Nelle Porter Diary
==============
June 15, 2008
*opening my diary, pondering today's entry*
Dear Diary,
Last night sure offered some surprises! After a tedious long day in court, where I did finally win a murder trial that had dragged on for days, I remembered that I was supposed to have met with Richard Sawyer at the 5th Precinct that afternoon for a pretrial interview regarding the upcoming Vicki Jenkins trial.
I reached him on his cell phone, apologized for missing our afternoon meeting, and asked him if he would consider coming over to my Carnegie Hill apartment where we could hold the interview here. He agreed so I took a quick shower to get the days sweat off me, brushed my hair out long rather than wrapping it up in a bun, slipped into something comfortable, opened a bottle of chardonnay, turned on the fireplace and relaxed as I waited.
He looked as handsome as described through my peep hole when he knocked at my 23rd floor apartment door. I invited him in, we shook hands, and I ushered him over to one of the comfortable white leather chairs that surround a glass covered walnut coffee table. I offered him a glass of the wine I had opened, but he chose the Coors Light beer. It was funny because I could feel his eyes on my ass as I walked in the kitchen for his beer. Maybe I should have spent a little time to put my hair up in it's bun and wore a suit. Too late now, the die was cast.
Since he was in the chair grinning as I returned with his beer, I returned to the sofa and my glass of wine. As I sat down he kept looking me over head to toe and back, so I tried to cross my legs as carefully as possible.
I explained that normally a court recorder would have sat in at the 5th Precinct to record the interview, but since we were doing this in my apartment I would just use a tape recorder. He nodded in agreement, sipped his beer and said, "Well Nelle, I'm here to do whatever you want me to do... just ask away," and he actually winked at me as if his answer meant more than just the interview.
I turned on the recorder trying to look as official as possible and said, "This is Nelle Porter.... NYC District Attorney.... I'm interviewing Mr. Richard Sawyer regarding the upcoming trial of one Vicki Jenkins.... it's June 14th 2008."
"Mr. Sawyer, can you confirm that you were indeed in Ms. Jenkins' hotel room the night the NYPD arrested her?"
"Well yes ma'am, I had just gotten there maybe 10 minutes before the police did."
"Why were you there that night?"
"Vicki had invited me to come over, she never really stated why."
"When Lt. Friday entered..... he said that Ms. Jenkins was down to her underwear.... ... obviously she was planning to give you......... something..... am I correct?"
"Well, I was hoping, but that wasn't agreed to.. she had a new line of that stuff out, and was showing me."
"Let me get this straight..... because I'll be asking similar questions when you are on the witness stand....... she was ...."modeling"... the underwear of her designer line?"
"Yes, she wanted my opinion...."
"Mr. Sawyer.... isn't true you were there planning to enjoy having sex with her?"
He took a long slow drink of his beer before he answered, "Well, Ms. Porter to be honest, anytime I get invited to a young ladies apartment, I hoping it leads in that direction, but it doesn't always work out."
I caught the obvious innuendo about me inviting him here. Good Lord what an ego this man has, thinking he might get in my pants like that. I kept pushing, "You were there to purchase sex from her?"
"Purchase?.... you mean me pay for sex?... evidently you don't know me well Ms. Porter, I never pay for sex, never... but I always make it worth while for the lady," … He gave me another one of those winks.
"Then it might surprise you that Ms. Jenkins in her interview said that was exactly what was happening...... you offered her the stolen ring in return for her goodie box."
Richard sat up on the edge of his chair, " I did what?... I had no idea she even had that ring.. you think I'm that stupid?"
Knowing I had him upset, I pressed on, " Somebody was......... and during the trial Alan Shore will be trying to convince the jury it was you........ Tell me the truth right now..... on tape..... did you steal the Fancy Vivid Blue diamond as she claims?"
He stared right back at me, "No I did not, why would I even want it?.. Sure it's valuable, but so is my freedom, I'm not one that will take a liking to being someone's cell mate and toy boy."
"Then you'll be able to stand up in court under heavy, brutal questioning from Alan Shore.... her defense attorney?"
"Well of course.. He can accuse me all he wants, but the truth will come out, I'm no thief, I might do a lot of talking, but I won't take what does not belong to me."
"I'll need you to be a strong witness...... we all know she stole the ring...... but proving that beyond the shadow of a doubt in court isn't easy in this case."
"Well, perhaps we should get together more often and go over every detail?"
Another innuendo, poking me, hoping for a response. I turned off the recorder. "We will, that's the very reason I brought you here."
He gave me this big sensual grin, "It is?.. so we can get together?"
I tried to stare him down, "So we can make damn sure Alan Shore doesn't trap you in unrelated lies. He'll be already plowing through your past....... We did too..... What are your intentions with the French actress you're representing....... Do you feed her the same innuendos you were spewing out tonight with me?"
"What?.. I don't feed lines.... and my intentions with her are to keep her acting, that is what I get paid for, besides she has a wimp boyfriend."
"Richard........ if we just met at a club.... and you asked me out.... who knows, maybe I'd go out with you...... but no way am I sleeping with a witness during a trial....... I mean use your head.................. the one on top of your neck... I swear I wonder if you think with the other one."
He damn near spit out his beer, "Well hey, I can't help I like making ladies happy. And if you want to go out sometime after the trial, well, I'd love that as well."
He certainly never gives up, "Okay ....... I'm going to turn the recorder back on in a minute...... and no more offers like that while it's on..... understand?"
"I do, and how about an answer before you do?"
"You're a pushy one, aren't you?... No wonder you were in her room that night."
He smiled back, "Now don't assume…….. I told you, she invited me over."
"And you better be prepared to dress nice and say exactly that on the witness stand..... We can't have you up there stumbling around.... and please..... do not give women in the jury that .... 'wanna fuck' …smile you keep giving me.. understand?"
He laughed and simply asked, "Well, do you?".
Thinking that Alan Shore might just tear this guy up in court, "No, I do NOT wanna fuck...... You know Alan has his Crane, Poole and Schmidt people searching through your past..... counting up the number of your female clients you've seduced...... be prepared for that tactic."
"I will, and I'll be darn proud of the number they come up with too.... Ms. Porter, I didn't take that ring, and even if I wanted to get into Vicki's pants, it's not worth going to prison over."
"When I turn this recorder back on..... I want you to repeat that last statement....... and start working on an alibi you can support for the night the Blue was stolen.
He got huffy saying, " I don't need an alibi.. I didn't do it."
"Try and make it sound convincing..... which you'll need to do on the stand under Alan."
I reached over and turned the recorder back on, "Richard Sawyer..... did you steal the Vivid Blue?"
"I did not steal that ring, I maybe a lot of things Ms. Porter, but I am not a thief."
I turned off the recorder, finished my wine and rose, indicating the evening was over.
He knew we were done, but just couldn't keep from making one last attempt, "I'd like to get together with you more if that is possible? I can guarantee you I'll be the best you've ever had."
I couldn't help myself as I burst out laughing, "Yeah, right… that comment really has me interested….. not." I walked him to the door, closed it after he left, and leaned against the wall thinking he's not going to be the best witness in the world if he can't control his emotions.
The trial will open on Monday night unless Alan Shore requests a delay.
*closing and locking my private diary*
