I wrap up, then sit and wait. Mercifully, Dave’s only set up a few witnesses, probably figuring that the evidence is so skewed anyway. They’re more of a precaution than a necessity. It still feels like forever before it’s my turn.
Hopefully Peterson is as much of a nutcase as he seemed from the phone interview. In the short talk I had with him before we entered the courtroom, he seemed even more unstable than I’d figured. How a whack job like him got to be chief accountant for a large corporation is beyond me.
Even Cooper must have figured something was wrong with him or he wouldn’t have been demoted. No idea why Cooper believes he has this guy’s total loyalty, but I’m on record as having disagreed with putting him on the stand. Eventually bowing to my client’s wishes shouldn’t raise any red flags.
I want this case to combust, but we need to keep our noses clean. The last thing I want is for someone to cry foul after the fact and have it blow back on Riordan and Flynn.
I get up slowly, tugging my suit and straightening my tie. With a nod to the judge, I approach, enjoying the silence in the room as they wait for my words. I won’t deny it. I fucking love being in the spotlight, and I’m going to use it for all it’s worth.
“Your Honor.” Everyone’s watching me to see what my first move will be, their eyes burning into my back. “I’d like to call Mr. Lloyd Peterson to the witness stand.”
The judge nods.
Cooper smiles and nods when Peterson rises and comes to the front. Peterson flicks a glance at his boss, but his expression doesn’t give away what he’s thinking.
After being sworn in, he settles noisily into the witness booth. Tapping the mic, he produces a couple of loud thuds followed by a screech of feedback that’s as pleasant as nails on a chalkboard. He pulls his finger back in surprise before easing back with a sheepish grin.
My turn. I smile, full of easy charm. “Mr. Peterson, you’re Mr. Cooper’s chief accountant, correct?”
He leans forward towards the mic cautiously, like he’s worried it’s going to feedback again. When it doesn’t, he speaks cautiously with a quaver in his thin, reedy voice. “Yes, sir.”
“So you’re intimately familiar with the state of the corporation’s economics, like the payroll, for example.”
“Yes, sir.” Peterson relaxes a little at the easy questions.
“And you’ve gone through all of their books in preparation for the trial to determine if they were in order?”
This time he pauses, chewing his lip. “Yes, sir.”
He’s a little screwy, but he’s not stupid. When I prepped him, I told him he needed to be honest, but to not volunteer anything. Deciding what to ask, and how to question a witness is one of the parts of this job I love the most. It’s a dance, like boxing. Draw them one way, feint, jab, dance away. Never let them take the lead.
Except today I want him to do exactly that. I just can’t make it obvious.
“I know you’ve been with Cooper Holdings for many years, but can you tell me how long you’ve been Chief Accountant?”
Peterson’s eyebrow tics. I’m closing in on sensitive tissue, and I’m about to do some chainsaw surgery. “Five years.” He shakes his head. “Five stinking years,” he says in a lower voice, but the mic still picks it up.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Cooper frown. It’s honestly never occurred to him that his buddy the accountant might not have appreciated being demoted.
“Wow, that’s quite a while. You must have a pretty good handle on the business. Do you believe there is anyone who has a better understanding of the Cooper Holdings financials?” Come on, take the bait.
“No, absolutely not.” Peterson’s voice still quavers, but it’s gaining strength. “Especially considering my fifteen years as CFO.” His gaze hones in on Cooper, sharp and oddly fixated. “Fifteen long, wasted years of my life.”
“Sir, please constrain yourself to answering the question asked,” the judge admonishes.
Peterson flinches but nods. His right eye ticks.
“So you’ve been at Cooper Holdings for exactly how long then?”
“Twenty-seven years. I worked for his father back in the day, and have given that company most of my miserable life.” He’s warming up nicely. “And what did I get for it?”
I hear a few “Yeah!”s from behind me. There are guys in here who’ve known Peterson for years, and know all too well what it’s like to get screwed over by Cooper.
Judge Bailey scowls. “I’ve warned you once, Mr. Peterson. I won’t do it again. Mr. Riordan, please control your witness.”