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Web of Deceit
Part VI
~Courthouse~
"And did you run any special tests on Ms. Webber on the evening of February 1?" Attler moved towards the witness box.
"I ran the standard blood alcohol test, and also did a toxicology screen to check for any drug levels." The Doctor replied.
"And what were the results?"
"Ms. Webber registered a .11 blood alcohol level, and she also tested positive for elements of PCP."
"In your opinion, how strong of a dose was the PCP?"
"That of heavy user, given her height and weight, she would have to build up a tolerance level to ingest that much without Od'ing."
Alexis made a mark on her notepad, yet made no move to object.
"Thank you Dr. Childs," Attler turned and smirked at her. "Your witness."
"Thank you," Alexis got to her feet. "Did you also have the opportunity to run those same tests on Gia Campbell?"
"Objection," Attler shot to his feet. "Relevance."
"Your honor the defense contends that someone else was driving the car the night of the accident. That Miss Webber was drugged, rendering her incapable of driving. If Ms. Campbell, another woman who has never exhibited signs of drug use before that night, also tested positive, it is very relevant to the defense," Alexis argued.
"Overruled the witness will answer." The judge directed him.
"Yes Miss Campbell registered a .09 blood alcohol level," Dr. Childs checked his notes. "She also tested positive for a strong amount of PCP."
"Similar to Miss Webber?" Alexis moved closer.
"Yes the doses are almost equal," the doctor conceded.
"Okay now alcohol is a depressant, is that correct?"
"Yes it slows down your heart rate, making you lethargic, your reflexes will slow."
"And PCP is a stimulant?"
"Yes it speeds up your heart rate, the synapses in your brain fires quicker, producing hallucinations, and periods of hyperactivity."
"So in layman's terms, alcohol basically puts you to sleep, while PCP makes you go," Alexis pulled her glasses off. "Is that correct?"
"Yes, in layman's terms."
"So a combination of the two could counteract each other correct?"
"I suppose."
"If that is true then someone the size and weight of Miss Webber, could have ingested the amount of drugs you mentioned, without Od'ing and without building up a tolerance for it, because the alcohol offset it. Is that correct?"
"Objection draws for a conclusion."
Alexis turned to face Attler with a raised eyebrow. "I thought Dr. Childs was testifying in his capacity as a medical expert. Therefore he would be qualified to draw conclusions wouldn't he? If not, why exactly is he on the stand?"
Attler flushed.
"Sit down Attler," Judge Irons ordered. "You may proceed."
"Is that correct doctor?" Alexis inquired.
"Yes, the levels of alcohol could offset enough of the PCP, that she wouldn't have been that effected."
"Thank you no further questions," Alexis sat back at the table and whispered to Elizabeth. "I think we just opened the door in proving that you're not a junkie."
"The people call Detective Alex Garcia." Attler called out.
~Warehouse~
"You can imagine my surprise can't you? I hear all about Sonny Corinthos' long lost sister. I'm curious to meet her, in fact you might say I have to meet her. And who do I see when I think I'm going to meet Courtney Corinthos?" Roscoe asked. "You Traci Langston."
Courtney/Traci rubbed the back of her head. "You could have just asked to see me Roscoe, there was no need for chloroform."
"But it was so much fun," he replied with a smirk. "How is the viper these days?"
"Enjoying her forced vacation, at least for another two years, until the statute of limitations runs out." Courtney replied.
"What the hell are you pulling here Traci?"
"Do me a favor call me Courtney. I would hate for you to slip up in front of someone," she began to dig in her bag for her cigarettes.
"Don't test me too much," he warned her. "Now what kind of scam are you pulling on Corinthos?"
Courtney took her time lighting her cigarette, running through scenarios in her head. She knew Roscoe, she also knew that she would have to tell him a lot of the truth, or he would kill her. "It all started about 6 weeks ago. A guy name AJ Quartermaine came looking for someone to play a role…"
~Courthouse~
"Are you positive?" Alexis asked.
"Lady you can ask me twelve different ways and the answer will always be the same. I saw her," he pointed at Elizabeth. "Deliberately run into that tree."
Alexis turned away before the judge could see her frustrations. She hadn't found the hammer to break Curtis Longer. He was the strongest non circumstantial evidence that the state had and she hadn't been able to find a way to prove he was lying. She saw Jason walk in the doors, he nodded at her, and she headed for her table. "I'm through with this witness, but I reserve the right to recall him at a later date."
"So noted." The Judge agreed. "Call your next witness.
"The people call Rodney Bartlett to the stand."
"What do you have?" Alexis whispered.
Jason handed her some papers. "He's dirty here's the proof."
She took the folder warily. "Jason is this evidence proving his dirt clean? It has to stand up in a court of law, if you got it illegally it won't do me any good."
"Jason don't get yourself in trouble," Elizabeth whispered.
"A copy of this was obtained by your investigator through a warrant." Jason met her eyes evenly.
Alexis took the forward and refused to question whether the warrant was valid, or if Jason had the material before the investigator did. At the moment she couldn't afford to be that ethical.
~Warehouse~
"I can't believe he bought it just like that. From what I know about Sonny Corinthos he would have demanded blood tests." Roscoe crossed to the coffee machine.
"He believed Mike had a kid with Janine Matthews, because Mike knows he did and admitted it. He believes that Mike abandoned the kid when she was almost 4, because Mike has admitted he did. Mike doesn't have any idea what the kid looks like now. So when Janine produced a girl and called her Courtney, he believed that's who I was. Sonny's so whacked in the head over Mike abandoning him all those years ago, he took one look at me, and knew I was feeling that same abandonment," Courtney explained holding out her cup for a refill. "Bam instant connection."
"So Janine is on this too?"
"Hell she went to AJ when she found out that Mike was Sonny's father, then they came to me, to play the role of Courtney. She filled in a few blanks about fried sandwiches and walking home from an amusement park, and Mike said he would know me anywhere." She laughed. "He was such a sucker."
"So Corinthos really believes you're his sister?" Roscoe moved quickly and before she realized it, he had his hand around her throat. "So if I kill you now, he'll think he lost his family."
"True," Courtney spoke easily even though the grip on her neck hurt. "But that would be stupid on your part. You never struck me as stupid before."
He tightened his grip. "I'd watch your mouth, I might just take out what I owe Nicki on you."
"Think about it Roscoe. You kill me, and you got a street war. And with Morgan back in town, I don't think you want that."
His eyes narrowed. "He's not in town I would have heard if he was."
"Well he is," she twisted the knife. "Haven't you spent the last 8 months hiding from Morgan? Do you really want to start a street war, when he's in town? I thought you wanted to live."
His hand tightened convulsively on her throat. "I was not hiding from Jason Morgan."
She gripped his hand, pulling it away from her neck. "If I can guarantee you the Port Charles territory, without any bloodshed, will you take it?"
Intrigued Roscoe backed away. "You could do that?"
"Oh I've already started doing that. Soon there won't be enough of Sonny left to put up a fight, and as for Jason," she perched on the edge of the desk. "He'll soon be a distant memory."
"Tell me more."
~Courthouse~
"Do you recognize these?" Alexis held out the papers Jason had given her.
Rodney took them. "Dude these are my bank records."
"I'd like these admitted into evidence as Defense Exhibit 3," Alexis held out a copy to the clerk.
"So noted."
"Can you tell me why you made a deposit of $10,000 into your account on February 1, and made another $10,000 deposit today?"
"Objection relevancy." Attler cried out.
"I'm curious as to how someone who made $28,473 last year, found a way to make $20,000 in two weeks." Alexis explained.
The Judge sighed. "Your fishing counselor. You better catch something," he leaned closer. "And soon."
"You are employed at the Seascape Restaurant as a valet, and you testified earlier that you saw Elizabeth Webber, driving the car, that contained Ms. Campbell, approximately 20 minutes before the accident. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"You also testified, that you overheard Miss Webber say that she was going to, and I quote," Alexis looked at her notebook. "Kill that bitch tonight."
Rodney nodded his head.
"Mr. Bartlett you need to speak for the record," Alexis informed him.
"Oh, right." He called out loudly.
"About how far away was Miss Webber, when you heard her threaten to kill Miss Campbell?" Alexis kept her back to him while she asked the question. When he didn't answer, she turned around. "Mr. Bartlett, how far away was she?"
Rodney scratched his neck and thought about it. "Probably the same as me, and the second row. She had her back to me, and was talking to herself."
Alexis crossed to that spot. "Here," she asked pausing next to a wide-eyed Amy Vining who was taking notes. Again she turned when he didn't answer. She spoke in her normal tone of voice. "Was she here?"
Rodney squinted at her. "Yeah."
"And she had her back to you. Your sure of that?"
"Yes."
"Okay," she turned so she had her back to him and spoke in her normal tone of voice again. "What am I saying now Mr. Bartlett."
Elizabeth looked over at the witness who didn't answer. He was looking at Alexis like he was waiting for something, but he didn't answer. Puzzled she looked at Jason who just inclined his head in the witness' direction again.
"Mr. Bartlett?" Alexis turned back to him. "What did I say?"
"Uh…" Rodney fidgeted.
"Maybe you couldn't hear me because everyone was talking," Alexis offered. "If I could have complete silence please?" She asked the packed courtroom, before turning around again. "Maybe you should buy a hearing aid."
Luke snorted and patted Elizabeth on the shoulder, when she turned to look at him.
Again, Rodney didn't answer, by now he was not only fidgeting, he was perspiring profusely.
Alexis turned around. "Or maybe you couldn't hear, because you are over 55% deaf in both ears. And you have been ever since a Monsters of Rock concert you attended in your teens?" She picked up another file from her desk. "Isn't that right?"
"I can hear." Rodney snarled.
"I'd like this to be marked as Defense Exhibit 3 please." She gave a copy to the clerk. "These are your medical records. It seems you tried to join the army last year and couldn't because you flunked the hearing test. You were classified legally as deaf."
"I can read lips," he shot back.
Alexis leaned on the bar of the witness box. "So how did you read Elizabeth Webber's lips when she had her back to you?"
"I … she … shit," he groaned.
Attler buried his head in his hands, when he saw his witness go down in flames. The courtroom buzzed with laughter, and the Judge hit the gavel quieting them.
"So would you like to answer my original question now?" Alexis asked. "Where did you get the $20,000?" She shifted when he tried to look past her, so he could only see her face. "Do you know what the penalty for lying under oath is? Because if Mr. Attler can't tell you, I'll be happy too."
"Fine," Rodney caved. "I was told to say that Elizabeth Webber was driving, and that she threatened to kill Gia Campbell. I was paid to say it."
"Order." The judge bellowed when the courtroom burst into noise.
"Who paid you?" Alexis asked.
"I don't know. It was some guy, I never got his name. He just showed up that night, and offered me $10,000 if I told the police what I testified too."
"$10,000?"
"Yes." He looked past her to Elizabeth. "I don't even remember the girl. It was cold that night, I spent more time by the radiator than anywhere else. I had some money on a basketball game."
"What about the second $10,000 payment?" Alexis asked.
"A guy came to me yesterday. He wanted me to be sure that I testified. He wanted me to be sure that I stuck with what I told the police."
"He told you to lie."
"No. He just wanted me to stick with the story I told the police. He seemed convinced I was telling the truth. I had planned on saying it anyway, so I just took the money."
A part of Alexis couldn't believe how stupid Rodney was. She wondered what else he would confess too, if she asked the right question. "Do you know who this second man was?"
"No, I never seen him before yesterday. I'll never forget his car though. A sweet 2002 Jag," Rodney whistled.
Alexis jolted at the description of the car, and Elizabeth paled when she heard it.
"Anyway," Rodney drew himself away from the memory. "The guy's here now."
Alexis gripped the bar, separating the spectators from the attorney's desk, hard and searched for a face. "Could you point him out?"
"It's him," Rodney pointed. "The dude with the weird black hair."
She closed her eyes, for a minute. "Let the record show that the witness identified Nikolas Cassadine." She said finally her eyes searching her nephew's face.
~Warehouse~
"So there you have it. I isolate Sonny, remove everyone he ever cared about, including Jason Morgan. And leave him broken and alone. Thereby leaving Port Charles for the taking. I don't want to run the territory. I just want some of the cash." Courtney summed it up.
"That's a unique plan."
"Thank you. It's also a smart one. You could go for all out war if you want. But look at what happened to Rivera, Harry Silver, Moreno, Sorel, when they tried to do it violently," she saw his raised eyebrow. "I live in Atlantic City you hear things," she explained. "This way is so much more effective, because not only will Sonny be beaten, he'll still be alive, and have to live with that. Until someone finally puts a bullet in his brain, that is."
"Are you sure Morgan will turn on him?" Roscoe asked. The idea was tempting, and it suited his style more. Although he didn't mind violence, he loved a good trick. Especially one that left the victim praying they were dead.
"He already has. I told you the Webber girl was the key to breaking his loyalty. Jason knows I'm lying, Sonny might even know I'm lying, but it doesn't matter to him. Let me tell you, it matters to Jason though."
"There is a possible downside, two of them actually. What if the Webber girl beats the charge?"
"I've taken care of the witnesses, she won't, and even if by some miracle she did, you could always go back to the old-fashioned way of killing Sonny and Jason." Courtney explained, digging for her breath spray. It wouldn't do to get caught with cigarette breath.
"That is always a possibility," Roscoe agreed. "But what happens if the real Courtney shows up?"
"That's the kicker," Courtney narrowed her eyes. "Janine dumped the kid a week after she left Mike, she blackmailed a relative into raising her as one of her own. She doesn't even know she was adopted."
"Still if she shows up."
"Oh she's already showed up, in fact she's been living here for years. But not for very much longer," her smile turned evil. "She's about to be sent to prison for 20 years for attempted murder, and her brother is helping to pave the way."
~Courthouse~
"You know I don't think Attler is liking you very much at the moment," Jax whispered to Alexis. "If your not careful he's going to stop asking you out."
Alexis glared at him. "I am not interested in any plastic, polished, smarmy politician type loser."
Jax studied the man at the far table. "I thought he might be your type," he turned back. "After all you did date Ashton."
She narrowed her eyes. "And I married you. Sooner or later a woman has to raise her standards."
"Alexis," Audrey joined them. "Bartlett admitted he was lying is that enough to end this?"
Alexis waited until Luke joined them, and Elizabeth and Jason looked up from their quiet conversation as well. "I wish I could say it's as good as you think it is, but it isn't. Basically we managed to turn Bartlett into a lame duck."
"What do you mean Natasha?" Luke demanded.
"It means the state can't use him for their case and we can't use him for ours. He's admitted to perjury. He will obviously lie to anyone as long as he gets paid. The judge can't honestly believe anything Bartlett says, not even if he says the sky is blue. He had no credibility."
"So it's still bad?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes," Alexis admitted honestly, refusing to sugarcoat things for Elizabeth. They had a long way to go. "There is a bright spot though, the state can't use him either, and therefore one of their key witnesses is gone. The only person who heard you say you were going to kill Gia, isn't believable."
"But what about those journals they said I wrote?" Elizabeth asked.
"One thing at a time Elizabeth," Luke answered. "One thing at a time."
"The state is building a house of cards," Alexis explained. "Its looks good from the outside, at some angles it even looks rock solid, but in reality it is made out of nothing but cards. All you need to do to bring it down, is take away enough cards. Today we took away a card, the house hasn't fallen down yet, but it is shaking."
Elizabeth sighed and turned away.
"She's right Elizabeth." Jason said quietly. "We got rid of one of their witnesses today."
"Yeah, but not the critical one. The guy who said I did it deliberately, he was rock solid," she whispered. "I watched the judge when he was testifying. He was hanging on every word. He believed him. Then Garcia brought up those journals and pictures they found in my studio. Stuff I never even saw before. And now I find out, someone is paying to convict me, that one of my oldest friends," she stopped for a second and swallowed hard. "Paid someone to put in jail."
Jason kept his eyes on her, but was aware that the others had pulled back to give them privacy, still he kept his voice low. "I know this has to hurt you. But you can't give up. I know it might look bad now, but Alexis is right, the state doesn't have a case, because you didn't do it."
"Luke didn't do it, and they almost convicted him." Elizabeth argued.
"Luke is his own worst enemy," Jason countered. "He looks guilty even when he's asleep."
Her eyes widened at the unexpected joke, and she smiled slightly.
Jason relished the smile, small though it was. It was the first one he had seen since he had gotten back in town. "Remember what we talked about at the jail?" She nodded. "Remember that. All you have to concentrate on, is getting through the next minute, the rest will take care of itself."
Elizabeth reached put slowly, her hand shook as she hesitated for a minute, then moved on and took his hand. "It may be selfish of me. But I'm glad you're here. I couldn't get through this without you."
"Yes you could," Jason replied. "You're strong."
"No," she shook her head and searched his eyes. "This time I'm not that strong. This time I'm leaning on you."
Her words triggered a memory. "You can lean on me, I'm a lot stronger than I look."
Elizabeth's eyes warmed as she shared the memory.
'All rise." The Bailiff called out, when the door opened and the judge walked back into the courtroom.
Alexis sat as soon as she could. "You remember what we talked about?" She asked Elizabeth.
"About the witnesses?"
"Yes. I'm going to have to go after them. It might get ugly, but I have to do it."
"The people call Lucas Spencer." Attler called out.
Elizabeth turned and watched her former fiancé enter the courtroom. He looked right at her, then his eyes moved to Jason and he grimaced, before moving on and taking the stand.
"Elizabeth?" Alexis asked. "They're bringing him in to prove motive. I have to break him."
She turned back and looked at Luke, who leaned over closer to the bar. "Luke?"
"Lucky made his own choice," Luke whispered. "He'll have to live with it."
Elizabeth sighed and found the need to protect and save Lucky. A need she that had overwhelmed her for the last two years, wasn't there anymore. "Break him Alexis."
~Wyndamere~
Gia moved around her room, ignoring the destruction on the floor. She'd had a fit during the night and had shattered every mirror on the third floor, before locking herself in this room.
Nikolas had been frantic, demanding she let him in, and when she wouldn't he had snuck through the tunnels and surprised her. He ended up sleeping in the chair, when she refused to speak to him. He wasn't quitting on her, no matter how badly she wanted him too.
Partially frowning she moved to the window, she didn't want him to quit on her. Yet she didn't want to see him either. She glanced down at the ring on her finger. A ring she had thrown at him last night. A ring she had found on her finger again when she had woken up this morning. He definitely wasn't quitting.
She moved over to one of his jackets that was on the floor, sighing she picked it up and pressed her nose into the soft cloth hoping to smell him. She loved him. If she didn't love him so much, maybe it would be easier for her to be around him. But because she loved him, she knew he deserved better than what she could give him. Their proposed marriage had always been unequal. He was bringing in money and a title, and she was bringing in her love and her looks.
And now one of them was gone.
She put on his coat and moved back to the window seat. He was going to be one of wealthiest men in the world. He had already told her about the parties and meetings that they would have to attend. How could he attend with her looking the way she did?
She tucked her hands in his pocket, and pulled her hand back out when she felt some paper. She studied the wrinkled envelope in her hand. Gia was scrawled across it, but she didn't remember seeing it.
She opened it and began to read. She had only made it past the first sentence when the words hit her.
~Penthouse 4~
Courtney hesitated outside the door, she needed a minute to gear herself up for the next performance of the day. A part of her would be so glad when this job was finished. Not only would she be wealthy, she wouldn't have to constantly be on her toes anymore. Time to be the dutiful sister. She knocked once then opened the door. "Sonny?"
"Courtney." Sonny got up from the couch, where he had been waiting for her.
"Mike said you called wanting to see me." She moved into the room and took off her coat. "What's up?"
"The truth Courtney. That is what's up."
"What about it?"
"You're going to tell me the truth," he informed her. "Or you are going to walk out that door and never come back."
Courtney sucked in a breath when she saw his expression. A strange determination and coldness was in his eyes. A coldness, that hadn't been there when he had spoken to her before. For the first time since she had met him, she felt like he was someone to be afraid of.