Sycamore Row - John Grisham

as a witness until two weeks ago, in clear violation of the rules. Second, what Seth did
five years ago has nothing to do with his testamentary capacity last October. And,
obviously, there is not one shred of proof that he was intimate with Lettie Lang. I don’t
care how many women, black or white, he was screwing five years ago.”
Lanier said, “We think it’s probative.”
Jake said, “Bullshit, everything’s probative.”
“Your language, Jake,” Judge Atlee warned.
“Sorry.”
Judge Atlee held up a hand and all was quiet. He lit a pipe, exhaled mightily, paced to
the window and back, then said, “I like your point, Wade. Both women were his
employees. I’ll allow the testimony.”
Jake said, “Who needs a rule book?”
“See me after court today, Jake,” Judge Atlee said sternly, then blew some more
smoke. He laid down his pipe and said, “Let’s carry on.”
The lawyers reassembled in the courtroom. Portia leaned forward and whispered to
Jake, “What happened?”
“The judge has lost his mind, that’s all.”
Julina told her story to a breathless crowd. Her sudden promotion, the new passport,
the trip to Mexico City with the boss, the luxury hotel with adjoining rooms, then the sex
and the guilt. Back home, he fired her immediately and had her escorted out of the
building. She sued, and Seth quickly settled out of court.
The testimony was not relevant to the will contest. It was scandalous and certainly
memorable, but as Jake listened to it he became convinced Judge Atlee had blundered
badly. The trial was lost, but the appeal was looking stronger by the hour. Jake would
have a grand time exposing Wade Lanier’s trickery to the Supreme Court of Mississippi.
He would take great satisfaction in finally getting Reuben V. Atlee reversed.
Jake admitted to himself that it was a lost cause if he was already thinking about the
appeal. He quizzed Julina Kidd for a few minutes, just long enough to extract the
admission that she was being paid to testify. She would not say how much—Lanier had
obviously talked to her in time.
“So you swapped sex for money, and now it’s testimony for money, right, Ms. Kidd?”
he asked. It was a harsh question, and as soon as he uttered it he wished he could take it
back. She was only telling the truth.
She shrugged but didn’t respond, perhaps the classiest answer of the day.
At 5:30, Judge Atlee adjourned until Thursday morning. Jake stayed in the courtroom
until long after everyone had left. He chatted quietly with Portia and Lettie, and tried in
vain to assure them things were not as bad as they really were. It was a hopeless
exercise.
He finally left as Mr. Pate was turning off the lights.
He did not stop by Judge Atlee’s office, as directed. Instead he went home. He needed
some quiet time with the two people he loved the most, the two who would always think
of him as the greatest lawyer in the world.