"As you said, it's conjecture."
"Okay, but for the sake of argument, let's say that's the
way it was. If Bud Hicks was acting out of extreme provocation,
outrage, uncontrollable lust, wouldn't he have utilized
a pitch-fork, or a rake, or something else that was handy?
What was he doing with a scalpel if he didn't enter that stable
with the intention of killing her?"
"That's easy," Reede said. Alex looked at him sharply.
"A mare had foaled that day. It was a difficult birth. We
called the vet in to assist."
"How? Did he have to do an episiotomy?" she asked.
"In the long run, no. We were finally able to pull the foal.
But Doc Collins's bag was right there. The scalpel could have
fallen out. I'm guessing, of course, but it's logical to assume
that Gooney Bud saw it and picked it up."
"That's a very broad assumption, Sheriff Lambert."
"Not so broad. As I've told you, Gooney Bud collected
all kinds of stuff like that."
"He's right, Miss Gaither," Judge Wallace hastened to
say. "Ask anybody. Something as shiny as a surgical instrument
would have attracted his attention the moment he
went into the stable."
"Was he in the stable that day?" she asked Reede.
"Yes. There were people coming and going all day, Gooney
Bud among them."
Alex wisely decided that it was time to retreat and regroup.
She gave the judge a peremptory thank you and left the
chambers. The sheriff followed her out. As soon as they'd
cleared the anteroom, she turned to confront him.
"From now on, I'll thank you not to coach whoever I'm
questioning."
He assumed an innocent look. "Is that what I was doing?"
"You know damn well it was. I've never heard such a
flimsy, farfetched explanation of a murder in my life. And I
would eat alive any attorney who attempted to defend a client
with it."
"Hmm, that's funny."
"Funny?"
"Yeah." She was subjected to another sly, arrogant once-over
"I was thinking you were the one who looked good
enough to eat."
Blood rushed to her head. She attributed it to outrage.
"Don't you take me seriously, Mr. Lambert?"
His insolence dissolved along with his insinuating smile.
"You're damn right I do, Counselor," he whispered fiercely.
"Damn right I do."