Larry

"Good morning love," Julia says, rolling on her side. I feel her hot naked body press against me as she drapes her long leg around mine.

"Good morning, Angel," I reply, gazing hungrily into her soft blue eyes.

"My, my, I think my little mister has a problem."

I see an ornery smile creep across her face as her fingers travel down my body.

My stomach quivers from her gentle touch.

"A big problem," she says, gently stroking my hardened appendage.

"Keep that up and we'll both have a problem."

"Is that a threat, counselor?" she asks, nibbling on my ear.

"No, that's a promise," I say, flipping her on her back.

~~~

I've got to get her out of my head, I think, pushing through the chamber doors.

"You're right on time, Mr. Wilson," the judge states, glancing at his watch.

"Yes, your Honor."

"So you're claiming the evidence was illegally obtained?"

"Yes, your Honor. The officers didn't have a warrant at the time of discovery making the clothes inadmissible and that makes the rest of the evidence fruit of the poisonous tree."

"I can explain your Honor," the DA interjects.

"Go ahead."

"The officers were on official police business when they saw the clothes in the trash. The first discovery gave them probable cause to search the entire apartment."

"What official business are you referring to, counselor?"

"The officers were trying to locate a possible suspect, your Honor. The assumption of his guilt is based on a video the police found of the victim and suspect leaving together minutes before the crime occurred."

"I'd like to question the authenticity of the tape, your Honor."

"The tape is clearly time-stamped and the chain of command followed."

"It doesn't look like you've proven your claim, Mr. Wilson. I find that the evidence and tape are both admissible."

"Thank you, your Honor," the DA says, rushing towards the door.

Feeling completely defeated, I slowly trudge behind.

"I'd like to speak to you for a moment please, counselor." Expecting a lecture, I hesitantly turn around.

"A second-year law student knows better than to try and pull the little smoke screen you tried in this court today."

"Yes, your Honor." I thought about mentioning the pending threat, but stopped when I considered the outcome.

"I won't tolerate any more of your half-baked shenanigans, understand?"

"It won't happen again."

"Good, I'll see you in my courtroom in one hour, and don't be late."

***

Rachel

I see Jerry staring intently at the computer when I step into the precinct. He's really concentrating on something, I think, walking towards him.

"What are you doing, Jerry?"

"I'm looking over the footage from the deli. Everyone I talked to yesterday doesn't remember seeing her, so I'm trying to find someone else who was there around the same time she was."

"Are you having any luck?"

"Using the facial recognition software, I was able to identify ten people."

"That's great Jerry. Wait a minute; did you say you're using the facial recognition software?"

"Shocking, right?" He chuckles.

"Well, yeah. I mean it took Joe and me nearly four months to show you the basics of a computer."

I recall how he has a fit everytime we show him something new. Jerry is a damn good cop, but he doesn't take change very well, especially when it comes to the latest technology.

"Guess you can teach old dog new tricks, after all."

"And you learned how to do all of this in one afternoon?"

"I have a good teacher."

"Who, Jerry?"

"Me, Sergeant," Kirk says, smiling proudly.

"I should've known that the Wiz Kid could accomplish the impossible." We've been calling him the wiz kid since he's aced all of his exams.

Kirk smiles.

"Since you're doing so well, it'll be your responsibility to teach him the latest technology."

"Does that come with a raise?"

"Nice try, Kirk," I laugh.

"I really deserve a raise, you know, because teaching him isn't easy."

"Don't I know it?" I laugh. I think back to the day I tried to show him how to work the tablet. I thought I had a better chance of getting hell to freeze over than making him understand.

"Hey, I'm not that bad," Jerry protests.

"Up until yesterday, you thought geometric is a type of math kids learn in school." Kirk laughs.

"It kind of is."

Kirk laughs again.

***

Larry

I'm sitting in the courtroom, nervously planning a new strategy. I hope this works, I think, quickly reviewing my scribbles.

"You look a little tense there pal," Marty whispers, leaning in closer.

"I didn't get much sleep last night." After convincing Julia the kids are safer out of the city, we pulled an all-nighter working on Vinnie's case.

"I can understand why with that little bombshell you have at your house."

"I've got this," I say, half-convinced myself.

"I hope so, for Lilly's sake," he says, showing me a picture.

I see him sitting in my in-law's recliner holding Lilly on his lap. The idea of him even touching my daughter makes my skin crawl.

Someday you're going to regret meeting me, I think, squeezing my pencil, the object snaps in half.

"You need to calm down before you give yourself a coronary," Marty laughs.

I give him an evil stare.

Taking the hint, he backs away.

"Would you care to cross-examine, counselor?"

"Yes, your Honor," Grabbing my notes, I walk over to the witness stand.

"You claim you saw my client pull a handgun out of his pocket and shoot the victim, correct?"

"Yes."

"Which pocket was it?"

"I think it was his right jacket pocket."

"You assume it was his right because he's right handed, correct?"

"I guess so."

"Well, your assumption is wrong, because my client is left handed."

"Maybe it was his left pocket. Everything happened so fast, I can't be sure."

"Was it that it happened so fast, or that you'd been drinking all afternoon?"

"I only had a couple of beers," he says, nervously shifting in his seat.

"Do you do this every afternoon?" I ask, stepping closer.

"I object your Honor, Mr. Connor's drinking habits aren't on trial here," the district attorney states, rising to his feet.

"I plan to show the court that he was inebriated at the time of the shooting."

"Get on with it then."

"Are you sure it was only a couple of beers?"

"Yes, I'm positive."

"Isn't it also true that you were arrested a few minutes later for public intoxication?"

He looks towards the DA.

"Isn't it true, Sir?" I demand.

The witness anxiously glances at the judge.

"You need to answer the question."

"Yes, but I had three more beers after I saw the shooting."

"Three beers in ten minutes, you must have guzzled those puppies." Laughter spreads across the courtroom.

Aggravated by the outburst, the judge bangs his gavel. The courtroom quickly grows still.

"So, if you had two beers before and three after, that's five beers, correct?"

"If you say so."

"Simple math, Mr. Kersley, three plus two is five," I say, holding up my fingers.

The spectators laugh again.

"Your Honor," the DA protests over the ruckus.

"Order in the court, order in the court," the judge says, smacking his gavel again.

"I have a point, your Honor."

"Please get to it."

"Yes, Sir."

"So if you only drank five beers, why did the police find twelve empties on the floorboard of your car?"

"They were from another night."

"The product code is identical on all twelve cans, which means that they came from the same case. A case you bought at the liquor store earlier that day." Seeing the dumbfounded look on his face, I continue.

"Isn't it also true, this is your third DWI?"

"He isn't on trial, your Honor."

"Move along, counselor."

"Yes, your Honor. So, if you were intoxicated at the time of the shooting wouldn't it be safe to assume that you couldn't see the shooter clearly?"

"I saw what happened just fine," he defensively replies.

"Is that why you mistakenly thought the arresting officer was your brother?"

"It was so foggy; I couldn't make out his face."

"My point exactly."

***

Rachel

I'm looking over Julia's case when a dispatcher walks over to my desk.

"Sergeant, this gentleman says he remembers seeing Julia at the deli the day she was arrested."

"Please take a seat," I say, motioning to the plastic chair sitting in front of my desk.

"You claim you saw Julia at the restaurant three mornings ago?" I begin.

"Not at the deli, I saw her walking past it."

"What time was this?"

"It was a little before 8:30."

"Did you see where she went?"

"She was headed down the alley when I left."

"Are you sure it's her?" I ask, handing him a picture. I watch as he carefully studies the photo.

"Yeah, that's her, that's the one I saw," he says, handing it back.

"You'd be willing to testify to this in court?"

"Yes, of course."

***

Larry

"Your witness counselor," The DA says, strutting past me.

You think you've scored points with the jury? Well, we'll just see about that.

Glancing at my notes one last time, I walk to the podium.

"You said you found the clothes in the trash, is that correct?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Were they on top of the trash, at the bottom, in the middle?"

"They were somewhere in the middle."

"You could see blood on the clothes through the trash bag?"

"Yes."

Running over to the table, I grab a bag and bring it to the front of the room.

"This is the same type of trash bag the suspect uses, filled as full as the one you found the clothes in, correct?"

"I believe so."

"Can you tell me where the bloody clothes are in this bag?"

Picking up the bag, Kirk twirls it around. He sees a lot of clothes in the sack, but couldn't tell which one has the blood on it.

"I'm not sure," he says, handing it back.

Ripping the top open, I pull out a bloody t-shirt from the middle. "It's exactly where the shirt you found was located. So tell me again how you saw the shirt through the bag?"

He glances towards the DA.

"Ok then, tell me this. Did you find any fingerprints on the weapon?"

"No, but..."

"Did you find gunpowder residue on the suspect's hands?"

"No, but..."

"Where was the 22 found, Detective?"

"It was lying on the top shelf of the hall closet."

"A closet both men have access to?"

"I suppose so."

"Whose DNA did you find on the clothes?"

"The suspect's and the roommate's DNA."

"You said the roommate has an alibi, correct?"

"Yes."

"Did you check the credibility of the supposed alibi?" I ask, air quoting supposed alibi.

"No, but..."

"Well, I did. Mr. Connors has been arrested several times for possession of a controlled substance and burglary. In fact, I believe he's a resident at the county jail as we speak." Seeing the detective's face turn pale, I smile.

"I have no further questions, your Honor."

***

Julia

I'm walking aimlessly around the house trying to find something to pass the time. I've already cleaned the place top to bottom. Some places I scrubbed twice.

I start watching TV and soon discover the only thing on is soaps. Who needs to watch drama, when I have so much in my life as it is? Throwing the remote onto the couch, I start looking for something to read.

I notice a sedan parked in front of the house as I walk by the window. Uncertain about what I just saw, I slowly turn around. That's the same car that's been following me through town, I think, staring out the window.

A vague memory of the same car flashes through my mind. I know I've seen that vehicle somewhere else, but where? I start racking my brain, trying to picture the surrounds.

No, it can't be, it just can't be the same one. I think, glancing at the SUV again. The memory starts becoming clearer as I continue to stare. How can that possibly be?

I recall trying to get away when the SUV blocks me in. I then see the driver climb out of the car with a large weapon in his hands.

He found me, he finally found me, I think, collapsing on the floor.