bo: I have no idea. The power lock system to my car was broken.
Anyone could have had access to them. I also noticed that my gym
bag with my track suit was gone from my car.
Nora: And how do you explain that?
Bo: I think someone was trying to frame me
Hank: Objection, your honor this is....
Nora: I withdraw the question your honor. No further questions.
Nora looked at Bo and winked. Traces of a smile could be seen
on his face.
BF: Mr Gannon
Hank: Yes your honor. Mr Buchanan you say that after you left
Rodi's bar you went home and stayed there until you got a call
from the station
Bo: That's right
Hank: But you have no proof that you did not walk, or take another
cab back to the bar, found Sam Rappaport standing there, drew
him over to the alley, shot him and went back home
Bo: The cabbie just told you that he remembers taking me home
Hank: But you could have left your apartment and returned to Rodi's?
Bo: I guess, but...
Hank: Why did you leave your car at Rodi's in the first place?
Bo: Because I thought I was in no condition to drive
Hank: Or was it so you could use the cabbie as an alibi?
Bo: No, that's not the reason
Hank: You've never liked Sam Rappaport have you?
Bo: No
Hank: Sam broke up your marriage didn't he?
Nora: Objection.
BF: Overruled. Mr Gannon go on
Hank: Didn't Mr Rappaport break up your marriage?
Bo: Yes
Hank: Mr Rappaport slept with your wife to give you a baby, didn't
he?
Bo: Yes
Hank: You hated him for that and for not going along with plans
for DNA retesting
Bo: Yes, but I understood why he was stalling. Nora had been through
so much...
Hank: But you were desperate to have the test repeated, weren't
you?
Bo: Yes, I wanted to know. I wanted to know if Nora's child was
mine too.
Hank: You would have done anything to get those tests done again,
isn't that right Mr Buchanan
Bo: No, I understood, but I felt enough time had gone by that
Nora could have withstood the information
Hank: But Mr Rappaport didn't agree did he?
Bo: No
Hank: You hated Sam Rappaport so much for taking away your wife
and possibly your child. You hated him so much that you killed
him, didn't you?
Nora: OBJECTION, OBJECTION
BF: Order, Order. Mr Buchanan answer the question
Hank: Did you hate Sam Rappaport so much that you killed him?
Bo: NO. I didn't kill him. I went back to my apartment and I stayed
there until I was called to the murder site. Yes I hated him but
(Bo looked at Nora who was shaking her head no) I did not kill
him.
Hank: That's all your honor
BF: You may step down Mr Buchanan. Any more witnesses Ms Buchanan?
Nora: Ummm no your honor, the defence rests.
BF: Well, since we seem to have gone on longer than expected today
we will recess until tomorrow morning and will
hear the closing statements then. I expect...
Just then the doors of the courtroom swing open and everyone turns around to see who was disrupting the proceedings.
To Be Continued
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