A/N: Thanks for reading, reviewing and following! You all are the best! My evil side is still cackling from last chapter's cliffhanger. I think I really should check into that employee assistance program at work before she gets too out of hand. Anyway, this chapter picks up where the last one left off. We're still in court, but now, it's Marissa's turn. Oh, the courtroom is going to get a little crowded with some special guests. Hope you enjoy this update!

/

Marissa, poker face firmly in place, addressed the court. "I call Rachel Michaels."

Pete's head snapped up as an attractive brunette stepped forward and made her way to the stand.

Kendall and Greenlee slipped into the courtroom and sat next to Brian.

"Hey, you're just in time. Marissa called her first witness." Brian whispered.

Kendall whispered back. "Perfect! Thanks for the text."

Bianca had asked Brian to text Kendall for her so she could be there to watch this afternoon's fireworks. She knew that her sister would want to be there. Kendall was almost as big of a fan of Marissa's as she was, almost. Obviously, she had told Greenlee.

"Damn, I wish I could have popcorn right about now." Greenlee smirked.

"Hey."

Kendall turned and smiled at her husband as he gave her a quick kiss. She had also told Zach. "You made it."

Zach nodded and slid into next to his wife as Brian scooted down. "Are you kidding? I wasn't going to miss this if I could help it. I've always wanted to see Red in her element, watch her work."

"Did we miss anything?" Jack whispered to his daughter as he, Caleb and the firm's other two partners sat in the row behind Greenlee. The partners had every faith in Marissa and were there to simply offer their support to their newest partner. Marissa had kept them informed of everything that was occurring with this case so the partners were well aware of Pete's shenanigans. They had a feeling they were going to enjoy the show Marissa had planned for this afternoon.

"No, they're just getting started. Where's Erica?"

"Here she comes now."

Erica entered as discreetly as it was possible for the diva to and took a seat next to Bianca. She was going to have a front row seat for this.

Bianca smiled as her mother slid in next to her. It meant the world to her that Marissa had her mother's support. In all honesty, the two had a mutual admiration society going. It surprised some, but not everyone. As Kendall so aptly pointed out once, Erica and Marissa had a common cause/goal. It was to see Bianca happy. With that as the foundation for their relationship, the rest was fairly easy. They may not always agree on the how it should be accomplished, but they always agreed on the why and respected each other's roles in Bianca's life.

"You're just in time. It's about to get really good."

"Excellent. Thank you for calling me. I've been waiting for this for a long time, almost as long as you. In fact, I have a gift for Mr. Taylor." Erica viewed the man as a gnat who had grown increasingly annoying as time went on. It was high time that he was swatted away once and for all.

Bianca raised an eyebrow and looked inside the bag Erica had brought in with her. The brunette had to quickly stifle a laugh. "It's perfect. Rissa will love it. I somehow don't think Pete will though."

Erica smiled. "And that is precisely my goal."

/

As she shifted to make herself more comfortable, Judge Kagan paused mid-motion. What had once been an almost empty courtroom was now almost full. She recognized most of those in the gallery and knew the ones she did know were connected to Marissa in some way. What the judge didn't know was why they were there. Was it to offer support to the redhead after the morning session, or was it for another reason? Judging by a certain diva's presence and interaction with her youngest daughter, she had a feeling it was the latter, and Judge Kagan found herself eager to see how things would unfold this afternoon.

/

"I object, your honor!" Pete shouted, practically screaming to be honest. "This so-called witness is not on any list that we've been given and could in no way offer any insight into opposing counsel's actions."

"Your honor, if I may?" Marissa asked calmly.

"Go ahead, Ms. Tasker."

"Thank you. First of all, Ms. Michaels is a rebuttal witness. She's being called to refute opposing counsel's claims from this morning. As such, there was no time to provide her name along with several other witnesses I intend to call since I didn't know that Mr. Taylor and Mr. Payne were going to present evidence of alleged wrongdoing on my side. Second, I'm curious how Mr. Taylor knows, without hearing any testimony from her, that Ms. Michaels won't be able to provide any insight into the allegations lodged against me. Unless he knows something that he has yet to share with the court or has developed psychic abilities."

Judge Kagan held back a smile and rapped her gavel to silence the chuckles from the gallery caused by Marissa's quip. "Order. Ms. Tasker makes valid points, with the exception of the psychic comment."

Marissa knew the judge would scold her for her last remark. It was so worth it though. "I apologize to the court, your honor."

The judge nodded. "As a rebuttal witness, Ms. Tasker is not required to provide her name given the timing of the allegations made only hours ago. I will remind you again, Mr. Taylor, that they are only allegations at this point, nothing has been proven. Continuing to state otherwise will have you in contempt of court. Objection overruled. Please proceed, Ms. Tasker."

"Thank you."

The young woman was sworn in and took her seat on the witness stand.

/

Greenlee whispered to Kendall. "What's her role in all of this?"

"I don't know. Bianca didn't know a lot of the particulars because Marissa couldn't tell her everything."

"Couldn't or wouldn't?"

"Probably both. Red was probably protecting her to some degree. Pete doesn't look happy to see her though."

"No, he sure doesn't. He looks like he needs a new change of pants."

/

"Would you state your name for the record, please?" Marissa asked.

"Rachel Michaels."

"Your honor, I must object again. It's obvious this woman can't provide any insight into this case."

"Is it now, Mr. Taylor? I find it odd how you can know that given that she has only given us her name. Overruled. Continue with the witness."

Marissa nodded. "Thank you. Ms. Michaels, could you please tell us what you do for a living?"

"I'm a customer service supervisor at the AT&T call center located here in Pine Valley."

"Thank you. Now …"

"Objection!"

"Overruled."

"Now, Ms. Michaels, are you familiar with this case?"

"Yes."

"How so?"

"I was contacted by Mr. Taylor a few weeks ago."

"Objection, relevance!"

"I'm getting to that, your honor."

"I'll allow it."

"Mr. Taylor contacted you about this case?"

"Yes, but I didn't know it at the time."

"Objection!"

"Overruled. I want to hear what she has to say."

"Could you please explain?"

"Pete, Mr. Taylor, called me and said he needed a favor. He had a big case and said I could help him with it."

"Go on."

"He wanted me to track the incoming and outgoing calls for one of our customers."

"Did he say why?"

"Yes, he did, but he wasn't very nice about why. He called someone something that I'm not sure I can repeat, especially here."

The judge nodded. "It's fine, Ms. Michaels. Go ahead, and before you object, Mr. Taylor, don't. I want to hear from this witness."

Pete sank into his chair, and his client didn't look very happy at the moment either.

"Okay, He said he had a big case, huge, and he said if I helped him, he could take down, and this is a quote from him, 'a redheaded bitch lawyer'. He said this, and using his words again, 'dyke had fucked up my life', meaning his life. He also mentioned your name. I'm sorry."

Marissa shook her head. "It's fine. I've been called worse." Especially by Pete. Marissa didn't say the last part out loud. "What else did he say?"

/

Those seated in the gallery shifted uncomfortably at the hate-filled words, and the judge struggled to hide her disgust, reminding herself there was no exact proof at the moment that Pete had actually said those things.

Bianca's back stiffened as she shifted her focus onto Pete. The Kane death glare was at maximum strength, and the man seemed to visibly shrink under its weight.

/

"He said with my help he could 'destroy' you, that it was something he wanted to do for over a year because it was your fault he lost his job, and he couldn't wait to make you pay."

"What did you say?"

"I told him I couldn't do it because it was illegal for me to do something like that unless there was a subpoena. He said he didn't give a damn about that, and that I was going to help him if I knew what was good for me. He said I 'owed' him."

"Alright, let's back up for a minute. How do you know, Mr. Taylor?"

"I really have to tell you?"

"Yes, you do."

Rachel sighed, her reluctance to discuss the particulars was evident. "Okay. This definitely wasn't my finest or proudest moment. It was actually one of the worst of both of those. I met him in a bar about nine months ago. My boyfriend at the time and I had just broken up, and some friends took me out to try and get my mind off of it. I started drinking, a lot, and Mr. Taylor approached me. He was okay looking, not George Clooney or Brad Pitt or …" Rachel blushed when she realized she had gotten off track. "Sorry. I was lonely and drunk, and he kept buying me drinks. One thing led to another, and we hooked up. Like I said, not my finest or proudest moment. We went back to his place, and I don't remember most of what happened there. I woke up the next morning with a massive hangover. I made my walk of shame out of there and haven't had a drop to drink since."

/

Those in the gallery were highly amused by the woman's story, her mortification over the likelihood of having been with Pete and his embarrassment over her feelings on the matter. No one was more amused than Kendall and Greenlee who wore matching smirks.

"It looks like Pete thought it was more memorable than she did. He seems to be somewhat lacking." Greenlee cracked.

"Yeah, I think she's glad she blacked out so she doesn't have to live with certain mental images for the rest of her life. Big time coping mechanism. Been there, done that myself."

"Who hasn't?!"

"I wish Red would turn around. I'd love to see her expression right now." Kendall could only see Marissa's back at the moment. The redhead was half sitting on the table that was her base of operations for the hearing and looking perfectly at ease from what Kendall could tell. This was the first time she had seen her sister-in-law in action in her element, the courtroom. Bianca had seen her at work before and told her sister about it. She had thought her little sister was exaggerating a bit, but now, it didn't look like she was. Kendall was definitely impressed. She shot a quick glance in her sister's direction. Bianca wore an expression that was equal parts enthralled and proud.

/

Judge Kagan was amused by the witness's candor but couldn't show it. "Please keep your comments limited to this case, Ms. Michaels."

"I'm sorry, your honor."

Marissa schooled her features. As much as she wanted to laugh, she knew that now was neither the time nor the place to do so. "Did you see Mr. Taylor after that or were you in contact with him?"

"Technically, no."

"What do you mean by that?"

"He kept calling me. It was like several times a day, every day for a month. I kept ignoring the calls because I didn't want anything to do with him."

/

"Can you say 'stalker'?"

"Desperate much, Pete?"

"You'd think the first dozen ignored calls would've gotten the point across."

"Hooking up with him really wasn't her finest moment."

"Or proudest."

"Pete's definitely lacking."

"Definitely."

"Ooh, you know what it is?"

The women glanced and each other and at the said time said, "Overcompensating".

Brian coughed to disguise the laugh he was struggling to keep in. Kendall and Greenlee were putting on a show almost as good as Marissa's and reminded him of Statler and Waldorf, the famous balcony hecklers from the Muppets. He decided he would keep that comparison to himself and share it later with Stef. Although, he might tell Marissa because she would get a kick out of it. No way though would he tell either of the women in question that they reminded him of Muppets of old men. He valued his life too much.

/

"The calls finally stopped, and I didn't hear from him until two weeks ago."

"Could you please tell us what happened at that time?"

"I must have told him where I worked that night at the bar because he called me there and said he needed my help."

"With a big case?" Marissa asked, successfully bringing them back to the point where they had taken a brief but necessary detour from.

"Yes."

"You said earlier he told you that you 'owed' him and would help him 'if you knew what was good for you'. Did you find out what was meant by that?"

"Yes. He said if I didn't help him that he had some pictures of me that he had taken on his cellphone from our night together that he would make sure would be spread all over the internet."

"He blackmailed you."

"Yes."

"Objection! There is no proof of any of this ever happening. It's her word against mine, and I still fail to see the relevance."

"I'm getting there, your honor, and there is proof."

"I'll allow it. Overruled. Please continue."

"What did you do next?"

"I told him I needed to think about it first. He gave me a day to make up my mind. As soon as we were done, I went to my supervisor and reported the incident. The two of us reviewed the recording of the call."

"There's a recording?"

"Well, yeah. He called me at work. He didn't have my direct line there so he called a help line and asked for me. All calls received on our help lines are automatically recorded, and there's a warning stating that at the beginning of each call. I brought an authorized copy of it with me."

Russ glared at a dumbfounded Pete. "You stupid son of a …"

"Order, Mr. Payne. Could I have that recording, Ms. Michaels?"

Rachel nodded and hand over a cd stamped with AT&T printed on it along with the distinctive AT&T logo to the judge. "We also have a secure intranet site with all of our recordings. I have permission to access that site for you."

"This will do for now, but I'll keep the site in mind. Do you wish to play the recording now, Ms. Tasker?"

Marissa shook her head. She was building her rebuttal piece by piece and would have the recording played when it was time. That time was not quite yet. "Not at this time, your honor, but we do intend on having it played."

Judge Kagan nodded. She could tell Marissa was on to something and would let her choose her pace, within reason. So far, the redhead was doing just fine. "Please continue then, Ms. Tasker."

"Thank you. What course of action did you and your supervisor come up with?"

"After talking with our regional manager, it was decided to go along with Mr. Taylor's request until we could get more information such as the customer's name. So, that's what I did. All of the conversations I had with him were recorded and are on that cd as well."

"He gave you the customer's name then when you agreed to his demands?"

"Yes, it was Carol Walker. He came back the next day and wanted me to also track Alex and Gail Walker and Samantha Robinson."

That revelation had the courtroom buzzing.

"What did you do then?"

"I went to the police along with my supervisor. Not only was his request illegal, we found it also involved a minor child. That threw up a huge red flag for us."

"Please continue."

"We talked to an Officer Brot Monroe. As soon as he heard the names of everyone involved, he excused himself to talk to Chief Hubbard. He came back several minutes later and escorted us back to the chief's office, and then I didn't see Officer Monroe for a while. We told the chief everything and then gave him the recordings. Officer Monroe came back in around that time and whispered something to Chief Hubbard who then excused himself for several minutes. Then, he came back with you and another man who introduced himself as the district attorney, Mike Jensen."

Pete was now a ghostly shade of white and his hand shook as he raised a glass of water to his parched mouth. He now understood why his former employer was in the courtroom this afternoon. When he had first spotted him, Pete thought maybe that word had gotten back to him about his successful morning and that he had come to beg Pete to come back to the D.A.'s office. Now, he knew he couldn't have more wrong.

"That was the first time we ever met?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"What happened then?"

"We repeated the story again, this time to you and Mr. Jensen. Both of you asked me some questions and then my supervisor. Mr. Jensen looked a little surprised, but I have to say that you really didn't. Anyway, Mr. Jensen asked us to make ourselves available for any further questions and told us to call him the next time Mr. Taylor contacted me."

"And did you do this?"

"Yes, he called the following day and asked if you were a customer and for me to track your calls along with those of Bianca Montgomery."

The majority of eyes focused on Bianca with this news. The brunette gave nothing away save for the clenching of her jaw. Erica could tell her daughter knew about this. It made sense that she would. Erica knew that there was no way that Marissa would keep this information from her wife. Not only was it an invasion of Bianca's privacy, but it was also one of the Miranda Center's. Given the clients they served, this would be an enormous breach of security for them. Lives would literally be at stake. Knowing her daughter-in-law like she did, Erica had no doubt Marissa would not stand for that and sit idly by and do nothing about it. No, she would tell Bianca and then report it. The redhead would also come up with some way to make the guilty party pay. Granted, it would be within the law, not exactly Erica's first choice mind you, but they would pay. That was definitely one of the many reasons Erica liked her so much.

/

Greenlee glanced over her shoulder at her father. "Isn't that going against attorney/client privileges of some sort? I mean, police can't listen in on conversations between attorneys and their clients. So, Pete doing that would be way out of bounds."

"Not to mention the Miranda Center and their clients." Kendall added.

Jack nodded as he leaned forward. "You're both right on all counts. What Pete was requesting was breaking several tenants of law. Both Mike and Marissa know that, and I can tell you, they acted accordingly."

The friends glanced at each other and then at Jack who stopped them before they could ask anything further. "No, I'm not going to say anything else at this time. It's not my story to tell. It's Marissa's, and she deserves to be the one to tell you and everyone else. Keep watching."

Kendall and Greenlee wanted to argue but decided against it given where they were so they shrugged and did as suggested. They had to admit that things were pretty entertaining so far, and from what they could see Marissa hadn't really even gotten started.

/

"Do you know Bianca Montgomery?"

"No, I don't, other than the fact that she founded and runs the Miranda Center, and oh, that she's one of Erica Kane's daughters."

"Have you or anyone that you know used any of the Center's services?" Marissa needed to establish that Rachel had no connection to Bianca and therefore nothing to gain by her testimony.

"Thankfully, no."

"Did you contact Mr. Jensen?"

"Yes, I did."

"What happened?"

"We were presented with affidavits from Carol, Alex and Gail Walker, Samantha Robinson, Bianca Montgomery and yourself allowing us to turn over their cellphone records to the District Attorney's office as well as your office."

"Did you do so?"

"Yes, we did."

"I have no further questions at this time." Marissa, with her poker face still firmly in place, turned to take her seat and glanced at Pete. "Your witness, Mr. Taylor."

Pete glared at Marissa. He had to come up with something quick to downplay Rachel's testimony and turn it to his advantage.

"Mr. Taylor?"

The lawyer's head snapped back up to look at the judge, not realizing she had been calling his name for a minute or two. "Yes, your honor?"

Judge Kagan was getting impatient. "Do you have any questions for this witness?"

"Yes, yes, I do."

"Please proceed."

"Sorry. Rachel, do you mind if I call you Rachel?"

"Actually, yes, I do."

"Rachel …"

"Excuse me, but she just said she minded you calling her by her first name, Mr. Taylor. Please respect that. Actually, let me put it this way. You will respect that in my courtroom. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y … Yes, your honor."

"Good. Proceed."

"Ms. Michaels, you testified that we know each other intimately. Is that correct?"

Through gritted teeth, Rachel replied. "Yes."

"I must remind you that it is against the law to lie under oath. It's perjury."

"I'm aware of that."

Marissa stood. "Objection, your honor. Mr. Taylor is basically calling this witness a liar when there is no foundation or proof of that claim."

"Mr. Taylor, would you care to explain yourself?"

"Of course, your honor. I recall that evening and the days that followed differently. It was Ms. Michaels who pursued me because of how I ended the relationship, and most certainly not the other way around."

Rachel shot a look of pure contempt at Pete and swore an oath to herself that she would never drink that much again. If that was what she ended up with, no amount of alcohol in the world was worth it. She then looked at Marissa who nodded. "Your honor, I have my cellphone records to prove that I received calls from him instead of making them."

"Please give them to the court officer."

The young woman did as instructed, and the judge scanned them quickly before speaking.

"Before you continue to pursue this line of questioning, I would strongly advise against it." Judge Kagan stated as she tapped the phone records she had just reviewed.

Pete wanted to protest but thought better of it seeing the judge's expression. At that point, he couldn't think of anything else to ask given that Rachel had produced records that backed up her story. "No further questions." Pete mumbled as he sat back down.

"Oh, Mr. Taylor, how long have you had the cellphone you have now?"

"About a year. Why?" Pete had no idea where the judge was going with that question.

"Very good. Please give your cellphone to the bailiff."

"What? Why?"

"Because I asked you to, Mr. Taylor, and because there is an allegation of certain photographs being stored on it. That claim needs to be investigated."

"What if I refuse?"

"Then, I'll find you in contempt of court, levy a substantial fine against you and have you cool your heels in a holding cell downstairs at which point I'll still have your phone. Now, Mr. Taylor."

Pete grumbled and reluctantly handed the cellphone to the bailiff who then turned it over the judge.

Judge Kagan turned to Marissa. "Redirect, Ms. Tasker?"

"No, your honor."

"The witness may step down. Ms. Tasker, call your next witness."

"I call Mitch Reardon to the stand."

/

A middle-aged man with sandy brown hair came forward and was sworn in.

Russ eyed the man as he was taking his oath. He looked familiar, but Russ couldn't quite place him. He leaned in and whispered to Pete. "Who's he?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"He looks familiar." Then, it hit him. "Oh, he's the investigator that told me about Sam. Why's he testifying?"

/

"Would you state your name for the record please?"

"Mitchell Reardon."

"Mr. Reardon, where are you employed?"

"I'm an investigator for the law firm of Thompson, Stevens, Montgomery, Cortlandt and Tasker."

"Do you work for any department in particular?"

"I work for you in the family law department."

"Thank you. How are you acquainted with this case?"

"You called me in for a meeting and told me that the Walkers wanted to adopt Sam. For that to happen, a thorough background check would be needed. You asked me to investigate if Sam had any living relatives."

"What did you find?"

"Through the course of our investigation, we found an uncle, the half-brother of Sam's father. At that point, we informed the court. I continued to investigate per your instructions."

"Did you do anything else for me at this time?"

"Yes, I did. After an incident at Sam's school …"

"Objection! The characterization of what happened is completely false and not proved."

Marissa rolled her eyes internally. Really? You really want to go there, Pete? Fine with me. "The events are on the record and clearly documented with the Pine Valley Police Department as well as with this court. I'm not sure how opposing counsel would describe what his client did by scaring a teenage girl with threats of turning her into the police for not wanting to talk to him, sending her back into the foster care system where she was abused and then following her and two others until they were able to get to safety inside the Miranda Center at which time his client lied in an attempt to gain entry there. I think calling it an 'incident' is being extremely generous."

Judge Kagan cleared her throat in an attempt not to laugh at Marissa's summary and the absurdity of Pete's statement. "Overruled."

"Please continue, Mr. Reardon."

"After the incident at Sam's school, you asked me to have one of investigators keep an eye on Sam to ensure her safety. You also asked me to have a state-of-the-art security system installed at the Walkers' home."

Pete and Russ quickly glanced at each other with both thinking the same thought, Oh shit! When did he install it?

"And you monitored that system?"

"Yes, I had members of my team undertake that assignment."

"Did I ask you to do anything else?"

"Yes, you had us review security footage of your home and surrounding property."

"Did you find anything?"

"Objection, relevance. I fail to see how Ms. Tasker's home security is pertinent to this case."

"I'm getting there, your honor."

"Hurry it up, Ms. Tasker. Overruled."

"Did you notice anything after reviewing the footage?"

"Yes, we saw a male on your property when you, your wife and children were not at home. He walked around the entire perimeter of your home, looked in the windows, and tried the front and back doors as well as your garage doors. While we were watching the tapes, it looked like he was startled when he heard your dog and took off."

Damn dog scared the hell out of me. Probably a pit bull or some other vicious breed. Russ thought. He could feel Pete's eyes on him. He didn't tell his lawyer about his little side trip to the Tasker-Montgomery home. Russ was hoping they couldn't tell it was him. He was wearing a hoodie that day in an attempt to hide his identity.

Bianca smiled thinking of Max scaring anyone. The golden retriever was nowhere near a guard dog. In fact, he would probably open the door for you if he could. That Max somehow managed to scare someone off was pretty funny. The retriever never met anyone he didn't like. Pete and Russ would probably be the exceptions to that.

"This was in line with the eyewitness account from one of our investigators keeping an eye on your property."

"Was there a time after installing the security system at the Walkers' home, that you were alerted to anything there?"

"Yes, we received an alert that someone was trying to break into their home. We dispatched a security team over there as well as contacted the police department. By the time the police and our team arrived on the scene, no one was there."

Pete and Russ released a sigh of relief hearing that news. It was short lived.

"What happened next?"

"We reviewed the footage from a camera stationed outside the home as well as one inside. We observed two men. One stayed outside assuming the role of lookout while the other went inside. The one inside stayed in the family room. His focus was on a mantel above the fireplace. We saw him remove a clock and then put it back in place before leaving."

"Did you investigate this?"

"Yes, we did along with Officers Brot Monroe and Greg Hall who responded to the call. We found a bug, better known as a listening device, placed underneath the clock."

"Were you able to trace this device?"

"Yes, we were. It was purchased at Anderson Electronics, and we were able to determine who was behind the purchase."

"What else did you do?"

"After consulting with you and the District Attorney, we left the bug in place and continued to monitor its signal and what it was recording."

"Were there any similarities between what happened at my home and the break-in at the Walkers?"

"Yes, there was the one. The same man that attempted to enter your home was the same man who broke into the Walkers' home and placed the bug. We know this because we got excellent shots of him at both scenes."

"What about the other man at the Walkers? Were you able to identify him?"

"Yes, we were. He was the same man who purchased the listening device."

"Are you able to tell us who they are and provide any proof as to their identities?"

Mitch smiled for the first time. This was one of the things he had been looking forward to. "Yes, we were. The men in question were Peter Taylor and Russell Payne, and I have the security footage along with affidavits from the security company and Officer Hall as to their authenticity."

"Your honor, at this time, I would like to submit these recordings and affidavits. Officer Hall could not make it today to testify due to a family commitment, thus his affidavit. Officer Monroe is here and will be called to testify after this witness."

Several in the gallery exchanged looks, surprised hearing that both men had been so bold as to break into the Walkers' and attempt to break into Marissa and Bianca's.

/

For her part, Bianca knew about the attempted break in. Marissa had told her right after it had happened.

"Hey." Bianca smiled seeing her wife show up at her office. It was an unexpected but very pleasant surprise. She could immediately tell something was up though because of Marissa's expression. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, just really pissed off right now. Let's sit down, and I'll explain everything."

After they were settled on the sofa in Bianca's office, Marissa continued. "Okay, don't freak out."

"You do know that saying that has the exact opposite effect, right?"

Marissa chuckled lightly. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry. Someone was spotted trying to break into our house."

"What?! Who?! When?! The kids weren't home, were they?"

"No, the kids weren't home. It happened this morning, after we were all gone. He didn't get inside. In fact, I think Max scared him off from what I could tell."

"You saw the footage?"

"Yes, I did. I brought a copy of it here for you to watch too."

"You said 'he'. Who do you mean? You recognized him?"

"Oh yeah, I did. It was Russ Payne."

"What?! What the hell? He tried to break into our home?! That son of a bitch. Did you call the police?"

"He tried, but again, he didn't get in. I didn't call the police, but there's a reason."

"It better be a damn good one, Marissa."

"Even though we have the security footage, it doesn't exactly show him attempting to break in. You can see him looking in windows and trying doors, but that's all."

"That's all?! That's more than enough if you ask me."

"Trust me, I understand, but it's not enough to charge him because he didn't enter. Knowing Payne and how slick he is, he'd come up with some sort of excuse and would skate."

"So, we just let him try again?"

"No, I didn't say that. I've already contacted the security firm and told them to increase their monitoring, and they will make hourly sweeps of the property when we're not there. Mitch is also going to have someone keeping an eye on things when we're not there."

"Wait, you said you contacted the security firm. They didn't contact you?"

"No, I found out about it because of Mitch. I've had him have someone following Payne for me ever since he came to Pine Valley."

"You have?"

"Yeah, I don't trust him, never have. There's something there that I just haven't been able to put my finger on yet, but I'm going to. In the meantime, I'm having Mitch keep an eye on him. This way if he tries something again with Sam, we'll be able to stop it right away."

"So, whoever was tailing Payne saw him go to our house."

"Yep. If he set one foot inside, they were going to be all over him. I have to admit that I was surprised he went to our house, and when I think about him trying that for whatever reason, it makes my blood boil."

"Rissa."

"I know. You don't have to say it. I can't let myself get worked up too much because it's not good for our little one or me."

"No, it isn't, and I know you realize it so I won't say anything else."

Marissa smiled. "Thank you, and I know how much you want to. I really appreciate it. So, back to Payne."

"Okay. What's the plan?"

"Still keeping an eye on him and Pete."

"You think they might try something with the Walkers?"

"Oh, I'm positive they will especially after today, but I'll let you in on a little secret."

Bianca leaned in closer. "What?"

"I'm ready for them. I'll tell you something else. I don't if Pete knew about his client's little side trip, and I really don't care if he did or not. I'm done playing. He wants a fight? He's got one. The gloves are coming off."

"He doesn't know what's going to hit him, does he?" Bianca saw that glint in Marissa's eyes.

"Nope! I survived dipshit and all of his little games. By doing so, I learned a lot so Pete will be the recipient of all of those lessons."

"I almost feel sorry for him. Nah, I don't feel sorry for him at all. He deserves everything he's got coming to him and then some. I can't wait to see it. I'll let you in on a little secret."

"What?"

"You're really hot in kickass lawyer mode."

Marissa laughed and kissed Bianca. "You haven't seen anything yet."

/

"If it pleases, the court, I would like to play these recordings now."

Judge Kagan nodded and had the bailiff set things up. The courtroom sat in stunned silence as they watched Russ, clear as could be, wander around the outside of Bianca and Marissa's home. There were a few chuckles that were quickly stifled when they saw him stumble away presumably when he heard Max barking inside. When that recording was over, they saw Russ again appear on screen. This time he was accompanied by Pete, and they were at the Walkers'. Heads shook when they saw Russ enter the home and the scene play out exactly as Mitch had described it. There was no disputing what they were seeing, and Pete didn't object once. How could he?

When the second recording finished, the judge took a deep breath to calm herself down. She was not happy at all by this development and made a few notes.

Marissa paused for a moment before breaking the silence that permeated the courtroom. "I have no further questions at this time."

The judge nodded as both she and Marissa waited for a response from Pete. When none came, Judge Kagan prompted him. "Any questions of this witness, Mr. Taylor?"

Pete cleared his throat. "Not at this time, your honor." His brain was in overdrive trying to come up with some explanation for what had been captured for all to see. He still had the audio recording and his witness that would testify to its authenticity. Pete knew he was going to have rely more on that than he wanted to.

"Call your next witness, Ms. Tasker."

"I call Officer Brot Monroe."

/

As Brot approached the stand and was sworn in, Marissa turned and traded legal pads with Claudia. The new pad contained the set of questions she had not only for this witness for two others as well. Marissa had the questions pretty much memorized, but the legal pad provided a good prompt for her just in case. She didn't look up as she scanned the questions. If she had, she would have found a now nearly packed courtroom. Krystal and David had snuck in halfway through Mitch's testimony. Both were curious to see their daughter in action. Jan and Aya were there as well, lending their support not only to Marissa but also to the Walkers. The two women loved Sam seeing her as a kid sister and knew she had found a home with the Walkers. Their hope was that she would be able to stay with them. Next to them were Brandon and Sofia. Their afternoon schedules had freed up, and they decided to pop in to see their boss and coworkers in action. So far, they had yet to be disappointed. Ellie and the paralegals were holding down the fort back at the office, and the two lawyers had promised to give them a complete play by play accounting of everything when they returned. Jesse Hubbard was sitting next to the district attorney for Pine Valley and Nora Buchanan. Marissa had the men on standby as witnesses should she need them. Nora was there for support and to catch the show. At the gala, Marissa and told the visiting lawyer all about the case and what she had in mind. She also picked her brain on a few things. For her part, Nora was impressed and offered a couple of suggestions to the younger lawyer, although she thought Marissa had an excellent game plan and asked if it was okay if she came to watch. Marissa was more than happy to have her there. So, Nora drove up that morning from Llanview to observe. Judging by the expression on Pete's face when he heard the name of Marissa's first witness, it looked to be an entertaining day. This would be especially true if things went the way Marissa planned. The latest arrival was Phillip Taylor, Pete's father. He had been alerted by Geoff Thompson, one of the firm's partners, that he might want to attend the proceedings. Phil arrived just in time to see and hear about his son's involvement in the break-in at the Walkers'. From his seat in the back row the disappointment etched across his face was clearly evident, and his son had yet to notice his presence.

/

"Officer Monroe, how are you acquainted with the particulars of this case?"

"I was on duty at the station when Rachel Michaels and Michelle Fuller came in to report an incident."

Marissa looked at the judge. "Michelle Fuller is Ms. Michaels' supervisor. Please continue, officer."

"Ms. Michaels had received a call from Pete Taylor demanding she track the cellphone calls for Carol Walker. If she refused, he threatened her with extortion."

"He threatened to blackmail her?"

"Yes, he had told her he had pictures of an intimate nature of her and would publish them on the internet if she didn't do what he wanted."

"What did you do?"

"I recognized the names of those involved so I thought it best to inform Chief Hubbard of the situation, which I did. He had me escort Ms. Michaels and Ms. Fuller back to his office and then call you and District Attorney Jensen to inform you both of what was happening." Brot then recounted what had occurred with his version falling in line with Rachel's.

"Did the occasion arise where you were brought in again?"

"Yes, you came to the station to report that Mrs. Carol Walker had been contacted by Russell Payne. He wanted to meet with her the following day and had instructed her not to contact you or anyone else and tell them that he had. Mr. Jensen arrived shortly after you. You had called him after getting off the phone with Mrs. Walker. We went back to the chief's office and had an interesting conversation."

Judge Kagan was clearly irritated hearing of Payne's contact with Carol. It was becoming more and more evident that Pete was guilty of numerous ethical violations. Both he and Payne also had a couple of criminal violations that would have to be dealt with. Now, she had to add tampering with a witness to the growing list.

Bianca's eyes glowed with a mixture of love and pride as she watched her wife in action. The brunette knew most of what happened by this point and was enjoying Marissa unfold the truth, and Bianca loved watching her work. Kendall and Greenlee leaned forward in their seats. They knew they were missing something but weren't sure what yet. Zach leaned back impressed and curious about where the redhead was going. Claudia and Lisa wanted to smile so bad it hurt, but they knew they need to keep their expressions neutral and not give anything away. Brian caught Sofia's and Brandon's eyes, and the three shared a knowing grin. Erica admired the work on display from her daughter-in-law and was anxious to see how things tied together. Jan and Aya were a little lost at first but were quickly putting the pieces together. Jesse, Mike, Nora and Mitch wore their best poker faces. The partners nodded their approval, and Krystal and David shook their heads in wonder at their daughter.

Pete and Russ glanced at each other before gaping at Carol. Both were wondering the same thing. How the hell did she get a hold of Marissa? We would have heard her if she called Marissa from the house because it was bugged, and we also would've known because of the cellphone records we had. Unless they gave us bogus records, but there wasn't enough time for that. What the hell happened?

Alex and Gail had to turn their heads away from Pete and Payne or else they would have burst out laughing which they were pretty sure the judge wouldn't appreciate. Carol, for her part, kept a relatively straight face. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the two men glaring at her and trying to figure out what happened. It was for that reason that a small, satisfied smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. They had no idea of who they were dealing with.

"Officer Monroe, could you tell the court what the result of that meeting was?"

/

A/N: Damn if my evil side hasn't struck again! I tried my best, but she wouldn't listen and made me leave it there. As BSwifty1997 put it last chapter, dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn. So, here's the deal. I've started the next chapter and am already about 3,000 words in. I'm only partially through it so this chapter would've been well over 10,000 words if I didn't break it up when I did. There's also another reason I broke it here (not just blaming my evil side). I'm in training all next week and will be out every night with some out of town co-workers which cuts into my writing time. Next Friday, I leave on vacation. I'm going to do my damnedest to get a chapter up before I leave and wrap up this storyline. No promises, but I'm going to try. See you soon!