THE REAL JOSHUA

The jury froze-- they studied his sullenness. Lint particles swam about the air, like snow.

Liz darted to the courtroom to get a closer look:

Joshua took the stand.

He slumped in his chair. He studied the floor.

He frowned while the judge whispered to him.

Golem marched center floor; his shadow eclipsed the jury. The window cast light on Joshua and Golem. They both glowed.

"Joshua Price," said Golem, his face frowned for victim Alison. "Please tell the court your relationship to the witness."

Joshua waited to answer. Probably for the effect, Liz thought; however, the bags under his eyes suggested he lacked sleep, and the puffiness of his eyelids suggested he'd been crying (or survived an allergy-attack).

"My relationship?" he said. " . . . I was her friend."

Golem shook his head.

"You extended beyond friendship, correct?"

"I was her boyfriend," he said. "Not for long though."

Golem nodded.

"Why did you break up?"

Joshua's eyebrows dropped.

"Because she obsessed over her studies. Sacrificed her health, her soul."

"Clarify and speak up, please."

"She obsessed over her studies," said Joshua. "She hid in her room on weekends, hid in the library during lunch. She'd sacrifice sleep, lose color, catch colds. She'd cry to me sometimes. She'd spill her guts about her frustrations-- confess her depressions. But every phone call never lasted beyond fifteen minutes . . . she'd homework to do."

"Let me stop you right there, Mr. Price," said Golem.

Joshua looked up. His gritted teeth showed slightly between his lips; he glared at golem who turned about the room.

"Did she actually have work to do? Or was she hiding something from you."

"We all have work to do . . . We're students."

"Yes, but did you ever suspected her sudden transition to scholarly isolation had anything to do with her relationship with Mr. Johnson?"

"Objection—" Danny bolted off his chair. "Your Honor—Directing the Witness—"

"I'm not directing the witness Your Honor, I'm simply focusing the witness's summary for key points"

"Overruled." The judge rolled his eyes and pulled a sandwich out and took a big bite before he hid it away.

Danny held a poker face; he sat; but fumes leaked from his ears.

"As I said, did you have any suspicion of a teacher-student affair?"

"No. Ali was too much of a good girl (she wouldn't even go all the way with me) so—"

"(A little too much detail-- but go on--)"

"—How was I supposed to suspect she'd engage in a scandal?"

"You and Ali never "went all the way"?"

"No. She wanted to wait until college when she will be eighteen."

"She's seventeen and you're sixteen. And did her abstinence cause your disinterest in her?"

Josh took a moment to register Golem's question.

" . . . No. The fact she wouldn't hang out with me or her friends anymore ruined the point of calling myself her boyfriend anymore."

"When did you learn of her relationship with her teacher, Mr. Johnson?"

"A friend told me."

"Uh-huh. And did this friend spy on Mr. Johnson and Alison when she was quote on quote studying in his classroom alone on school nights?"

Joshua's face reddened. His eyes watered; he gritted his teeth, again.

"Yes . . ."

"And what did your friend see?"

"Ali and Mr. Johnson were . . ." his chin quivered, and he looked to Mr. Johnson straight in the eyes, for a moment, and then looked away. "They were kissing . . . and . . ."

Golem gave the jury a snide smile (all pearly whites) then returned a sorrowful frown to Joshua.

"Just kissing, Joshua?"

Looking up, Joshua stared into Golem's dark black eyes and shook his head.

"No."

Golem lowered his head and stepped back.

"No further questions, your Honor."

The judge waved Golem a sarcastic "goodbye" and waved Danny an irritated "Get up here, now, before I lose my patience."

Danny touched Will's shoulder, before he waved a friendly lawyer to accompany Will, in his place.

He stared down at Joshua. Stepped over to the jury box, leaning over, and stared at him like he and the jury were one unit.

"So . . . this friend . . .huh?"

Josh's eyes were reluctant.

"Yeah?"

"What's his name?"

"I was told I didn't have to tell."

"You're in court and under oath now. Not only is there zero evidence that your friend exists, but at the very least, it would be simply polite to answer my easy question . . . What's your friend got to lose?"

Josh turned to Mr. McCoy, who nodded.

"Diamond."

"Diamond? That's not a name."

"Cole Diamond."

"Hilarious . . ."

"No that's his freaking name . . . I'm serious."

" . . . That's his real name?"

"A name's a name isn't it? Confront his parents about it if you want to."

"It sounds like a nickname, not a real name."

"Well, it's his real name or he's lying about his name."

"Let's pretend it's his name, then." So Danny looked to the jury like Joshua was insane.

Josh squinted at the back of Danny's head.

"For goodness sake."

Debbie pulled Ali's hand and led her to the defense's side, but further back so McCoy wouldn't spot her "supporting" her husband. Liz looked to McCoy who turned around and suddenly discovered that neither she, nor the bug-eyed man, nor the black widow secretary sat behind them.

The entire immediate row was empty, except for her parents, who appeared very unhappy to be there.

McCoy dropped his papers he was holding, and rocketed out of his seat, down the aisle way, past Liz without noticing her in the crowd of the defense section, and plummeted into the lobby and out the exit doors, where the sound of rain and streaks of silver light shined down the aisle.

Liz breathed with relief he hadn't seen her; until she gasped when Danny's criminal client who'd gotten rid of the bug-eyed man and secretary bolted down the aisle way after him—

With a hand reaching into his coat pocket!

Liz jumped halfway to her feet, when someone pulled her down from behind her.

She turned.

It was another man, in the same suit.

He winked to her and said,

"Don't be a hero Miss Sorenson. Look out for yourself, only . . ."

Terrified, Liz froze in place.

"Turn around and don't make a scene."

Liz nodded.

Debbie was busy taking notes like Liz asked her to. She had no idea. She was in work mode.

Liz heard another man speak into her ear behind her. What he said made the first one snigger but made her cringe.

What he said bounced around and replicated in her head over and over as though everyone in the courtroom was shouting it.

"Don't get in our way, double agent. Do your job . . . or you'll be next . . . and your little sister too."