Kenzi stood with Emma in the hallway outside, waiting for the judge to call court back into session. “Did the jurors buy it?”
Emma thought a moment before answering. “You gave them something to think about.”
“You’re not answering my question.”
“I’m not a mind reader.”
“I wish you were.”
“You gave them serious reason for doubt. You’ve given them two alternate suspects and good cause to question the prosecution case. Remember—the jurors don’t have to buy your version of the facts. They just have to recognize that there’s room for doubt. Doubt equals acquittal. At least in theory.”
“This isn’t law school. If I’m going to win, I need a slam dunk. Was that a slam dunk?”
Emma drew in her breath, then slowly released it. “Probably not. But I will say this. You’re doing a fine job out there.”
Just when she was certain Emma was a stone-cold lawyer machine, she did something that suggested she might have human feelings. “Thanks.”
From the opposite end of the corridor, they heard a loud voice. Almost a scream. “Hoooooold up! Wait!”
Kenzi’s brow creased. That sounded like— But it couldn’t possibly be—
A few moments later, Hailee wheeled herself around the corner.
Kenzi’s eyes widened. She didn’t know where to begin. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you in class? How did you get downtown?”
“I’m very resourceful. And today is a school holiday.”
“Says who?”
“Me. Look I don’t have time to explain.” She seemed breathless. Kenzi couldn’t even begin to guess how hard it must’ve been for her to find a ride downtown.
She glanced at her phone. Yup. Lots of texts from Hailee. None of which she’d read, because she’d been busy in court.
“I think I’ve found something, Mom. Something that could turn this case around.”
Emma was quicker on the uptake. Probably because she didn’t care whether the kid was playing hooky. “What’ve you got?”
“A lot. Problem is, we don’t have time to get a medical witness of our own. Can you buy us some time?”
Emma shook her head. “The judge will never give us a continuance. He wants this over yesterday.”
“Figured as much. A woman in the clerk’s office told me Dr. Chang is in Courtroom Three on another case.”
“Meaning…”
“She can be our medical expert.”
“She’s a prosecution witness.”
“You can ask her nicely.”
“Not gonna happen. She works—”
“Okay, subpoena her. Write one out and get it stamped and signed before she escapes.”
“She’s not gonna like this. And neither will Harrington.”
“All the more reason to do it.”
Kenzi gave her daughter a stern eye. “Hailee, are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely. Get the subpoena going. Then I’ll explain.”
She noticed Emma was already filling out the form. “We’re going to take this on faith? Put our careers on the line and potentially alienate the judge? Because my teenage daughter thinks she has something?”
Emma shrugged—and continued writing. “Girls got to stick together.”
Dr. Madison Chang was clearly not delighted to be dragged back into this trial. Although Kenzi did not for a minute think her prior cross did that much damage, it had perhaps put a chink in Chang’s armor. Harrington complained that the medical examiner had already been on the stand, but Kenzi insisted they were going to discuss new issues and evidence not considered on direct. Given that the woman was on Harrington’s witness list, he could hardly claim undue surprise.
Even though Kenzi was about to surprise the heck out of him.
“Dr. Chang, thank you for returning to the witness stand.”
Chang grunted her reply.
“You’ll recall that before, I suggested that it was possible the victim was dead before the fire broke out. And you agreed.”
“I did not agree. I said it was vaguely possible.”
“In fact, this possibility is entirely consistent with the medical evidence as laid out in your report, correct?”
“As I said, it’s vaguely possible. Not probable.”
“How can you say that if it doesn’t conflict with the medical evidence?”
“I find it all too coincidental and—”
“Wait a minute. Are you testifying as a doctor now? Or are you weighing the evidence? With a prosecution bias.”
“I think I can—”
“Because weighing the evidence is the jury’s job, Dr. Chang. I’ll ask you to stick to offering expert opinions based upon your examination of the corpse.”
Her expression lay somewhere between miled irritation and extreme anger.
“Dr. Chang—why does your report make no mention of the hyoid?”
Chang hesitated. “I…what…I mean, why would it?”
“Hyoid evidence can be relevant when determining cause of death, can’t it?”
“Only if there’s been some kind of neck injury.”
“And had there been a neck injury in this case?”
Kenzi could see the wheels turning inside her head. “This is the problem with calling me to the stand without prior notice. I’ve had no chance to review my notes.”
“I have copies.” Emma handed her the relevant documents. “May I approach?” The judge nodded. “These are your notes, your reports, and everything else you’ve generated relating to this case.” She gave Chang a moment to review the documents. “I can see why you might’ve ignored the hyoid—if you went into the examination assuming the victim burned to death or died of smoke inhalation. But if you open your mind to other possibilities, it can be quite informative.”
Chang was staring intently at a particular X-ray.
She’d spotted it. Good. That might make the rest of this easier. She hoped she wouldn’t have to go toe-to-toe with the doctor. Hailee was the would-be physician, not her.
“I see you’re staring at Exhibit 47. Before we discuss that, doctor, would you explain to the jury what the hyoid is? I’d never heard of it before this trial, and I may not be the only one.”
Chang cleared her throat. “The hyoid is a minute horseshoe-shaped bone in the neck. It’s key to tongue movement, chewing, swallowing, and other similar movements. Keeps the airway open during respiration.”
“What’s the significance for a criminal investigator?”
“It can be damaged when there’s significant injury to the neck.”
“Like when people hang themselves?”
“No. Hanging rarely damages the hyoid. Only occasionally, mostly when the victim is older.”
“What about strangulation?”
“Yes, the hyoid is often damaged in strangulation cases. I mean, deliberate strangulation. Manual strangulation. The killer’s hand gets up high, beneath the victim’s chin, and crushes the hyoid while cutting off the air supply.”
Kenzi paused, building the jury’s anticipation. “Doctor, was the victim’s hyoid shattered in this case?”
Chang looked down at the X-ray, then up again. “Yes. Decisively.”
“Which means the victim was strangled.”
“It means it’s possible. It is far—”
“So we first established that the victim could’ve died before the fire broke out, then we established that the victim could have been strangled. Before the eyewitness saw a long-haired figure racing across the lawn. How long before the fire did the victim die?”
“We’ve covered this. I can’t say with certainty. It’s possible the neck was injured some other way. She could’ve fallen.”
“Please. What fall would be sufficient to break the hyoid? Tumbling from the top of the Space Needle?”
“It…would have to be significant.”
“An accidental fall wouldn’t do the trick.”
“Probably not.”
“So when Maya arrived at the lab to get her things, Maggie Price might have already been dead. Or unconsciousness, which would explain some of the internal damage you described earlier.”
Chang glanced at Harrington. “We can’t say for certain—”
“But it’s possible?”
Chang drew in her breath. “It’s…not inconsistent with the medical evidence.”
“Given the damage to the hyoid, it’s even probable, wouldn’t you say?”
“I…need more time…”
“But you can’t rule out the possibility?”
She frowned, paused, but eventually answered. “No.”
“Thank you, Doctor. I have nothing more.”
Kenzi pivoted around—and saw Hailee sitting in the gallery with a triumphant fist in the air.
Sharon sat beside Hailee, patting her on the back. Emma and Maya were both smiling. For the first time since this trial began.
Yes, it seemed she had assembled quite a team here…