Chapter 171: Chapter 171

It was with shocked amazement that they looked on as the defence attorney called Phoebe to the witness box.

She took her oath.

'Can you tell us what your name is?'

'I am Phoebe Walkman'.

'What do you do for a living?'

'I own a store where I sell designer clothes'.

'We hat is your clientele like?'

'They are women from the upper class in the society'.

'You mean you don't sell used clothes or clothes for the middle or lower classes?'

There was laughter in the courtroom.

'I do not have anything against the classes you've mentioned but I sell for the upper class, though if they can afford the clothes, why not? I'd sell to them as well'.

'That's okay. We want to know what your relationship with Jason Campbell is like'.

'We are friends. I thought very good friends'.

'What do you mean 'I thought'?'

'Well, he has been hauling accusations at me that are not warranted. It would seem that he is frustrated or something with the way the case is going but why take it out on me?'

'What kind of accusations?'

'He believes that I asked Miss Jones to come and testify against him and some other things and he is really very angry and has been threatening me'.

'Threats? From a gentleman of high standing? That is unthinkable!'

'Objection, my lord'.

'Sustained. Mr. Cobberson, you will limit your speech to questioning the witness please'.

'I'm sorry your honour. Now Miss Walkman, you said that you are very good friends with Jason Campbell but it is common knowledge that you are pregnant. Whose baby are you carrying?'

'Jason's'.

'He made you pregnant but wishes to abandon you for another woman who is supposedly pregnant for my client, Mr. Richmond?'

'He has refused to accept the pregnancy'.

'Objection, my Lord. I do not see how the personal life of Miss Walkman has any relevance to the case here'.

'Sustained. I can't see it either. Mr. Cobberson, if you do not have any relevant questions to ask the witness, let her leave the stand so that someone else can take the stand!'

'I was coming to that your honour. I was just trying to establish how cunning some people who are actually wolves in sheep clothing can be. Miss Walkman, tell us all you know about the hospital event'.

'I wouldn't say that I know much since I was not there most of the time. I only came to see Jason when he was supposedly unconscious.

I started having my doubts about his unconscious state when I saw him move his eyes when he thought no one was there but as the father of my child, I had stayed back though it had been an inconvenience But love can do alot of things to someone. When he realised that I was there, he quickly shut his eyes. I thought it must be a trick of the light or that I had just imagined it bit when it happened again when I opened and shut the door like someone who had gone out, I knew that I was not wrong the first time. I wondered though why he would be faking unconsciousness.

When I heard later about the drama at the hospital I understood. He had been expecting someone with whom he had made some plans. I therefore believe that the huge man Chris said he saw must have been his accomplice with whom he staged the drama to implicate Mr. Richmond since the first shooting attempt failed.

Mr. Maze just had the bad luck of having the same heavy build as the imposter'.

'But Miss Walkman, Maze was caught at the hospital. What about that?'

Hoberman thought, 'This man is good. He is asking her all the questions he knows I would want to ask her so that there wouldn't be a need for me to cross examine her. Bravo.

'Maze was set up to take the fall so that it would all seem so convincing'.

'How?'

'I had overhead an instruction to make sure that Maze was brought to the air-conditioning room. I didn't think it was of any concern to me because I did not know who they were talking about or why. I was preoccupied with Jason's strange behaviour of faking his unconscious state.

But when events started unfolding and I heard that the person called Maze was Richmond's friend, it began to dawn on me what had happened especially when I recalled the conversation I heard in the hospital as I set out for home that day. Maze is not a name one forgets easily if you know what I am talking about'.

'One thing I do not understand though is why you would want to testify against the father of your child'.

'He has already decided that the child is not his though the paternal test we went through conforms that he is. I am an independent woman, ready and able to take care of myself and my baby by myself. I do not need to beg any man to do that for me. There are many single mothers all over the place and they are surviving. But it touched me what Nancy was passing through and I felt that I should help out. Afterall, she is a woman like me and like me, she is pregnant and did not deserve all the lies and deceit'.

'Thank you Miss Walkman. When she approached me this morning saying that she had a confession to make and would I call her to the witness box, I was sceptical but looking at her, I decided to give her a chance. I knew it was a risk I took but I thank God that I gave her the opportunity to relieve the burden in her heart'.

'Your witness, Mr. Hoberman', said Mr. Cobberson indicating that he could cross examine the witness if he pleased.

'No questions', he said smiling at Miss Walkman who was disconcerted by his smile.

Jason was speechless. Phoebe had outdone herself this time. What did she hope to gain? This had even strengthened his resolve to break all ties with her no matter what. He was sure now that the baby was not his and never had been. He would still get the confirmation though. He would have but for the Nancy's amnesia and the court case.