Deadly Distractions, A Stan Turner Mystery Vol 6

  # Name Description Objective

  1. Dusty Thomas Defendant Show that he is not a killer. Gain sympathy.

  2. Martha Thomas D-wife Paint Dusty as a good and decent man.

  3. Emma Lou Neighbor. Establish silver Mercedes at the scene of crime; damage to mirror

  4. Charlotte Harris Harris' wife Show he was driving silver Mercedes with damaged mirror; show had opportunity to kill, also good for motive—hated Bobby Tuttle, IRS, People's Mission

  5. Robert Perkins IRS Sup Have him explain the People's Mission and Tuttle's investigation of Don Harris

  6. Donald Hurst IRS Agent Get him to show how Bobby was hated by many

  7. Jill Murray ??Girlfriend Opportunity and desire to kill Bobby. Virginia connection? Violent nature, kidnapping by Don Harris.

  8. Ron Green Harris' Show Don Harris' S&T Packing into illegal arms Partner dealing

  9. Paul Thayer PI?? Loose ends as needed.

  10. Lewis Lance Driver Recall after introduction of new evidence–show intentional delay in arriving to give Don Harris time to murder Bobby Tuttle

  11. Detective Conrad CC Sheriff's Attempted murder of Paula and me - link to Don Harris

  I knew I didn't have enough to prove Harris guilty, but I was quite sure there was enough to create reasonable doubt. A lot would depend on how well Trenton Lee cross-examined my witnesses. Unfortunately, he was a good prosecutor and I expected him to be no less than an expert at cross. I just prayed all my witnesses wouldn't be intimidated and would stand their ground.

  Before I went home, I called Paul Thayer to see if he had any news for me. He wasn't in so I left a message for him to call me at home if he had any news. As I hung up the telephone, I wondered if I was going to get another report from Mo in time to do me any good. I knew if any of his bosses got wind that he was helping me I'd never hear from him.

  Rebekah and the kids were waiting for me when I got home. Rebekah had attended the first day of jury selection but decided she would be imposing on her mother too much to go every day. They had all been watching news reports about the trial and were excited to tell me about it.

  "Daddy, I saw you on TV," Marcia said.

  "Really?" I replied.

  "You were walking into the courthouse with Mr. Thomas and his wife." Mark said. "You looked mad."

  I laughed. "Well, they were elbowing me and wouldn't let us get through."

  "Everyone thinks you're going to lose, Dad," Reggie said.

  I looked at him and shrugged. "Well, as they say 'it's not over 'till the fat lady sings.'"

  Marcia frowned and asked. "What fat lady?"

  "Okay," Rebekah said. "Leave your father alone and let him come and eat his dinner. I'm sure he must be famished. Go watch Alf. It's about to start."

  "Okay," Marcia said and ran off with the boys close behind.

  "Sit down. I'll bring you your dinner."

  "Thanks," I said.

  "So, how is it going?" Rebekah said as she took a plate out of the cupboard.

  "Not so bad. No big surprises so far."

  "Good. Maybe you'll prove everyone wrong," Rebekah said. "Dusty Thomas is due for some good luck."

  "I feel good about our defense. I don't see how the jury could ignore it."

  "They can't. Everything that has happened to you and Paula can't be a coincidence."

  "Exactly. But so far the DA hasn't been impressed with anything we've come up with and they don't seem too worried about our case at all."

  "Really? Hmm. I wonder why."

  "What I'm afraid of is that they know something I don't."

  "Like what?"

  "I wish I knew."

  "Wouldn't Bart tell Paula?"

  "No. Not if it were important."

  "Don't they have to disclose any new evidence that they uncover?"

  "Yes. They're supposed to but sometimes they don't follow the rules. The government wants Dusty to go down pretty badly, so I wouldn't be surprised if they bent the rules a little, or even a lot in this case."

  The more Rebekah and I talked the more I began to worry. Trenton had been acting pretty confident. He hadn't put up much of a fight when I cross examined Lewis Lance. As we were talking, the telephone rang. It was Paul Thayer and he sounded far away.

  "Where are you?" I asked.

  "I'm in D.C. My man out here wasn't getting anywhere so I decided I'd better come out myself."

  "Oh. I appreciate that. Any luck?"

  "Yes, I found out the call from Don Harris from Jill's apartment was to a man named Ronald Jack. I haven't been able to find out much about him but I'll be working on that all day tomorrow."

  "Great. As soon as you find out something, call my office and tell Stewart. He'll be alone but he can send the information to me by messenger."

  "All right. Good luck tomorrow in trial."

  "Thanks."

  The name Ronald Jack didn't ring a bell. I was sure when I got the rest of Thayer's report it would be quite clear who he was and where he fit into the puzzle, but until then there was no use worrying about it.

  I went into the den and joined Rebekah, who was watching Moonlighting. As the night wore on, my exhaustion caught up with me, and midway through Johnny Carson, I fell asleep and began to dream. I was back in Ecuador, face to face with General Moya. "I am told you are a man of your word. Very well, we’ll do it your way, but do not dare to double-cross me. If you do, I will send an assassin to punish you and Senor Weller for your betrayal." Suddenly Monty and I were running through the streets of Quito away from our captors. Then I heard a shot and Monty went down. Blood oozed from his back where the bullet had struck. I knelt down and tried to help him but another shot rang out and I felt the sting of the bullet in my chest. I screamed as pain shot through me. . . ."Ahhhh. Oh, God help us!"

  "Stan! Wake up. . . . Wake up. You're dreaming," Rebekah said.