Izzles – Glad you liked the Sparky moment and Ronon and Teyla fighting over the menu, the trial starts in this chapter so I hope you enjoy it and thanks for the review.
Reen212000 – Good to know you liked Ronon and Teyla fighting over the menu and I love that scene in Lost Boys too. Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Belanna30 – Thanks for the review, I'm glad you liked the Sparky moments and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Steph – I'm glad you liked the scene with Ronon and Teyla fighting over the menu, the trial begins in this chapter so I hope you enjoy it and thanks for the review.
Jasminesmommy – The trial begins in this chapter so I hope you enjoy it and thanks for the review.
Fyd818 – I'm glad you liked the scene with John and Teyla getting yelled at by Sumner again. I can't see Ronon as the type to sit around writing reports lol. Good to know you liked the sparky moment and thanks for the review.
- - -
Chapter 23
The days leading up to the trial passed quickly and before they knew it John, Teyla, Elizabeth and Ronon were standing in the court house in their suits waiting for their turn on the stand. This was the first of many days that John and Teyla would be in court, not only for Kolya's trial but for the kidnapping case and the murder case they had just closed.
"Who's in first?" John asked boredom already setting in even though they'd only been there half an hour. The trial probably hadn't even started yet.
"I am," Ronon stated.
"At least then you get to sit in the room."
"Yeah I'm sure it's far more entertaining in there," Ronon stated sarcastically.
- - -
"Agent Dex," Coleman stated as Ronon sat in the court room. "Can you tell us what led you to believe that John Sheppard was the killer."
"We'd had four murders with no solid leads; the killer was good, never left any clues behind. Then in the fifth murder, Sheppard was found with the body, the murder weapon was a knife from his apartment which had his finger prints on it."
"You then began to doubt his guilt?"
"Objection," came the voice of Kevin Hanson, Kolya's defence "Prosecution is leading the witness."
"I'm sorry your honour I'll rephrase. Agent Dex, did you at any point after Sheppard became a suspect consider any other suspects?"
"Yes, all of Sheppard's colleagues believed he was innocent, he had a clean record and it seemed too convenient that all the evidence was suddenly dropped into our lap in one murder. We started looking into other possibilities and that was when Sheppard himself contacted us with Kolya's name. We went to his home and discovered an entire room filled with pictures and newspaper articles of Detectives Sheppard and Emmagan. The words 'Must Die" were written several times on the pictures of Emmagan and there had been several attempts on her life."
"You then met with Sheppard at an abandoned farmhouse is that correct?"
"It is, Detective Emmagan and I arrived and almost immediately came under fire from Kolya. Sheppard distracted his attention from us long enough for Emmagan to sneak up behind him and knock the gun out of his hand. Kolya then knocked her unconscious and ran away. I stayed with her whilst Sheppard went after Kolya, when she woke up we followed them and found Sheppard and Agent Weir in the farmhouse arresting Kolya."
"Thank you Agent, no further questions" Coleman said as she sat down and Hanson stood up.
"Agent Dex, did you ever find any evidence that Kolya was responsible for the murders," Hanson asked.
"We found no definitive evidence, no."
"And the display in his apartment, is it possible it was placed there by someone else, perhaps even detective Sheppard himself?"
"Possible but unlikely, the defendants finger prints were on most of the photos and articles."
"One final question, are you currently in a relationship with Detective Sheppard's partner?"
"I wasn't when we first began to suspect Kolya…"
"Are you in a relationship with Detective Emmagan?" Hanson asked again interrupting Ronon.
"Yes."
"No further questions."
- - -
"The landowner let us into Kolya's apartment though Kolya himself wasn't there. We checked the apartment and discovered a room full of pictures and newspaper articles of both Detective Sheppard and myself. Some of them were taken from just outside our homes, the words 'Must Die' were written several times on the wall that had only pictures of me." Teyla explained.
"What happened at the farmhouse?" Coleman asked.
"Agent Dex and I arrived and we heard a gunshot in the forest, we headed toward it and came under fire. We both took cover and saw that it was Kolya who was firing at us. We were both pinned in placed by the gunshots though we did manage to fire a few shots. Detective Sheppard then arrived and distracted Kolya by shouting; I took the opportunity to sneak up behind Kolya and knock the gun from my hand however he then knocked me unconscious."
"What happened when you woke up?"
"Detective Sheppard and Kolya were gone; Ronon and I went after them and found them in the farmhouse with Agent Weir. Kolya had a bullet wound in his leg and Detective Sheppard made the arrest."
"No further questions," Coleman stated.
"Detective Emmagan," Hanson began. "You were the last person to see Detective Sheppard before he escaped is that correct."
"Yes,"
"Did you know he was going to run?"
"No," Teyla stated, she hadn't known he was going to run when she'd seen him in fact she had been looking the opposite way when he'd gone so technically it was the truth.
"Did you at any point in the case have contact with Detective Sheppard?"
"No." Now that was definitely a lie but no one knew about her meeting with him in the park not even Ronon and Elizabeth so there was no reason for her to get done for perjury. Hanson gave her a disbelieving look but for whatever reason didn't call her on it.
"How close are you to Detective Sheppard?"
The question caught her off guard slightly but she didn't falter. "He's a colleague and a friend."
"There was never anything romantic between you?"
"No," Teyla stated wondering where that idea had come from but a little voice in her head kept repeating the same name, Lars.
"But you are close?"
"We're close friends, yes."
"He has a habit of disobeying orders, is that correct?"
"Detective Sheppard has sometimes gone against orders when he felt it was necessary to save lives."
"He's been in trouble with the captain on many occasions?"
"Sometimes."
"You've been in trouble along side him?"
"Objection," came Coleman's voice. "The witness is not the one on trial and I see no point in the defence's line of questioning."
"I'm getting to the point you honour."
"Get to it quickly," the judge replied.
"Detective Emmagan, is it true that you have been close to losing your job several times due to your willingness to follow John Sheppard into every situation including when he is disobeying orders?"
"I have been in trouble for disobeying orders when…"
"Just answer the question detective."
"Yes."
"So it's possible your closeness to John Sheppard and blind willingness to follow him caused you to be blind to his guilt or perhaps help him anyway. Maybe even lie for him under oath."
"Objection!"
"No further questions."
"Detective Emmagan you may step down and I suggest we take a one hour recess for lunch," the judge said and everyone stood as he left the room. Teyla immediately walked over to Ronon.
"That could have gone better," she stated.
"Yeah, you should have seen what he did to me," Ronon informed her sending a glare Hanson's way.
"Well, we can't see John or Agent Weir until after they've testified so do you want to go and get something to eat?" Teyla asked.
"Sure," Ronon replied turning his attention away from the defence attorney and back to her.
TBC
