Malicious Intent Read Free

attack?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘That’s all, Doctor.’
    A murmur rumbled through the courtroom and in their gallery the press scribbled notes.
    Anya’s adrenaline surged as she watched the prosecutor haul himself to his feet. She wondered if this was how gladiators felt during combat.
    ‘You say that Scott was the victim , and yet another man died during this incident.’ Fraser faced the jury. ‘I would have thought the dead man is the only real victim in this case.’ He slapped the desk and barked, ‘ And we have an eyewitness account of Mr. Barker initiating a vicious and premeditated attack on two friends, drinking after a hard day’s work.’ The seasoned barrister spat the words out as he leaned over the desk, knuckles white with the weight of his bulk. ‘Now, the deceased was six feet in height and the defendant is five foot three inches tall. Let’s talk about the fatal wound.’ Pulling on half-glasses, he flicked through some papers and lowered his voice. ‘The autopsy report states that the weapon pierced the fourth left intercostal space and penetrated the right ventricle of the heart, causing massive bleeding into the sac around the heart. This, of course, caused death.’ Head down, Fraser stared over his spec-tacles. ‘Do you agree with that, Ms. Crichton?’
    Brody rose to object but the judge was already berating Fraser for failing to address Anya by her professional title.
    Pulling a handkerchief from beneath his robe, Fraser wiped his ruddy face.

    KATHRYN FOX
    9
    ‘Now, do you agree that, taking into account the angle of the wound, it had to be inflicted from below, for example, by someone who reached up to stab the deceased?’ His face glis-tened with perspiration.
    ‘No, I do not agree.’ Anya realized Fraser’s strategy. ‘Guess-ing trajectories of weapons is notoriously unreliable because people, hands, bodies and the weapon are all moving at the same time when the weapon makes contact with the body.’
    Staring directly at the prosecutor, she added, ‘In other words, no competent expert could say the fatal wound was inflicted by a shorter person.’
    Clearing his throat, Fraser responded. ‘Now, as you were not actually present at the postmortem, could you please explain how you are in any position to comment on the wounds described in the report?’ He peeled off his glasses with a smug look of victory.
    Fraser had gaffed again. He obviously hoped she would try to discredit the pathologists at the State Forensic Institute, giving the jury the impression that her opinions were based on bitchiness, not fact.
    ‘As a forensic pathologist and physician, I am an expert in wounds, and the autopsy report is quite explicit in the wound descriptions. Having worked closely with the doctors at the State Forensic Institute, I believe their findings to be above reproach.
    The fact that I was not present at the postmortem makes no difference to my ability to understand or interpret the wounds, which were clearly and expertly described by the pathologist.’
    Fraser’s tight-lipped expression confirmed his irritation. ‘No further questions, Your Honor.’ He collected up his papers as Judge Little excused Anya.
    Stepping toward the door, she looked over to see Scott mouthing ‘Thank you’ as she passed the dock. It was the first time she had seen him smile. Outside the court, she walked quickly to the ladies’ room, past the camera crews and reporters milling outside the gates. She turned on the cold tap and let the water flow over her wrists.

    10
    MALICIOUS INTENT
    A familiar voice echoed through the bathroom. ‘Still getting stagefright, I see.’
    Anya grabbed a paper towel and turned to see Detective Sergeant Kate Farrer sauntering toward the basins.
    ‘You look like shit.’ Kate dug her hands into the trouser pockets of her fawn suit and leaned against the bathroom wall.
    ‘But you still did well in there. God, it’s amazing the way juries trust you.’
    Too exhausted to argue, Anya