Sleepers

'She's good,' Carol said, indicating Mrs. Salinas.

'We want her to be,' I said.

'Had Mr. Carson ever been there before?' Michael asked now. 'With or without you?'

'No,' she said. 'It was the first time for both of us.'

'Where were you seated, Mrs. Salinas?'

'In a booth,' she said. 'The one closest to the door.'

'Was that by choice?'

'Yes,' she said. 'All but one of the booths was free, so we could have sat anywhere. But David likes fresh air and I don't mind it either.'

'Do you remember what you ordered?'

'I asked for the lamb chops,' she said. 'It was one of the specialties mentioned in the magazine. David had his usual.'

'For those of us not familiar with Mr. Carson's eating habits, could you tell us what his usual consists of?' Michael asked, throwing Mrs. Salinas a wide smile.

'Steak,' she said. 'David always orders steak, baked potato and a tossed salad.'

'Did you have anything to drink?'

'We ordered a bottle of red wine,' Mrs. Salinas said. 'A chianti I believe.'

'That's all?'

'Yes,' she said. 'That's all.'

'Did you notice the number of people in the pub?'

'There were only a few scattered about,' she said. 'It was quiet. A good place to meet someone and talk.'

'Did you notice the victim, Sean Nokes?'

'No,' she said. 'I did not.'

'You didn't even see him when you walked in?' Michael asked.

'No,' she said. 'Our table was right near the coat check and I didn't bother looking around.'

'Your attentions were focused on Mr. Carson,' Michael said.

'Yes, they were,' Mrs. Salinas said. 'As I said, I hadn't seen him for a while.'

'Which way were you facing?' Michael asked. 'Which side of the booth were you sitting on?'

'The one facing the rear of the pub,' she said.

'The side facing down the row of booths?'

'Yes.'

'The side facing Mr. Nokes' booth,' Michael said.

'I believe so,' Mrs. Salinas said. 'Yes.'

'But you couldn't see him from where you were sitting?'

'I wasn't looking to see him,' she said. 'I knew there was someone sitting in the rear booth. I just didn't notice.'

'Did you notice the two men who walked in shortly after you sat down for di

'I heard them come in,' she said. 'You couldn't help but hear them.'

'Why's that?'

'They were loud,' she said. 'They caused a commotion. I'm sure everyone noticed.'

'Did you see their faces when they came in?'

'No,' she said. 'Not when they came in.'

'Why not?'

'I was talking to David,' she said. 'When I finally looked up, they had moved past me.'

'Did you notice their faces when they went to the bar?'

'From the side,' she said. 'I could see them in profile.'

'Both of them?'

'Yes,' Mrs. Salinas said, the confidence in her voice never wavering. 'Both of them.'

'Did you see them approach the booth where Mr. Nokes was sitting?' Michael asked.

'I noticed it,' she said. 'Yes.'

'Did you hear what was said between them?'

'No,' she said. 'I didn't.'

'Did you see them pull out their guns?'

'No,' she said.

'Did you hear the shots?'

'Yes,' Mrs. Salinas said. 'I heard the shots.'

'What did they do after the shooting?' Michael asked.

'They walked out of the pub,' she said. 'As if nothing had happened.'

'Did you see their faces then?'

'Yes,' she said. 'I looked up as they walked by.'

'Are you positive of that, Mrs. Salinas?'

'Yes,' she said. 'Very positive.'

'And are the two men you saw in the Shamrock Pub in this room today?'

'Yes,' Mrs. Salinas said. 'They are.'

'Can you point them out to me, please?'

'They're sitting right over there,' Mrs. Salinas said, aiming a finger at John and Tommy.

'Your Honor, will the record reflect that Mrs. Salinas identified defendants John Reilly and Thomas Marcano as the two men in question.'

'Noted,' Judge Weisman said.

'I have no further questions,' Michael said.

'Counselor?' Judge Weisman said, lifting an eyebrow in Da

'Yes, your Honor,' Da

'It better be,' Carol whispered.

Da

His shoes were scuffed and his blue tie stopped at an Oliver Hardy length.

'He's got that Columbo look down,' I muttered. 'All he's missing is the cigar.'

'It's probably in his pocket,' Carol said. 'Still lit.'

'Good morning,' Da

'Good morning,' she said.

'I just have a few questions,' he said. 'I won't take up too much more of your time.'

'Thank you,' she said.

'You said you only had wine to drink with di

'Yes,' she said. 'That's correct.'

'Are you sure about that?' O'Co

'Yes,' she said. 'A bottle of red wine.'

'Had you had anything to drink prior to that?'

'What do you mean prior?' Mrs. Salinas asked.

'At lunch, maybe,' O'Co

'Yes, I did,' she said. 'But that was hours earlier.'

'What did you have, Mrs. Salinas?'

'I went shopping and stopped for lunch at a place on Madison Avenue,' she said.

'I didn't ask where you went,' O'Co

'A martini,' she said.

'And what else?'

'And some wine,' she said.

'How much wine?'

'One glass,' she said. 'Maybe two.'

'Closer to two?' O'Co

'Yes,' Mrs. Salinas said, her cheeks turning a light shade of red. 'Probably two.'

'What time did you have lunch, Mrs. Salinas?'

'Objection, your Honor,' Michael said, without standing. 'What Mrs. Salinas did on the day of the murder has nothing to do with what she saw the night of the murder.'

'How much she had to drink does, your Honor,' O'Co

'Overruled,' Judge Weisman said.

'What time, Mrs. Salinas,' O'Co

'About one-thirty,' she said.

'And what did you have for lunch?'

'A salad,' she said.

'A martini, two glasses of wine and a salad,' O'Co

'Yes,' Mrs. Salinas said, her eyes looking to Michael for help. 'Yes, that's correct.'

He gave her none.

'And then you had wine at di

'Yes, that's right,' she said.

'How much wine did you have to drink by the time my clients allegedly walked into the Shamrock Pub?'

'Two glasses,' she said, anger now undercutting the confident tone.

'Do you drink this much every day, Mrs. Salinas?'

'No,' she said. 'I do not.'

'So would you say four glasses of wine and a martini in a six-hour period is a lot for you to drink?' O'Co

'Yes it is,' Mrs. Salinas said.

'Are you married, Mrs. Salinas?' O'Co

'Yes, I am,' she said.

'Happily?'

'As happy as anyone married for fifteen years can expect to be.'

'I've been divorced twice, Mrs. Salinas,' O'Co

'I'm still in love with my husband,' Mrs. Salinas said.

'Objection,' Michael said. 'This line of questioning is out of order.'

'I'll allow it,' Judge Weisman said, looking at O'Co

'Yes, your Honor,' O'Co

The defense attorney now walked alongside the jury, one hand inside the pocket of his wrinkled pants, his thin brown hair combed straight back.