Hunters and Collectors
Disclaimer: CBS owns CSI
A/N Ok second last chapter of this story, we now get to the nitty gritty of court case time.
Am I just talking to myself or what?
Chapter 15
Catherine, although she was still in a wheelchair, was all business, working on her own case for the trial, assembling remnants, piecing things back together, and finally meeting Claire Johnson. To be truthful, she wasn't 'working' her own case, all of that was done, what she was really doing was re evaluating in her mind what the DA had briefed her about and for that he'd allowed her access to the file for familiarization, but leaving out certain parts that she'd have to fill in from her own mind.
Meeting SWAT member Claire Johnson was an interesting occurrence to say the least, the young officer looked a bit like a runway model, not the sort of person who would wield an M16 with laser sight, brown hair, blue eyes and 5ft 10 she guessed. A very imposing person with that height, even more so in uniform she presumed. Her personality however was bubbly and quite charming, with a great sense of humour. Catherine liked her immediately, and would have stood up and given her a huge hug if not still confined to a wheelchair and her left arm in a cast.
"Nice to finally meet you Claire, if I may call you that?"
"It's my name ma'am, by all means do, I'm just glad to see you sort of up and around, you didn't look so good last time we met."
"First things first Claire, call me Catherine, that's my name, none of this ma'am stuff, I'm not your superior ok? Now would you like a drink? I have my own personal servants now." She indicated Lindsey and Lily and laughed a bit, breaking the obvious tension.
"Coffee would be nice thank you ma'….Catherine. I understand you wished to see me and this SWAT file?"
"Yes Claire, the DA suggested I review all information before this case goes to trial, and I have a question or two to ask you, as well as giving you my heartfelt thanks."
"No thanks necessary Catherine, I was just doing my job, taking out those two was actually a pleasure for the team."
"I understand you shot one of them, then remained behind with me until the EMT's arrived is that right?"
"Yes ma'am, er Catherine, I was the only female squad member and the men kind of turned their heads away, and I was your babysitter so to speak. As I said before, you didn't look too good, and the squad members are all real gentlemen in that regard, so I held your hand and talked to you for a while until they could get that sword out of your shoulder, safely."
"These photographs Claire, has the DA seen them?"
"Yes he has, that's why they are here, they are being reproduced for the jury, judge and defence attorney. I would sooner destroy them, they definitely don't show your good side." Claire lightened the mood considerably with her quiet comment and laugh.
"In a way it is good Claire, because the male suspect denies the rape charge, I will have to prove it, these pictures will help a lot and Claire, would you mind being an after the fact witness for the DA?"
"Ahead of you already, the DA approached me and I've said yes, if it weren't for the fact these other two were already dead, I'd shoot them again, they had it easy, too quick and too clean. They deserved something slow and painful."
Lindsey came into the room with coffees all round, and abruptly stopped upon spying the photographs of her mother, she dropped the coffee cups and ran out of the room.
"Oh hell, she saw them, no child should ever see their mother like this Catherine, I'm sorry, I have an idea though, one minute."
Claire ran out after Lindsey and caught her sobbing in her room.
"Lindsey? You don't know me really, but my name is Claire Johnson, I'm with SWAT, sorry you saw those pictures, even I find them disturbing but they are what is going to help your mom prove her case against this sick and twisted man. It's never easy, even in my line of work, you take your gun, go out on assignment always knowing that probably you'll have to kill someone. In this instance I had to, because we did our job and your mom is alive. I heard you played your part as well, because of that as well, she is alive, we knew where to go, it's never easy to see those things, but it's more important to remember that your mom is downstairs, in a wheelchair, surrounded by broken coffee cups, unable to comfort you."
"Long speech Claire, it's just, well it was so sudden, it was a shock."
"I know, the first time is never easy, seeing a crime scene, shooting someone, even seeing photographs like that, but you took it very well."
"Very well? I dropped everything and ran away!"
"Did you throw up? Did you scream? Did you faint? No you just ran out of the room to where you knew you'd be safe and cried. That's taking it very well. The first time I ever killed someone I was throwing up for days. You can be a great shot on the target range, but killing another person is so different." She lied but not by much, she had thrown up once.
"Seriously? You threw up? Wow, guess I'd better go and clean up and make more coffee huh? Could you just make sure those pictures aren't on display for grandma and me?"
"Sure Lindsey, take your time, but give your mom a hug when you come down."
Claire went back to Catherine and talked some more, put the file away and Lindsey cleaned up the mess and everyone sat down to fresh cups of coffee and talked about everything except the case, it was solved and Catherine had her answers and knew where to go now. The trial was going ahead, including the rape charge. It was in two weeks.
TWO WEEKS LATER AGAIN
"All rise, the court is now in session, the People vs George Ross, multiple counts of murder, kidnapping, attempted murder and rape. How does the defendant plead?"
"Not Guilty your honor."
"Very well," Judge Rawlston indicated to the DA," you may proceed."
The DA went on describing all the charges, the evidence the prosecution had, the witnesses lined up and called for the first lot of evidence, from the first house. Catherine had been lead on that and this could be tricky.
Catherine was called to the stand, complete with wheel chair, and given the evidence notes to read from and was almost about to begin when the defence attorney shouted his objection.
"Reason for objection please Mr Calvin?" asked the Judge.
"CSI Willows is a witness for the prosecution in another matter pertaining to this trial your honor."
"Does her being a witness in another matter have anything to do with this evidence?"
"No your honor."
"Objection overruled, please continue CSI Willows."
So far so good, the jury were seeing her, hearing what she was saying, and noting her injuries, theoretically Sara could have presented the evidence, or even Greg, even Grissom but since she was there for all of it, saw all of it and was the lead, it fell to her.
The day dragged for everyone and even when Sara took the stand the defence remained silent apart from one or two questions, especially regarding Sara's abduction. He simply had to ask since his client was being charged with the rape of CSI Willows, why didn't he rape CSI Sidle. Sara thought about it for a while and answered strongly.
A/N Yup Sara on the stand, so ok, what will Sara actually say? Hope it's nothing dumb like 'he wasn't me type.'
I do love feedback, so PLEASE REVIEW To Find Out What Happens Next!