Say nothing--wait it out
"No."
"When Chris Anderson entered the kitchen, did he look strange?
For example, did it look as though he could have had something in his
pocket...such as a match or a lighter or a..."
"No, but I know it was him...he threatened me earlier that
day," claims the cook.
"Ah? What did he say?" Miss Mursome asks, eating that up as
if it were a candy bar.
"He said..." Mrs. Kent clears her throat and begins in a
satirical imitation of the English teacher's accent, "'Laura
Kent, if I ever hear tell of such a thing again, you don't want to
know what I'll do'!"
You feel yourself squirm. Technically, that is a threat, and it does
sound incriminating...but what was it about? Maybe you can find out.
"Objection!" you say. "Your honor, the court has not
been told why Chris Anderson said that...it could be for a very
legitimate reason."
"Sustained," Ms. Fishburn says. "Mrs. Kent, on what
grounds was that said?"
"Does it matter? The man THREATENED me..."
"Mrs. Kent, answer the question, please."
"Only because I'd been giving food to Della Drummond, and you
know how delicate she is..."
Hmmm...you think. Something's not quite right about that story...but
what is it, exactly?
"So he had reason to start that fire...out of anger...you know
that man's temper!" Mrs. Kent almost whines. Oh, brother!
You are then asked if you care to cross-examine, which you do.
"Mrs. Kent," you say, "Did you actually see who was in
the kitchen at the time of the fire? Not before, but during, the
fire?"
"No...the smoke was too thick."
"Mrs. Kent," you say, "I remind you that you are under
oath. Smoke from fireworks would not be thick enough to obscure
vision...I have seen it every Fourth of July...that's an American
holiday on which fireworks are used. That claim is illegitimate."
The courtroom begins to buzz with whispered conversation.
"Who," you ask again, "was in the kitchen?"
"Anderson, I keep telling you!"
"Did you ever see his face?"
"No..."
"Then how do you know?"
"Objection!" Miss Mursome calls. "Badgering the
witness!"
"Sustained," Ms. Fishburn says. "Miss McConnell, please
sit."
You comply, thinking up your next strategy, which
is...
"You didn't recognize the manner of fireworks?" Miss Mursome
repeats.
