"MR. MCLAUGHLIN, THE dossier indicates that the authorities first tried to reach you on twenty-one June." Aubrey referenced the dossier for the record. "Is that date---consistent with your memory?"334Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0NAH6BUKD
Benito scratched at his cheek. "I couldn't be specific."
"Do you have a reason to doubt the accuracy of the police record in the dossier?"
Benito shook his head. "No. I do know that I was filming some water scenes in the Mediterranean and it would have been hard to speak to them."
Aubrey dropped his hand and stared at Benito for a long, pregnant moment. "It would have been difficult to take a boat or helicopter to shore and speak with authorities about the murder of the French president?"
"No, I suppose it wouldn't have, if they'd asked, but they didn't," Benito snapped, the first break in his normally cool demeanor. "We were spending whole days out there on the water and if they had told me it was an urgent matter, I would have----of course I would have come ashore." He took a breath and calmed down. "They said it could wait."
Aubrey nodded aimlessly. He was probably thinking to himself that he'd pushed this too far. What Benito was saying sounded somewhat reasonable.
"It wouldn't be the case," Aubrey said, "that you were trying to----ah----get your story straight?"
"No, it most certainly wouldn't, Mr. Chaney." Benito pointed a finger at Aubrey. "After the nightclub and the casino, I left and went to my friend's place in Cannes. I stayed there until the morning and got up and took a helicopter to our film site on the Mediterranean. What story is there to get straight?"
"Your friend's place in Cannes. Would that friend be-----Tobin Finnegan?"
"He would be." Benito nodded emphatically. "Toby told the authorities the same thing."
"Toby is a personal assistant, is he not? he was---rending a house in Cannes?"
"Yes."
"So you call him a friend. But he is your employee, yes?"
Benito sighed. "He is both an employee and a friend."
"I see." Benito smiled to the spectators. "And he'd like to remain both of those things, yes? Especially your employee. He would like to please his boss, correct?"
"He wouldn't lie for me, if that's what you're saying, Mr. Chaney."
"Of course not." Aubrey pondered for a moment. Finally, he flipped a page in his notepad. Moving on to another topic. "The name of this film you were shooting was?"
"Sudden Glory."
"Ah. Sudden Glory. And the film company was Filmrealm, I believe?"
"Filmrealm Pictures, yes."
"You had a---ten-movie contract with Filmrealm."
"I did."
"And Sudden Glory was your last of the ten."
"It was."
"It was with Filmrealm that you made those comedy movies, yes? 1/2 Shelly, Ad Nation, Being Thar."
"Yes."
"And also, let me see." Aubrey checked his notes. "Master of Risk, Reflex Justice, Triple Death."
"Action movies, yes?"
Benito inclined his head. "If you want to call them that, yes."
"Mr. Chaney," the presiding judge chimed in. "Is this necessary?"
"I will----get to my point, Mr. President. Many thanks."
Aubrey focused again on Benito. "Mr. McLaughlin, you were----in negotiations for another contract at the time of the murders?"
He nodded. "Yes, sir."
"You are forty-seven, Mr. McLaughlin?"
"Thanks for reminding me, Mr. Chaney." More chuckles from the gallery. Mischa, though only vaguely acquainted with him before her one-night-stand in Monte Carlo, had no idea he was that old. He was sure holding up well. She would swear to that under oath.
I mean no disrespect, sir. But is it fair to say that---that a man of your age will find it more difficult to----star in action movies?"
"I don't know about that."
"Well, then could we agree that your more recent movies have been less popular at the box office?" Aubrey picked up a piece of paper. "Or should I read you some figures."
"The answer to your first question is yes," Benito said with some ice.
"All right, then. You were in the midst of negotiations with Filmrealm. And others as well, yes?"
"Yes."
"And would I be correct in saying that the money that was being offered was----less than the money in your previous contract?"
Benito was no longer deriving any enjoyment from this conversation. "You would be correct."
Aubrey waited a moment. He wanted to be sure he had everyone's attention. He certainly had Benito's.
"And in the midst of this negotiation, Mr. McLaughlin, did you think it would help your negotiating positon, or hurt it, if the moviegoing public knew that you'd been on a yacht with the president of France at or near the time he was murdered?"334Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgbgtNFUqT
"I must object," Victoria Barraud shot to her feet.334Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdUdzbmlYk
"I wasn't on that yacht," said Benito. "I wasn't!"334Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxbixbeNr4
"Of course you weren't." Aubrey was done. He thanked the witness and took his seat. Mischa caught Benito's eye as he looked around the courtroom. He held her stare for a split second before he shook his head and looked away.334Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArCRLWatzb
