The Lemonade Crime by Jacqueline Davies Read Free Book Online Page A

Court is in session. The Honorable David P. Kirkorian presiding."

Chapter 11
Perjury
perjury (),
n.
Purposely telling a lie in a court of law after taking an oath to tell the truth and only the truth.
    "Will the lawyer for the prosecution please step forward?" said Judge Kirkorian. The defense lawyer, Scott's mother, still hadn't arrived, but they couldn't wait any longer. About half the jury had to be home by four o'clock.
    Jessie stood up and addressed the court. She made her voice sound strong. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, for my first witness, I call Jack Bagdasarian."
    Jack walked up to the podium, and David told him to put his right hand over his heart and raise his left hand in the air.
    "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" asked David.
    "I do," said Jack, standing straight as a pole.
    "You may proceed," said David, turning to Jessie.
    Jessie walked up to Jack. "Mr. Bagdasarian," she said. "Where were you on the day of Sunday, September fifth?"
    "What do you mean?" asked Jack. "Is that the day Scott stole the money?"
    "Hey! I didn't steal the money!" yelled Scott.
    "Says you!" shouted Malik, and everybody began yelling.
    "Call for order," Jessie hissed at David, who was just standing there, watching it all, like it was a movie on television.
    David shuffled through his index cards until he found the right one. Then he banged the wooden gavel on the block of wood. "Order in the court! Order in the court! If you're not quiet, I will hold you in"—he looked more closely at his card—"contempt!" David waved the card and added, "That means you'll get sent home. And when you come to school on Monday, we won't tell you what happened, either."
    Everybody got really quiet then.
    Jessie turned to her witness again. "September fifth was the day everyone went to your house to swim," she said. "Can you tell the court what you remember about that day?"
    So Jack told the story: They'd all been playing basketball on the playground—Evan and Jack and Paul and Ryan and Kevin and Malik—but it was really hot, and they decided they wanted to swim at Jack's house. So Jack had gone home to ask his mom if it was okay, and when he came back to the playground, Scott was there, too, so then they'd all gone back to Jack's house.
    "And then what happened?" asked Jessie, pacing back and forth in front of the podium. She was holding a pencil and carrying her Writer's Notebook tucked under her arm. It made her feel more official.
    "We played pool basketball," said Jack. "I've got one of those floating hoops, so we just goofed around and stuff."
    "Did Evan swim in his own bathing suit or did he borrow one from you?" asked Jessie.
    "I think he borrowed one," said Jack. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he did. And so did Scott."
    "So both Evan and Scott changed into borrowed bathing suits at your house. Is that correct?"
    "Yep," said Jack, bobbing his head up and down.
    "And where did they put their regular clothes when they went swimming?" asked Jessie, pointing her finger at Jack so that the jury would know she was getting to the good part.
    "In my room, I guess. That's where everyone puts their shoes and socks and stuff at my house, 'cause if you leave anything downstairs, the dog gets it."
    "So let me be clear on this point," said Jessie, standing directly in front of Jack. "Evan's shorts—and whatever was in his pockets—were in
your
room. And Scott's shorts—and whatever was in his pockets—were also in your room. Is that correct?"
    "Yeah. I already said that."
    Jessie turned to the jury. "I just want to make sure that everyone knows that fact. Evan's and Scott's shorts were in the same room." She turned back to Jack. "One more question for you, Mr. Bagdasarian. Did anyone get out of the pool and go inside?"
    "Well, sure," said Jack, laughing. "I mean, jeez, we were drinking like ten gallons of lemonade and eating watermelon slices. You can't hold
that
in forever."
    The