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Miss Jessup nodded curtly at Daniel and Louis Sherman.
They rose and followed Custer out.
DuBose, who had been watching all this, eyed Miss Jessup. The woman didn’t look at her. She stared straight ahead with both hands clenching the handle of her pocketbook.
DuBose turned back when she heard Jerome say to Pearl, “Where was you that day? You got to tell me, Pearl. Ain’t no secrets between us.”
DuBose leaned over and said, “She was getting some medical treatment, Jerome.”
“What?” he exclaimed.
“It was for a woman’s issue,” said DuBose.
Jerome now looked at Pearl with concern and said, “You okay, baby?”
She smiled weakly and nodded. “I am now.”
* * *
The gardener, Tyler Dobbs, was wearing jeans that were stained, and his corduroy jacket was threadbare. He hadn’t shaved, and when Battle approached him to begin his questioning, his nose wrinkled at the sour smell wafting off the man.
He led Dobbs through a series of questions that were answered for the most part with one-word responses. But his message to the jury was clear: Jerome Washington had acted belligerently toward the Randolphs, and he needed money.
When Battle was done Jack picked up a piece of paper from the table that had certain items listed on it that Donny Peppers had previously given to DuBose.
He approached Dobbs and smiled. “So you say the defendant acted belligerently towards the Randolphs?”
“Yes he did.”
“And he told you that he needed money?”
“Yep.”
“For what purpose?”
“He didn’t confide in me. Not like we were buddies or nothin’.” Dobbs winked knowingly at the jurors and several of them smiled back.
“Mr. Dobbs, are you a gambler?”
“Objection,” said Battle. “Relevancy?”
“I will make the relevancy real clear in just a few moments,” said Jack.
Ambrose frowned down at him from the bench. “Well, please do so quickly.”
“Are you a gambler, Mr. Dobbs?” said Jack, glancing at the paper in his hand.
“What do you mean by gamblin’?” snarled Dobbs.
Jack looked at the paper. “Dog fights, poker, street craps, and blackjack.”
“Ain’t gamblin’ illegal in Virginia?”
“That’s not what I asked. And just remember, you are under oath, and also know that I am prepared to call a half-dozen witnesses depending on your answer.”
Dobbs sat up straighter and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, I done all that.” He glanced at the bailiff at the back of the courtroom. “But I don’t do it no more.”
“Since when?”
