A Darkness More Than Night

information. She testified about how excited Jody Krementz had been at the prospect of dating a major Hollywood player and how both of them had spent the day before her date getting manicures, pedicures and hair stylings.
    “She paid for me,” Gilley testified. “That was so sweet.” Her testimony put a very human face on what so far had been an almost antiseptic analysis by law enforcement professionals of a murder.
    When Gilley’s examination by Langwiser was concluded, Fowkkes finally broke with his pattern and announced he had a few questions for the witness. He stepped to the lectern without any notes. He clasped his hands behind his back and leaned slightly forward to the microphone.
    “Now, Ms. Gilley, your roommate was an attractive young woman, wasn’t she?”
    “Yes, she was beautiful.”
    “And was she popular? In other words, did she date a lot of fellows?”
    Gilley nodded hesitantly.
    “She went out.”
    “A lot, a little, how often?”
    “It would be hard to say. I wasn’t her social secretary and I have my own boyfriend.”
    “I see. Then let’s take, say, the ten weeks prior to her death. How many of those ten weeks would you say went by without Jody going out on a date?”
    Langwiser stood up and objected.
    “Your Honor, this is ridiculous. It has nothing to do with the night of October twelfth going into the morning of the thirteenth.”
    “Oh, but Your Honor, I think it does,” Fowkkes responded. “And I think Ms. Langwiser knows it does. If you allow me a little bit of string here, I will be able to quickly tie it up.”
    Houghton overruled the objection and told Fowkkes to ask the question again.
    “In the ten weeks prior to her death, how many weeks went by without Jody Krementz having a date with a man?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe one. Maybe none.”
    “Maybe none,” Fowkkes repeated. “And, Ms. Gilley, how many of those weeks would you say your roommate had at least two dates?”
    Langwiser objected again but was overruled again.
    “I don’t know the answer,” Gilley said. “A lot of them.”
    “A lot of them,” Fowkkes repeated.
    Langwiser rose and asked the judge to direct Fowkkes not to repeat the witness’s answer unless it was in the form of a question. The judge complied and Fowkkes went on as if he had not been corrected at all.
    “Were these dates all with the same fellow?”
    “No. Different guys mostly. A few repeats.”
    “So she liked to play the field, is that correct?”
    “I guess so.”
    “Is that a yes or no, Ms. Gilley?”
    “It’s a yes.”
    “Thank you. In the ten weeks prior to her death, weeks in which you said she most often had at least two dates, how many different men did she see?”
    Gilley shook her head in exasperation.
    “I have no idea. I didn’t count them. Besides, what does this have to do -”
    “Thank you, Ms. Gilley. I would appreciate it if you would just answer the questions I pose to you.”
    He waited. She said nothing.
    “Now, did Jody ever encounter difficulties when she stopped dating a man? When she moved on to the next?”
    “I don’t know what you mean.”
    “I mean were all the men happy not to have a return engagement?”
    “Sometimes they’d get mad if she didn’t want to go out again. Nothing serious.”
    “No threats of violence? She wasn’t afraid of anyone?”
    “Not that she told me about.”
    “Did she tell you about every man she dated?”
    “No.”
    “Now, on these dates, did she often bring the men back to the home you two shared?”
    “Sometimes.”
    “Did they stay over?”
    “Sometimes, I don’t know.”
    “You often weren’t there, is that correct?”
    “Yes, I often stayed at my boyfriend’s.”
    “Why is that?”
    She gave a short laugh.
    “Because I love him.”
    “Well, did you ever stay together overnight at your home?”
    “I don’t remember him ever staying over.”
    “Why is that?”
    “I guess because he lives alone. It was more private.”
    “Isn’t it true, Ms. Gilley, that you stayed overnight several times a week at your boyfriend’s home?”
    “Sometimes. So what?”
    “And that this was because you were unhappy with your roommate’s constant procession of overnight guests.”
    Langwiser stood up.
    “Your Honor, that’s not even a question. I object to its form and content. Jody Krementz’s lifestyle is not on trial here. David Storey is on trial for her murder and it’s not fair for the defense to be allowed to go after someone who