“I have a large number of petitioners to get through this morning. Would you care to finish your presentation over lunch?”“I would be delighted,...sire.”“Very well then.”After the emperor had concluded his morning audience, he led me into the gardens of Domitia Longina.“As the weather is fine, I think we’ll dine al fresco,” he remarked to one of the stewards, “set a table for four next to the water feature, summon David ben-Isaac and Bernardus, and see to it that we aren’t disturbed.”David and. Benson?”“It’s my gun, but Boyd took it from my bedroom and fired it twice when he got outside. That don’t prove that it killed Dawson.”“Objection overruled. Call your first witness, Charley.”“The state calls Jacob Sterling to the stand,” Barnes said in a loud voice.A man sitting in the courtroom stood and made his way to the stand. He was sworn in and took his seat in the witness chair. Sterling was dressed in a white, short-sleeved shirt and bib overalls. His only concession to being in court. So that must be his poison of choice, she thought to herself. He’s a drunk, probably shaking off a binge. More than likely he had spent the money he had recently made hauling manure on booze and was now relegated to eating at a mission. She didn’t want to embarrass him. She drove on. ‘Jake! Thanks for coming in to fill in for me—what the hell happened to you?’ ‘Fred, my truck is in for service and the only loaner they had is a damn sardine can. I smacked my head getting out. I’m fine—more. " I love you, sweetheart," Janice answered, her heart suddenly overflowing with love. "When do we start?" she asked hesitantly."Well, we both need to check on vacation. I think I can get off week after next," Tim said, taking a deep breath."Vacation? We have to take vacation?" Janice seemed surprised."That's what the couple in the article did. They even went out of town for a couple of days so that no one would recognize them." God, what did they do?" Janice asked, her voice shaking."I can't.