DA SOUSA: Yes. In fact, it’s likely, since both of her victims found her harmless enough to approach her.
MANKOWSKI: Does such a woman feel remorse for what she’s done?
DA SOUSA: No, she does not.
MANKOWSKI: So she may not stop killing, then. She may be dangerous to others.
DA SOUSA: It is very likely that she will continue to kill more people, yes. Such a woman is very dangerous.
Excerpt from cross-examination the following day:
RANSOM WELLS (defense attorney): Dr. Da Sousa, do you have an explanation for the fact that the notes found with the victims have been compared to Beth Greer’s handwriting and have been found not to be a match?
DA SOUSA: I do not.
WELLS: Do you have an explanation for the fact that no physical evidence has been found to connect either of these crimes to Miss Greer?
DA SOUSA: I do not.
WELLS: Do you have an explanation for the fact that you told your colleague Dr. Anderson Jermyn that Beth Greer was, and I quote, “sexy as hell and probably a slut”?
[Disruption in courtroom]
JUDGE HEIDNIK: Order. Order.
MANKOWSKI: Your honor, I object and ask that that last question be struck from the record.
JUDGE HEIDNIK: Overruled. Order.
[Disruption ceases]
WELLS: I apologize for the crude language, Doctor, but it was a direct quote. Do you need me to repeat the question?
DA SOUSA: That was spoken in confidence.
WELLS: Please answer the question. Do you have an explanation?
DA SOUSA: No, I do not.
Prosecution examination of Detective Joshua Black, Claire Lake Police Department
CHARLES MANKOWSKI (prosecuting attorney): Detective Black, what would you say Miss Greer’s demeanor was when you and Detective Washington first interviewed her?
BLACK: I’m not sure what you mean.
MANKOWSKI: For example, would you describe her as hysterical?
BLACK: No, I would not.
MANKOWSKI: Would you describe her as calm?
BLACK: I think that would describe it, yes. She was calm.
MANKOWSKI: When you and Detective Washington came to her door to request an interview, was Miss Greer surprised to see you?
RANSOM WELLS: Objection. The witness cannot judge the defendant’s state of mind.
MANKOWSKI: It’s a valid question, Your Honor. I am asking an experienced detective to give his expert impression of events.
JUDGE HEIDNIK: I’ll allow it this once, but please stick to factual questions going forward, Mr. Mankowski.
MANKOWSKI: Thank you, Your Honor. Detective Black, please answer the question. Was Miss Greer surprised that the police had come to interview her?
BLACK: I don’t know.
MANKOWSKI: You don’t know what surprise looks like?
BLACK: I didn’t ask her if she was surprised, so I can’t answer that question.
MANKOWSKI: I see. I’ll stick to factual observations, then. When you came to her door with Detective Washington and during that first interview, did Miss Greer weep?
BLACK: No, she did not.
MANKOWSKI: Did she struggle or act hysterical?
BLACK: No.
MANKOWSKI: Did she ask what this was about, what was going on?
BLACK: I think it was pretty clear what was going on. The police were asking to speak with her.
MANKOWSKI: Please answer the question. Did Beth Greer ask what was going on?
BLACK: No, she did not ask us that.
MANKOWSKI: Did she request a lawyer?
BLACK: In that first interview, no, she did not.
MANKOWSKI: Did Beth Greer comply and answer your questions in that first interview?
BLACK: Yes, for the first part.
MANKOWSKI: And what happened after the first part?
BLACK: It’s in the recording and the transcript. She got up and left.
MANKOWSKI: Did Beth Greer seem like she was taking this seriously?
BLACK: I have no idea if she was taking it seriously. I assume she was.
RANSOM WELLS: Objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE HEIDNIK: Sustained. The jury is asked to disregard that question and answer.
MANKOWSKI: I’ll ask one more factual question. Did Beth Greer use angry profanity in that first interview?
BLACK: It was a stressful situation.
MANKOWSKI: Please answer the question.
BLACK: I don’t—
RANSOM WELLS: Objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE HEIDNIK: This is factual, so I’ll allow it.
MANKOWSKI: Please answer the question, Detective. We can all hear the recording and read the transcript, but I’d like your answer. Did Beth Greer use profanity when you interviewed her?
BLACK: Yes, she did.
MANKOWSKI: Can you please read this line from the interview transcript? Right there.
BLACK: Here?
MANKOWSKI: Yes, you can see it clearly. This line here.
BLACK: “It wasn’t me, you idiot. I wasn’t in that fucking car.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
February 1978
BETH
Beth sat in the courtroom for the whole thing, watching. By then, she was so numb that it didn’t seem real. This was happening to someone else, on TV or in the movies. Ransom brought her clothes—blouses, skirts hemmed below the knee, pumps—and Beth wore them. She tied her hair at the back of her neck and wore makeup, but not too much.
Her job was to sit in silence and not speak. Ransom didn’t put her on the stand. No offense, he’d said, but that would be the height of idiocy. So no goddamned way are you getting up there. Ransom rarely swore.
There was a motion from the press to have the trial televised. Ransom fought it and won. Beth was relieved, though not because she wanted privacy or had any fear of a media circus. Nothing could be said about her that was worse than what had been said already. No, what she was afraid of was Lily watching the entire thing on TV. She’d absorb every word, every gesture, just like everyone else would. She would relish the chaos she’d caused. She’d make fun of Beth’s outfits, laugh in front of the TV. Beth didn’t want Lily to know exactly how confused everyone was, how incredibly wrong they had it. She didn’t want to give Lily the satisfaction.
She didn’t want Lily to see the testimony about the dangerous, psychotic woman who had done this, and possibly get angry.
And she didn’t want Lily to see Detective Black.
He looked as handsome as ever on the stand, wearing a dark blue suit and a wide blue tie. He’d had a haircut, and she missed the slightly too-long look he usually had. With his hair cut short, he looked more like a cop, though there were faint lines around the edges of his eyes and he looked painfully uncomfortable. He kept his gaze trained on the prosecutor, Charles Mankowski, and never looked at her, but she could feel his awareness of her all the same.
Halfway through his testimony, Ransom shifted in his seat and wrote something on his notepad, angling it so she could see. Hostile, the note said. Black was supposed to be a witness for the prosecution, but he was deflecting Mankowski, not following the script. Beth had listened to enough of Ransom’s wisdom by now to know that this was a problem for Mankowski, to have one of his own witnesses disagreeing with him. Sure enough, the next thing Ransom wrote was: This is good.