Title: 'People vs. Chegwidden' - Part Eighteen
Author: Daenar
Disclaimer: See Part One
From part seventeen:
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."
Part Eighteen:
Thu, March 4th 2037 ZULU Courtroom JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
They had a strong case. AJ leaned back rather comfortably in his chair and quietly watched the proceedings. If things went on like they did now, the trial was likely to be finished rather quickly. The admiral had gone through a roller-coaster ride of different feelings during the day. Anger, satisfaction, frustration, malicious joy... but most of all pride. The JAG had never in his life felt so proud of any of his subordinates as he had of Mac and Fred during this trial. 'Okay,' he admitted to himself, 'Maybe Rabb and Turner play in the same league, due to their stunt with that dirty missile back in Afghanistan. And for the concerts Rabb did last year. And maybe I can add Roberts and Harriet to the list for the way they dealt with Bud's injury. And maybe...' At that point he had stopped counting.
Once again, AJ Chegwidden marveled at the extraordinary staff he had under his command. But be that as it may - Mac and Fred were doing an awesome job today, defending him. Their strategy was worth the Pulitzer Prize. No TV director could have done better building suspense and getting people to hang on their own and their witnesses' lips. At one point, AJ had felt more like he was watching a Grisham movie than following his own trial. And he was sure the public - and the panel - would feel the same way.
Mac and Fred had started out rather unorthodoxly. Defense's very first witness to be called to the stand had been... AJ Chegwidden himself. Mac had let Fred do the job, and, very much like back at Carnegie Hall, the lieutenant had proven himself to be an expert on stage. AJ had noticed that everyone in the room, except himself, Mac and Helfman, had more or less openly shown their surprise when Fred had begun his interrogation. Firstly, of course, due to Fred's impeccable Scottish intonation.
But secondly, and even more so, because of the sudden change that the shy and unsure lieutenant seemed to undergo as soon as he stepped up to ask his questions. Fred was pacing up and down slowly in front of the stand, thoughtfully and calmly pausing each time he introduced a new topic, using his warm, light baritone voice to make the public feel they could trust him without any doubts. No objection whatsoever that Lt. Hobbes could have thrown in seemed to really shake Fred's countenance. He presented himself as a witty, quick-thinking, if necessary sharp, but always considerate and unperturbed expert examiner. And it quickly became clear to everyone that Lt. j.g. Federico Prumetti from Venice was an authority to be reckoned with.
The admiral could - of course - easily recognize the Rabbs' tutoring in Fred's style of examination. Mac's clear, no-nonsense straightforwardness met with Harm's intuition that let him guess rather than plan the fitting questions for every situation. 'Admiral Della Rosa is one lucky guy,' AJ thought, inwardly sighing. 'Maybe he doesn't know yet but with Fred on his staff he has one of the biggest negotiating talents that I've ever come by.'
Fred had let AJ tell his version of the story first, asking for every detail that might become important later on. Then, when he could be sure of his public's curiosity and of their willingness to doubt the seemingly clear evidence against the admiral, Fred had gotten into personal matters between him and Sydney. AJ had answered calmly, with every fiber of his body impersonating the thoughtful and caring commanding officer that, frankly, to no one in the public seemed capable of committing a crime like the one he was being charged with. Whenever Hobbes had tried to lure him into showing anger or contradicting his statements regarding both, the case or his past relationship with Sydney, AJ had come out of the questioning with his head uplifted. He was innocent. All he had to do was tell the truth. And that was exactly what he did.
Once people had gotten the intended impression of the admiral, Fred called defense's next witnesses. Step by step, he allowed people glimpses of the bigger picture the real crime was set in. Fred managed to introduce the scheme without giving the prosecution the slightest possibility to object to his line of questioning, for he always kept his questions closely related to the initial murder. When AJ stepped down from the stand, Fred first called Stephanie Beacham, Sydney's nurse. She related how she found the file hidden in the garden tool cabinet and she was able to supply the results of the laboratory that had analyzed the samples that Sydney had taken, labeling them as contaminated with dimethylformamide. And she testified that Sydney had indeed seemed worried about something during the last days before her assassination.
Fred then called Doctor Kevin Sayer, who had taken over Sydney's medical practice, at least for the time being. The urologist first explained what documents were assembled in the folder Stephanie had found. Then he testified to the effects the chemical had on the human body, the severest consequence being a strong inclination to cause testicular germ cell cancer. Judge Helfman had granted Fred a little leeway to put together the complex picture he was constructing, being intrigued herself at least as much as the public that was slowly getting very excited. More than once Krennick tried to put a stop to Fred's line of questioning when Hobbes had failed to do so. But Fred always managed to draw a direct line from his questions to the initial case that was being tried. So Helfman couldn't do anything but let him go on with his strategy.
After Sayer, it was Casey Crane's turn. She related how she had gone out to the site where the barrels had been found in the woods. She identified a Minton-Greenwood label as one of those that she had found on the abandoned barrels due to a missing edge that she herself had ripped off when she removed the label from the barrel. Then she pointed out how the chemical would enter the drinking-water circulation once the barrels were leaking. At this point, Krennick again objected to the whole line of questioning, arguing that there might well be a connection between Sydney's findings and the waste disposal firm, but claiming that defense still lacked a real motive for the murder, should it have been anyone else than the admiral to have allegedly killed her.
Fred's reply to her objection came as patient as ever. "Your honor, defense plans on getting to the motive during the examination of our next witness, Mrs. Kristen Cramer-Bernstein, general manager of Minton Greenwood Inc."
Helfman frowned. She was being too indulgent but she had to admit that she was just as curious as anyone else inside and outside the courtroom to know the outcome of the defense's audacious theory. "Let me admonish you one last time, Lieutenant, not to wear out my and the jurors' patience. Can you guarantee that your next witness will enlighten us as to the motive?"
"Yes, your honor," Fred acknowledged firmly.
"Your honor..." Krennick indignantly cut in but was cut off by the judge.
"Very well, I'll allow it, one last time. But I feel we might need a break. We'll have a recess of fifteen minutes and reconvene again at 1600. Court is in recess." The gavel fell.
Fred returned to his seat and let himself fall onto it heavily, exhaling deeply. From close up, Mac could see that he had pearls of perspiration on his temples. "You okay, Fred?" she asked, slightly worried.
He smiled wearily. "Yeah, I guess. But this is the most trying courtroom experience I've ever been through, ma'am."
"But you put up one hell of an interrogation, Lieutenant. I'm deeply impressed." She smiled sincerely, making him blush.
"Thank you, ma'am. This means a lot to me."
"You're welcome," she replied, AJ nodding silent consent.
Thu, March 4th 2102 ZULU Courtroom JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
"Defense calls Mrs. Kristen Cramer-Bernstein to the stand," Fred announced.
As the oak doors opened this time, Mac, as well as the admiral, had to fight the sudden urge to jump to their feet and go after the visitor that had slipped in behind Kristen. Mac gritted her teeth and for a moment squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to be patient. She had actually hoped she would come so she would get a really satisfactory revenge, but seeing Lt. Cmdr. Maryann Cramer sit down quietly in the last row but one, after all she had done to Harm, threatened to blow Mac's composure into peaces. 'I swear to you, Cramer,' Mac silently told her, 'You're gonna feel sorry for yourself when you leave this room! We will nail your six and make you pay for everything you did to us. We will!'
Meanwhile, Kristen had been sworn in and stated her current position as general manager of Minton Greenwood Inc. Fred stepped up to her.
"Mrs. Bernstein," he said simply, holding up the label that Casey Crane had earlier identified as Minton Greenwood's. "Do you recognize this?"
Kristen made no attempt at denying it. "Yes. It's one of the labels we use for our toxic waste barrels." Mac, from the corner of her eye, watched Maryann stare in front, her expression stony.
"Do you," Fred went on, "Also recognize these?" He held up the folder of bills Jeannine had supplied from inside the firm. "Your honor, defense exhibit G. Here's the official search warrant that legalizes the document to be used in court. We had to keep it quiet for safety reasons. I apologize, your honor." He handed it to Helfman.
Judge Helfman acknowledged in silence. Fred handed the folder to Kristen who thumbed through it, not fully succeeding in masking her astonishment.
"Yes, Lieutenant. This is part of MG's correspondence with a firm that engaged us for clearing their toxic waste." Kristen's expression was neutral, but Mac noticed the way she tightly held on to the folder.
"What's the name and branch of the firm, ma'am?"
"Branwick Industries, aeronautical engineering."
Fred's expression turned thoughtful. "Isn't Branwick Industries part of the same share holders' company as is Minton Greenwood?"
"Objection!" Krennick called. "Relevance?"
"Your honor, I'm trying to establish a motive. The following facts will be vital to our chain of evidence."
"Overruled." Helfman's voice was just a little exasperated. "Get to the point, please, Lieutenant."
"Who is the actual chairperson to the whole consortium?"
"Nicholas Bernstein. My husband."
"And who's the owner of Branwick Industries?"
"I am. Together with my sister, Lt. Cmdr. Maryann Cramer. The firm is in family property in the third generation." Kristen's voice let show traces of pride.
Fred didn't acknowledge her last remark. "Do the consortium's firms share the same financing system?"
"They do."
"So, if, say, Minton Greenwood saved money by using illegal methods like dumping barrels in the woods, would other firms like, say, Branwick profit from that?"
"Objection!" Krennick jumped to her feet.
"Sustained. Watch your step, Lieutenant."
"Yes, your honor."
"We don't use illegal methods." Kristen was getting more reluctant to answer with every question Fred shot her.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Bernstein, but you identified the label, we have an eye- witness as to where it derives from and Sydney Walden documented in her file how she witnessed the barrels being deposited. Your honor, defense exhibit H, an expert's report on the financial situation of Minton Greenwood, supplied by McKinsey Consulting, focusing on price calculations for MG's services regarding Branwick Industries. It reads, quote, 'The sums Minton Greenwood Inc. charged for their every-fourteen-days services to Branwick Industries are insufficient to even cover the necessary fuel expenses, assuming the locations and transport distances listed are correct.' unquote. Did MG favor Branwick Industries in the comparison with other firms? I remind you that you are under oath, Mrs. Bernstein." Fred's gaze was calm but icy.
Kristen swallowed, obviously at a loss how to react. She sent a pleading look to Maryann who tried to signal something to her, but Kristen didn't seem to understand. Eventually she answered. "Yes." Her voice was low.
"What projects is Branwick working on?"
"I don't know."
"Your honor, defense exhibit I, documents about a major order of aircraft engines the Navy bought from North Star Inc. It contains the exact technical data of the parts Branwick's main competitor produces. The material, that has been reported missing by the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, was found at Minton Greenwood and acknowledged authentic by the NFESC. Furthermore, defense exhibit J, here's a videocassette recorded by the NFESC's security cameras. It shows the witness's sister passing on the data in question to someone else." Stifled gasps were heard in the public. Maryann Cramer's face was carved in marble, it seemed.
The lieutenant went on before Krennick got hold of her surprise and thought about objecting. "Mrs. Bernstein, these files that derive from the NFESC were found hidden under your desk. How do you explain that?"
"Objection, the witness isn't on trial here." Krennick had shaken herself from her state of haze.
"I'll rephrase," Fred corrected himself. He knew he maybe had one question left before the judge's indulgence would finally end. Better get it right. He frowned, thinking. "Mrs. Bernstein," he then addressed the already defeated woman in front of him, "We know that your sister, Lieutenant Commander Maryann Cramer, is one of the head engineers at NFESC and had access to the files in question. We also know that Branwick Industries illegally used dimethylformamide, a substance that has long since been proven carcinogenic, in their production processes, trying to save money in order to stay in the competition. Did Minton Greenwood, in trying to save money by illegally disposing of Branwick's toxic waste, try to support Branwick's efforts and did Doctor Sydney Walden's disclosures of the environmental crime critically endanger the whole consortium's joint venture to win the competition against North Star?"
There was the motive. Everyone in the room was holding his breath.
Kristen's mouth began to twitch. "Yes," she whispered, at the verge of crying.
"Wouldn't that be enough of a motive to kill Doctor Walden before anyone else found out?" Fred asked, almost gently.
"Objection!" Krennick had found her voice. "Defense leading the witness!"
"Sustained."
"No further questions, your honor." Fred quietly turned and sat down, thoroughly exhausted.
"Captain Krennick?"
"Not at the moment, your honor," came the slightly faint answer. Allison needed time to sort out her thoughts.
Same time Outside the courtroom JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
"Are you really sure you're gonna make it?" Sergei's voice clearly let show his concern for his disabled brother.
Harm gave him an encouraging smile. "Trust me, I will. I so badly want to get back at that Cramer bitch that I won't need any further motivation. Just stick to my side, will you?"
"Sure." Sergei smiled and firmly blocked the brakes of Harm's wheelchair while Jeannine approached her boyfriend's brother, handing him a pair of crutches. In a joined effort, they managed to haul Harm onto his feet. Sergei quickly locked the knee joints of the splints that Harm wore under his uniform trousers. Jeannine straightened Harm's uniform and helped him take the crutches. Sergei observed the proceedings inside the courtroom on his little portable TV.
"Fred just nailed Cramer's sister. It's show-time, big brother." He grinned in anticipation.
"Harm, you look great." Jeannine flashed him a smile that he returned. "Now let's kick Maryann's sorry six. Come on!"
Harm's heart was beating far harder than he liked as the courtroom doors slowly opened in front of him.
Same time Courtroom JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
The public as well as the TV team thought that they had already gotten more surprises today than they would ever have imagined. But the biggest was yet to come. Everyone barely managed to stifle their cries of surprise as Mac rose from her seat, expertly concealing her own trepidation, and announced:
"Defense calls Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. to the stand."
Maryann Cramer's head shot in her direction, her glare incredulous as well as furious. Mac calmly glared back, pinning her to her seat, as the big courtroom doors opened and every eye and lens in the room turned to the tall man in uniform that was supposed to be in a coma. The TV director stared, open-mouthed, as inside her head numbers for ratings and payment fees for commercials were dancing.
Keenly aware of the fact that he was the center of all attention, Harm, with Sergei and Jeannine standing by at his sides in case he swayed, slowly and painfully pushed himself to walk up to the stand. But he was determined to do it alone. For Maryann to see that, again, she had failed. And for Mac, to thank her for being strong for him.
Mac couldn't believe what she was seeing. Time seemed to freeze as Harm slowly walked towards her, his gaze firmly locked with hers. She didn't notice that the TV director motioned for the cameras to close up on the Rabbs' faces, the moment being too moving not to let the national public share it. As Harm went past Mac, he cast her the quickest of smiles before taking a firm stance in front of a frighteningly pale Krennick.
"Com..." Allison's first attempt to swear Harm in failed as her voice left her. She embarrassedly cleared her throat and tried again. "Commander Rabb, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
Harm turned his face to Mac as he answered, his words reminding him of another situation back in Venice when he had said them to no one else but her: "I do."
To be continued... (Feedback always appreciated!)
From part seventeen:
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."
Part Eighteen:
Thu, March 4th 2037 ZULU Courtroom JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
They had a strong case. AJ leaned back rather comfortably in his chair and quietly watched the proceedings. If things went on like they did now, the trial was likely to be finished rather quickly. The admiral had gone through a roller-coaster ride of different feelings during the day. Anger, satisfaction, frustration, malicious joy... but most of all pride. The JAG had never in his life felt so proud of any of his subordinates as he had of Mac and Fred during this trial. 'Okay,' he admitted to himself, 'Maybe Rabb and Turner play in the same league, due to their stunt with that dirty missile back in Afghanistan. And for the concerts Rabb did last year. And maybe I can add Roberts and Harriet to the list for the way they dealt with Bud's injury. And maybe...' At that point he had stopped counting.
Once again, AJ Chegwidden marveled at the extraordinary staff he had under his command. But be that as it may - Mac and Fred were doing an awesome job today, defending him. Their strategy was worth the Pulitzer Prize. No TV director could have done better building suspense and getting people to hang on their own and their witnesses' lips. At one point, AJ had felt more like he was watching a Grisham movie than following his own trial. And he was sure the public - and the panel - would feel the same way.
Mac and Fred had started out rather unorthodoxly. Defense's very first witness to be called to the stand had been... AJ Chegwidden himself. Mac had let Fred do the job, and, very much like back at Carnegie Hall, the lieutenant had proven himself to be an expert on stage. AJ had noticed that everyone in the room, except himself, Mac and Helfman, had more or less openly shown their surprise when Fred had begun his interrogation. Firstly, of course, due to Fred's impeccable Scottish intonation.
But secondly, and even more so, because of the sudden change that the shy and unsure lieutenant seemed to undergo as soon as he stepped up to ask his questions. Fred was pacing up and down slowly in front of the stand, thoughtfully and calmly pausing each time he introduced a new topic, using his warm, light baritone voice to make the public feel they could trust him without any doubts. No objection whatsoever that Lt. Hobbes could have thrown in seemed to really shake Fred's countenance. He presented himself as a witty, quick-thinking, if necessary sharp, but always considerate and unperturbed expert examiner. And it quickly became clear to everyone that Lt. j.g. Federico Prumetti from Venice was an authority to be reckoned with.
The admiral could - of course - easily recognize the Rabbs' tutoring in Fred's style of examination. Mac's clear, no-nonsense straightforwardness met with Harm's intuition that let him guess rather than plan the fitting questions for every situation. 'Admiral Della Rosa is one lucky guy,' AJ thought, inwardly sighing. 'Maybe he doesn't know yet but with Fred on his staff he has one of the biggest negotiating talents that I've ever come by.'
Fred had let AJ tell his version of the story first, asking for every detail that might become important later on. Then, when he could be sure of his public's curiosity and of their willingness to doubt the seemingly clear evidence against the admiral, Fred had gotten into personal matters between him and Sydney. AJ had answered calmly, with every fiber of his body impersonating the thoughtful and caring commanding officer that, frankly, to no one in the public seemed capable of committing a crime like the one he was being charged with. Whenever Hobbes had tried to lure him into showing anger or contradicting his statements regarding both, the case or his past relationship with Sydney, AJ had come out of the questioning with his head uplifted. He was innocent. All he had to do was tell the truth. And that was exactly what he did.
Once people had gotten the intended impression of the admiral, Fred called defense's next witnesses. Step by step, he allowed people glimpses of the bigger picture the real crime was set in. Fred managed to introduce the scheme without giving the prosecution the slightest possibility to object to his line of questioning, for he always kept his questions closely related to the initial murder. When AJ stepped down from the stand, Fred first called Stephanie Beacham, Sydney's nurse. She related how she found the file hidden in the garden tool cabinet and she was able to supply the results of the laboratory that had analyzed the samples that Sydney had taken, labeling them as contaminated with dimethylformamide. And she testified that Sydney had indeed seemed worried about something during the last days before her assassination.
Fred then called Doctor Kevin Sayer, who had taken over Sydney's medical practice, at least for the time being. The urologist first explained what documents were assembled in the folder Stephanie had found. Then he testified to the effects the chemical had on the human body, the severest consequence being a strong inclination to cause testicular germ cell cancer. Judge Helfman had granted Fred a little leeway to put together the complex picture he was constructing, being intrigued herself at least as much as the public that was slowly getting very excited. More than once Krennick tried to put a stop to Fred's line of questioning when Hobbes had failed to do so. But Fred always managed to draw a direct line from his questions to the initial case that was being tried. So Helfman couldn't do anything but let him go on with his strategy.
After Sayer, it was Casey Crane's turn. She related how she had gone out to the site where the barrels had been found in the woods. She identified a Minton-Greenwood label as one of those that she had found on the abandoned barrels due to a missing edge that she herself had ripped off when she removed the label from the barrel. Then she pointed out how the chemical would enter the drinking-water circulation once the barrels were leaking. At this point, Krennick again objected to the whole line of questioning, arguing that there might well be a connection between Sydney's findings and the waste disposal firm, but claiming that defense still lacked a real motive for the murder, should it have been anyone else than the admiral to have allegedly killed her.
Fred's reply to her objection came as patient as ever. "Your honor, defense plans on getting to the motive during the examination of our next witness, Mrs. Kristen Cramer-Bernstein, general manager of Minton Greenwood Inc."
Helfman frowned. She was being too indulgent but she had to admit that she was just as curious as anyone else inside and outside the courtroom to know the outcome of the defense's audacious theory. "Let me admonish you one last time, Lieutenant, not to wear out my and the jurors' patience. Can you guarantee that your next witness will enlighten us as to the motive?"
"Yes, your honor," Fred acknowledged firmly.
"Your honor..." Krennick indignantly cut in but was cut off by the judge.
"Very well, I'll allow it, one last time. But I feel we might need a break. We'll have a recess of fifteen minutes and reconvene again at 1600. Court is in recess." The gavel fell.
Fred returned to his seat and let himself fall onto it heavily, exhaling deeply. From close up, Mac could see that he had pearls of perspiration on his temples. "You okay, Fred?" she asked, slightly worried.
He smiled wearily. "Yeah, I guess. But this is the most trying courtroom experience I've ever been through, ma'am."
"But you put up one hell of an interrogation, Lieutenant. I'm deeply impressed." She smiled sincerely, making him blush.
"Thank you, ma'am. This means a lot to me."
"You're welcome," she replied, AJ nodding silent consent.
Thu, March 4th 2102 ZULU Courtroom JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
"Defense calls Mrs. Kristen Cramer-Bernstein to the stand," Fred announced.
As the oak doors opened this time, Mac, as well as the admiral, had to fight the sudden urge to jump to their feet and go after the visitor that had slipped in behind Kristen. Mac gritted her teeth and for a moment squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to be patient. She had actually hoped she would come so she would get a really satisfactory revenge, but seeing Lt. Cmdr. Maryann Cramer sit down quietly in the last row but one, after all she had done to Harm, threatened to blow Mac's composure into peaces. 'I swear to you, Cramer,' Mac silently told her, 'You're gonna feel sorry for yourself when you leave this room! We will nail your six and make you pay for everything you did to us. We will!'
Meanwhile, Kristen had been sworn in and stated her current position as general manager of Minton Greenwood Inc. Fred stepped up to her.
"Mrs. Bernstein," he said simply, holding up the label that Casey Crane had earlier identified as Minton Greenwood's. "Do you recognize this?"
Kristen made no attempt at denying it. "Yes. It's one of the labels we use for our toxic waste barrels." Mac, from the corner of her eye, watched Maryann stare in front, her expression stony.
"Do you," Fred went on, "Also recognize these?" He held up the folder of bills Jeannine had supplied from inside the firm. "Your honor, defense exhibit G. Here's the official search warrant that legalizes the document to be used in court. We had to keep it quiet for safety reasons. I apologize, your honor." He handed it to Helfman.
Judge Helfman acknowledged in silence. Fred handed the folder to Kristen who thumbed through it, not fully succeeding in masking her astonishment.
"Yes, Lieutenant. This is part of MG's correspondence with a firm that engaged us for clearing their toxic waste." Kristen's expression was neutral, but Mac noticed the way she tightly held on to the folder.
"What's the name and branch of the firm, ma'am?"
"Branwick Industries, aeronautical engineering."
Fred's expression turned thoughtful. "Isn't Branwick Industries part of the same share holders' company as is Minton Greenwood?"
"Objection!" Krennick called. "Relevance?"
"Your honor, I'm trying to establish a motive. The following facts will be vital to our chain of evidence."
"Overruled." Helfman's voice was just a little exasperated. "Get to the point, please, Lieutenant."
"Who is the actual chairperson to the whole consortium?"
"Nicholas Bernstein. My husband."
"And who's the owner of Branwick Industries?"
"I am. Together with my sister, Lt. Cmdr. Maryann Cramer. The firm is in family property in the third generation." Kristen's voice let show traces of pride.
Fred didn't acknowledge her last remark. "Do the consortium's firms share the same financing system?"
"They do."
"So, if, say, Minton Greenwood saved money by using illegal methods like dumping barrels in the woods, would other firms like, say, Branwick profit from that?"
"Objection!" Krennick jumped to her feet.
"Sustained. Watch your step, Lieutenant."
"Yes, your honor."
"We don't use illegal methods." Kristen was getting more reluctant to answer with every question Fred shot her.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Bernstein, but you identified the label, we have an eye- witness as to where it derives from and Sydney Walden documented in her file how she witnessed the barrels being deposited. Your honor, defense exhibit H, an expert's report on the financial situation of Minton Greenwood, supplied by McKinsey Consulting, focusing on price calculations for MG's services regarding Branwick Industries. It reads, quote, 'The sums Minton Greenwood Inc. charged for their every-fourteen-days services to Branwick Industries are insufficient to even cover the necessary fuel expenses, assuming the locations and transport distances listed are correct.' unquote. Did MG favor Branwick Industries in the comparison with other firms? I remind you that you are under oath, Mrs. Bernstein." Fred's gaze was calm but icy.
Kristen swallowed, obviously at a loss how to react. She sent a pleading look to Maryann who tried to signal something to her, but Kristen didn't seem to understand. Eventually she answered. "Yes." Her voice was low.
"What projects is Branwick working on?"
"I don't know."
"Your honor, defense exhibit I, documents about a major order of aircraft engines the Navy bought from North Star Inc. It contains the exact technical data of the parts Branwick's main competitor produces. The material, that has been reported missing by the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, was found at Minton Greenwood and acknowledged authentic by the NFESC. Furthermore, defense exhibit J, here's a videocassette recorded by the NFESC's security cameras. It shows the witness's sister passing on the data in question to someone else." Stifled gasps were heard in the public. Maryann Cramer's face was carved in marble, it seemed.
The lieutenant went on before Krennick got hold of her surprise and thought about objecting. "Mrs. Bernstein, these files that derive from the NFESC were found hidden under your desk. How do you explain that?"
"Objection, the witness isn't on trial here." Krennick had shaken herself from her state of haze.
"I'll rephrase," Fred corrected himself. He knew he maybe had one question left before the judge's indulgence would finally end. Better get it right. He frowned, thinking. "Mrs. Bernstein," he then addressed the already defeated woman in front of him, "We know that your sister, Lieutenant Commander Maryann Cramer, is one of the head engineers at NFESC and had access to the files in question. We also know that Branwick Industries illegally used dimethylformamide, a substance that has long since been proven carcinogenic, in their production processes, trying to save money in order to stay in the competition. Did Minton Greenwood, in trying to save money by illegally disposing of Branwick's toxic waste, try to support Branwick's efforts and did Doctor Sydney Walden's disclosures of the environmental crime critically endanger the whole consortium's joint venture to win the competition against North Star?"
There was the motive. Everyone in the room was holding his breath.
Kristen's mouth began to twitch. "Yes," she whispered, at the verge of crying.
"Wouldn't that be enough of a motive to kill Doctor Walden before anyone else found out?" Fred asked, almost gently.
"Objection!" Krennick had found her voice. "Defense leading the witness!"
"Sustained."
"No further questions, your honor." Fred quietly turned and sat down, thoroughly exhausted.
"Captain Krennick?"
"Not at the moment, your honor," came the slightly faint answer. Allison needed time to sort out her thoughts.
Same time Outside the courtroom JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
"Are you really sure you're gonna make it?" Sergei's voice clearly let show his concern for his disabled brother.
Harm gave him an encouraging smile. "Trust me, I will. I so badly want to get back at that Cramer bitch that I won't need any further motivation. Just stick to my side, will you?"
"Sure." Sergei smiled and firmly blocked the brakes of Harm's wheelchair while Jeannine approached her boyfriend's brother, handing him a pair of crutches. In a joined effort, they managed to haul Harm onto his feet. Sergei quickly locked the knee joints of the splints that Harm wore under his uniform trousers. Jeannine straightened Harm's uniform and helped him take the crutches. Sergei observed the proceedings inside the courtroom on his little portable TV.
"Fred just nailed Cramer's sister. It's show-time, big brother." He grinned in anticipation.
"Harm, you look great." Jeannine flashed him a smile that he returned. "Now let's kick Maryann's sorry six. Come on!"
Harm's heart was beating far harder than he liked as the courtroom doors slowly opened in front of him.
Same time Courtroom JAG Headquarters Falls Church, VA
The public as well as the TV team thought that they had already gotten more surprises today than they would ever have imagined. But the biggest was yet to come. Everyone barely managed to stifle their cries of surprise as Mac rose from her seat, expertly concealing her own trepidation, and announced:
"Defense calls Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. to the stand."
Maryann Cramer's head shot in her direction, her glare incredulous as well as furious. Mac calmly glared back, pinning her to her seat, as the big courtroom doors opened and every eye and lens in the room turned to the tall man in uniform that was supposed to be in a coma. The TV director stared, open-mouthed, as inside her head numbers for ratings and payment fees for commercials were dancing.
Keenly aware of the fact that he was the center of all attention, Harm, with Sergei and Jeannine standing by at his sides in case he swayed, slowly and painfully pushed himself to walk up to the stand. But he was determined to do it alone. For Maryann to see that, again, she had failed. And for Mac, to thank her for being strong for him.
Mac couldn't believe what she was seeing. Time seemed to freeze as Harm slowly walked towards her, his gaze firmly locked with hers. She didn't notice that the TV director motioned for the cameras to close up on the Rabbs' faces, the moment being too moving not to let the national public share it. As Harm went past Mac, he cast her the quickest of smiles before taking a firm stance in front of a frighteningly pale Krennick.
"Com..." Allison's first attempt to swear Harm in failed as her voice left her. She embarrassedly cleared her throat and tried again. "Commander Rabb, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
Harm turned his face to Mac as he answered, his words reminding him of another situation back in Venice when he had said them to no one else but her: "I do."
To be continued... (Feedback always appreciated!)