‘Back then? Sure. I was mad at him and mad at the world. I even took a swing at him in a club a couple weeks later. I felt like he was trying to make an example of me, but you know what? He was right. I deserved it. Like I said, I was stupid.’

If Nathan was acting, Stride was impressed with his performance.

‘Was your affair with the defendant an act of revenge against Jay Ferris?’ Dan asked.

‘I guess it started that way. After a while, though, we enjoyed each other’s company. I think Janine needed someone to talk to.’

‘Objection – speculative,’ Gale interrupted.

‘Sustained.’

‘During the course of your relationship, did the defendant offer her impression of her marriage to Jay Ferris?’

‘Yes, she told me she wanted a divorce.’

‘Did she express any opinion to you about the likelihood of obtaining a divorce?’

‘She said it would never happen.’

‘How exactly did she phrase it?’

‘She said Jay wanted to own her like a slave. She said she didn’t believe she would ever be able to get away from him while he was still alive.’

Murmurs rippled through the courtroom, and Judge Edblad quieted the crowd. Dan waited.

‘Mr. Skinner, did you ever have a conversation with the defendant about guns?’ Dan asked.

‘Yes, I told her that I knew Jay owned a gun.’

‘How did you know that?’

‘When I had the altercation with Jay, he showed it to me.’

‘Did the defendant express surprise at the news that Jay owned a gun?’

‘No.’

‘Did you say anything else to her about it?’

‘Yes, I said she should be careful in case Jay found out about us.’

Stride waited for the bomb to drop and for a new wave of whispers through the courtroom. Gale, who knew exactly what was coming, waited for it, too. Stride thought he saw a ghost of a smile on Dan’s lips.

‘What did the defendant say?’ Dan asked.

‘She said maybe she should get a gun, too,’ Nathan said. ‘She asked me if I knew how she could get one off the books.’

*

Archie Gale stood up, well aware that he had a disaster on his hands.

‘Mr. Skinner, how much money do you make in your current job?’ Gale asked.

‘Objection – relevance,’ Dan interjected.

‘Your honor, Mr. Skinner has testified that he lost his job with the Duluth Police because of the actions of Mr. Ferris. It’s relevant to know the specific impact this had on his financial situation.’

‘The objection is overruled,’ Judge Edblad announced.

‘I make minimum wage,’ Nathan said, and some of his casual confidence seeped into bitterness. He didn’t like to be humiliated.

‘Did you lose your house to foreclosure because of your loss of income?’ Gale went on.

‘Yes.’ It was more like a hiss.

‘Do you have substantial credit card debt?’

‘I don’t know about substantial—’

‘More than fifteen thousand dollars?’

‘Yes.’