Nick's Daughter

The Accused Is Entitled

Greg and I were in our lab and Dad were across the hall. When we got the results Greg tried to wave but it didn't work so he was about to page him. I stopped him. "I got this," I said and screamed. Dad rushed in. "What's wrong," he asked. "The results are in," I said. "The blood contributions on that die," Greg started. "Yeah, "Dad asked. "Tom Haviland and Kim, "I said. "So when he blew on the dice, he blew victim blood, "Dad said. "Now, I know I haven't been getting out in the field very much, but how does a guy get a girl's blood in his mouth when he's killing her, "Greg asked. Dad responded, "Murder's messy, my friend." I spoke, "So, now you have to find it on the surveillance tape?" Dad nodded and said, "If I want to present it to a jury, yeah. Nowadays, people expect a show," dad hands the test results back to Greg, "I should've gone to film school." Dad turns to leave to go back to the Audio/Video Lab. Greg looks down at the test results. I kiss his cheek. We look up and notice the silver-haired man standing outside the glass window watching us. It's Phillip Gerard.

Inside the DNA Lab, Greg is completely covered. From the headwear to the protective mask. He isn't taking any chances. Meanwhile, I roll my eyes while he is looking at test results. Greg looks up from the test results on the table back into the microscope. He picks up the paper and heads out the door. He crosses the hallway and heads straight for Uncle Grissom's office where he sits behind his desk. "Psst, Grissom. We got a development. I went over those swatches that Sara gave me from the bedsheet," he whispers. "Are you whispering, "I asked. Greg said, "I don't want that Gerard guy to hear me." "Well, he's not here, so stop it," Grissom said. Aunt Sara appears next to Uncle Grissom's desk. She looks from Greg to Grissom. "What's, uh, going on," she asked. Greg straightens and said, "Well, um ... I was testing those swatches that Sara gave me, and three of the swatches came up Kim. The other four, with the spatter amelogenin results, are XY." "Blood's from a male, "Uncle Grissom asked. "Tom Haviland," Sara asked. "No. And not his friend Ray's, either," I said. "There was another guy in that room. That's, that's great. The defence has us moving so fast we can't make sense of our own evidence, "Aunt Sara said. Uncle Grissom holds up a hand and says, "That's what they want." Aunt Sara then asked, "Should we call the DA and let him know?" "Tell him what? That we might have found a motive for the movie star," Uncle Grissom asked. "Motive. What are you talking about, "Aunt Sara asked? Before Uncle Grissom can respond, Dad interrupts from the doorway. Dad said, "Hey, Grissom. Brass just called. They found the other victim, Tonya. Briarway golf course."

Later

We were all getting ready. I was in my court outfit.

Aunt Cathrine accompanies Dad down the hallway. She gives him last-minute advice before we all walked in. Dad adjusts his tie and smiles. Aunt Catherine then told him, "Remember, if you get stuck just maintain the same posture. If there are any adjustments, you're seen as squirming. It's going to make you look shifty." "Thanks, Cath. You know, I've done this before, "Dad said. "Well, I've done it longer," Aunt Cathrine said. "Yeah," Dad said and we continue down the hallway. I turn to look into the locker room where Uncle Warrick is going through the trash to look for his discarded shirt. "Hey, any luck, "I asked. "I've been through every dumpster on these premises," He said and takes off his latex glove and tosses it. "Better keep looking, "I said.

We were all seated in the courtroom. Dad just took the oath. "Please state and spell your name for the record," Wescott said. "Nicholas Stokes. S-T-O-K-E-S," Dad said almost inaudible. The Judge said, "Pull it closer, Mr. Stokes." Dad pulls the mike closer and adjusts it. "Oh. Sorry. I'm used to the old ones," he said and clears his throat and continues, "Nicholas Stokes." Wescott put five pictures in front of him. "None of these pictures have case identifiers," She said. "So which was one is dice from your case," she asked him. Dad began to struggle. "How can we be confident in your collection if you can't be confident in your own documentation," she said. Dad looks down at the photographs of the dice in front of him. He chooses the fourth photo from the right. "This is it, "dad said. "You're sure you want to go with that one," Wescott asked? Dad hesitates and glances back down at the photos. He nods his head. "This is the one," he said. It wasn't. "Mr.Stokes may I ask in what year did you officially adopt your daughter," Wescott asked. "Objection how is my adoption relevant," I asked standing up. "Destiny I got this. The year was 1988. I was 18. Destiny was 6, "Dad said. "so you remember something that happened 14 years but not a few days ago," She said. Dad came to sit down with us. Uncle Warrick was next.