Yet when Logan returned to his table, Judge Nicols merely excused the witness and continued her glaring inspection of the defense team. Every eye in the courtroom was drawn to the tableau, unchanged from the first day. Logan sat in the far-left chair, followed by Suzie Rikkers and three or four dark-suited associates. Behind them and next to the railing were the two New Horizons vice presidents. Two secretaries huddled next to them, flanked by boxes of documents and law books.
Judge Nicols allowed the moment to stretch until the jury was shifting uncomfortably and observers were exchanging glances and whispered queries. She finally turned to Marcus and said, “Well?”
Marcus rose slowly, trapped in the amber of his own imminent demise. He did not need to look toward Suzie Rikkers to know what was coming. And there was no way to stop it. None. “The plaintiff rests, Your Honor.”
The judge merely nodded and turned back to the defense. Finally she said, “We seem to be missing a defendant, Mr. Kendall.”
“Your Honor.” Logan rose with the reluctance of an attorney who could neither anticipate nor control what was coming. “I have this morning received a letter from the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. The government of China has officially responded to your request.”
“Have they, now.” The tone was even more threatening for being so muted. “They have officially responded to my request.”
“The government of China takes great offense at this subpoena, Your Honor. They remind this court that General Zhao Ren-Fan is a man of immense power within their regime, a member of the military’s central command. They refuse categorically to submit to such an affront.”
“An affront.” The murmur was scarcely audible.
“They declare your request contrary to international law and demand that it be withdrawn.” The letter rattled in Logan’s hand. “They warn that a serious diplomatic breach could result.”
“Do they now.” She held out one black-robed arm. “May I see the letter, please.”
She took a long moment to read the letter, then set it down and said to Logan, “All right. I’m listening.”
“There is a serious jurisdiction issue here, Your Honor. This court does not hold authority over a Chinese owner of a Chinese factory.” Logan stepped around the table and took a solid stance. He was practiced, he was ready, he was on the offensive. “Even if this court could assert jurisdiction, which I submit is impossible, the defense attaché to the Chinese embassy is not a necessary party to this case.”
Judge Nicols picked up the letter once more, dividing her attention between the embassy’s words and Logan’s. The defense attorney continued, “Furthermore, we are already too far down the road in this case to add an additional defendant. We would have to declare a mistrial and start over.”
“Would we,” Judge Nicols murmured.
“Yes, Your Honor, we would. This case, were it to include a senior official of a foreign sovereign power, would be a matter for Congress or the State Department to resolve. Not this courtroom.” Logan punched the air between himself and Marcus. “If this is what the plaintiff wants, if he wants to turn this into a political trial, and if you think the court can establish jurisdiction in this matter, fine. Then we don’t have a dog in this fight. We move to dismiss.”
Judge Nicols drew out the moment before quietly demanding, “Are you done?”
“Yes, Your Honor. We hereby move to dismiss.”
“Your motion is denied.” She swung her gaze toward her chief clerk, who stood ready and waiting beside the court reporter. “I hereby issue a bench warrant, a writ of habeas corpus for General Zhao Ren-Fan.”
Logan took the news as he would a hammer blow to the chest. “Your Honor!”
“I hereby order the U.S. marshal to escort this man into court.”
Logan struggled to recover. “He’ll bolt, Your Honor.”
Her eyes swiveled back with the smoothness of matched gun barrels. “Is that a fact.”
“Absolutely. He’ll flee the country and you’ll be left with a huge political mess on your hands.”
“Fine. In that case, this court has no choice but to protect the plaintiffs’ interests in the event the jury finds in their favor.” She hefted the letter from the Chinese embassy. “As their government has chosen to declare itself officially involved, and as this man is now recognized as a senior member of their government and is acting in an official capacity, I am hereby freezing all assets of the Chinese government now held by any and all United States financial institutions.” She hammered once, not even trying to still the uproar, merely shifting her glare to some unseen point toward the back of the court and saying, “One final point, Mr. Logan. The defense is hereby requested to present to the court someone who holds the power to respond to questions about New Horizons’ international activities. That sounds like a reasonable request to you, now, doesn’t it?”
Logan replied weakly, “Yes, Your Honor.”
“I’m so glad.” Her smile was truly awful to observe. “Court is now adjourned until nine o’clock Monday morning.”
As Marcus stood with the others, Alma used the moment of confusion to ask, “Did you know this was going to happen?”
“I assumed General Zhao would not show. And the judge would feel forced to respond.”
Charlie almost shouted to be heard, “The Chinese government weighing in like that-now, that was a gift from on high.”
Marcus nodded, both to show his agreement and to hide from the raking glare Suzie Rikkers gave as she passed. “Tell Kirsten to be ready for a siege.”
THIRTY-SEVEN
On Saturday Marcus woke to the remarkable sensation that he had actually fought back against his predawn foes. He arose weak and shaking as usual, but holding to a shred of satisfaction. The loss seemed foreordained, as though there were but one outcome to the strife that scarred his every morning. But at least this day he had joined in battle.
Charlie arrived early, bringing breakfast in the form of baskets and casserole dishes and Libby’s message that the best answer to any trouble on this earth was a good feed. Together they ate and studied the news.
The newspapers and the television were both full of their story: what the Chinese embassy said and what Washington said and what the judge was not saying. Photographs of Alma and Austin Hall figured prominently. Netty arrived and soon tired of the journalists’ renewed telephone onslaught. She put a message on the answering machine saying that all queries should be directed to Kirsten Stanstead, and gave the Halls’ number. Darren camped out on the front porch and scared away any who made it to the wilds of Rocky Mount. Marcus and Charlie hunkered down and plotted against the defense’s coming attack.
They sat through the evening news in stunned amazement. CBS had it as the second story of the night. The newscaster began by saying what had begun as a tempest in a Carolina teapot was now brewing up the latest international crisis. They showed Kirsten standing beautiful and resolute. Her measured tones were in direct contrast to Alma Hall’s furious tirade against New Horizons. They then showed the picture of Gloria Hall laughing on the stairway, followed by fifteen seconds of her bruised and battered face asking for money. They finally cut to the spokesman for the Chinese embassy saying his government would not stand for such outrage and was considering a large number of retaliatory measures. The Chinese official was not merely angry, he sounded downright evil.