Free Missing Pieces by Joy Fielding

party.”
    “What time did you get there?”
    “About nine o’clock.”
    “And the party was in full swing?”
    “It was starting to heat up. There were lots of people; the music was very loud.”
    “Did you know everyone?”
    “No. There were a lot of people there I’d never seen before.”
    “Did you see the defendant?”
    Reluctantly, Angela Riegert glanced toward the accused, then looked quickly away. “Not at first,” she whispered.
    “Sorry, could you repeat that?”
    “I didn’t see him till later.”
    “But you did see him?”
    “Yes, he was in the backyard. I saw him when we went outside to get some air.”
    “Did you talk to him?”
    “He talked to me.”
    “You wish,” Jo Lynn scoffed.
    “What did he say?”
    “Not much. ‘Nice party,’ ‘nice night,’ that sort of thing.”
    “Was Wendy Sabatello with you at the time?”
    “Yes. She thought he was cute.”
    “Objection, your honor,” one of the defense lawyers protested, jumping to his feet. “Can the witness read minds?”
    “She told me,” Angela Riegert said clearly.
    “Objection,” the lawyer countered. “Hearsay.”
    “Overruled.”
    The witness looked confused, as if she weren’t sure what exactly had transpired. She wasn’t the only one.
    “Did she say anything else about him?”
    Angela Riegert nodded. “That he had incredible eyes.”
    “And what did you think?”
    “I thought he was cute too, a little older than most of the other guys there.”
    “What happened then?”
    The witness swallowed, bit down on her lower lip. “We went back inside.”
    “And did you speak to Colin Friendly again?”
    “I didn’t, no, but later on, Wendy said she was going back outside to talk to him.”
    “And?”
    “It was the last time I saw her.”
    “She never came back in?”
    “No. When I went to look for her later, to tell her I was ready to leave, she was gone.”
    “And the defendant?”
    “He was gone too.”
    The prosecutor smiled. “Thank you, Miss Riegert.” He nodded toward the defense. “Your witness.”
    The defense counsel was already on his feet, buttoninghis jacket. He was an athletic-looking man, blond and thick-necked, the muscles of his arms clearly evident beneath the jacket of his gray silk suit. “Miss Riegert,” he said, biting off each syllable, “was there any drinking at this party?”
    Angela Riegert shrank back in her seat. “Yes.”
    “Drugs?”
    “Drugs?” she repeated, clearly flustered.
    “Marijuana? Cocaine?”
    “I didn’t see anyone doing cocaine.”
    “Were you drinking?” the attorney pressed.
    “I had a few beers, yes.”
    “Were you drunk?”
    “No.”
    “Did you have any marijuana?”
    “Objection, your honor,” Mr. Eaves protested. “The witness is not on trial.”
    “Goes to state of mind, Judge. It directly affects the witness’s ability to identify my client.”
    “Objection overruled. Please answer the question, Miss Riegert.”
    She hesitated, looked close to tears. “I had a few tokes,” she admitted.
    “A few tokes off a marijuana cigarette and a few beers, is that what you’re saying?” the defense attorney repeated.
    “Yes.”
    “Were you stoned?”
    “No.”
    “But you did go outside to get some air.”
    “It was hot inside, and very crowded.”
    “And outside?”
    “It was better.”
    “Was it dark?”
    “I guess.”
    “So,” the defense lawyer stated, positioning himself directly in front of the jury, “it was dark, you’d been drinking and smoking marijuana …”He paused for effect. “And still you claim you can positively identify my client.”
    Angela Riegert pulled back her shoulders, stared directly at Colin Friendly. “Yes,” she said. “I know it was him.”
    “Oh, Miss Riegert,” the lawyer asked, almost as an afterthought, “do you wear glasses?”
    “Sometimes.”
    “Were you wearing them that night?”
    “No.”
    “Thank you. No further questions.” The lawyer quickly returned to his seat.
    “Well