No Way Out

Go on,” said the judge.

“Well it appears that some one else accessed it and tried to frame me. They logged on using my IP address and a spoofed version of the MAC number of my computer and basically deleted a file and then uploaded an identical copy of the same file.”

“And what is the relevance of this?”

“Well it appears that some one has compromised the Ventura LDIS. This means that until further checks have been made, we cannot trust in the integrity of the local database — at least as it relates to this case.”

“But you said that they uploaded an identical file, Miss Phoenix,” said the judge. “That means that they may have tried to frame you, but they didn’t actually change any of the evidence.”

They were distracted by a sound at the back of the courtroom. Bridget Riley had just entered and was trying to get Sarah Jensen’s attention.

Wednesday, 2 September 2009 — 11:20

“Can you believe that?” asked Manning, grinning from ear to ear.

They had just watched Andi’s questioning of Gene Vance and those amazing courtroom scenes. The cop was barely taking it in, but Louis Manning was on the verge of laughter.

“Man those bitches must really be suffering now.”

And this time he did laugh. The cop looked at him with disgust and tried to mouth the words “you bastard.” But it wasn’t the courtroom scene that he was talking about. It was what was happening to himself. Because he now felt himself overtaken by a sudden wave of drowsiness and he realized that it was the coffee.

Manning had spiked his cup while he was out of the room. It had to be.

Why else would I suddenly feel so tired?

He realized that he had to so something. Drawing on his last reserves of strength, he staggered to his feet and lurched towards the door. Manning was constrained by his leg in traction, but somehow managed to maneuver his body so that he could stick out his free leg off the bed, using his foot to trip the cop as he closed the gap between his desperately weary body and the door.

Although it was only the briefest and mildest of contacts between his shin and Manning’s foot, the sudden, unexpected interruption of his motion — coupled with his precarious state of balance to begin with — sent the lethargic cop sprawling to the floor. He landed with a heavier thud than Manning had intended.

Still conscious, albeit barely, he looked round to see Manning struggling to extricate his leg from traction.

Wednesday, 2 September 2009 — 11:35

Fifteen minutes later they were reassembled in the courtroom after a short recess granted by the judge to clear matters up. Bridget Riley had briefed Sarah Jensen and they now all realized that it was Louis Manning and not Elias Claymore who had raped Bethel Newton. They had to avoid saying so explicitly, in order not to prejudice the case against Manning. But at the same time, the defense wanted some kind of acknowledgement that Claymore was innocent.

“Your Honor,” said Sarah Jensen, “in view of certain new evidence that has come to the attention of the People, we move that the court declare a mistrial with prejudice and that the charges against Elias Claymore be dismissed.”

“Mr. Sedaka?” said the judge.

“The defense has no objection.”

“So ordered. The charges against Elias Claymore are hereby dismissed with prejudice. The defendant is free to go. Court is adjourned.”

Andi felt a wave of relief. But it was tinged with disappointment. There was still some unfinished business. She and David Sedaka had discovered proof that the jury selection software had been tampered with. Yet although the judge had passed the buck — understandably so — it was still something that had to be dealt with.

Then there was also the matter of the illegal accessing of the DNA database and the attempt to frame her. And of course there were the malicious eMail messages that she had been receiving. She assumed that it was all the work of the same person: Lannosea.

But the question remained: who was Lannosea?

“All rise!” intoned the bailiff.

Everyone in the courtroom stood. Only when the judge had left did the court erupt into pandemonium. Several bailiff’s held back spectators as Andi, Alex and Claymore walked out the courtroom quickly. Outside, Alex spoke to Claymore.

“We can go to the main lobby if you want to talk to the press.”

“No thanks. I just want to get my tail out of here. You can talk to the press if you like.”

“OK, leave it to me,” said Alex.

He walked off down another corridor while Andi and Claymore continued walking to the side exit that took them to the Museum parking lot. When they got there, it was deserted.

“Just tell me one thing,” said Claymore. “How could you help defend me after…”

He was too embarrassed to finish the sentence.

“After I knew that you had raped the woman I love?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll let you into a little secret. I was also raped once.” He looked frightened at these words. “After Gene was raped she started working at a rape crisis Center in New York. And then when I was raped, I was referred to that same center. That’s how we met.”

“That’s it?” he asked, hesitantly.

“Yes.”

“Then how could you help me?”

“Because I was raped again — this time by a colleague. Not literally raped, but figuratively speaking. My hands were tied and I was forced to conform to his will. Only this is the last time it’s going to happen. I’m never going to have to look at him again. It’s just a case of taking the plunge and moving on.”

She walked off angrily, got into a red Ford Mustang and drove off

Wednesday, 2 September 2009 — 11:45

Louis Manning was struggling to pull the cop towards him. The floor was smooth but it was hard to get the necessary leverage. With his right leg in traction and his right wrist handcuffed to the bedrail, it was very hard getting into position. Sticking his free leg out had been easy enough. But reaching the cop’s ankle with his hand was somewhat harder. So it used up precious time getting the necessary grip and dragging him back so that he could fumble for the key to the handcuffs and free his hand.

The cops had become blase. There was supposed to be one in the room and one outside. But they had scaled it down to just one who was free to leave the room as long as Manning was handcuffed to the bed — as he was most of the time, except when eating. The only time there were two of them together was when a change of shift was due. The next change of shift was some hours away. And the doctors only came round at set intervals, in the morning and afternoon. But at any time a nurse might enter the room to change his saline drip, inject painkilling medication or do any of the myriad tasks that drew nurses into the room at seemingly random intervals.

After unlocking the handcuffs, it was a further problem getting his leg out of traction. He wasn’t even sure how well he could walk with it still in the cast, but was surprised to find that it was relatively easy. But he couldn’t