Background
Escaping an abusive marriage, Julia starts a new life under a fictitious name. Everything is perfect until she's forced to face her past. Larry has to represent a murderer to keep his daughter alive.
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Rachel
I'm searching through old records for Luigi Greco's file. It was an old case, Joe, Jerry and I worked on when I was still a rookie. I'd completely forgotten about the gruesome rash of murders, that took Berryville by surprise. Luckily for me, my partner didn't since he's the one that sold Julia the knife.
"Don't you remember how you rubbed it in our faces about being right again, Sergeant?"
"I'd never do that, Jerry." I smile innocently, knowing darn well I would have.
"If I remember correctly, you said you've been right three cases in a row. Isn't that right, Boss?" Jerry snickers, looking towards Joe.
Remembering the incident, the captain quickly looks away. He's never been one to admit he's wrong, back then or now.
"If memory serves, you guys were busy chasing your tails while I captured the killer," I say, scanning through the file.
"We did do a lot of that," Joe agrees, reviewing the case in his mind.
The evidence clearly showed that Tito Greco was responsible for all of the deaths, which was impossible since he was out of the country. Rachel later discovers the twin that supposedly died at birth was the one who committed all the heinous acts.
"It says here that he has an Aunt and Uncle living in Florida. Maybe I should warn them that he might be on his way." I start to reach for the phone when I see Kirk walking towards us.
"You're running a little late today, Bud." I glance at my watch.
"Late, no, I've been working on the list of people at the deli for the last two hours."
"Did you find out anything?"
"Two people remember seeing Julia but can't give me a specific time."
"So she could've eaten, and then stabbed the guy."
"That's possible Captain, or stabbed him and then ate breakfast."
"Wouldn't someone notice the blood on her clothes?"
"Blood splatter that's it, Rachel," Kirk says, running out the door.
***
Julia
The next few days are worrisome for both Larry and I. Between jury selection and verdict deliberation; our nerves are pushed to the edge.
"We will hear opening statements after lunch, Court is dismissed," the judge states, rising from his seat.
"Where do you want to go for lunch?"
"You choose," I say, gazing lovingly into his big blue eyes.
"I know the perfect spot." He ushers me to the door.
A group of reporters is waiting to greet us when we step into the hall.
Grabbing a hold of my hand, Larry pulls me back inside.
"Follow me," he says, leading me towards the back.
I'm halfway down the second flight of stairs when I smell Andy's cologne in the air. Paralysing memories of my first husband's abuse start running through my head.
Reaching the bottom stair, Larry glances back up.
I remain motionless on the step, haunting memories replaying in my mind.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?"
When I don't answer, he rushes back up to my side. "Sweetheart?" he asks again.
My body remains flaccid against the stairwell wall.
Grabbing a hold of my shoulders, he starts shaking me.
The quick jerky movement pulls me out of my trance-like state. "Oh, Larry," I cry, throwing myself into his arms.
"What is it, sweetheart, what's wrong?"
"I thought I smelled Andy's cologne," I sob, clinging onto him tighter.
"No one is in here but you and me," he says, moving his arm around.
"Oh, when will these nightmares stop, when will they stop?" I sob, leaning my head against him. I feel his strong arms wrap around me, I snuggle in closer.
"Real soon, honey, I promise," he says, stroking my face with his hand.
"I hope you're right." I pause for a second before I ask my next question. "Larry," I anxiously begin.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
Taking a deep breath I continue. "What's going to happen to us when your family comes home?"
"I plan on getting a divorce, and fight for full custody of Lilly when I know they're safe." Seeing I'm about to protest he puts his fingers up to my lips.
"This is something I've been meaning to do for a long time, way before I met you."
"You swear?"
"Yes, honey, our relationship was over soon after it began."
"So there will still be us when this is all over?"
"Of course, there will be, honey," he says, brushing the tears off my cheek.
"Good, because I have something I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I...I'm pregnant," I nervously blubber.
"Pregnant, that's wonderful, Julia."
"It is?" I sniffle, surprised by his reaction.
"Of course, it is." Putting his hand on my stomach he starts rubbing it around.
"Hi, little baby it's me, your daddy. You and I are going to have so much fun together. We'll go places, do things, just you wait and see."
Seeing how excited he's getting, I laugh.
"Let's get you and Larry Jr. something to eat."
"What if the baby is a girl?"
"Then we'll name her Laurie, Laurel or Lowry?"
"Oh, Larry." I chuckle, following him down the stairs.
****
Rachel
Since Julia's trial is scheduled to start soon, Jerry, Kirk, and I are doing everything we can to prove her case one way or another.
"Ok, let's review the evidence, see if we've missed something. We can put her in the area at the time of the stabbing, correct?"
"Right Sergeant, the witness says she was at the deli that morning but couldn't give me a specific time. They couldn't tell me what she was wearing when they saw her either. Neither could the shopkeep, or the officer that originally tried to arrest her."
"So she could've changed clothes before she's arrested."
"They didn't find any bloody clothes at his house."
"They had plenty of time to get rid of the evidence, Kirk. What does Larry say she was wearing?"
"He claims she had on the same outfit she was arrested in, but being her lawyer, I'm not sure the jury will take his word for it."
"True, does her second husband Bill remember what she was wearing when she left that morning?"
"We haven't been able to reach him," Kirk says.
"Does the credit card records show the deli purchase, Kirk?"
"We're still working on obtaining those records, Sergeant."
"I have someone who'll testify she bought the knife from Luigi Greco, but can't give me a specific time when the purchase was made."
"So she could've bought the knife, and then stabbed him, or Luigi stabbed him then sold Julia the knife."
"There has to be something we're missing, there just has to be," I say, scanning the report again.
"I just talked to the DA, Sergeant. He said he's not requesting a warrant for the credit card records."
"Did he say why, Kirk?"
"He said the judge would see it for what it is, a fishing expedition and deny his request."
"How can it be considered a fishing expedition when we know exactly what we're looking for?"
"I don't know, but that's what he said."
"Let me talk to the captain, see what he thinks." A few minutes later I walk back to my desk.
"What did he say, Sergeant?"
"Joe said he doesn't understand it either. So he's calling Allen to find out what's going on."
The captain steps out of the door with a puzzled look on his face.
"What's going on, Joe?" I ask, walking towards him.
"I just got off the phone with the DA. He claims he told Kirk that he's already looked into it and didn't find anything."
"Why would Kirk tell us something different?" I ask, glancing at my partner.
"I didn't think he would either, that's why I started questioning Allen about the conversation. He said that my men need to learn how to do their jobs correctly instead of telling others how to do theirs. When I asked him what that meant, he said that IAB is opening a full investigation on my department."
"He told you that?"
"Yeah, it makes me wonder what's really going on."
"It does seem a little suspicious," I agree, trying to rationalize the DA's change in behavior.
"Kirk, I need to speak to you a minute, please."
I start to walk away when Joe grabs a hold of my arm. I give him a questionable look.
"I want you to hear this," he explains.
"Yes, Captain," the young detective replies, nervously approaching his superior officers.
"Did the DA tell you he already looked into the credit card history?"
"No, Sir, he told me that he wasn't going to ask for a warrant for a fishing expedition."
"Thank you."
Puzzled, Kirk walks back to his desk.
"What are you thinking, Joe?"
"I'm not sure what to think at this point."
***
Larry
"We will reconvene tomorrow at nine am. Court is adjourned," the judge announces.
"Are you ready for your trial, Julia?" I ask as I'm gathering up my papers.
"I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be," she says, shuffling through the doors.
We've just stepped into the hallway when my phone rings. Grabbing it from my pocket, I start scanning the text. The entire room starts spinning as I read it again.
"Is everything alright, Larry?"
I look towards her with tears in my eyes. I feel my lips moving, but I can't make a sound.
"What is it, Larry? What's wrong?" Julia asks.
The room starts spinning a hundred times worse as millions of thoughts zip through my mind. Feeling like I'm about to faint, I grab a hold of her shoulder.
"What's going on, Larry?"
"Oh Julia, they did it, they really did it," I bawl, collapsing against the wall.
