Page 134 of Resurrection Walk

Morris made a groaning sound that he rolled into an objection.

“It’s just as inadmissible as yesterday,” he said. “Plus, it’s impossible to get a DNA analysis done in less than twenty-four hours.”

“Not if you’re willing to pay,” I said. “And if your forensics expert is nationally recognized and overseeing the work.”

“Mr. Haller, where do you think you’re going with this?” the judge asked.

“Where we have always been going with this case,” I said. “Lucinda Sanz was set up for her ex-husband’s murder. The key piece of evidence in this setup was the GSR found on her hands. Not only did it indicate that she had fired a gun, but it appeared to catch her in a lie, and from there the investigators never looked at anybody else. It is the petitioner’s theory and belief that at some point after Sanger swabbed Sanz and before Mitchell handed the evidence to the homicide investigators, the pads — or stubs — were replaced with pads dirty with GSR. So, Judge, you want to know where I’m going? I’m going right at Sanger. I want to know how her DNA ended up on that pad.”

Coelho was silent as she tracked my argument. I took the time to pile on before Morris could.

“This is new evidence, Judge,” I said. “It’s not something the original defense could have come up with because Sanger’s name is not even in the police reports. Now, you kicked out the crime re-creation and the DNA from yesterday, but together these things make clear what happened. Stephanie Sanger now even admits to seeing Roberto Sanz meeting with an FBI agent but not reporting it to the investigation. Why? Because she’s the one who killed Sanz and set up his ex-wife to take the fall.”

The judge continued to stare at me without really seeing me. She was going through the steps, checking the logic of my theory. Morris had apparently already dismissed it, probably because it had come from a defense attorney and he was trained never to agree with one.

“This is fantasy,” he said. “Your Honor, you can’t possibly be considering this as valid. It’s smoke and mirrors — exactly what Mr. Haller is known for.”

Coelho stopped analyzing and looked at me.

“Is that what you are known for, Mr. Haller?” she asked. “Smoke and mirrors?”

“Uh, I hope it’s for more than that, Judge,” I said.

She nodded, her expression unreadable. But then she said the magic words I’d been waiting for.

“I’m going to allow it,” she said. “Mr. Haller, you can ask your questions and we’ll see where it goes.”

“Your Honor, I have to object,” Morris said. “This is pure —”

“Mr. Morris, you already objected and I just overruled the objection,” Coelho said. “Is that not clear to you?”

“Yes, Judge,” he said weakly.

“Thank you, Your Honor,” I said.

With her ruling, she was now redeemed in my eyes.

The judge stayed behind when we left her chambers. I followed Morris back to the courtroom. He was silent the whole way, walking fast, as if to get away from me.

“Cat got your tongue, Morris?” I said. “Or is it the weight of knowing you’re on the wrong side of this one?”

He didn’t respond other than to hold up a fist, the middle finger extended. He went through the door to the courtroom and didn’t bother to hold it open for me.

“Nice guy,” I said.

In the courtroom I saw that the spot where Bosch had been sitting was empty. I headed out to the hall, hoping to find him and Arslanian before the judge took the bench and convened the hearing again.

I found Shami on a bench next to the courtroom door but there was no sign of Bosch.

“The judge is going to allow Sanger’s DNA,” I said. “You will have to testify about the cigarette butt — the collection of it and everything else.”

“Mickey, that’s great,” Arslanian said. “I’m ready.”

“Where’s Harry? We may need him if the judge wants to see his photos of the cigarette.”

“When Sanger left the courtroom, he followed her out. He told me he wanted to keep an eye on her in case she made a run for it.”

“Seriously?”

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