Presumption of Innocence: David Brunelle Legal Thriller #1 Read Online Free PDF Page A

laceration was the only pathology on the body. It was the exit for the blood, and the lack of blood caused her heart to stop."
    "Did it hurt?" Brunelle asked.
    Kat nodded. "I imagine it did. A cut to your neck is going to hurt."
    Brunelle shook his head. "No, not the cut. The bleeding out. Would that have hurt?"
    Kat considered. "Not really, I wouldn’t think. The cut was to the carotid artery. Clean, exact cut. I mean, really, whoever did this had an excellent grasp of anatomy. I couldn't have picked a better place for the incision."
    "Wow, that's great, Dr. Anderson," said Brunelle. "Maybe tone the professional admiration down a bit for the jury when you testify though, okay?"
    Kat frowned. "It's not admiration. I'm simply explaining that whoever made this cut knew exactly where to cut to cause the most amount of blood to be ejected from the body until her heart stopped beating. And even then, it would have dripped and drained a bit."
    Brunelle was used to having to bring witnesses back around to the answer he needed. "And so that sensation, of your blood pumping out of your neck with each heart beat—would that have been painful? Or better yet, excruciating?"
    Kat let out a surprised laugh. "Excruciating is better?"
    Brunelle shrugged. "Lawyer thing."
    "I guess so," Kat raised an eyebrow and looked away. "Well, no. Definitely not excruciating. And probably not terribly painful either. Terrifying, but not painful."
    Brunelle frowned and tapped absently on the doorframe. "Well, that's too bad."
    "Too bad that the girl didn’t endure excruciating pain?" Kat asked.
    Brunelle shrugged again. "Like I said, lawyer thing.
    "I knew I didn't like lawyers," Kat joked.
    Brunelle raised an eyebrow. "We're not all bad. And besides I'm not really a lawyer, I'm a prosecutor."
    "Is there a difference?"
    "I think there is."
    Kat nodded. "You keep telling yourself that, David. Maybe you'll convince yourself."
    Brunelle laughed, but more out of politeness. His mind was already considering the possibilities.
    "Can I come pick your brain again" he asked. "If I think of any other questions."
    Kat smiled and crossed her shapely legs. "You can pick my brain anytime, David Brunelle. But next time, let's do it over coffee."
    Brunelle's eyebrows shot up. He didn't say anything for a moment.
    "A speechless lawyer," she laughed. "That's a rare sight."
    Brunelle smiled. "I always get quiet when I'm happy. Thanks, Dr. Anderson."
    "Call me Kat."
    "I will," Brunelle stepped back in to the hallway. "I promise."

Chapter 7
     
    The arraignment was scheduled for nine o'clock. The camera crews were already lined up outside the courtroom. Brunelle was looking over the charging documents in his office when there came a knock on his door.
     It was Duncan. "You all set?" he asked.
    Brunelle nodded. "I think so."
    "No vampires, right?"
    Brunelle laughed. "Right. No vampires. Burglary and torture."
    "Think you can make those stick?"
    Brunelle recalled the dead girl's face hanging upside down in front of him as he entered the home that night. "Yeah. Pretty sure I can."
    Duncan grinned. "Good. Now let's just hope he gets a shitty lawyer."
    Brunelle smiled again. "Sure. But not too shitty. I don't want it come back on ineffective assistance of counsel."
    "Good point," said Duncan. Then, tapping his chin, he added. "When you finish with the arraignment, stop by and we can talk about a second chair."
    "Second chair?" Brunelle repeated. "I figured I'd try it alone. I don't need co-counsel."
    Duncan shrugged slightly. "Oh, it might be a good idea. Chance for somebody to learn from you. Besides, it's always good to have another set of eyes look at something."
    Brunelle nodded, but he wasn't excited about having to take time to teach a junior attorney how to try a death case. But he could worry about that after the arraignment.
    "Okay, I'll stop by. Maybe we'll even know who his lawyer is by then."
    ***
    "William Harrison Welles," said the dapper man with the expensive