“This morning, before court, I saw Andrew. He wasn’t going to entertain her for much longer. The photos showed Andrew with the caterer, and another one with his mother at the cocktail party, and then with friends waiting for Sidney to walk down the aisle.” “When the police confronted him this morning about Ruby’s murder, he had an alibi. “Andrew got married last night,” Leigh said, trying to keep the information as simple and repetitive as she would for a jury. She knew he wasn’t ready, so she walked him through the details. It’s very graphic, but you need to see it.” She said, “I’m going to show you a photo. He’d never tried a criminal case before, let alone a violent murder. Most of Walter’s legal career had been spent on a phone or behind a desk. She found the close-up of the knife sticking out between Ruby’s legs. Leigh thumbed through Ruby Heyer’s file, keeping the photos obscured so that Walter wasn’t set off again. Walter’s expression slowly changed into one of confusion. “The letter opener, the one from Tiffany that I bought you. Slowly, Walter turned his head in her direction. “Do you remember the letter opener I bought you?” Leigh said. She led him into the hall, but he stopped before they reached the outer office, hovering near the doorway so he could keep his eyes on Reggie.

His eyes were closed, but he managed to nod once in agreement. Don’t try a goddam thing or I will shoot you in the back. Walter stood up, telling Reggie, “We’ll be right outside that door. Her curt tone of voice somehow managed to cut through the fog. “Walter, I need you to come into the hall with me. Ruby Heyer’s crime scene photos were still in the folder. It had the distinctive, masculine look of a knife. She had bought the same one for Walter a few Christmases ago. Leigh knew that the seven-inch long, sterling silver desk accessory cost $375. The Tiffany 1837 Makers letter opener was missing.

She inventoried the items on Reggie’s desk. Her brain had been making connections in the background, telling her that something wasn’t right. And then Reggie would go straight to the police and Walter would be arrested and Andrew would show the tapes and. They needed to take Reggie to the hospital. She needed to get her husband out of here, to make him see reason. She silently begged Walter to not remember the screwdriver in her car. She pulled open drawers, dumping their contents onto the floor, searching for the small key. Leigh’s legs were shaky as she went to the desk. Slowly, Walter let the gun return to his lap. “We can back out the screws, okay? All we have to do is back out the screws. He raised the Glock, pointing it at Reggie’s face. Walter looked at her, and she was shocked to find the same cold deadness that she had seen in Andrew’s eyes so many times before. Leigh could smell the stench of his vomit. “Hey.” Walter slapped Reggie’s head with his open palm. Walter asked Leigh, “Can you get the padlock open?” His mouth hung so loose that he couldn’t keep his tongue inside. Leigh had clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. The blow was so hard that Reggie’s chair nearly toppled. He backhanded Reggie with the plastic handle. With one hand, Walter tossed the gun into the air and caught it by the muzzle. Look at me.” Walter waited for Reggie to comply before he repeated the question. He asked Reggie, “Why were you at my daughter’s school?” He was so close that their knees touched. Walter dragged the other chair across the room. The key would be short with chunky teeth. Walter looped more tape around Reggie’s wrists, saying, “You’re going to talk to me, motherfucker.”

Ruby heyer false witness