Page 142 of The Lincoln Lawyer

“Then I am going to rule that he can testify.”

“Your Honor,” I said. “If you are going to allow him into this courtroom, could I ask one indulgence for the defense?”

“What is that, Mr. Haller?”

“I would like to step into the hallway and make a quick phone call to an investigator. It will take me less than a minute.”

The judge thought for a moment and then nodded.

“Go ahead. I will bring the jury in while you do it.”

“Thank you.”

I hurried through the gate and down the middle aisle. My eyes caught those of Howard Kurlen and he gave me one of his best smirks.

In the hallway I speed-dialed Lorna Taylor’s cell phone and she answered right away.

“Okay, how far away are you?”

“About fifteen minutes.”

“Did you remember the printout and the tape?”

“Got it all right here.”

I looked at my watch. It was a quarter to ten.

“Okay, well, we’re in play here. Don’t delay getting here but then I want you to wait out in the hall outside the courtroom. Then at ten-fifteen come into court and give it to me. If I’m crossing the witness, just sit in the first row and wait until I notice you.”

“Got it.”

I closed the phone and went back into the courtroom. The jury was seated and Meehan was leading a man in a gray jumpsuit through the lockup door. Dwayne Corliss was a thin man with stringy hair that wasn’t getting washed enough in the lockdown drug program at County-USC. He wore a blue plastic hospital ID band on his wrist. I recognized him. He was the man who had asked me for a business card when I interviewed Roulet in the holding cell my first day on the case.

Corliss was led by Meehan to the witness box and the court clerk swore him in. Minton took over the show from there.

“Mr. Corliss, were you arrested on March fifth of this year?”

“Yes, the police arrested me for burglary and possession of drugs.”

“Are you incarcerated now?”

Corliss looked around.

“Um, no, I don’t think so. I’m just in the courtroom.”

I heard Kurlen’s coarse laugh behind me but nobody joined in.

“No, I mean are you currently being held in jail? When you are not here in court.”

“I’m in a lockdown drug treatment program in the jail ward at Los Angeles County–USC Medical Center.”

“Are you addicted to drugs?”

“Yes. I’m addicted to heroin but at the moment I am straight. I haven’t had any since I got arrested.”

“More than sixty days.”

“That’s right.”