Chapter twenty seven

- District court -
- defendant lobby No. 2 -
- 10.30am -


It rained on the morning of Mia’s trial; needless to say this did nothing to improve her mood. Diego’s mood on the other hand still seemed quietly optimistic which though good prove to be annoying, allowed Mia to have a tiny glint of hope that she might actually be proved innocent.
Strange as it was being back in court –as there was a part of her which never wanted to see another trial again- things did not feel as uncomfortable as she had expected, after all, she was supposed to be a lawyer. She couldn’t help but feel pathetic and stupid because of this- A lawyer who hates being in court? That’s ridiculous…

“Kitten?” piped up a distant voice, “Kitten?”

She blinked, “What? Oh, Diego! Sorry…I was completely somewhere else…”

“Hmph, fair enough, you nervous?” he asked, his voice sounded slightly gruff as if he had a sore-throat.

“M-me, no, should I be!?” It’s is you defending me after all, not the other way round.

“No, don’t you worry Kitten; I’m quietly confident, don’t lose all hope yet!”

She nodded and gulped, “So is Maya coming today?”

“Ah, no…I’m sorry, she couldn’t make it today. I never actually got to speak to her on the phone anyway. Her aunt just said something about how she didn’t have time and I shouldn’t be disturbing her training.”

“Oh…” It was probably for the best anyway, she decided. For one Mia wasn’t sure she was really in mood for speaking to anyone right now. Also, it wasn’t exactly a great example to set for your younger sister.

“Don’t worry though; I’m sure your aunt will pass the message on though…”

Mia couldn’t help but highly doubt that…

“Ah, Mr. Armando, you’re due in court now.” The court Bailiff piped up from by the door.

“This is it, sink or swim...no matter what happens I’ll be there for you okay?”

She just nodded as he planted a quick kiss on her lips and they headed towards the courtroom. This really is it…if I’m found guilty…then that’s it…


- District court -
- Courtroom No.3
- 10.36am -

She sat up in the defendant’s chair, staring pensively down at the rest of the court; it was so awful to know that everyone in the room thought you were capable of killing someone –especially when it was someone who’d been your friend only weeks ago. She sighed and waited for the talking to stop and the trial to begin. Some where staring at her as if trying to gauge whether or not she was innocent or not merely by her looks, others just chatted among themselves about (from what she could hear) were their own lives, they probably cared little about what actually happened to her. Looking along the front row of the audience for the trial, Mia spied a blonde woman, probably middle aged. She was incredibly pretty but her face held the angst of a woman much older. Her bright blue eyes looked somewhat dulled and yet Mia had the feeling she’d seen her before, suddenly Mia realized who the woman was; She must be Penny’s mother… Mia thought sadly. Scanning across, she saw that she was sat next to a good looking man, his hair a light blonde, almost graying but in a very dignified way. His face was infinitely good looking but held a few tears streaming down his face slowly; no doubt he was Penny’s father. He looked up at Mia, his face turning from sad to angry as he caught her eye. She couldn’t help but feel guilty, even if she hadn’t murdered Penny. Obviously Penny’s death would have had huge repercussions but Mia had never really thought about how Penny’s death would affect her family. She felt a stab of guilt before turning away and deciding not to make eye-contact with the Robert’s again.

She jerked her head towards to judge as the gavel was pounded against his bench and attempted to push all thoughts of Penny’s family out of her head. Unfortunately, she couldn’t.

“The court is now in session for the trial of Mia fey.” His voice rasped, “I trust the prosecution is ready?”

Payne smiled greasily up at the judge, “Indeed we are your honor.”

“The defense is also ready your honor.” Diego said leaning over the defense desk and looking decidedly less slimy.

“Very well, then we shall begin. Ahem, Mr. Payne? A brief summary is in order I believe?”

Mia saw him smile nastily over at Diego, “It’s a fairly simple case so this shouldn’t take long. After all, they don’t call me the rookie killer for no reason.”

“Hmm,” Impressively, Diego seemed un-phased, “Well it’s lucky I’m not a rookie then isn’t it?”

“Indeed…” Payne trailed off sounding unconvinced,

“Gentlemen, the case please Payne?” the judge prompted them.

“The victim was found in her home office. Her wrists slit and tests showed she’d only been dead for around three quarters of an hour before she was found. The defendant was seen entering the flat with brute force on the day of the murder-“

“Hang on! That’s not true, I was only-“

“Ms. Fey, please try to control yourself!”

Mia, what came over you? Calm down! she thought, telling herself off as she saw Diego flash her a look as if to ask her the exact question she’d just asked herself.

“Thank you your honor-“ Payne said, shooting her a superior look, “Why it seems the defendant was unable to control herself on the day of the murder. Just by looking at this photo we can see there was clearly quite a struggle at the victims house.” He submitted the photo as evidence.

“Hmm, but Mr. Payne, I don’t see the problem. If the victim’s wrists were slit then that indicates no culprit as the victim likely killed themselves.”

“Ah, oh contraire your honor, my first witness will reveal all.” He nodded as the first witness headed towards the stand, her brown hair bobbing behind her as she wore a brown suit and carried a small notebook in her chest pocket. She brushed her hair from her eyes and Mia immediately recognized her to be her old friend from law school. Mia’s heart leapt. While she knew she’d get no special treatment, it was nice to see another familiar face what with Maya not being able to make it. She couldn’t quite tell but she swore she saw a small knowing smile grace Lana’s face as she stood on the witness stand.

“Your name and occupation?” the Judge asked.

“Detective Lana Skye, I work at the local precinct.”

“Very well, murder details please?”

She nodded and smiled up at the judge before starting-

- Murder details -

“The crime took place at the victim’s apartment in her office, at around 4.00pm.

Her body had been moved it seemed and the knife used lay next to her.

It bears the defendants fingerprints and none of the victim’s

Concerning the cause of death there are some unusual facts about the cause of death… ”

“Thank you Ms. Skye,” the Judge smiling back at her, “I assume Mr. Armando will be wanting to cross examine these statements now.”

“Ha…you know me to well your honor!” he said nodding.

- Cross examination –

“So Ms. Skye can the time of death be confirmed to that particular time?” he asked.

“Hmm, it’s not entirely confirmed but it’s clear the victim had been dead for around three quarters of an hour before an anonymous person reported it.”

“Anonymous you say?”

“Well, not exactly. He just wishes to be kept anonymous, that’s all.”

“Right, moving on then…the body had been moved?”

“Indeed. Here’s a map of the crime scene- Judging by the unnatural postion of the body and murder weapon, she was dragged from the indent on the wall over to the middle of the floor. The carpet marks also indicate this. Also we found some small blood marking on the floor and yet the marks on the wrists are relatively neat.”

“Right…” Diego seemed to be thinking now, “So…any idea of why she was moved?”

Giving him an incredulous look now she raised her eyebrows, “Hmm, Armando, isn’t that your job?”

“Uh, yeah right…good point.”

Mia noted the use of his second name. Perhaps the two of them had come across each other in court before?

“So…I have to ask, what are these unusual facts about the cause of death?”

“Well, though the victim’s wrists were slit there were no blood clots or signs of healing which mean the actual incisions were made after the victim was killed.”

There was a small uproar of talking now, Diego stayed clam as he clearly already knew this. “Permission to have the autopsy report updated your honor?”

“Permission granted.”

“So…if the victim didn’t die from killing herself or by having someone slit her wrists against her will…do you forensic people know how she actually did die?”

“Objection!” yelled Payne, “This line of questioning is not relevant!”

“Objection denied!” shouted the Judge back at him.

“How is that not relevant?” asked Diego, his voice high and irritable.

“Err, never mind…I just hadn’t said anything in a while…”

“Right, shh then!” he looked back at Lana, “So, back onto the actual line of questioning…”

“Ah, well, though I’m not actually in forensics myself it didn’t take the team long to find how she’d died. Apparently it was a heavy blunt trauma to the head.”

“Hmm, which does make me ask…while it is true that my clients fingerprints were found on the “murder weapon” -if we can still call it that- innless there’s proof that she hit the victim with the actual murder weapon then Mia Fey’s accusations should be revised!”

“Objection!” yelled Payne, his hair bouncing in front of his eyes for a moment, “Surely this only makes it clearer that Ms. Fey slit Ms. Robert’s wrists in order to make it seem like a suicide after hitting her in the head!”

“Objection! Prove it then…Payne!”

“Unfortunately, while we don’t have the actual murder weapon it seems that's impossible.”

Diego just smiled knowingly, “That’s were you’re wrong Payney-doodle,” he paused for suspense as the crowds began to talk among themselves, “Because I believe I have the true murder weapon…right here!”

“Is that so? Put us out of our misery then Mr. Armando.” The Judge chimed in. Mia could tell he was as excited as the crowd was.

“Fine…TAKE THAT!” he shouted out while presenting an old television which for just one moment Mia swore she recognized. “I believe that this particular television sat on the filing cabinet by the indent in Penny’s office. After doing a little forensic investigating of my own I found traces of blood and a dent. I later checked to see if said television worked and I found all the wires had been messed up likely from falling a high distance…well at least it would have been a high distance for something this heavy to fall anyway!”

“Objection! We have no reason to believe this considering how you seem to be lacking the piece of evidence that actually proves the television actually even sat on there on the day of the murder.”

“Ha…! How very naive of you to assume it claims something without backing it up…I’m not you Payne!”

“Go on then, do your worst!”

“I thought that was a given! TAKE THAT!” he now held out a photo that seemed to be of Penny’s office. “A photo of Penny’s office I found later that day-“

“Yes but how can we tell it was even taken around then-”

“Hmm, you’re sure becoming a Payne to me! If you’d let me finish you would know that on the back she scrawled the date it was taken, the very date of the murder!”

Payne paused a moment, “If we’re done with the puns Armando?” he spat the final word out as if it were dirt of the floor, “Then I’d like to see your proof that the Television was definitely there at the time the murder. While perhaps it was there on the day of the murder, can you prove she didn’t move it for some reason!?”

“I don’t need to though, do I!? Just proving it was there close to the time of the murder is enough paired with the evidence of the blood and the dent on the side where it would have hit her.”

Payne now seemed speechless for a moment, “Hmm, very well done Mr. Armando…but then…who’s to say our defendant here didn’t just push the television onto the victims head to kill her and then try to cover it up with “suicide”?

“If we’re playing the blame game…then maybe you’d like to back your claim up with some evidence. Let’s go riiiight back to the start shall we Payne? What motive does Mia Fey honestly have for taking Penny Robert’s life?”

“Ahehehehee, you’ll regret this I think Mr. Armando for you see, I do have evidence for a motive.”

“Wh-what?” Diego replied. This didn’t exactly fill Mia with confidence.

“Yes- I’d like to submit the defendants phone…I think you’ll all find one particular answering machine message very…interesting-“ he pressed a button and the message played-


“Mia, it’s Penny, Mr. Grossberg called me and told me you were looking for me. I just wanted to tell you to leave me alone please. You got what you wanted so I’m begging you, just leave me be, I-“


Mia cringed. She had to admit the message was pretty incriminating. She knew exactly how this all sounded.

“Hmph, “ Payne sniggered as the court room was in uproar, people shot her disgusted, shocked looks but the worst one was the one on Diego’s face. She knew he’d never believe she was guilty but his face once again did not inspire confidence. Surely he wasn’t out of evidence.

“I bet you all found that very interesting,” said Payne, his voice smug and self-satisfied, “But…it gets better. Especially when you pair the phone conversation with the large stash of money we found hidden at the crime scene. Anyone else think that perhaps the defendant was claiming what was hers…and more?”

Mia quietly face-palmed, It really is gonna be a long day…

Chapter Twenty eight

- District court -
- Courtroom No. 3 -
- 13.36pm -

“Objection!” Diego shouted from the bench, “Mia would never do something like that!”

“Objection overruled, please try and keep personal opinions outside of the courtroom, Mr. Armando.”

“Yes, but-“

“But nothing, Mr. Armando. Can you show me concrete evidence that will prove, beyond shadow of a doubt that Miss. Fey would do such thing?” the Judge asked, Mia could see just how much Payne was enjoying this. His self-satisfied smirk had not yet faded.

“Well, no but-“ was Diego seemed to be able to splutter out.

“You know the saying, your honor,” Payne piped up, adding coal to the fire, “Only one person truly knows what your capable of…you!”

“Me?” the Judge exclaimed.

“Well, err yes your honor, but I mean only Mia Fey knows whether or not she’d do something like that. Mr. Armando here can’t possible prove she’d never take money off Ms. Roberts.”

“Ah, I see. For a moment there I thought you were accusing me of murdering Ms. Robert’s!”

“Okay,” Diego finally decided to speak (much to Mia’s relief) “Your honor, I’d like to cross examine the phone message left on the day of the murder please!”

The Judge sat and considered for a moment, “Very well- If the prosecution has no objections either-“

“I see only good things coming from this…good for my argument that it!”


- Cross examination -

“Mia, it’s Penny, Mr. Grossberg called me and told me you were looking for me.
I just wanted to tell you to leave me alone please.
You got what you wanted so I’m begging you, just leave me be, I-“



“Okay, now, may I just point out a few little things about this evidence?” Diego asked, after being silent for a few moments.

“Yes, of course you may. It is your job after all!” The judge said excitedly.

“Well, for starters the message isn’t even finished, is it? I mean really, nobody in this courtroom knows what it is that Ms. Robert’s goes on to say-“

“Anything else you’d like to point out or will that be it for your pointless conjecture?”

“Actually, no, that won’t be all- Also I think you’ll find there’s actually no real proof that Mia- I mean Ms. Fey had been blackmailing the witness for any money-“

“Yes, thank you Mr. Armando but-“

“But nothing, I’m not done yet Payne because I haven’t mentioned the biggest problem with…well, with your theory about money, murder and blackmail and whatnot. I think what we really need to turn our attention to is perhaps the fact that the money that Ms. Fey was supposedly taking from Ms. Robert’s is still there.” Diego put particular emphasis on the end of the sentence. She was glad he was proving his point so forcefully, so glad she felt a little of the past fear she’d felt, go.

“Ah, perhaps you’d like to go right to the source of the questions to find your answers then, Armando? Maybe you should be cross-examining the defendant rather than a phone message?”

“Uh…well, that’s a great idea!” Diego answered, he now sounded very unsure though and Mia knew exactly how he felt. Catching his eye she attempted to gesture against this. Looking clueless as to what she was getting at, he swallowed.

“It is a great idea…but I think we’ve all tried very hard today…and so we…uh, deserve a rest don’t we!? Your honor, I request a small 15 minute recess.”

“Hmm, you’re right, we do all deserve rest. Personally, I’m all for postponing the trial for a few weeks. That’s give me a good, well earned rest!” the Judge exclaimed, enthusiastically.

“Ah, no you’re honor, I don’t think there’s any need for that!” Payne piped up. Mia noticed a particularly large amount of sweat pouring down his head at that moment, “But if you think it’s a good idea your honor, so do I.”

“Very well, I declare a short fifteen minute recess.”


- District court -
- Defendant lobby No. 2 -
- 14.02pm -


“Okay,” Diego began with a tried look on his face, “What’s the problem?”

“I know where this line of questioning with end…and it’s just as bad as the one it’s on at the moment. If you cross examine me, Diego, Payne will just expand on his point…it’ll make me look really guilty!”

“Right, well, that begs the question, what the hell do I do now?”

“I…don’t know. Listen; let’s imagine we’re Payne, okay?”

“Yuck!”

“So he listens to the phone conversation and then you point out how she doesn’t actually finish the conversation-“

“Yes, and?”

“Then, you cross-examine me about the “You got what you wanted” line in her message, now this would then lead to ^what^ exactly did I “get”?”

“Well, do you know what you got?”

“I’ve been thinking about this a lot and…I think I do.”

“Go on then-“

“You.” Mia said, shortly.

“What do you-“

“Shh, we both know I wasn’t blackmailing her for money, right? So what else could I take off her? It’s simple, her boyfriend.”

“Hmm, “take”? I’m no one’s to take, I’m my own man!” Diego said, looking a little offended at being spoken to as if her were a possession.

“You’re missing the point. Then, I predict Payne with say that I killed Penny incase she tried to take you back off me. Y’know, in an angry rage?”

“Err, no I don’t know but…Mia-“

“Diego, we cannot follow that line of questioning. You’ll be throwing the case away since It does make me sound guilty.”

“But Mia-“

She looked up into his eyes, earnestly, “Please don’t. I really don’t want to go to jail!”

“And you won’t-“

“Huh?” Mia asked, confused and her voice full of anxiety.

“Mia, I have the piece of evidence that will blow this whole trial wide open. It has potential to prove you’re innocent.”

“R-really?”

“Yes, Mia, I just want you to remember what I said- “I will defend you Mia Fey, right until the very end of all this...” No matter what, I will. Do you trust me?”

“Till the end…” Mia said, shocked at his romanticism at a time like this.

“Good, that’s all I need from you then.”

Then he kissed her gently, it seemed to last a lifetime for her. She couldn’t help but think how lucky she was. To have him; and now that she had him, she knew she could never let him go-

Ever.