Page 81 of Resurrection Walk

I looked at my notes and quickly regrouped. I had to move carefully now and walk Sanger into a truth trap. If I got her under oath and on the record saying something I could later prove false, it would go a long way toward making the case that Lucinda was corruptly or at least wrongfully convicted.

“Let’s talk about the murder of Deputy Sanz,” I said. “It happened on a Sunday. Do you recall how you found out that he had been killed?”

“I got a SORS text,” Sanger said. “Like everybody in the department.”

“Can you tell the judge what a SORS text is?”

“The Special Operations Reporting System is a texting service that allows the department to get messages to all sworn personnel. A text went out that said there had been a deputy-involved shooting in the AV division and that we had lost one of our own.”

“AV as in Antelope Valley?”

“Correct. I then made a call and found out that the deputy killed was Roberto Sanz from my unit.”

“And what did you do?”

“I called another deputy in the unit and we proceeded to the scene to see if we could be of any help.”

“Which deputy was that?”

“Keith Mitchell.”

“Why did you only call him when you say the unit consisted of six deputies and a sergeant?”

“Because Keith was the closest to Robbie Sanz.”

I opened the file I had brought to the lectern and took out three copies of a document. I distributed them to Morris, the witness, and the judge and asked Coelho for permission to enter the document as the next plaintiff’s exhibit and to question the witness about it. Permission was granted.

“What is that, Sergeant?”

“It’s a copy of the SORS text that went out,” Sanger said.

“And what time does it say it went out?”

“Twenty-eighteen hours.”

“Or eight eighteen p.m. in nonmilitary time, correct?”

“Correct.”

“How soon after that went out did you arrive at the crime scene?”

“Probably no more than fifteen minutes later.”

“The AV, as you call it, is a big place. How was it that you were so close you could be there within fifteen minutes?”

“I happened to be eating dinner at a restaurant nearby.”

“What restaurant was that?”

“Brandy’s Café.”

“Were you with anyone?”

“I was alone at the counter. I got the text, put down some money, and immediately left. I called Keith Mitchell on my way.”

She said it in a tired tone, as if I were asking irrelevant questions with no bearing on the case. The judge must have felt like this as well; she interrupted me.

“Mr. Haller,” she said. “Is this line of questioning really necessary?”

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