Title: 'People vs. Chegwidden' - Part Seventeen
Author: Daenar
Disclaimer: See Part One
From part sixteen:
Mac took a deep breath, let her Marine pride show in the way she raised her chin and calmly walked over to confront the jury. "Good morning." Subconsciously she was aware of the soft humming of a camera's zoom that focused on her face. But she didn't consider it disturbing. 'Use the sympathies you gain from this, Mackenzie,' she told herself as she let her expression soften a nuance without letting go of her determination. "A man receives a phone call from a friend he hasn't seen in a long time," she began, adding the slightest dose of warmth and sex appeal to her cool matter-of-fact voice. Fred suddenly envied her for being a woman and being able to play with male senses.
Mac went on in her near-to-gentle tone. "He is surprised when the caller, a woman, asks for his help, but as a gentleman, he offers it and agrees to meet her at her house as she wants him to. Upon his arrival, he finds the door open, goes in and finds the woman dying from stab wounds. He understands he can't do anything for her and decides not to leave her side while she dies. Her son comes in and arrives at the wrong conclusions. These," Mac paused, letting an intense glance wander from member to member, "Are the facts in this case, plain and clear. These facts should already suffice to fully dismiss the charges but," again she paused, straightening her body and sharpening her voice, letting out the tough Marine counselor, "Defense will not limit the case to this.
"We will produce evidence to show that Doctor Sydney Walden's life had been threatened before. We will prove that Doctor Walden acquired knowledge about an environmental crime that made her patients suffer from testicular germ cell cancer. We will prove that this knowledge made Doctor Walden a threat to other projects of the consortium the criminal firm belongs to. And we will prove that, for this knowledge and her obvious intent to seek help by disclosing it to the accused, Doctor Sydney Walden was killed in order to silence her the moment before Admiral Chegwidden reached her house." Once again Mac let a moment of silence pass, meeting the glance of each and every member of the board, hoping for the effect her huge dark eyes usually had on others. When she finally spoke, her voice was low, clear and professionally well-pronounced. "AJ Chegwidden is not guilty of the murder he is charged with. Thank you." Mac exercised a slow, elegant turn on her heel and walked over to her seat, noticing the barely visible expression of pride on AJ's features.
"Thank you, Colonel Rabb." Judge Helfman was glad that she always had excellent control over her face. Otherwise her inward relief about the colonel's by-the-book performance would have shown clearly. But she silently admitted to herself that - had she been allowed to - her smile would exactly mirror that of the TV director sitting opposite to her who was all but doing the happy dance about a one-in-a-million moment of courtroom TV.
Part Seventeen:
Thu, March 4th 1621 ZULU Courtroom JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
"Would the prosecution call their first witness, please."
Krennick rose again. "Prosecution calls Petty Officer Third Class Daniel Walden to the stand."
The heavy oak doors opened and Danny Walden entered the room. He made a beeline for the witness stand, pointedly not looking at the admiral or his defense counsels.
Krennick smiled encouragingly as she approached him. "Please raise your hand. P.O. Walden, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
"I swear."
"Please, take a seat. Would you state your name and current position for the record?"
"Petty Officer Third Class Daniel Walden, ma'am, currently stationed aboard the USS Coral Sea."
Krennick made sure she stood at a convenient angle for the nearby camera when she let her expression turn compassionate. She had witnessed in a barely contained fury how Mac had wrapped the entire public around her finger before, and although Allison somehow knew that her rather cold blue eyes could never stand a chance against those sensual brown pools of Mac's, she was nevertheless determined to make her own abilities in handling the public match Mac's. "Petty Officer, first of all let me say that we are all infinitely sorry for the great loss you suffered with your mother's death."
Danny nodded grimly. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Please, Mr. Walden, tell us: were you at home the afternoon of February 14th?"
"I was on leave and just about to return to my mother's house, ma'am."
"What happened upon your arrival?"
Danny swallowed. "When I arrived, ma'am, I wondered why the door was slightly ajar. I entered the house and saw my mother dying in the entrance hall."
"Was there anyone with her?" Krennick ventured cautiously.
"Yes, ma'am." Danny indicated the admiral with his right hand. "Him."
"For the record: witness points to the accused," Krennick stated. "Can you describe the situation, Petty Officer?"
"She... she was lying in her blood, ma'am, and the admiral was covered all over with it. He held her head on his lap. The knife had been tossed away. When I entered, Admiral Chegwidden looked up and met my glance."
"What did his expression look like, Mr. Walden? Did he show signs of guilt or a bad conscience?"
"Objection!" Mac sprung to her feet. "Calls for speculation."
Judge Helfman raised an eyebrow at Krennick. "Sustained."
"I'm sorry, your honor. I'll rephrase." Krennick mentally kicked herself. "Petty Officer: Can you describe the look on the admiral's face?"
"Objection!" Mac called again. "Relevance?"
Helfman frowned. "I'll allow it. Answer the question, Petty Officer."
Danny nodded. "Yes, your honor. He looked haunted and guilty."
Krennick's thin, icy smile was up again. "Was there anyone else present at the time, or did you notice anything that could have caused your mother's death?"
Danny firmly met her glance. "No, ma'am."
Krennick feigned a thoughtful expression. "Tell me, Mr. Walden, on what terms were the accused and your mother by the time of her death?"
"Objection! Hearsay," Mac probed, knowing that this would probably be overruled.
Krennick spoke up at once. "Your honor, Mr. Walden is the victim's only son. He is very likely to know about his mother's private life."
Mac nevertheless contradicted. "Your honor, by the time the crime occurred, Mr. Walden had been living on an aircraft carrier for several months without home leave."
Helfman considered Mac's point, but then decided against it. "Overruled, I'll allow it. But please, Captain, don't drag this out too much."
"No, your honor," Krennick replied, content. "What was the relationship between the admiral and your mother, Petty Officer?" she asked again.
Danny frowned, seeming disgusted. "They used to date a few years ago, but the admiral took too much interest in things that were none of his business, and my mother eventually ended the relationship. They haven't been on friendly terms since then. And the admiral used to snoop around about me. My mother told him to keep his nose out of our business and he was angry about it."
Krennick decided to push it further. "Do you think that Admiral Chegwidden's grudge against your mother might have caused him to eventually kill her?"
"Objection!" Mac called.
"Withdrawn. No further questions." Krennick nonchalantly turned to Mac. "Your witness."
As the captain took her place, Mac rose. "Petty Officer Walden: you said that the admiral took interest in things that were none of his business. Isn't it so that those 'things' were the admiral's car that he had lent to you and that was found with a considerable amount of Marihuana in it? And that you were convicted for drug dealing?"
"Objection, relevance?" Krennick tried.
"I'm trying to prove that the admiral actually did take interest in things that concerned him, entitling him to inquire. That will clear the defendant of the reproach of being overly curious."
"I'll allow it. Objection overruled. Petty Officer, please answer."
Danny glared at Mac. "Yes to both, ma'am," he drawled.
Mac inwardly sighed with relief and went on pointedly. "Petty Officer, did you see the admiral stab your mother with said knife?"
"No, ma'am, I did not," Danny answered reluctantly.
"Do you know who inflicted the stab wounds on your mother?"
"I... think so, ma'am."
"But you cannot be sure of it because you didn't see it?"
"Objection!" Krennick called. "Defense is leading the witness."
"Your honor," Mac cut in, "The witness already testified that he didn't see the admiral do it and that he didn't notice anyone else near the crime scene."
Helfman nodded. "Objection overruled, captain. Please, answer the question, Mr. Walden."
"So, you can't be sure who did it?" Mac asked again.
Danny angrily frowned. "No, ma'am."
"No further questions." Mac turned and, with a completely neutral expression on her face, went to sit down at AJ's side again.
Helfman looked at Krennick. "Does the prosecution wish to redirect?"
"No, your honor."
"Thank you, Mr. Walden, you may step down."
Danny did as he was told, this time shooting a glare in Mac's direction as he was led outside.
"Prosecution calls Special Agent Colin Spearman." Krennick announced.
Agent Spearman showed clear signs of uneasiness as he walked in front and was sworn in. Frowning, he took the stand.
"Please state your name and current position for the record, Agent."
"Special Agent Colin Spearman, Federal Bureau of Investigation."
"Agent Spearman," Krennick tried a smile as she approached him, only to note with dismay that it didn't seem to produce any effect on the witness. "What is your connection with this case?"
"I was in charge of the investigation until the JAG Corps took over, ma'am."
"Could you explain to us what evidence you were able to find in Doctor Walden's house?"
"As Mr. Walden already mentioned," Spearman's voice was warily neutral, "The victim lost a huge amount of blood, that was clearly visible on the carpet in the entrance hall. We found a butcher's knife approximately a yard away from the body."
Krennick cut in. "Just a moment please," she went over to her desk, took a plastic bag and returned, showing the bag to Judge Helfman. "Your honor, prosecution exhibit A. Agent Spearman, is this the knife you found near Doctor Walden's body?"
Spearman leaned slightly forward and studied the exhibit. "Yes, ma'am, that's it."
"Did you have it checked for fingerprints?"
"Yes, we did."
"What did you find?"
"Only one person's fingerprints were found on the knife besides Doctor Walden's, ma'am, Admiral Chegwidden's."
"Did you check anything else for fingerprints, Agent?"
"Yes, we did. As the door wasn't forced, we checked the doorbell and handle twice after the standard sweep had been done. Again there were no other fingerprints beside those of Sydney Walden and Admiral Chegwidden on them."
"Did you notice anything else in the house that you considered of importance to the case?" Krennick's self-confidence showed clearly now. Mac tried to will away the growing uneasiness that was invading her stomach.
Spearman shook his head. "No, ma'am. We saw no signs of a fight and found no other traces. Oh, but yes, two details, actually. First: footprints around the blood stains in the entrance hall. They matched Admiral Chegwidden's Valleverde shoes. And second: Doctor Walden must have been attacked near the living-room door and then gotten halfway through the entrance hall, already wounded, before she fell to the ground, by what the blood traces indicate."
Krennick turned to Mac, not even bothering to hide her gloat. "Your witness, Colonel." The TV director subconsciously rubbed her hands. Real life soap dish. She loved it.
Mac rose. "Thank you, ma'am," she said amiably, being all politeness. AJ tried hard to stifle his grin that threatened to break through despite the evidence given against him.
"Agent Spearman," Mac leisurely approached the FBI agent, "Can you be absolutely certain that there were no other traces in the house?"
"Next to certain, ma'am."
"But not entirely certain?"
"No, ma'am. At times we may miss something."
"Thank you, no further questions." Mac sat down again.
"Does the prosecution wish to redirect?" Helfman asked.
"No, your honor."
"Thank you, Agent Spearman, you may step down," Judge Helfman released him.
"Prosecution calls Doctor Beverly Hancock to the stand."
Again the oak doors opened and an elegant middle-aged woman entered the room. Having been sworn in, she took the stand.
"Please state your name and current position for the record."
"Beverly Hancock, MD, coroner with the DCPD." Fred involuntarily raised his eyebrows. 'She looks more like one of those Mary-Kay women to me.'
Krennick approached her. "Doctor Hancock, you did the autopsy on Doctor Walden's body, is that correct?"
"That is correct." Hancock's voice was warm and velvety, making it seem even stranger that she would be around corpses all day for a living.
"What did Sydney Walden die from, Doctor?" Krennick asked.
"She died from multiple stab wounds to her abdomen and chest that perforated several inner organs, specifically the stomach, liver and lungs."
Mac felt Chegwidden wince next to her. Under the table she put a soothing hand on her CO's thigh, not for a single moment thinking about the impropriety of the gesture. After a few seconds, AJ seemed to relax.
Krennick took the knife in the plastic bag and showed it to Hancock. "Could this be the knife that caused the wounds?"
"Objection!" Mac shouted. "Speculative."
"Your honor," Krennick countered, "Witness is an expert in forensic pathology. She is able to tell us if the knife's form and blade fit the wounds found on Doctor Walden's body."
"Overruled. Answer the question, please."
"Yes, a knife of the type very probably caused the lethal wounds," the coroner stated calmly.
"Were there other things to be noticed about the body, such as signs of a fight or something, drug remnants in her blood?"
"No, none that I could recall."
"No further questions, your honor."
Helfman looked at Mac. "Colonel Rabb?"
"No, your honor."
"Thank you, Doctor Hancock, you may step down. Does prosecution intend to call any more witnesses?"
"No, your honor."
Helfman inwardly sighed. She hated this case. "Court is in recess until 1400 when defense may call their witnesses." The gavel fell and immediately the noise level rose considerably, as people were streaming out of the room, eagerly discussing the events.
Chegwidden turned to Mac. "You did well, Colonel."
Mac gave him a strained smile. "Not as well as I should have, I fear. I couldn't find anything to disarm the last witness."
Fred cleared his throat, looking at the admiral. "If I may, sir?"
AJ nodded.
"There was nothing you could have done about it, ma'am. I'd say we let it rest and go out and get some lunch. What do you say?"
Mac looked at the admiral, unsure.
AJ smiled. "You need to be fed, Colonel, before you let loose that firework of yours that I've been looking forward to ever since I heard your opening argument. So, go and grab a bite, you two. I'll be taken good care of." With a wry smile, he motioned for the guards who approached to lead him outside.
Mac sighed and tried a smile, frowning slightly as, through the opening doors, she became aware of the herd of reporters that were lingering in front of the courtroom, waiting for their statement. "Okay, Fred, let's enter the lion's den and earn our lunch."
To be continued... (Feedback always appreciated!)
From part sixteen:
Mac took a deep breath, let her Marine pride show in the way she raised her chin and calmly walked over to confront the jury. "Good morning." Subconsciously she was aware of the soft humming of a camera's zoom that focused on her face. But she didn't consider it disturbing. 'Use the sympathies you gain from this, Mackenzie,' she told herself as she let her expression soften a nuance without letting go of her determination. "A man receives a phone call from a friend he hasn't seen in a long time," she began, adding the slightest dose of warmth and sex appeal to her cool matter-of-fact voice. Fred suddenly envied her for being a woman and being able to play with male senses.
Mac went on in her near-to-gentle tone. "He is surprised when the caller, a woman, asks for his help, but as a gentleman, he offers it and agrees to meet her at her house as she wants him to. Upon his arrival, he finds the door open, goes in and finds the woman dying from stab wounds. He understands he can't do anything for her and decides not to leave her side while she dies. Her son comes in and arrives at the wrong conclusions. These," Mac paused, letting an intense glance wander from member to member, "Are the facts in this case, plain and clear. These facts should already suffice to fully dismiss the charges but," again she paused, straightening her body and sharpening her voice, letting out the tough Marine counselor, "Defense will not limit the case to this.
"We will produce evidence to show that Doctor Sydney Walden's life had been threatened before. We will prove that Doctor Walden acquired knowledge about an environmental crime that made her patients suffer from testicular germ cell cancer. We will prove that this knowledge made Doctor Walden a threat to other projects of the consortium the criminal firm belongs to. And we will prove that, for this knowledge and her obvious intent to seek help by disclosing it to the accused, Doctor Sydney Walden was killed in order to silence her the moment before Admiral Chegwidden reached her house." Once again Mac let a moment of silence pass, meeting the glance of each and every member of the board, hoping for the effect her huge dark eyes usually had on others. When she finally spoke, her voice was low, clear and professionally well-pronounced. "AJ Chegwidden is not guilty of the murder he is charged with. Thank you." Mac exercised a slow, elegant turn on her heel and walked over to her seat, noticing the barely visible expression of pride on AJ's features.
"Thank you, Colonel Rabb." Judge Helfman was glad that she always had excellent control over her face. Otherwise her inward relief about the colonel's by-the-book performance would have shown clearly. But she silently admitted to herself that - had she been allowed to - her smile would exactly mirror that of the TV director sitting opposite to her who was all but doing the happy dance about a one-in-a-million moment of courtroom TV.
Part Seventeen:
Thu, March 4th 1621 ZULU Courtroom JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
"Would the prosecution call their first witness, please."
Krennick rose again. "Prosecution calls Petty Officer Third Class Daniel Walden to the stand."
The heavy oak doors opened and Danny Walden entered the room. He made a beeline for the witness stand, pointedly not looking at the admiral or his defense counsels.
Krennick smiled encouragingly as she approached him. "Please raise your hand. P.O. Walden, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
"I swear."
"Please, take a seat. Would you state your name and current position for the record?"
"Petty Officer Third Class Daniel Walden, ma'am, currently stationed aboard the USS Coral Sea."
Krennick made sure she stood at a convenient angle for the nearby camera when she let her expression turn compassionate. She had witnessed in a barely contained fury how Mac had wrapped the entire public around her finger before, and although Allison somehow knew that her rather cold blue eyes could never stand a chance against those sensual brown pools of Mac's, she was nevertheless determined to make her own abilities in handling the public match Mac's. "Petty Officer, first of all let me say that we are all infinitely sorry for the great loss you suffered with your mother's death."
Danny nodded grimly. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Please, Mr. Walden, tell us: were you at home the afternoon of February 14th?"
"I was on leave and just about to return to my mother's house, ma'am."
"What happened upon your arrival?"
Danny swallowed. "When I arrived, ma'am, I wondered why the door was slightly ajar. I entered the house and saw my mother dying in the entrance hall."
"Was there anyone with her?" Krennick ventured cautiously.
"Yes, ma'am." Danny indicated the admiral with his right hand. "Him."
"For the record: witness points to the accused," Krennick stated. "Can you describe the situation, Petty Officer?"
"She... she was lying in her blood, ma'am, and the admiral was covered all over with it. He held her head on his lap. The knife had been tossed away. When I entered, Admiral Chegwidden looked up and met my glance."
"What did his expression look like, Mr. Walden? Did he show signs of guilt or a bad conscience?"
"Objection!" Mac sprung to her feet. "Calls for speculation."
Judge Helfman raised an eyebrow at Krennick. "Sustained."
"I'm sorry, your honor. I'll rephrase." Krennick mentally kicked herself. "Petty Officer: Can you describe the look on the admiral's face?"
"Objection!" Mac called again. "Relevance?"
Helfman frowned. "I'll allow it. Answer the question, Petty Officer."
Danny nodded. "Yes, your honor. He looked haunted and guilty."
Krennick's thin, icy smile was up again. "Was there anyone else present at the time, or did you notice anything that could have caused your mother's death?"
Danny firmly met her glance. "No, ma'am."
Krennick feigned a thoughtful expression. "Tell me, Mr. Walden, on what terms were the accused and your mother by the time of her death?"
"Objection! Hearsay," Mac probed, knowing that this would probably be overruled.
Krennick spoke up at once. "Your honor, Mr. Walden is the victim's only son. He is very likely to know about his mother's private life."
Mac nevertheless contradicted. "Your honor, by the time the crime occurred, Mr. Walden had been living on an aircraft carrier for several months without home leave."
Helfman considered Mac's point, but then decided against it. "Overruled, I'll allow it. But please, Captain, don't drag this out too much."
"No, your honor," Krennick replied, content. "What was the relationship between the admiral and your mother, Petty Officer?" she asked again.
Danny frowned, seeming disgusted. "They used to date a few years ago, but the admiral took too much interest in things that were none of his business, and my mother eventually ended the relationship. They haven't been on friendly terms since then. And the admiral used to snoop around about me. My mother told him to keep his nose out of our business and he was angry about it."
Krennick decided to push it further. "Do you think that Admiral Chegwidden's grudge against your mother might have caused him to eventually kill her?"
"Objection!" Mac called.
"Withdrawn. No further questions." Krennick nonchalantly turned to Mac. "Your witness."
As the captain took her place, Mac rose. "Petty Officer Walden: you said that the admiral took interest in things that were none of his business. Isn't it so that those 'things' were the admiral's car that he had lent to you and that was found with a considerable amount of Marihuana in it? And that you were convicted for drug dealing?"
"Objection, relevance?" Krennick tried.
"I'm trying to prove that the admiral actually did take interest in things that concerned him, entitling him to inquire. That will clear the defendant of the reproach of being overly curious."
"I'll allow it. Objection overruled. Petty Officer, please answer."
Danny glared at Mac. "Yes to both, ma'am," he drawled.
Mac inwardly sighed with relief and went on pointedly. "Petty Officer, did you see the admiral stab your mother with said knife?"
"No, ma'am, I did not," Danny answered reluctantly.
"Do you know who inflicted the stab wounds on your mother?"
"I... think so, ma'am."
"But you cannot be sure of it because you didn't see it?"
"Objection!" Krennick called. "Defense is leading the witness."
"Your honor," Mac cut in, "The witness already testified that he didn't see the admiral do it and that he didn't notice anyone else near the crime scene."
Helfman nodded. "Objection overruled, captain. Please, answer the question, Mr. Walden."
"So, you can't be sure who did it?" Mac asked again.
Danny angrily frowned. "No, ma'am."
"No further questions." Mac turned and, with a completely neutral expression on her face, went to sit down at AJ's side again.
Helfman looked at Krennick. "Does the prosecution wish to redirect?"
"No, your honor."
"Thank you, Mr. Walden, you may step down."
Danny did as he was told, this time shooting a glare in Mac's direction as he was led outside.
"Prosecution calls Special Agent Colin Spearman." Krennick announced.
Agent Spearman showed clear signs of uneasiness as he walked in front and was sworn in. Frowning, he took the stand.
"Please state your name and current position for the record, Agent."
"Special Agent Colin Spearman, Federal Bureau of Investigation."
"Agent Spearman," Krennick tried a smile as she approached him, only to note with dismay that it didn't seem to produce any effect on the witness. "What is your connection with this case?"
"I was in charge of the investigation until the JAG Corps took over, ma'am."
"Could you explain to us what evidence you were able to find in Doctor Walden's house?"
"As Mr. Walden already mentioned," Spearman's voice was warily neutral, "The victim lost a huge amount of blood, that was clearly visible on the carpet in the entrance hall. We found a butcher's knife approximately a yard away from the body."
Krennick cut in. "Just a moment please," she went over to her desk, took a plastic bag and returned, showing the bag to Judge Helfman. "Your honor, prosecution exhibit A. Agent Spearman, is this the knife you found near Doctor Walden's body?"
Spearman leaned slightly forward and studied the exhibit. "Yes, ma'am, that's it."
"Did you have it checked for fingerprints?"
"Yes, we did."
"What did you find?"
"Only one person's fingerprints were found on the knife besides Doctor Walden's, ma'am, Admiral Chegwidden's."
"Did you check anything else for fingerprints, Agent?"
"Yes, we did. As the door wasn't forced, we checked the doorbell and handle twice after the standard sweep had been done. Again there were no other fingerprints beside those of Sydney Walden and Admiral Chegwidden on them."
"Did you notice anything else in the house that you considered of importance to the case?" Krennick's self-confidence showed clearly now. Mac tried to will away the growing uneasiness that was invading her stomach.
Spearman shook his head. "No, ma'am. We saw no signs of a fight and found no other traces. Oh, but yes, two details, actually. First: footprints around the blood stains in the entrance hall. They matched Admiral Chegwidden's Valleverde shoes. And second: Doctor Walden must have been attacked near the living-room door and then gotten halfway through the entrance hall, already wounded, before she fell to the ground, by what the blood traces indicate."
Krennick turned to Mac, not even bothering to hide her gloat. "Your witness, Colonel." The TV director subconsciously rubbed her hands. Real life soap dish. She loved it.
Mac rose. "Thank you, ma'am," she said amiably, being all politeness. AJ tried hard to stifle his grin that threatened to break through despite the evidence given against him.
"Agent Spearman," Mac leisurely approached the FBI agent, "Can you be absolutely certain that there were no other traces in the house?"
"Next to certain, ma'am."
"But not entirely certain?"
"No, ma'am. At times we may miss something."
"Thank you, no further questions." Mac sat down again.
"Does the prosecution wish to redirect?" Helfman asked.
"No, your honor."
"Thank you, Agent Spearman, you may step down," Judge Helfman released him.
"Prosecution calls Doctor Beverly Hancock to the stand."
Again the oak doors opened and an elegant middle-aged woman entered the room. Having been sworn in, she took the stand.
"Please state your name and current position for the record."
"Beverly Hancock, MD, coroner with the DCPD." Fred involuntarily raised his eyebrows. 'She looks more like one of those Mary-Kay women to me.'
Krennick approached her. "Doctor Hancock, you did the autopsy on Doctor Walden's body, is that correct?"
"That is correct." Hancock's voice was warm and velvety, making it seem even stranger that she would be around corpses all day for a living.
"What did Sydney Walden die from, Doctor?" Krennick asked.
"She died from multiple stab wounds to her abdomen and chest that perforated several inner organs, specifically the stomach, liver and lungs."
Mac felt Chegwidden wince next to her. Under the table she put a soothing hand on her CO's thigh, not for a single moment thinking about the impropriety of the gesture. After a few seconds, AJ seemed to relax.
Krennick took the knife in the plastic bag and showed it to Hancock. "Could this be the knife that caused the wounds?"
"Objection!" Mac shouted. "Speculative."
"Your honor," Krennick countered, "Witness is an expert in forensic pathology. She is able to tell us if the knife's form and blade fit the wounds found on Doctor Walden's body."
"Overruled. Answer the question, please."
"Yes, a knife of the type very probably caused the lethal wounds," the coroner stated calmly.
"Were there other things to be noticed about the body, such as signs of a fight or something, drug remnants in her blood?"
"No, none that I could recall."
"No further questions, your honor."
Helfman looked at Mac. "Colonel Rabb?"
"No, your honor."
"Thank you, Doctor Hancock, you may step down. Does prosecution intend to call any more witnesses?"
"No, your honor."
Helfman inwardly sighed. She hated this case. "Court is in recess until 1400 when defense may call their witnesses." The gavel fell and immediately the noise level rose considerably, as people were streaming out of the room, eagerly discussing the events.
Chegwidden turned to Mac. "You did well, Colonel."
Mac gave him a strained smile. "Not as well as I should have, I fear. I couldn't find anything to disarm the last witness."
Fred cleared his throat, looking at the admiral. "If I may, sir?"
AJ nodded.
"There was nothing you could have done about it, ma'am. I'd say we let it rest and go out and get some lunch. What do you say?"
Mac looked at the admiral, unsure.
AJ smiled. "You need to be fed, Colonel, before you let loose that firework of yours that I've been looking forward to ever since I heard your opening argument. So, go and grab a bite, you two. I'll be taken good care of." With a wry smile, he motioned for the guards who approached to lead him outside.
Mac sighed and tried a smile, frowning slightly as, through the opening doors, she became aware of the herd of reporters that were lingering in front of the courtroom, waiting for their statement. "Okay, Fred, let's enter the lion's den and earn our lunch."
To be continued... (Feedback always appreciated!)