Costa Crew: One More Shot

Chapter 18 - Trial of the Year

Lisa glanced around to make sure nobody was listening. "Of course they're guilty!" she hissed. "But I'm supposed to make you prove that they are. If you can't prove it, they walk."

Richard came to join them. "Everything okay, DCI Houston?"

Paul smiled and nodded. "Everything's fine. Just catching up with an old classmate."

Richard nodded. "All right. Don't worry about the trial. With our evidence I don't see how we can lose. Miss Kleinman, how are you this morning?"

Lisa smiled. "Very well, thank you Richard."

Back in the courtroom, Richard got to his feet and said, "The city calls Deputy Chief Constable Kate Fleming."

Fleming stood and strode to the witness stand. With one hand over her heart, she said, "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

McAfferty nodded for Richard to continue. "Please state your name and occupation for the record."

"My name is Kate Fleming. I'm the Deputy Chief Constable in the Metropolitan Police."

"DCC Fleming, in your own words please describe the case known as Operation Godfather and your involvement in it."

Fleming took a deep breath. "Operation Godfather began when many arrests linking back to organised crime were uncovered. Some detectives began to wonder if there was a pattern and if they could all be linked back to one person. Suspects who were arrested all described the task as being given to them by a supervisor who used an alias, and talked of bosses who even the supervisors did not know the name of. Even some of the most trusted workers only heard a voice over the phone. As the head of the operation I did not do much detective work myself, however I supervised and made decisions on what leads to follow and what to treat as a dead end. Amelia Murphy was arrested after it was uncovered that the Godfather was targeting Rebecca Hidgens over an old high school rivalry, and DCI Houston and his team found her and Anthony Andrews about to assassinate Hidgens. Having examined the evidence collected I approved the arrest."

"Thank you, DCC Fleming," said Richard. "Miss Kleinman, your witness."

Lisa smirked as she got to her feet. "Thank you Mr Lestrade. DCC Fleming, you did not take part in any investigation in Operation Godfather?"

"Objection, your honour," protested Richard. "Miss Kleinman is leading the witness."

Lisa sighed. "Your honour, I merely wish to expand on a point made by DCC Fleming in her statement."

McAfferty nodded. "Objection overruled. DCC Fleming, please answer the question."

"That is correct," said Fleming, "like I said, the detectives involved reported back to me and I supervised all divisions of manpower over the Operation."

"So how sure can you be that the evidence you were provided with was accurate?"

Fleming frowned. "While I was not present at the scene of Murphy and Andrews' arrest, the evidence was carefully collected by DCI Houston and his team."

Lisa smiled. "Just to be clear, you only had DCI Houston's word that the evidence was legitimate and had not been tampered with in any way?"

"Yes, but I think you'll find DCI Houston's word is something to be trusted."

Lisa nodded. "I see. You also presented DCI Houston with the Medal of Valour. What made you decide to do that?"

"Paul Houston, as well as Charlotte Monroe and Edward Green both demonstrated courage by putting themselves at risk when a civilian life was in danger and never giving up in the face of adversity. I believe that because of this the award was the right choice."