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not?”
    â€œYes, he did.” Parnell became more forceful. “Inattention, and irregular hours.”
    â€œFor how long?”
    â€œThe two or three months before his termination.”
    Lord paused, phrasing his next question with care. “Based on your own experience, would you consider such behavior as typical of someone facing a crisis within his family?”
    Parnell blinked. “Objection,” Danziger snapped.
    â€œI’ll rephrase it. Specifically, Mr. Parnell, would you consider such behavior typical of someone going through a crisis which had alienated him from his wife and threatened to deprive him of his only child?”
    Parnell sat back, staring.
    â€œThe same objection.” Danziger’s voice rose. “My client is not a psychiatrist.”
    â€œSustained.”
    â€œYou never tried to determine the basis for Mr. Cole’s alleged erratic behavior?”
    Parnell shook his head. “As a publisher, I don’t consider that my province.”
    The response was less stubborn than wounded. “And as a man?” Lord asked.
    â€œObjection!” Danziger stepped forward. “I ask the court to forbid this subjective and thinly disguised harassment of my client.”
    Lord had never raised his voice.
    Addressing McIlvaine, Lord underscored this for the jury. “My effort was not to distress Mr. Danziger,” he said mildly. “But to move Mr. Parnell to reflect on whether there might be some reason he did not accord my client the understanding that he otherwise might be predisposed to give.”
    Leaning over the bench, McIlvaine raised an eyebrow. “Then you should ask him that straight out.”
    Moron, Lord thought. Smoothly, he answered, “Thank you, Your Honor.” He knew that no one on the jury with a memory could have missed the tacit thrust of his last questions; when he looked back, Parnell was cleaning his glasses again, and there was dampness on his forehead. “Tell me, Mr. Parnell, has your newspaper ever knowingly hired a homosexual?”
    Parnell put away the glasses. “We don’t ask the sexual preference of our employees.”
    Lord moved closer. “Do you know if there are currently any homosexuals on your staff?”
    â€œNo, I don’t.”
    â€œSo if there are any, they’ve not told you?”
    â€œI suppose not.” Defiantly, Parnell added, “And I don’t ask them, either.”
    â€œAnd they don’t bring gay friends or partners to social functions at the newspaper?”
    For the first time, Parnell looked angry. “I don’t see why anyone should publicize what are private sexual matters.”
    â€œBut don’t you find it remarkable that in a city with a substantial and open gay community you don’t know a single homosexual at your newspaper?”
    â€œRemarkable? I don’t know.”
    â€œIsn’t the only fair conclusion that no homosexuals are hired, or that they’re afraid to acknowledge it once they are?”
    â€œThat’s an assumption I can’t make—at least not that my newspaper’s the reason.”
    â€œBut the assumption you made on meeting Mr. Cole was that he was heterosexual.”
    Parnell hesitated. “He mentioned a wife and child.…”
    â€œAnd when Mr. Cole’s wife asserted his homosexual orientation in her efforts to gain exclusive custody of their daughter, your impression changed?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œThat was approximately June of last year.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œBefore that Mr. Halliburton had promoted him several times.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAnd you approved those promotions.”
    â€œOn Mr. Halliburton’s recommendation.”
    â€œWhen did you first notice Mr. Cole’s ‘lack of objectivity’ concerning gay issues?”
    â€œI don’t recall. I remember discussing it with Mr. Halliburton.”
    â€œBefore or after Mr.