Page 115 of Two Kinds of Stranger

45

Eddie

After the short recess, Detective Bill Sacks resumed his place on the witness stand and Bernice reminded the jury where they had left off–that Sacks had suspected that James and Harriet had been poisoned, and had ordered the water bottles and potential sources of poisoning to be seized for examination and treated as potentially hazardous material.

‘Did the forensics lab carry out tests on the items taken from the apartment immediately?’ asked Bernice.

‘No,’ said Sacks, ‘I wanted to get toxicology results and a full medical examiner’s report first. That would hopefully tell us what type of poisonous substance we were looking for and then we could test for it. When they did eventually test the items, they found traces of tetrahydrozoline in both water bottles found in the bedroom.’

‘Are these the water bottles?’

Bernice put a picture on screen, a close-up of two plastic bottles with some water remaining in both. The caps were screwed tight. The label on them was the same–Ethos Water.

This was the one part of the case that I couldn’t figure out.

With no traces of breaking and entering, how the hell did the man who called himself Logan get into Elly’s apartment and poison those bottles without anyone seeing him?

‘Your Honor,’ said Bernice, ‘I have already spoken to Mr. Flynn, and it has been agreed, subject to Your Honor’s view,that we take the detective’s testimony in stages. We are dealing with three murders in this trial. The first stage is his initial investigation into the deaths of James Parker and Harriet. . .I would propose to pause there and let Mr. Flynn cross-examine on the testimony so far. Then I would propose to call our expert toxicologist and the medical examiner who will testify and be cross-examined on their testimony regarding all victims. Then we can resume Detective Sacks’s testimony.’

Judge Quaid nodded in agreement.

I stood up, said, ‘I have no questions for the detective so far.’

Bernice whipped off her glasses, put her pen down and looked at me as if I’d had a stroke. Asking police officers questions in a multiple murder trial is not only expected, it’s the job.

This case came down to one question. It wasn’t yet time to ask it.

Sacks was replaced on the stand by the toxicologist Dr. Curry, an acknowledged expert. A bookish type who wore tweed and highly polished shoes.

‘You examined bloods from the victims James Parker and Harriet Rothschild. What were your conclusions?’

‘Both victims had a high concentration of tetrahydrozoline in their bloodstream.’

‘And you examined and tested part of the liver from the first victim, the defendant’s father Stewart Yorke.’

‘I did, and again found traces of tetrahydrozoline.’

‘What is tetrahydrozoline?’

‘It’s found in eyedrops, mainly. But if it is ingested, even in relatively small quantities, it can prove fatal. It acts as a vasoconstrictor, restricting blood flow, which can result in fatal cardiac arrest.’

‘Thank you, Dr. Curry. Mr. Flynn will have some questions.’

I stood, said, ‘No questions for this witness,’ and sat down.

Bernice froze.

Then stood up and approached me, whispered, ‘Are you trying to throw this case? If you’re trying to build grounds for appeal for your client because of ineffective representation from counsel, it won’t work.’

‘I’m not up to anything shady. I’m choosing my moment, Bernice.’

‘You’re breathing – that means you’re up to something shady,’ she said.

‘Not this time. I’m playing this one straight. Shame your DA isn’t doing the same in the case against my wife.’

She turned, thanked Dr. Curry and called the medical examiner Dr. Sharpling, otherwise known as Dr. Death.

He was the only reason this case got on so quickly. There was not a single pathologist on the eastern seaboard who had anywhere close to the level of experience of poisonings as Dr. Sharpling. He was the leading expert, and he was retiring and moving to Costa Rica in two weeks, with the understanding that he would not be called upon to testify in any cases once he hung up his license and retired from his post.