Sleepers

We stopped by the elevator bank and waited, Carol pushed closer to me by the surrounding cluster of court officers, reporters, lawyers, defendants and their families. The down arrow rang and lit and the double doors to the elevator creaked open. We squeezed in with the pack, pushed to the back of the car. We both managed to turn and face forward, my eyes looking at the scarred neck of a husky Hispanic wearing an imitation leather jacket with a fake fur hood. He was breathing through his open mouth and his dank breath further fouled the musty air. As we rode down the nine floors, the elevator stopping at each one, I looked over to my far left and saw Da

If he knew anything, his face wasn't showing it.

The doors finally opened onto the main floor and the passengers stormed out of the car. I grabbed Carol by the arm and made my way closer to O'Co

'I'm sorry,' I said.

'Not a problem,' he said, looking at me and Carol. 'Riding these elevators is like riding the IRT. Only not as safe.'

'Lucky it's cold,' I said. 'I'd hate to see what it's like in there during a heat wave.'

'It was nice bumping into you,' O'Co

'Why the rush?' I asked, watching him leave.

'Gotta go,' he said over his shoulder. 'I'm late.'

'Late for what?'

'Mass,' O'Co

SEVENTEEN

'Call your next witness,' Judge Weisman said to Da

'Your Honor, the defense calls to the stand Father Robert Carillo.'

Father Bobby walked through the courtroom with the confidence of a fighter heading into a main event. His thick hair was brushed back, his eyes were clear and his care-worn face shone under the glare of the overhead lights.

'Raise your right hand,' the bailiff said. 'And place your left hand on the Bible.'

'Do you swear that what you say shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?'

'I do,' Father Bobby said.

'Take the stand,' the bailiff said.

'Father Carillo, to which parish do you belong?' Da

'The Sacred Heart of Jesus on West 50th Street.'

'And how long have you been there?'

'It will be twenty years this spring.'

'And what is your position there?'

'I'm a priest,' Father Carillo said, smiling.

O'Co

'I'm sorry, Father,' O'Co

'I'm the school principal,' Father Bobby said. 'I teach seventh grade and coach most of the sports teams. I'm also acting Monsignor, serve mass daily, listen to confessions and try to repair whatever needs fixing.'

'They keep you busy,' O'Co

'It's a poor parish,' Father Bobby said. 'Low on funds and short on staff.'

'Do you know most of the people in your parish?'

'No,' Father Bobby said. 'I know all the people in my parish.'

'Do you know the two defendants, John Reilly and Thomas Marcano?'

'Yes I do,' Father Bobby said.

'How long have you known them?'

'Since they were boys,' Father Bobby said. 'They were students of mine.'

'How would you describe your relationship with them today?'

'We try to stay in touch,' Father Bobby said. 'I try to do that with all my boys.'

'And how do you do that?'

'Through sports, mostly,' Father Bobby said. 'We either organize a game or go to one. It's a common ground. Makes it easier to get together.'

'Father, do you recall where you were on the night of November first of this past year?'

'Yes I do,' Father Bobby said.

'And where was that?'

'I was at a basketball game,' Father Bobby said. 'At the Garden. The Knicks against the Celtics.'

'What time does a Knick game begin?'

'They usually start at about 7:30,' Father Bobby said.

'And at what time do they end?'

'Between nine-thirty and ten,' Father Bobby said. 'Providing there's no overtime.'

'Was there any that night?'

'No, there wasn't,' Father Bobby said.

'And who won the game, Father?'

'Sad to say, it was the Celtics,' Father Bobby said. 'Kevin McHale and Robert Parish were a little too much for our guys that night.'

'Were you at the game alone?'

'No,' Father Bobby said. 'I went there with two friends.'

'And who were those two friends, Father?'

'John Reilly and Thomas Marcano,' Father Reilly said.

'The two defendants?'

'Yes,' Father Bobby said, gesturing toward John and Tommy. 'The two defendants.'

The spectators sitting behind the wooden barrier gave a collective cry. Carol put her head down, her hands covering her mouth, her shoulders shaking. Michael took a deep breath and looked toward the ceiling.

John and Tommy turned around, sca

John had tears in his eyes.

I was holding a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo.

'What time did you meet with Mr. Reilly and Mr. Marcano?' O'Co

'They picked me up outside the school playground,' Father Bobby said. 'It must have been about six-thirty or thereabouts.'

'How did you get to the Garden, Father?'

'We walked,' Father Bobby said. 'It's less than twenty blocks.'

'And Mr. Reilly and Mr. Marcano walked with you the whole time?'

'Yes,' Father Bobby said. 'We walked together.'

'And at eight twenty-five p.m., the time police say the victim, Sean Nokes, was murdered, were you still with Mr. Reilly and Mr. Marcano at the basketball game?'

'Yes I was,' Father Bobby said. 'If they were out of my sight at all during the game, it was either to go to the bathroom or to get something to drink.'

'What did you three do after the game?'

'We walked back to the parish,' Father Bobby said.

'Was it a cold night?'

'Windy as I recall,' Father Bobby said.

'Did you stop anywhere?'

'At a newsstand on Eighth Avenue,' Father Bobby said. 'I bought an early edition of The Daily News.'

'And at what time did you, Mr. Reilly and Mr. Marcano part company?'

'About ten-thirty, maybe a few minutes later,' Father Bobby said. 'They left me in front of the rectory, near where they picked me up.'

'Did the two defendants tell you where they were going after they left you?'

'No,' Father Bobby said. 'But I would imagine after a night spent with a priest, they went looking for the first open bar they could find.'

O'Co

'So then, Father, if the two defendants were with you on the night of the murder, they couldn't have shot and killed Sean Nokes, as the prosecution claims. Isn't that correct?'

'Unless they shot him from the blue seats at the Garden,' Father Bobby said.

'No, Father,' O'Co

'Then he wasn't shot by those boys,' Father Bobby said.

'I have no further questions,' O'Co

'It was my pleasure,' Father Bobby said.

'Your witness, Mr. Sullivan,' Judge Weisman said.

'Thank you, your Honor,' Michael said, standing up and walking over to Father Bobby.