CSI NEW YORK FANFICTION - PARADOX
Summary:"McKenna Taylor Junior, you are under arrest for the suspicion of murder," A cold voice informed him. The Boss of the NYPD Crime Lab faces loosing it all. His job, his friends, his sanity and even his life are in grave danger as an unexpected lead in the evidence makes him the prime suspect in a murder investigation.
Chapter Seven – One in a Million
Mac didn't even remember standing up, yelling his objections at her accusation. The guard lunged forward but Richard Thomson intercepted with his arm and gave him a look that silently said 'I'll deal with it.' Mac's attorney dragged him back down to his seat.
"Defense Council, do you mind keeping your client quiet?" The judged growled, looking over the top of his glasses, down at their table.
"Sorry your Honor." He said and then turned to scowl at Mac.
Mac simply could not believe it; she was under oath and committing perjury. Lying out of her way to drop Mac in it. She looked so honest and she was believable. Mac wondered if it were possible that she was confused and had seen him at the crime scene when he was called into work at 4 in the morning. Maybe Mac didn't believe her because he knew it was a lie, but there was a glint of either revenge or pure hate in her eyes. Mac knew that if he gave his opinions a voice he would more than likely be categorized as crazy and sectioned. He put himself in the judge's shoes. What would he do?
"Then what happened?" Miss Green was back on the direct questions.
"I don't think he saw me. Once I was sure he was gone I went to investigate. Greg-Gregory Williams was just lying there bloody and beaten. I-eh-I called 911." She stammered, on the brink of tears.
"Breanna is a model American citizen." The DA stated strongly "Many people who witness things as horrific as what the defendant did, don't come forward. Some don't even call 911. That will be all your Honor." Miss Green stated and walked back to her desk.
Richard stood up, pulling his hand through his hair and rubbing the back of his neck.
"Ms Martin, why were you feeding your cats at 3 in the morning?"
"I-erh?" She looked a little startled but quickly maintained her image, "I woke up early and Smokey looked hungry," she said, looking around nervously.
"I see. It seems a bit of peculiar that you would be feeding your cats. Never mind looking for them."
"Objection!" This time it was Miss Green's turn to catapult out of her seat. "What my client does in regarding her sleeping patterns and the time of the day or night she feeds her pets is entirely up to her,"
"Sustained." The judge boomed. It was payback for her earlier cheap shot. He was a traditional judge, a month or so away from retirement, he just wanted justice to be served and did not care for her stupid play ground tactics.
Once silence had settled over the courtroom Richard began again. "Your Honor, not all the evidence has been processed, and until that evidence has been processed we cannot be sure of the reliability of the witness. Her testiony is without context." He briefly looked at the judge and then back at Breanna. "How can you be sure that it was my client that you saw? It was dark. You were about 30 feet away. How can you possibly be sure? Is it possible that you don't know what you saw? Ms Martin."
"I know what I saw."
Richard nodded, making a mental note to go to the exact location in the dark to see what he could see.
"To use your words, why did you decide to go and 'investigate'? You look pretty traumatized by what you witnessed." The young woman nodded shyly and looked at Mac. "Why would a fragile young woman in her 20's want to investigate a shooting?"
"I don't know, I just did."
"You. Just. Did." He paused to emphasise the unlikelihood of her story, "No further questions Your Honor."
Both the DA and Richard stood up to give their closing statements and then the judge would decide whether there was probable cause to hold Mac in custody until the trial date. If not he would then also have to decide what conditions he would be aloud out on.
The prosecution went first. "Your Honor, all of the evidence we have processed leads to the defendant. He has a great motive to flee the city to avoid the inevitable conviction that he so rightly deserves. There is absolutely nothing to suggest he has any intention of returning to court, especially since his last preliminary hearing, of which he walked out of. Everything that Breanna Martin has said has been backed up by all of the evidence so far I have no doubt that the rest of the evidence will also corroborate her story. It if my belief that the defendant poses a significant risk to the public and ask you that the request for bail is denied."
The judge nodded once and then looked at Richard as an invitation for him to give his closing statement.
"The witness's story is unusual at best and until it can be investigated further I suggest that my client, Mac Taylor, is released on bail. There are still other outcomes that the evidence supports and until we look at all aspects of that evidence, we really have no idea what really happened that night. Detective Mac Taylor is of sound Physical and mental condition, He has no family ties to criminals; he has a clean criminal record, no history relating to drug and alcohol abuse. Mac has a good track record concerning appearance at court proceedings and he has been in New York City for a long time, he's lived here for 15 years and he sees his work colleagues as his family. I highly doubt he would flee because of how sentimental the city has become to him and because of his occupation; he has a great deal of respect for the justice system.
This is not a trial, and I believe that there is more than enough probable cause for Mac Taylor to be granted bail.
The conditions I propose are as follows:
Passport confiscated, Refrain from the possession of a firearm. Refrain from contacting the victim or the witnesses testifying against him. Have a curfew of 8 until 6 and to pay a bond agreement with the court of $500 000."
The judge took a few minutes to deliberate before deciding exactly what to do with Mac. There were also some other things he had to consider that had not been mentioned during the hearing. Where Mac was being held was disrupting the precinct. And while Mac could still be held there, there would be no assurance of his safety.
"Defendant please rise."
The general chatter of people in the courtroom died down and silence fell once again. Mac dared to glance behind him; he only planned on taking a quick glimpse, just to calculate roughly how many people were there to judge him. The familiar stranger from earlier was lingering in the background, by the door. He was turned in such a way that Mac still was able to see his face but his hood was down. Mac could see that he was almost bald with short hair.
"May I remind you, Miss Green, that this is not a trial." Mac was physically shoved by the guard to make him face forwards, "It is not my job to decide the defendant's guilt." The judge started. "However I am of the opinion that any man with the accusation of murder hanging over his shoulders has reason to flee."
He paused, and directly addressed Miss Green. "If I give you 24 hours, would the team be able to have all the evidence processed and have given a copy of the reports to the defendant's counsel?"
"I need more time!" She squealed. Mac thought of the irony in the situation he was faced with. If he were on the other side of the courtroom, he'd have the evidence processed in 12 hours and he would hand the necessary paper work to the defense in plenty of time. But he knew there was evidence in there that exonerated him from these absurd charges, and he knew he wasn't going to be allowed to find it. If he went on a wild goose chase for the speck of dust that proved his innocence, it would be seen as tampering with evidence and there for it would not be submissible in court. Mac wanted to throw his head on the desk, but just about surpressed the urge.
"Although the evidence pending against McKenna Taylor is substantial, it is my belief that because of the defendant's work in the New York Police Force and the length of time he has had residence in the city he is less likely to abscond. These are serious charges and being granted bail on these accusations is not common, though not unheard of. I have reviewed the opposing arguments and taken everything put forward to me today in to account. I have also looked over the situation in which the defendant was being held and I think that it is in the best interest of the state and the defendant to be let out on these conditions:"
In the moment of silence there was a tremendous uproar on the DA's side of the courtroom and a wave of sighs and relief echoed behind Mac. Mac heard Sid hiss a "Yes!" and felt Jo lean over and put her hand on his shoulder, she squeezed a little and her touch sent a wave of comfort through his veins.
"I agree that his passport shall be confiscated. The defendant shall take a compulsory leave of absence from his position at the crime lab and Refrain from the possession of a firearm. He shall not be allowed to contact the victim or the witnesses testifying against. He shall have a curfew of 8pm-7am monitored by an electronic ankle tag and to pay a bond agreement with the court of $1000 000."
Mac let a gasp slip through his lips. $1000 000. As much as he wanted to get out of the hellhole, he didn't want to put his friends, his family in that position. He wiped across his eyes with the back of his handcuffed hands. An electronic ankle tag? Well that was an accessory he could live without. Mac was also unsettled by the fact he wouldn't be allowed a firearm, but he figured that if the person just wanted him dead, then they would have organized that by now. Whoever they were, they wanted Mac looking over his shoulder, they wanted him scared.
Mac, as a rule wasn't scared of death. Everybody lives and eventually everybody dies, it was just the cruel cycle of the universe. Since the shooting, just over 6 months ago, he'd learnt not to take life for granted, not to just assume there would be a tomorrow. If he kept putting things off until tomorrow, there would just be a long line of missed opportunities that he would have to face at the end. He had hoped that god, the universe, fate, or whoever, had left this part out of his life. He did not want to be the defendant in a murder charge.
"The court is adjourned until the trial, 2 days from now. Trial date July 14th 20-12"
Mac signed his release papers once he was taken into an office space and he was released from his restraints, Sid following closely behind. Mac glanced around and looked sheepishly at him, he wasn't used to being total reliant on someone.
"Sid I can't ask you to do this for me." Mac said
"You didn't ask. I offered." Sid reminded him with a grin, trying to shake the atmosphere of dread that lingered.
"Right." Mac said, still feeling helpless.
Sid wired the sum across to the court. He was quite content for a man who was giving up $1 million, but on the other hand he did have $26 million more.
"I honestly don't know how to thank you." Mac said, still bewildered.
The handcuffs were about to be presented to Mac again but Jo had become inpatient and gone looking for Mac.
"Do you really need those?" Jo asked the officer, startling the whole room
"It's protocol ma'am."
"Well let me take it from here then." she flashed her detective's badge on her belt and took the handcuffs from him.
"I'll take him to the precinct to get his tag fitted."
The officer looked uneasy about the situation, but Jo was his superior. If she took Mac, he would be her responsibility, not his. He nodded and walked off.
The court employed official, who had helped organized the money transfer with Sid, had to sign paperwork to witness the ankle tag being installed. The four of them went in Jo's Avalanche to the precinct. Mac rubbed his hands over his wrists, feeling that the weight physically and mentally had been lifted. He wanted nothing more to go home, sleep in his own bed. Be amongst his things. He would be spending at least 22 hours there in the next 48 hours at home. He had no idea what he would do with himself, he had practically been suspended from the lab, and he couldn't go anywhere.
The ankle tag was fitted onto Mac at the precinct. Mac felt nothing but pure humiliation as it was locked on. Mac had lost his pride; he was a shadow of his former self. He collected his possessions from booking and said his goodbyes to Sid and the rest of the team before he; Jo and the court official went to install the second part of his electronical ankle tag to his landline.
Once inside, Mac went his closet and retrieved his passport. He also retrieved his spare pistol and surrendered them to the court official. He didn't want to screw anything up and breach his bail conditions.
Mac and Jo were finally alone by 2pm of that day. Jo had offered to keep Mac company during some of the hours he was incarcerated in his own home, which started in a few hours. Mac was not allowed back to the lab, he was not allowed to work and he was not allowed anywhere near the evidence. Jo had told Danny that she planned to take the rest of the day off and he thought that he and the rest of the team could cope.
"What shall we do?" Mac asked as he walked into the kitchen
"What did you have in mind?"
"Well I don't want to be cooped up in here any longer than I actually have to be." Mac nodded as he flicked the switch on the kettle. "Coffee?"
"Please." Jo smiled and leant back on the work surface. "I'm glad you are okay." Jo said quietly, just loud enough for Mac to hear.
He handed her a mug, "This nightmare isn't over yet." He said leaning back next to her.
"So what shall we do for the next few hours?" Jo asked.
"I think I'd just like to get out. Breathe some fresh air, see the beauty of the world before…" Mac trailed off.
"Mac you are not going to prison."
"You can't know that Jo. The truth is, I could be."
"Well you won't be there for very long."
"You can't know that either. I could be there for the rest of my life. You know, criminals don't take too kindly to cops. The criminal population in prisons is pretty high these days." Mac instantly regretted his sarcasm once the words had passed his lips. Jo was shocked by his sudden out burst, but she knew he didn't mean it. "I'm sorry, Jo. I didn't me-"
"I know." She put her cup down, and turned so as she was directly opposite Mac. "If it comes to the worst, then we will deal with it" She put her hand on his arm and looked into his eyes. "Why don't you believe me when I say I'll get you out? Because I will."
"I know that is what you believe. I know that is what you intend to do."
She looked at him, almost hurt. She wasn't sure how to convince him that she would get him out if need be. No matter what.
"Jo, all I am saying is that it won't be easy. The media won't just be interested in me if they think you are trying to release a criminal. Working to get me exonerated will be like a full time Job; you'll have to take some leave from the lab. You won't have any financial income; you won't be able to support Ellie. This could go on for years. I can't expect you to give up your life because mine has been thrown away."
'I don't have a life without you,' was Jo's immediate thought.
Jo seemed to consider this; she hadn't taken everything into account.
"Well I'm sure that if I talk to Reed, he can help with the media circles. As for me, I'm sure I can cope."
"How?"
"Mac, I don't know! I will manage."
"Jo, I have a lot of faith in you, I do. It's just nobody can do the impossible, and I don't want to see you get hurt trying."
"But you are innocent!"
"Not everybody is going to see it that way."
"You're acting as if it is okay to go to prison!"
"No, of course it isn't. I will fight for my right to freedom, don't you worry about that. I just don't want to bring you down."
"Mac, you are my closest friend. I am not going to walk away from you. I am not going to leave you to rot in a prison cell and I am certainly not going to stand by and do nothing!"
"Lets go for a walk." Mac concluded.
Jo just smiled, she knew that Mac had no way of getting her to sit on the sidelines. She was there for him whether he liked it or not.
Mac knew he was lucky to have her, she was one in a million.
Author Note:
I can hardly believe it, it has now been a week since I first published this! 1 chapter everyday! (I am far too pleased with myself)
Okay, so I'm not too sure when the next chapter will be up, hopefully it won't be too long... I have actually written Chapter 8, but I like to keep a chapter on in advance so if I need to I can make changes while more ideas come to mind. It's the one after that I have been having trouble with, but I am working on it.
I have looked over the spellings carefully and have come to the conclusion that everything is British, English, friendly. Hope its an improvement (:
Please R&R I love hearing your thoughts and opinions.
Author Note #2
Ok, so perhaps I still had some spelling mistakes. Fixed now, as far as I can see. I was wondering if my guest reviewer/s wouldn't mind signing in. I obviously respect you're privacy and your wish to remain anonymous, it's just incredibly difficult to have a conversation with you. You probably won't even be on this page again to see this message.
As for the date thing, I see that I have in fact got it wrong, but originally it was the date then month then year back here in England. I appreciate the fact that I am writing an American story but you have to realise that I am therefore consciously doing something wrong in my own language.
Gee, Its all so complicated. Maybe a future idea would be to send Mac & the team to England so I can write without thinking twice about the UK/US differences.
