'Yes, sir.'
'What did that evidence lead you to do?'
'Arrest the defendant and refer the case to your office with a recommendation that the defendant be charged with the murder of Trey Rawlins.'
'Thank you, Detective.'
The judge called for a short recess. The D.A. came over to the defense table.
'Who are these people? Those jurors didn't even blink an eye at the photos.' He shook his head in apparent disbelief. 'I need to retire.'
Karen Douglas sat propped up in her hospital bed nursing her new baby boy and watching the murder trial on the TV and listening to Renee Ramirez's narration. She had her laptop up and running.
After the recess. Bobby cross-examined Detective Wilson.
'Detective, when did you arrest Ms. Fenney?'
'Friday morning, about eight.'
'At the time of her arrest, did you have the results of the fingerprint evidence on the murder weapon?'
'No.'
'Then what evidence did you have establishing probable cause to arrest her for the murder of Trey Rawlins?'
'She was present at the scene and she was covered in his blood.'
'How did you know it was his blood?'
'No one else was bleeding.'
'So that's all the evidence you had?'
'That was enough. Besides, we got the prints back Monday, it became a mute point.'
'Moot.'
'That's what I said. It became a mute point-'
'Your Honor.' The Assistant D.A. was on his feet. 'The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an illegal arrest does not invalidate a subsequent conviction.'
'We're aware of that ruling,' Bobby said, 'but there has been no conviction. And don't interrupt my cross- examination unless you have an objection.' Bobby turned back to the detective. 'So, you arrived at the crime scene, saw Ms. Fenney covered in blood, and decided right then and there that she had committed the crime?'
'Pretty much.'
'Detective, after you arrested Ms. Fenney, did you take her to the police station?'
'Yes.'
'And did you interrogate her there?'
'Yes. Until she called her lawyer, and he instructed us to stop.'
'Because the Constitution requires that you cease interrogation when counsel so instructs pursuant to an accused person's right to remain silent?'
'Yes.'
'I mean, you can't waterboard an American citizen, can you?'
'Unfortunately.'
The detective smiled, but no one got the joke.
'Detective, when you investigate a homicide, is it your practice to develop a list of potential suspects?'
'Yes, it is.'
'And did you develop such a list in this case?'
'Yes, I did.'
'Who was on your list?'
'Rebecca Fenney.'
'Anyone else?'
'No.'
'Why not?'
'It was obvious that the defendant had stabbed the victim.'
'And why was that obvious?'
'No one else had made entry into the room and only her prints were on the knife.'
'The French doors leading to the back deck were open, correct?'
'Yes.'
'And the back deck was accessible via stairs down to the beach, correct?'
'Yes.'
'And no blood was recovered from those doors?'
'No.'
'Which means that those doors were not opened by Ms. Fenney after she woke covered in the victim's blood?'
'Correct. She stated that they slept with those doors open.'
'And you believe that to be the fact that night?'
'Yes.'
'So while they slept a third-party could have entered the house through those open doors?'
'Yes.'
Bobby picked up the murder weapon off the evidence table. 'And if I wore latex gloves and picked up this knife I would not leave my fingerprints on the knife, correct?'
'Yes.'
'But I would also not obliterate any fingerprints already on the knife, correct?'
'Yes.'
'So Ms. Fenney could have put her prints on this knife some time before the murder but someone else could have worn latex gloves, grabbed the knife from the kitchen, and stabbed Mr. Rawlins?'
The detective snorted. 'Could have? Sure. Anything could have happened.'
'But your investigation of this homicide began and ended with Ms. Fenney?'
'Yes.'
'And why is that?'
'Because I deal in reality. The fact that someone could have done all that doesn't mean someone did.'
'Fair enough. But is it also fair to state that you never even considered the possibility that anyone other than Ms. Fenney might have killed Mr. Rawlins?'
'Yes, that's a fair statement.'
'Now, Detective, when investigating a homicide, after having a suspect or a list of suspects, do you attempt to determine the suspect's motive in committing the murder?'
'Yes.'
'What did you determine was Rebecca Fenney's motive to kill Trey Rawlins?'
'I could not determine her motive.'
'Well, do you think she killed him for money?'
'No.'
'Do you think she killed him in a fit of rage?'
'No.'
'Was there any evidence of a struggle?'
'No.'
'Do you think she killed him because of a love triangle?'
'Maybe.'
'But you have no evidence to tie Ms. Fenney into a love triangle?'
'No.'
'So that night, Ms. Fenney and Mr. Rawlins drank alcohol, ate dinner, used cocaine, and had sex, correct?'
'Yes.'
'Is murder usually the next step?'
