Sycamore Row - John Grisham

“Twelve.”
“So it’s been twelve years since you had a child?”
“Yes, that’s very true.”
“And your own father didn’t know if you’d had any more kids?”
“You can’t believe that will, Mr. Brigance. My daddy wasn’t in his right mind when he
wrote that.”
“I guess that’s up to the jury. No further questions.” Jake sat down and got a note
from Quince Lundy that read, “Brilliant. You killed her.” At that moment in the trial, in
his career, in his life for that matter, Jake needed a boost. He leaned over and
whispered, “Thank you.”
Wade Lanier stood and said, “Your Honor, the contestants call Mr. Ian Dafoe,
husband of Ramona Hubbard.” Ian slinked to the stand, no doubt primed and ready to
fabricate another trip down memory lane. Halfway through his testimony, Quince
Lundy slipped over another note. It read, “These people are trying way too hard to
convince the jury. Don’t think it’s working.”
Jake nodded as he looked for an opening, a stray word that he might seize and turn
against the witness. In the wake of his wife’s over-the-top drama, Ian came across as
harmlessly dull. He gave many of the same answers, but without the emotion.
Through sources and back channels, Jake, Harry Rex, and Lucien had picked up some
dirt on Ian. His marriage had been on the rocks for some time. He preferred to stay
away from home and blamed his absences on business. He ran the women hard. His wife
drank too much. And, some of his deals were in trouble.
On cross, Jake’s first question was, “You say you’re a commercial real estate
developer, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Do you own all or part of a company called KLD Biloxi Group?”
“I do.”
“And is that company attempting to renovate the Gulf Coast Mall in Biloxi,
Mississippi?”
“It is.”
“Would you say that company is financially sound?”
“Depends on how you define ‘financially sound.’ ”
“Okay, let’s define it like this: Two months ago, was your company, KLD Biloxi Group,
sued by the First Gulf Bank for the nonpayment of a $2 million line of credit?” Jake was
holding and waving some papers clipped together. He had the proof.
“Yes, but there’s a lot more to the story.”
“I didn’t ask for more. Was your company also sued last month by a New Orleans
bank known as Picayune Trust for $2.6 million?”
Ian took a deep breath and finally said, “Yes, but these cases are still pending, and we
countersued.”
“Thank you. Nothing further.”
Ian stepped down at 4:45, and for a moment Judge Atlee considered recessing until
Thursday morning. Wade Lanier offered to help by saying, “Judge, we can put on a