LOST AT SEA CH. 3 Pt. 1 of 2

LOST AT SEA CH. 3 Pt. 1 of 2

He poured me a glass of whisky and himself one, too.

"Who is the defense lawyer?" I asked.

"The man at the end of the bar."

He was a sharp-looking young man, and so I walked down to have a word with him.

It ended up being dinner in a private room. He grilled me for about four hours, going over everything with a fine-toothed comb. If the court would allow, I would be put on the stand to testify.

The next morning, they came for me and took me to the courthouse.

It was a small building leftover from colonial days, and as the colonial days, was not air-conditioned. It was hot. I was glad all I had to wear were shorts, a T-shirt, and flip-flops.

In the courtroom, I was instructed to sit on the witness bench. Muriel was led in just minutes later but sat in the dock.

Ten minutes later, a man, dressed in robes, wearing a wig, walked up and took a seat behind the judge's bench.

The assistant struck the floor with his staff and called us to order in the name of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the second.

The judge put on glasses and read the paper before him.

"Well, Muriel," he said, "You're charged with assault and attempted murder. What do you have to say?"

She was shaking with fear, but said clearly, "Not guilty, your Lordship."

"I see you have your defense attorney with you," he said.

"Yes, your Lordship," said the man. He stood and bowed to the judge.

Then he walked up and presented the bailiff with a note. It was passed on to the judge.

"Good heavens, it's Michael Novak," he exclaimed. "What the devil are you doing here?"

"I've been asked to be a witness, your Lordship."

"Very well," he said.

"Get on with it, Rodger," he said to the prosecutor.

The prosecutor put Jesse on the stand and proceeded to paint a very black picture of Muriel, stating that she waved the gun right in his face and tried to shoot him and all that.

The jury, which looked like they had just been rounded up from the street did not look happy.

When he finished, the judge asked whether the prosecutor had the weapon in question. Of course, he did not, it was on the island for defense purposes.

"If it's the same gun as was there when I was a boy, it's leftover from the Great War," said the judge. "Any other witnesses?"

"No, your Lordship, said the prosecutor.

"Well, it's your turn," Mister Anderson.

The defense lawyer stood up and said, "I would like to call a witness if you please, your Lordship."

"I suppose you mean Mister Novak."

"Yes, your Lordship," said the defense attorney.

"I have a few questions for him, first. Mister Novak, how the hell did you get on that island?"

I stood up and replied, "My boat was wrecked during the storm.

Muriel and Anita rescued me from the surf and nursed me back to health."

Jesse practically jumped up and down with glee, "See, I told you there was somebody else. He is the son of a bitch from Andromeda.

They've been gunning for me all along."

The judge said mildly, "The Andromeda has been sunk for two years now. There were not any survivors. Next time I hear a peep out of you, I'll have you in irons in the basement of this wretched building."

It was getting hotter in the courtroom and the 18th-century dress he had to wear was not improving his attitude. He wanted this over with as fast as legally possible.

"Please go on, Mister Novak."

The defense lawyer had an elaborate line of questioning planned, but that was obviously not wise at that point. It was well over a hundred degrees in the courtroom, so the questioning was short and to the point.

Was I there? I answered yes.

What was the reason for the conflict? I told the court that the fuel that Jesse was going to provide was laced with water and I had no doubt in my mind that it was not the first time. I told him that he tried the same trick on us when I was on the ship.

Did Jesse threaten Anita? I answered yes, with a big, rusty wrench.

Did Ms. Muriel Adams fire the gun at him? I replied that if she did, he would be dead. She was on the porch of the house and only twenty yards away.

"I see," said the judge. "What then?"

"He left in a rage, your Lordship," I replied.

"Anything else?"

"No, your Lordship."

He looked relieved. "Well, anything more from the prosecution or the defense?"

"No, your Lordship," they said as one. They, too, were in heavy clothes and wigs.

The jury was sent out to deliberate and was back in five minutes. The verdict was not guilty.

After the court adjourned, I paid the defense lawyer and bid him farewell.

Muriel went shopping.

I waited for the judge, Hiram Wallingford, to join me at Snuffs.

"I haven't seen you in ages," he said as we took a table. "Why did you leave the ship?"

It was getting too tense between the Master and Chief Engineer. Each of them tried to enlist me to get the other off the boat. I did not want to be a part of it. I took my money and bought the boat. The rest is in the Royal Bank down the street."

"What will you do now?"

John Reed said, "I need someone on Barracoon Light. Two isn't enough with the antique machinery."

We had discussed that on the boat.

"I'd like to apply for the job."

John pulled out the application form, which was already filled out, and I signed it.

"Stand up, and raise your right hand," he said. "Hiram, you can witness it."

To be continued