The judge’s words have the effect of taking some steam out of Marcel, who stops yelling for a minute, considering the situation. People didn’t like him so much that they weren’t even able to fill up a jury? What?! This is unacceptable!
Before he can start exploding again, the judge takes a further look at the documents in her hand. She’s a fast reader, but it takes some time to separate the old papers from the new. The old papers are the printouts of the “conversations” between Marcel and the women he harassed, his angry messages to Bella Callaway, and company-related stuff that Judge Calahan was sure could be brought up in court. The new papers are the ones that came in from the hospital. After the defendant tried to claim insanity, the judge decided that, in the interest of all involved, it was best for him to undergo a full medical evaluation.
Which, in itself, proved difficult to accomplish. Marcel was notoriously uncooperative with the local doctors, stating that he was “healthy as a bull, and willing to prove it.” As a result, getting all the results and putting them all in a sensible format took far longer than was normally acceptable.
But the results are still here and she is finding out some interesting information.
Marcel: What are you doing? Why aren’t you talking to me?
Judge Calahan: Have patience, Mr. Wolfe. But since you want to talk, tell me, why did you get into a fistfight with the night clerk of your hotel? You were aware you were out on bail, were you not?
Judge Calahan: And why did you throw your food and drink at the owner of the tavern near the beach? You know, the guy’s brother was one of the people we had to dismiss from the jury - for obvious reasons.
Marcel: They messed up my order!
Judge Calahan: Is that so? And is this your normal reaction to slight mistakes?
Marcel pauses. It’s true, he always had a short fuse. Although, lately…
- I admit, my temper has been really shit lately. Everything is just so irritating and infuriating!
Judge Calahan: Even the most basic things, right? And has that been happening for a long time? Say, maybe for the past 6 or so months?
