The Fifth Witness - Michael Connelly [25]
“What is it, Lisa?” I asked.
She paused and then relented.
“You’ll all think I’m a terrible mother but I didn’t let him talk to Tyler. We got into an argument and I just… hung up on him. Later I felt bad but I couldn’t call back because the number had been blocked.”
“But he does have a cell phone?” I asked.
“No. He did but that number’s been out of service for a while. He didn’t call on his phone. He either borrowed a phone or got a new number, which he hasn’t given me.”
“Could’ve been a throwaway,” Cisco said. “They sell them in every convenience store.”
I nodded. The story of marital disintegration left everyone somber. Finally, I spoke up.
“Lisa, if he makes new contact, you let me know right away.”
“I will.”
I looked from her to my investigator. We locked eyes and in the silent transmission I told him to check out everything he could about Lisa’s wandering husband. I didn’t want him popping up in the middle of trial.
Cisco gave me the nod. He was on it.
“A couple other things, Lisa, and we’ll have enough to get started.”
“Okay.”
“When the police searched your house yesterday they took some other things we haven’t talked about. One was described as a journal. Do you know what this was?”
“Yes, I was writing a book. A book about my journey.”
“Your journey?”
“Yes, the journey to finding myself in this cause. The movement. Helping people fight to save their homes.”
“Okay, so it was like a diary of the protests and things like that?”
“That’s right.”
“Do you remember if you ever put Mitchell Bondurant’s name in the journal?”
She looked down as she searched her memory.
“I don’t think so. But I may have mentioned him. You know, said that he was the man behind everything.”
“Nothing about hurting him?”
“No, nothing like that. And I didn’t hurt him! I didn’t do this!”
“I’m not asking you that, Lisa. I am trying to figure out what evidence they have against you. So you’re saying that this journal is not going to be a problem for us, correct?”
“That’s right. It will be no problem. There’s nothing bad in there.”
“Okay, good.”
I looked at the other members of my staff. The verbal sparring with Lisa had made me forget the next question. Cisco prompted me.
“The witness?”
“Right. Lisa, yesterday morning at the time of the murder, were you anywhere near the WestLand National building in Sherman Oaks?”
She didn’t answer right away, which told me we had a problem.
“Lisa?”
“My son goes to school in Sherman Oaks. I take him in the mornings and I drive right by that building.”
“That’s okay. So you drove by yesterday. What time would that have been?”
“Um, about seven forty-five.”
“That was taking him to school, right?”
“Right.”
“What about after you drop him off? Do you go back the same way?”
“Yes, most days.”
“What about yesterday? We’re talking about yesterday. Did you drive back by?”
“I think so, yes.”
“You don’t remember?”
“No, I did. I take Ventura to Van Nuys and then up to the freeway.”
“So did you go back by after dropping off Tyler or did you do something else?”
“I stopped to get coffee and then I went home. I drove by then.”
“What time?”
“I’m not sure. I wasn’t watching the clock. I think it was around eight thirty.”
“Did you ever get out of your car in the vicinity of WestLand National?”
“No, of course not.”
“You are sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. I would remember that, don’t you think?”
“Okay. Where did you stop to get your coffee?”
“At the Joe’s Joe on Ventura by Woodman. I always go there.”
I paused. I looked at Cisco and then at Aronson. Cisco had previously reported that Mitchell Bondurant had been carrying a cup of Joe’s Joe when attacked. I decided not to ask the obvious question yet about whether Lisa had seen or interacted with Bondurant at the coffee shop. As Lisa’s defense attorney I would be bound by what I knew. I could never assist in perjury. If Lisa was to tell me that she had seen Bondurant and even exchanged words with him then I would not be allowed to have her spin a