Written In Blood by Shelia Lowe Read Free Book Online Page B

obtained it?”
    “No.”
    “So it’s possible that Mrs. Sorensen could have signed it herself, isn’t it?”
    “Objection!” Stuart Parsons snapped. “There’s no foundation for counsel to draw that conclusion.”
    Judge Krieger gave a big sigh, took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Sustained. Grandstanding isn’t called for, Mr. Norris. There’s no jury here, and if there were, you’d be in trouble.”
    “I’ll withdraw the question.” Norris’ lips curled into a smirk. “Ms. Rose, isn’t it true that you’re not a real handwriting expert at all. You’re just a graphologist, aren’t you?”
    Claudia waited for Parsons to object, but he was whispering to Paige and had failed to hear the attack. She was on her own.
    “I’ve been accepted as a handwriting expert in more than fifty trials in superior, criminal, and federal courts,” she said, looking Norris directly in the eye. “Graphology is a specialty of handwriting examination concerned with behavioral profiling. It’s a separate part of my practice from document examination, and I did not use graphology in forming my opinion in this case.”
    He showed an insincere flash of teeth. “I see. Tell us, have you had any law enforcement training? Or training in an accepted forensic document-examining laboratory?”
    Despite the pleasure it would have given her to knock the shit-eating grin off his face, she kept her tone cool. “There is no state or federal requirement to train in a specific lab.”
    “Objection.” That was Parsons, finally tuning in. “Your Honor, it’s my recollection that Mr. Norris already stipulated to Ms. Rose’s expertise. It’s not fair for him to question it now.”
    Judge Krieger’s hangdog features sharpened. “That’s right, he did. Mr. Norris, do you have any other questions of this witness?”
    “Yes, Your Honor, thank you. Ms. Rose, if you don’t even know where your client obtained the document, how can you testify as to its authenticity?”
    “I was given a series of signatures that were represented to me as undisputed to use for comparison to the questioned signature. As far as I know, no one has suggested that those signatures were not genuine. It was my job simply to compare the handwriting, not to identify where the documents came from.” She used the authoritative tone she sometimes adopted when guest lecturing a college class.
    “I formed a preliminary opinion based on a photocopy, but later I visited the courthouse where the original will was filed and looked at it under a portable microscope. I photographed it; then I redid my examination and found that it supported my earlier opinion.”
    “No further questions of this witness.”
    “Thank you, Ms. Rose. You may step down.”
    Claudia gathered her things and stepped off the dais, almost giddy with relief that Norris had let her off easy. His next words dispelled the notion that it was because she’d done such a bang-up job.
    “Your Honor, at this time we would like to call a rebuttal witness to the stand.”
    “All right, Mr. Norris. Who is your witness?”
    “He’s waiting outside in the hallway. I’d like to call Andrew Nicholson.”
    Andy Nicholson! Of all her colleagues and competitors, he was the last one she wanted to see today.
    Parsons grabbed Claudia’s arm as she went to move past the counsel table. “Do you know him?”
    It was a little late to ask. Without offering written proof that Andy was more or less impersonating an expert, Parsons’ options were limited.
    Angling her body so that her back was to the gallery, Claudia leaned close to Parsons’ ear and cupped a hand around her mouth. “You can impeach him, but the materials are in my office. Can you ask for a recess?”
    “Mr. Parsons?” The judge prodded, impatience showing in his voice.
    “A moment please, Your Honor.” Parsons spoke into Claudia’s ear in a rapid whisper. “Krieger will never allow a recess. You’ll have to coach me