“Mr. Valdemar,” Del Rio said, nodding to the witness stand beside her. “Please have a seat.”
Thirdsies awkwardly stumbled over beside the bench, and his hand shook as the bailiff swore him in.
Del Rio appraised Thirdsies with a quick smile as he took his seat, asking firmly, “Could you please state your full name for the record, young man?”
“Francis Von Valdemar III,” Thirdsies replied dutifully.
“You are aware that you’re being questioned today in the state’s case against Roderick Legrand?”
“Yes, your honor,” Thirdsies said, trying to slowly straighten himself up.
“I am going to be asking you questions, and you are going to be answering them under oath,” Del Rio said firmly. “Do you understand this?”
“Yes, your most honorable.”
“Now,” Del Rio said, “we are here today regarding a statement you gave to the Strassen Springs authorities over nineteen years. Do you understand to which incident I am referring?”
“Yes,” Thirdsies chirped obediently. “It’s the one where the pigs said they were going to kill my grandpa!”
“Objection! The SSPD made no such threats!” Blalock quickly interjected.
“Overruled,” Del Rio barked with a slam of her gavel. “Denying a man medication necessary to his survival is as good as a death threat.” She looked back to Thirdsies. “Do you now feel that you were forced to make that statement to the police?”
“Absolutely!” Thirdsies exclaimed. “It was a bunch of shit.”
Del Rio chose to ignore his choice of words, asking plainly, “And you are going to recant your testimony today?”
“That, too! I never saw the Boss or that Luchesi guy!”
“If you’d allow me, your honor,” Champignon spoke up, “I’d like to ask Mr. Valdemar a question.”
“Proceed, Mr. Champignon,” Del Rio replied, “with caution.”
“Of course, your honor,” Champignon said calmly. “Now, Mr. Valdemar, is it true that you were briefly involved with Roger Lorre prior to his arrest last year for distribution of methamphetamines?”
“Irrelevant,” Christine scoffed.
“On the contrary,” Champignon said with a slick smile, “I find that Mr. Valdemar’s personal life is very relevant. In addition to his previous relationship with Mr. Lorre, he’s currently romantically involved with Theodore Pym. Both are known associates of Mr. Legrand.”
“What?” Thirdsies sat up awkwardly and scowled furiously at Champignon. “Hey, ugly. You’ve got something to say, you can say it right fuckin’ here to my face. Are you trying to fuckin’ slut shame me right now?”
“Language, young man,” Del Rio snapped. She cast Champignon a sharp glare, warning, “This had better become relevant to this hearing very, very quickly.”
“Mr. Valdemar’s original testimony should not be removed, your honor,” Champignon said firmly. “It is clear that he is only doing this because of his relationship with Mr. Legrand and their fellow criminals—”
“Alleged criminals,” Jimmy corrected immediately.
“Mr. Valdemar has previously recanted testimony to benefit Mr. Legrand,” Champignon declared. “This is a pattern of manipulating the truth with criminal intent, your honor.”
“Counsel, approach,” Del Rio snarled, beckoning them all over with a scowl.
Christine, Champignon, and Blalock all hovered in front of the bench, waiting for Jimmy to join them. It took him a bit longer than expected. Every step made his loins throb; he was nearly out of breath when he finally arrived.
“Off the record,” Del Rio began briskly, glancing down to the transcriptionist to make sure his fingers had stopped moving, “let’s be frank. You can argue all you want about Mr. Valdemar’s adult behavior, but what we are discussing is what happened to a child.”
“Your honor,” Champignon piped up again, “please. You have to see what’s going on here! Mr. Valdemar is a liar, and this is a conspiracy—”
“A thirteen-year-old boy was not conspiring any great master plan when he was being brutally harassed by the SSPD,” Del Rio hissed, her hand reaching for her gavel. “Watch your mouth or you’re about to find yourself in contempt.”
