Intersecting Lines – The Trial

Part 09 – The Perils of Publishing

In Court

Alex's viewpoint

It was a clear, bright Tuesday morning and the media was thick on the ground, outside broadcast vans pulled up everywhere, news teams scattered across the plaza in front of the courthouse, many recording grabs for their news bulletins, or in some cases talking live with the hosts of morning television here or early afternoon news on the East Coast. Fortunately we were able to come in via a secure entrance to the side, past two separate security checkpoints, the one at the door operated by the LAPD and the one inside by the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department but now, looking out over the crowd from our vantage point in the office suite the Los Angeles County DA's office maintained in the court complex I shook my head even as Andrea spoke.

"It's a near riot out there" I glanced across at her and nodded.

"They know we're putting Hernandez on the stand today and his testimony will be crucial, so they're expecting fireworks" I said as I looked up and scanned the rooftops around the plaza, catching a few heads visible, LAPD and Sherriff's sniper's or so I'd been told. "It's also a chance for Sinaloa to strike at him, hence all the security" Andrea looked across at me and then out again, scanning the area then nodding slowly, finally she looked back at me.

"You're remarkably calm about all this" I shrugged, not looking at her, instead looking back in time as I cradled my warm coffee in both hands, not saying anything for a while before finally coming back from the past. I looked at her and gave her a small smile.

"Not my first time. I've seen it all before, years ago, with the trial against the Columbian drug cartel that wanted me dead" I threw her a glance then returned to looking out the window once again as I continued. "When I was brought in to testify the security was just like this" Andrea nodded slowly, officially they were bringing Hernandez in via a helicopter to an adjacent building and then by armoured car to the court building, in fact he was already here, he'd walked in dressed as a janitor an hour and a half ago and was drinking coffee in an office two floors below.

"It's going to be explosive inside today" Andrea stated, I nodded as I turned to Andrea and replied.

"Yep, once we get going it's going to be non-stop hammering of nails in their collective coffins, I'm expecting Peterson will try to get as much disallowed as possible" Andrea smiled.

"He can try, but that Bureau agent's testimony first should cut a lot of that off at the knees"

"I hope so" I said, then smiled at her. "Seeing Peterson lose has become as much my objective as sending the rest of them away" Andrea's answering grin was quick.

"You and me both sister, it's my first time facing him and I sure as hell hope it's my last" I nodded slowly.

"If we do our job right his precious reputation's going to be shot" Andrea nodded then sighed dramatically before speaking.

"All we need is Craven to have like a judge, not a bigoted old prick, and we can" I smiled at that and nodded.

"Here's hoping" Andrea held out her coffee cup and I gently tapped mine against hers as we toasted the day when there was a knock on the door, it was Mikki; a court officer had come looking for us. He stepped up to the doorway, smiled and spoke.

"You're wanted in Judge Craven's chambers" His smile turned a little embarrassed. "Immediately I'm afraid" I glanced at Andrea and got a raised eyebrow before we followed the court officer downstairs, Mikki and Liv following in our wake. Craven didn't beat around the bush.

"Did either of you know anything about this?" He tossed a copy of Runway magazine out onto the desk in front of him, forcing me to reach forward to pick it up; I hadn't seen this month's issue yet. Andrea moved to stand beside me as we saw a fold-out cover with the words 'Women of Law Enforcement" emblazoned across the bottom of the composite image, drawing a smile unbidden. I knew Brenda, Sharon and Maura had been photographed here in LA, Casey Novak in New York and the others in their respective locations. The Runway graphic artists had then merged them into a single panoramic image of fourteen women standing and sitting together on a dark background.

I recognised our friends of course, a few of the others I'd knew like Serena Southerlyn, some I'd met once or twice like Abby Carmichael, others I'd only heard about by reputation as I scanned the cover. I glanced at Andrea and she flipped a few pages in past the ads to the index for the right page then we turned to the article. It was an impressive one; there was a gorgeously posed portrait shot on one page and on the facing page a couple more smaller images together with a short history of each person profiled and a series of questions and answers covering their achievements, their important cases and the struggle to be taken seriously in a male-dominated profession, all in all it was a great story, I smiled a little enviously, Maura looked particularly fabulous, they all did in fact, the stylists and photographers had made them look amazing. I looked up, seeing Craven's obviously testy state and shrugged.

"I knew that there was an article planned, Chief Johnson, Commander Raydor and Doctor Isles had mentioned that it was appearing but they didn't know when" Craven obviously wasn't satisfied.

"I want to know who authorized their participation in this article" I didn't know; something I explained.

"I'm not sure exactly Judge, I suspect it was the heads of each individual's respective agency" Andrea nodded and jumped in.

"I understand the request was approved by Chief Pope here in LA for the both officers and the Mayor's office for Doctor Isles" She smiled. "May I ask what the issue is?" Craven frowned, obviously pissed about something; it didn't take long to find out what.

"I'm not happy with the timing of this article, I've already got Defence screaming about it, they're calling it a blatant attempt to influence the trial" He frowned. "Hell, I'm not happy about it either, I find the timing suspicious, to put it mildly" I looked from Craven to Andrea and back again then answered.

"I'm aware the article was first proposed last year and the photography took place a couple of months ago, but as for the timing I couldn't say" Craven wasn't happy with that I could tell.

"I want you both to know that I find the timing suspicious, very suspicious, this looks very much like an attempt to paint several of your key witnesses in a very favourable light" He looked from Andrea to me and back again. "Defence is already suggesting your involvement in this, given your association with the article's subjects" I exchanged a look with Andrea and then looked back at Craven as Andrea spoke.

"I work with Chief Johnson, Commander Raydor and Doctor Isles, I'm a prosecutor, I don't write magazine articles" Craven's look was sceptical as he pushed on, changing the subject.

"Who would have approved this for publication, the timing?" Andrea pursed her lips then replied.

"That would be the editor I suspect" Craven scowled for a moment, then shook his head.

"I'm tempted to have this editor in and get them to explain their timing, I don't like it" I muffled a snort; he was going to drag Miranda all the way across the country and into his courtroom simply because he didn't like something. Craven must have heard something as he looked at me sharply, his voice testy.

"Something you want to say counsellor?" I carefully composed my features and spoke.

"The editor of Runway is a woman based in New York named Miranda Priestly, I suppose you could attempt to summons her Judge, but she would fight you all the way to the Supreme Court, no doubt quoting the First Amendment all the way" I shrugged. "Given her extensive connections I would expect her legal team to be one of the country's finest" I tried to look at least a little regretful. "Given the time for an appeal to be heard I would suspect that this trial will be well and truly over before your request would even appear on the Supreme Court's docket for consideration" Craven didn't take that at all well well, turning it back on us.

"I trust neither of you had anything to do with this article or its timing?" Andrea shook her head as I smiled and spoke truthfully.

"I was there when the initial discussion about a possible article was held, back in New York mid-last year" I spread my hands wide. "That was well before this case, certainly before I was aware that I'd be in Los Angeles, let alone being co-prosecutor on this trial" Andrea nodded.

"I can assure you we had nothing to do with the timing of this article judge" I looked to her then back at him as I shook my head.

"I had no input to this article besides being there when it was first suggested and declining to be one of the interview subjects" I said as Andrea tossed the magazine back on the desk as I continued. "This is in fact the first time I've seen it" Craven looked at Andrea with narrowed eyes, then turned to me.

"If I find either of you had anything to do with this…" He shook his head and glared balefully at us. "I take a very dim view of attempts to influence the jury through the media" Andrea held up her hands as she shook her head.

"Not me" I looked down at him and decided to hoist him on his own petard.

"Nor me, however given your concerns about media influence on the jury perhaps instead attention should be turned to the spate of negative stories being fed to media here in Los Angeles, all designed to smear the reputations of Chief Johnson and Commander Raydor" Andrea stepped back into the discussion.

"I agree, the most recent article to appear over the weekend, suggesting that they are radical feminists with an agenda of promoting unsuitable lesbians into positions they are incompetent to fill, replacing male officers, was particularly reprehensible" Craven tipped his head to one side as he spoke.

"I hadn't seen that one" I smiled as coldly as I could.

"Perhaps Mister Peterson might be able to help you there, or so I'm led to believe" Craven peered up at me.

"What the hell are you insinuating?" I shrugged nonchalantly.

"The articles all seem designed to paint key prosecution witnesses in a particularly bad light, something of significant benefit to the Defence case" Craven's mouth turned down as he scowled at his own words being turned on him then spoke up.

"Do you have any proof of his involvement Counsellor or are you merely speculating wildly?" I gestured to the copy of Runway in front of him.

"No more so than this of our supposed involvement in this Runway article" Craven stared back at me for several long moments, obviously caught in his own net, before he waved us away.

"I'll see you in court in twenty minutes" We both nodded and departed as I suppressed a nasty smirk, seeing a wicked glint in Andrea's eyes that mirrored mine.

Washington DC

Serena Southerlyn was sitting at her desk eating her lunch and carefully looking over the Runway article, she had to admit the shot of her looked amazing; they'd fitted her out in a stunning black Prada suit and posed her in front of an empty jury box, her hand resting on the wooden bannister, looking at the camera challengingly. The image was so striking she had already decided she was buying that suit and to hell with the cost, plus she was considering asking for a large copy of the image to have framed as a portrait; it was that good, when the phone rang.

"Southerlyn" The Texas drawl on the other end told her exactly who it was.

"Hi Serena" She smiled, pretty sure why her friend had called.

"Hi Abbie"

"Saw the article, girl you look great"

"It's entirely the photographer's work, let me tell you" Serena smiled. "She did a great job with you too" Her friend, over in the US Attorney's office across town, chuckled.

"I'm gonna have to get a bigger copy of the photo, my folks have already been on to me this morning about getting one they can frame for their place" Serena nodded.

"I was thinking of doing the same, getting a copy I mean" She flicked across the pages to see the image of Abbie; the photographer had caught her standing behind a desk wearing a charcoal Armani suit, leaning forward balanced on her fingertips and staring at the camera challengingly, the Washington skyline in the window behind her. "You look good"

"We all do, I've already sent Alex a thank you email" Abbie paused. "I'm kinda surprised she wasn't in it, her and Liv" Serena shrugged unconsciously as she answered.

"Don't know, I mean she suggested both of us, it seems kind of strange" She let her eyes trail across the pages. "At least we're in good company; there are some amazing women in here"

"That there is" Abbie agreed, then continued. "Speaking of which you've seen the trial" It wasn't a question; they both knew which trial she meant.

"You mean that travesty of a trial?" Abbie chuckled before replying.

"I keep waiting for Alex to go the full Cabot on Peterson, you know it's gonna happen sooner or later" Serena smiled, knowing exactly what Abbie meant.

"I know, it's just a matter of time" Serena's smile widened as she gently teased her friend. "I didn't know you had an Italian sister"

"You mean that Rizzoli woman?" Abbie said. "Yeah, that threw me a bit when I saw her on the stand; everyone keeps telling me about her"

"You do look like sisters Abbie"

"Yeah, my mom had a few choice comments to my dad about that" Abbie snickered. "Lucky for him he'd never been near Boston all those years ago" Serena smiled.

"Very lucky" She smiled at her recollections of Abbie's formidable mother before returning to the subject. "Seriously though, the resemblance is almost creepy"

"Yeah, like I said, it threw me for a loop too, though she's a few years younger, her complexion's too swarthy and then there's that hair" Serena laughed.

"I couldn't imagine you ever letting your hair get that wild"'

"No way, I don't want to get mistaken for some gay homicide detective" Abbie chuckled then continued. "Though she seems like a bad ass, based on the evidence at the trial and her history" Serena sat back and smiled as she spoke into her phone.

"Oh, been doing some Googling of your twin have you?"

"Of course" Abbie said. "So many people round here have brought it up that I wanted to get the low down" Serena nodded unconsciously as she spoke.

"Based on everything I've seen in the trial, she is a bad ass" Abbie laughed.

"Course she is, if I have to have a double out there, she'd better be if she's gonna keep up with me" Serena smiled, she loved teasing her friend, and she'd just been given an opening.

"From what I've seen it's you who'd be struggling to keep up"

"Hey!" Abbie's voice carried her offended Texan pride all too well, making Serena smile, it widened at Abbie's next comment. "What's she got that I haven't?" Flipping pages Serena decided to point out that that neither of their love lives were anything to write home about right now.

"I don't know; have you seen her girlfriend, the one on page 72?" The silence that followed told her she'd hit home. Finally Abbie replied.

"Yeah, there is that"

New York 1PP

In the privacy of her office Casey Novak sat back and smiled hugely, taking in the image of her, in Runway magazine of all places; never in her wildest dreams had she ever thought she'd appear in a magazine, let alone THE global fashion bible.

They'd posed her, wearing a cream skirt suit and muted pale green blouse and perched on a set of towering cream Prada heels, standing on the steps in front of New York's Supreme Court building, a beautiful tan leather briefcase in her hand, turning as if she was responding to someone calling her name, her hair swirling as she did. Through a trick of the camera lens everyone around her was blurred, leaving her the centre of both the shot and the attention. Her skin looked sensational and her hair, well it practically shone; to be honest it made her re-evaluate her appearance, was this how she really looked…?

Shaking her head, Casey pointedly reminded herself that they could do anything with Photoshop then flipped across pages once more, taking in the other women featured, they were all beautiful, accomplished successful women, to be included amongst them…just wow.

While she'd already fired off a thank you email to Alex, she still owed her a very special thank you for arranging this. Maybe she'd call Liv and get some ideas what she could get Alex; after all it wasn't easy buying presents for someone fabulously wealthy.

Speaking of money, she read the details in the magazine of the suit, blouse and shoes combo she'd worn, trying not to wince at the price, then shook her head, she had to have them, anything that looked that good on her was a must have.

A few moments online had the number of the closest outlets to her office and she grabbed her phone and credit card, already resigned to blowing a ridiculous amount of money on that ensemble, especially the heels, but for once not giving a damn.

Los Angeles

We had a few minutes before court so I decided that I needed to turn the screws a bit harder up in Sacramento and now I had just the ammunition I needed. I pulled out a card and rang the cell number there, a few seconds later they picked up.

"Souza"

"Ah Miss Souza, Alex Cabot"

"Good morning Miss Cabot, to what do I owe your call?" I smiled happily.

"Have you seen this month's copy of Runway magazine perhaps?" There was a puzzled silence before she answered.

"No, why exactly would I want to?"

"I suggest you get your hands on a copy as soon as you can, given it features three of the women who have been slandered and denigrated by Peterson and his associates in Craven's court" There was a stunned silence for a few seconds before Souza replied, the shock and surprise in her voice evident down the line..

"You're joking" I unconsciously shook my head, not even bothering to hide my smile.

"Not at all, plus I know a number of the other women featured in this edition, all in law enforcement, I also know for certain they won't be adverse to giving the media their opinion on the both the trial and Craven's handling of it" Souza's voice was stumbling, obviously still dealing with the shock

"How the hell did you…you couldn't have…" She must have realised she was rambling and stopped herself. "Miss Cabot, how on earth did you arrange the timing?"

"I have my ways" I lied happily.

"Are you trying to tell me you had a hand in the publication of this article?" I shrugged.

"I was there when it was first developed though I declined to be featured in it, unfortunately as it turns out, but I nominated a number of the women in the article and given I know them quite well, I'm certain they won't hang back when it comes to giving the media in their parts of the country their opinion on the case"

"What do you mean their parts of the country?" Souza asked weakly.

"Runway featured a selection of women from across the country, New York, Washington, Las Vegas, New Orleans, plus out here of course"

"How could you have arranged this, the timing?" Given her suspicions I smiled to myself before replying.

"You could ask Miranda Priestly, not only will she happily confirm what I've told you, I'm sure she won't be adverse to providing media with her take on the case as well" I could hear the surprise in Souza's voice.

"You know Miranda Priestly?" My smile widened, I was sure Souza could hear it in my voice.

"Miranda is someone I count as a good friend Miss Souza, she came through for us with this issue" I checked my watch and started wrapping up. "You can call her if you like, or you could save yourself some time and get a copy of the magazine and see for yourself. I have to head into court again but I just thought you should know" There was a few seconds silence on the line before Souza came back, a different tone in her voice, respect perhaps.

"Thank you, I'll check it out" I glanced at my watch; I was due in court in a few minutes.

"You should, it's an excellent article. Anyway, I have to go, I look forward to hearing from you soon Miss Souza. Goodbye"

With that I turned to the window and laughed at the world, knowing I'd just dropped a huge bomb in the Governor's offices up in Sacramento and not caring a damn.

Las Vegas LVPD Crime Lab

"I believe congratulations are in order Catherine" Catherine Willows looked up from the DNA sampling she was engrossed in to see her boss, Ray Langstrom, standing in the doorway. Mentally replaying his words she frowned in surprise.

"Not that I'm adverse to congratulations in general but what exactly am I being congratulated for?" Her boss smiled and produced a copy of a magazine from behind his back as her eyes widened and her voice changed. "It's out already?!"

"Yes, apparently this morning, I spotted the cover as I was getting a coffee and grabbed a copy for you" Catherine smiled widely and reached for it.

"Thank you, I was told it wasn't due till next month's issue" She took a moment to admire the wrap-around cover, seeing her seated between an older blonde in a trench coat and a red-haired woman in a cream suit, standing on each side.

Opening the magazine the index led her straight to the article and she paged through to the double page on her; she laid the magazine flat on the bench in front of her and leaned over a bit, taking in the image there. They'd photographed her in a wide range of poses but the one they'd gone with was her wearing a dark crimson trouser suit and heels combo with a crisp white blouse, her left hand holding the jacket over her shoulder, her other hand on her hip, next to her badge.

Catherine smiled; she looked like a cross between an action movie star and a model, totally professional and totally hot all at once. She shook her head and looked up, a little ruefully.

"Talk about the magic of the camera, I don't look that good after a full day's work in the salon" Ray smiled gently as he replied.

"Oh I don't know, I think it's a good likeness" Catherine blushed gently at the compliment, then ran her eyes over the text alongside, seeing they'd not changed her responses, everything there was just as she recalled saying, they'd not edited it or taken her words out of context. Ray nodded at the image. "I have to say that suit looks good on you" Catherine looked up and smiled.

"I already bought it, when they did the shoot I decided that I liked it enough to buy it myself"" Ray nodded.

"Good call" He raised his eyebrows. "What about the other women in the article?" Catherine flicked quickly back to the start of the article and started flipping through them.

"Brenda Leigh Johnson from the LAPD, the one from the trial…" Ray nodded as she kept going. "Serena Southerlyn, a lawyer in Washington, Jennifer Jareau, a Bureau Agent" Ray interrupted her.

"I know of her, she's with the Bureau's behavioural analysis unit, they do some good work" Catherine nodded and flipped another page.

"Casey Novak, a New York prosecutor, Sharon Raydor, also from the LAPD and that trial, Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian" She looked up at Ray. "I've heard of her" Ray nodded.

"As have I" She looked down and flicked another page.

"Maura Isles, I'd heard about her before the trial, she's supposed to have a really good rep, a Bureau agent in New York, Jordan Shaw, a Federal lawyer, Abbie Carmichael, a New Orleans detective, Stella Bonasera" She flipped past the spread she was in. "Erin Reagan, a NYPD lawyer" She shook her head. A lot of New Yorkers in here" Ray shrugged.

"I suspect the magazine is published in New York" he noted as Catherine nodded slowly and paged on.

"This is interesting, Kensi Blye, she's with the Navy's Criminal Investigative Service in California" Ray nodded as he replied.

"I suppose that in any organisation as big as the Navy there's always going to be a level of crime, so I guess they need their own cops" Catherine nodded at that as she finished, flipping to the last one.

"And a Chicago cop, Erin Lindsey" She flipped one more page but Lindsey was the last. "Well, I'd never in a million years imagine I'd end up in Runway" Ray nodded once then asked a question.

"So it was someone you met who suggested you?"

"Yeah, an author, Rick Castle, I met him at a forensics convention years ago and we talked one night over dinner, he was looking for more background for his books" Ray nodded as he spoke.

"I haven't read them, but I have seen them on the stands" Catherine smiled.

"He sells enough of them" She looked up at her boss. "It was just dinner, at first I thought he was interested in something more, if you know what I mean…" Ray nodded and Catherine continued. "…but he was totally professional, all he was interested in was getting the facts right" She shrugged. "Turned out we both have daughters from previous marriages, about the same age too" Catherine smiled at the memory. "I later found out he's involved with a NYPD cop, kinda surprised she's not in here"

"You must have made an impression, he remembered you and suggested you for this" Catherine nodded once.

"Yeah, I'll have to send him a thank you note" She flipped back to the image and her smile widened. "A very nice thank you note" Ray nodded as well.

"You might want to see if you can get a portrait sized copy of that image too, it's something to show the grandkids" Catherine looked down at the image and her expression grew thoughtful.

"Good idea, thanks Ray, and thanks for the copy" He smiled and nodded.

"My pleasure" He looked down at the paperwork on the desk and shifted back into work mode. "Anything on the DNA markers from the Chiswick murder yet?" Catherine changed gears and dropped back into her work mindset.

"A few, nothing conclusive yet but I'm waiting on the final batch from the blood we got off the golf club head" Ray nodded.

"Let me know if anything turns up, Jim Brass is sweating on it" With a wave he turned and strolled out, leaving Catherine to get back to her work.

She did however spend another moment looking at the picture of her in Runway as a huge smile broke out.

Los Angeles LAPD Media Centre

Natalie Dearing sat back and smiled at the cover image of the Runway magazine she was holding, she'd opened the gatefold cover to take it all in, seeing the subjects posed together in a composite image, they hadn't been able to get all of them in one place so they'd been photographed in a range of poses against a variety of backgrounds and Runway's graphic artists had matted it all together into a seamless and quite striking whole.

Fourteen smart, dedicated and quite attractive law enforcement women from coast to coast, it was one hell of a cover, the article inside was even better.

Flipping to the first profile page saw Brenda in a light grey Armani suit and Jimmy Choo heels and wrapped in a classic peach-coloured leather trench coat standing with one hand on the back of a chair and looking to the camera as if she was inviting the reader to take a seat and answer some questions, something reinforced by the challenging look on her face. Natalie smiled at the image, she looked stylish and in control, just fabulous.

She flipped past a profile of a NYPD lawyer she didn't know, Casey Novak, to alight on the one of Sharon; she'd been photographed in a sensational dark navy trouser suit and Balenciaga heels, posed next to a LAPD air wing helicopter out on the pad in the bright LA sunshine. The dark suit worked well against the white and gold and blue of the helicopter behind her, she looked fantastic, one hand resting on the side of the helicopter, the other in her jacket pocket, her face that classic Raydor cool as she regarded the camera, the sunlight catching the auburn in her hair, the photographer had done a hell of a job on them both, which reminded her…

Flipping past a few equally stylish women she came to Maura, she'd been photographed standing in the morgue downstairs next to an examination table, the focus on Maura as she posed with a scalpel in her hand and a questioning look on her face, though Nat could see the amusement in her eyes. Maura was wearing a tailored blue Balenciaga jacket over a white Givenchy knee-length dress, matched with dark blue Prada heels she was the epitome of chic and Nat could imagine women all over America searching out the same clothes to replicate Maura's effortless style.

Sitting back Nat smiled at how her friends had been portrayed, they looked amazing and the timing…it couldn't have been better if she'd begged Miranda Priestly for it in person. With that a realisation came to her and she quickly sat up, reaching for her cell phone; sorting through the contacts she found the one she wanted and placed the first of a long line of calls she realised she'd be making today. A few seconds later the call was picked up by Alexia Marchand of KNBC News.

"Hi Al, its Nat…I'm fine thank you, and you? Oh good….yeah, I didn't enjoy it all that much but what can you do? Look, that's kind of the reason for the quick call, you might want to grab a copy of Runway magazine, the one that came out this morning…yes, Runway…there's an article in it, women of law enforcement, several of the witnesses from the WitSec case here are featured, plus almost a dozen more…yeah, really…they're all smart dedicated women working in the criminal justice system, all of whom might just have an opinion on the case for you…yeah, thought you might like it…each of them has their organisation listed so you can easily chase them up…it just came out this morning…heck, maybe you could approach Miranda Priestly for a quote, she approved its publication after all…the worst she could do is say no…okay Alexia, have a good day…you too…bye"

With that Nat ended the call and smiled, more than a little evilly, before dialling the next on her list, Candace Sin from the local Fox affiliate, KTTV's Studio 11 LA News.

It was going to be a busy morning, but given a chance to shove it to Craven, Peterson, Ling and Cox hard and make it stick, so worth it.

In Court

Half an hour later, once we'd got the usual day's preliminaries out of the way we got down to it. The first witness on the docket was a late entry, Senior Agent Cisco Velasquez was the Bureau agent in charge of Hernandez's debriefing and security; he'd spent more time with Hernandez than anyone and had also overseen the fact checking of everything he'd said.

Andrea had handled the questioning and once she'd got past the initial establishing of who he was, what his job was and why he was here today she got down to the meat of his testimony, Hernandez.

"Agent Velasquez, can you please give us the Bureau's assessment of the validity and veracity of the information provided by Mister Hernandez to the Bureau under questioning?" I smiled at the wording, Andrea liked alliteration and it occasionally came out in court.

"All information that the subject has provided the Bureau has been checked and all has proven to be correct"

"Could you give us some examples please?" He nodded confidently and looked to the jury as he spoke.

"There are currently one hundred sixty two separate people currently in custody across the United States, based on the information provided by Mister Hernandez. Those accused will be tried on crimes ranging from bribery and corruption to drug trafficking and money laundering and on to assault, rape and murder" He looked towards the defence tables and continued. "Adding the defendant's here to the list makes one hundred and sixty nine people on charges" I glanced towards Peterson's table and saw him frowning as he looked for something to object to, smiling gently as he obviously couldn't.

"Could you please give examples of how you confirmed the witnesses' information please Agent Velasquez?" At Andrea's question he nodded.

"When we were first informed of the size and scope of the information that the witness was privy to, a task force was set up to investigate his information. People named were placed under surveillance, in some cases arrested and brought in for questioning, warrants were obtained and suspect's financial records were forensically audited, safety deposit boxes located and examined, that sort of thing" He gave a shrug. "All in all many tens of millions of dollars, the proceeds of illegal activity, were recovered, a number of previously unsolved crimes are now likely to be brought to trial and the actions of the Sinaloa Cartel have been dealt a significant blow" Andrea nodded.

"So the informant and soon to be witness, Mister Hernandez, his memory has proven accurate?"

"Not just his memory, he provided us with remote access to a cloud-based server where a very significant amount of date was stored, allowing us to corroborate much of his recollections" I nodded slowly, that little revelation had been very welcome when we'd heard about it a couple of days ago and I could see the jury following Velasquez's testimony raptly. Andrea swooped on that information.

"Agent Velasquez, based on the information provided by the informant, Mister Hernandez, could you please provide the court with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's position on the information being provided by Mister Hernandez?"

"The Bureau has given the information provided a confidence rating of Very High, which is to say that it is considered actionable evidence that is usable in court and proven to be correct by other verification methods" Andrea nodded.

"So it is good quality then?" Velasquez nodded before replying, the confidence evident in his voice.

"Yes ma'am, the only higher quality is that gathered by Bureau agents directly"

"You've been involved in the interrogation and verification process almost since it started" she asked. "What is your personal opinion?" Velasquez smiled thinly.

"I believe that Mister Hernandez has provided us with correct, honest information, providing everything he knows on the actions of the Sinaloa Cartel, information which we are using to make significant progress against their operations here in the United States" He shrugged. "I believe that given an opportunity to escape the Cartel and start a new life away from their influence, Mister Hernandez has taken the opportunity to unburden his soul by passing as much information as possible to us" Andrea nodded slowly, though we both knew there was no such thing, once he'd been captured Hernandez knew he had two choices, turn informant or die at the cartel's hands as they made sure his knowledge died with him.

"So you believe the information he has given and continues to provide is both valid and verifiable?" Velasquez looked towards the jury; he knew how to work a courtroom too.

"I think the best evidence I can give about how important the evidence Mister Hernandez has is that the Sinaloa Cartel has posted a bounty on his head, $5 million dead, $10 million if he is returned alive" Andrea nodded slowly, letting that figure resonate through the courtroom and beyond, most importantly into the minds of the jurors. Finally she smiled and spoke.

"Agent Velasquez, thank you for giving us your valuable time and even more valuable testimony today" She looked to Craven. "No further questions for this witness your honour" Craven nodded and like me looked to Peterson.

"Defence" Peterson stood and faced the judge.

"I have no questions for this witness Your Honour" Craven nodded and looked to Humphries public defender; he also stood and shook his head.

"Nor from me Your Honour" Craven looked to Vasquez.

"Thank you Agent Vasquez, you are dismissed"

As he rose to leave Andrea and I exchanged a look, it was time for the main event.