Hide & Seek - James Patterson [79]
“You must divorce the public Maggie Bradford, the singer and the songwriter, the star, from the real Maggie Bradford, the woman who sits before you charged with a hideous crime.
“Don’t be fooled by images, taken in by fame, deluded because this woman writes so convincingly of good. The real Maggie Bradford had access to a gun. The real Maggie Bradford knew well how to pull the trigger. The real Maggie Bradford thought nothing of taking another’s life. Why? Because she could do anything. She was a star.
“Well, when a star falls it blazes as it hits the atmosphere and is then extinguished. To Maggie Bradford, you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, are her atmosphere, and because you stand for justice, embody justice, she will never shine again … she must never shine again.”
CHAPTER 94
NATHAN BAILFORD ROSE and, with passion to match the prosecutor’s, outlined the defense. Throughout both speeches, I imagined that the lawyers were talking about somebody else—the disconnectedness I’d felt ever since I’d been accused of shooting Will had returned.
“The district attorney has painted a picture of a cold-blooded killer,” Nathan said in a gruff, dusty whisper. “It’s a scary picture, and perhaps, when it comes to killers, an accurate one. But it’s not a true picture of Maggie Bradford, as you’ll see when you hear from her friends, from her close colleagues, and from her.”
I sat up in my seat. Quickly, I scribbled a note to Barry:
We agreed that I wouldn’t testify. I will not!
He wrote back: Fine. Then tell us why you shot Will!!!
And I: No. I can’t do that either.
I had told them again and again—I wouldn’t testify. I couldn’t. I had my reasons for remaining silent, even if it kept me in prison for the rest of my life.
CHAPTER 95
“MR. SHEPHERD?”
“Speaking.”
“Mr. Shepherd, my name is Norma Breen, and I’m calling you from New York. You probably don’t know who I am—”
“Oh, but I do. You’re investigating my brother’s murder. The lurid tales make the front pages here too. How can I help you?”
“I found a note from you in his possession. A simple note, actually. An odd one to keep. It said, ‘Fuck you, Will.’ Can you tell me what that was in reference to? And why your brother might have chosen to keep it?”
There was a brief silence. “Yes, I believe I can. He wanted me to join him in a business venture. I was in the States at the time, and he asked me over to his house. I said no.”
“And that’s the language you used? With your brother?”
“It was the only language he understood. We weren’t very close. My brother was a crazy bastard, I’m afraid. My brother wasn’t my favorite person, I might add.”
Norma had known the brothers weren’t close. Still—“Please tell me why. I imagine this must be difficult for you.”
Palmer Shepherd laughed over the telephone. “How much time do you have? It’s a long story.”
“Lots of time, if you think it’d help.”
“I don’t see how it bears on the murder trial. By now, you must know what kind of man he was. But I could fly over to see you. Actually, I have a lot of sympathy for Maggie Bradford. You can’t begin to imagine how much.”
“That’s kind of you. I’ll certainly ask you to if I think it’s necessary.”
“Good. My offer is genuine. Maggie might have killed him. I’m surprised no one else did first though.”
“Can you imagine why she might have done it?”
“I didn’t know anything about their marriage. I stayed away on purpose. But Will was the Devil, Miss Breen. Will was a bad man. Frankly, whoever did it, did the world a service. I believe that with all my heart.”
CHAPTER 96
THE TRIAL MOVED ahead—very slowly. Day after exhausting day, week by week.
After testimony was finished on the exhausting twentieth day, Barry and Nathan came to visit me in prison. I almost didn’t agree to see them.
I knew they wanted to press me again for an explanation, an alibi—something that I couldn