Switched At Birth-Ch 15
The rest of the week passed by at a snails pace for Derek and Penelope as they continued to worry about what was going to happen. Fran, Sarah and Desi stayed at Dereks house and watched the girls while the rest of their family headed to court to support Derek and Penelope.
At one table was Derek, Penelope and Hotch and at the other table was Veronica and her attorney Sheridan Walden, a well respected attorney from Virginia. Hotch looked at Derek and Penelope and said, "just remember, everything is going to be fine, we've got this", they nodded their heads in agreement.
Their attention was pulled to the center of the room as the baitliff said, "all rise, judge Celia Ward presiding", the judge walked into the room and sat down and said, "you may be seated". She then looked around and said, "we're here today to determine the custody of the minor child Jamie Francine Morgan, is that correct"?, Sheridan and Hotch in unison said, "yes mam".
Reid felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, he leaned in and whispered to JJ and then snuck out of the room, he walked to the end of the hall and said, "Spencer Reid here". The voice on the other end said, "you were right in your theory agent Reid", Spencer said, "what do you mean, can you see the face of the person that switched the babies"?, she said, "you can and in the nursery isn't the only place you see the man".
Reid listened as she said, "I looked back at survelience footage of the day Jamies parents were killed in that car accident and boom he's there to". Reid said, "so the man that switched babies around killed them to"?, the voice on the other end of the phone said, "yep, I'm sending you the footage now".
Before the call ended Reid said, "do we have a name on the unsub"?, she said, "you know him already", Reid said, "we do, how"?, she said, "the man in the video is Sam Davis, Penelopes ex". Reid said, "t t thank you", she said, "I hope that helped you out", he said, "ohhhh it did, you have no idea" before ending the call and heading back inside.
When he slid back in his seat the judge looked up and said, "alright this is how this case is going to go, I'm going to hear from the grandma and then the parents that have been raising the minor since her birth". The judge looked at the grandma and said, "Veronica if it's alright I'll start with you"?, she nodded her head and said, "yes mam".
The baitliff stood in front of her and said, "is the testimony you are about to give the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God"?, she said, "it is". Celia then said, "from the briefs I understand that when Jamies birth parents were married both sides of the family turned them away, correct"?, she said, "yes mam but I can now see the error of doing that".
Celia listened as Veronica said, "I loved my granddaughter, she was the light of my life and then when she got with, with him she changed". Celia said, "changed, changed how'?, Veronica said, "she rarely stopped by and when she did he was with her and seeing them together it, well it hurt me".
Celia said, "so what makes you think that you could be a better guardian then the two people that have raised her since the day she was born"?, Veronica said, "I don't believe that they would be better parents than I could be, she's my blood, she's nothing to them".
Hotch said, "objection", Celia said, "on what grounds"?, Hotch said, "Jamie has formed a parental/child bond with the Morgans and the feeling is mutual with them". Celia said, "sustained", she then looked at Veronica and said, "mam are you a racist"?, she said, "no not really, it's just I don't think people should cross that boundry".
Celia said, "that boundry, mam, it sounds to me like you are a racist", Veronica said, "I want a part of my granddaughter and raising Jamie would give me a part of her that I thought was lost forever". Celia looked up and said, "I would like to talk to the head of child services, is she here"?, Vera stepped forward and raised her hand as the baitliff said, "do you promise that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth"?, she said, "I do".
Celia looked at her and said, "Vera you and I have had many cases together, what is your take on Veronica wanting custody of her granddaughter"?, everybody listened as Vera took a deep breath before opening her mouth and getting ready to speak.