SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Gerard and Holmes get out of the parked rental car and look up at the entrance to Syracuse University.

“Very impressive,” Holmes says with a look of approval.

“We’re not here to admire the view, Agent Holmes! Let’s find this professor and get this over with as quickly as possible, so we can get back to important business.”

“Captain, the search for Kimble has been terminated. And in this case, I agree with that decision. Kimble’s profile indicates that whenever he’s recognized, he flees to another location. We’re wasting our time. Besides, we have a chance here to pick up some political capital. Let’s not blow it!”

Gerard gives her a look of grudging agreement as he unfolds a map of the campus. He scans the list of buildings for the location of the law school building. “E.I. White Hall is off to the right. Let’s go.”

SYRACUSE LAW SCHOOL - E. I WHITE HALL - AN ACADEMIC OFFICE

Gerard and Agent Holmes are seated. Gerard looks around the room at the law books on the shelves, and the papers scattered across the desk. A tall, lean, man with greying close-cropped hair walks briskly into the office, followed by two young men, and extends his hand.

“Captain Gerard. I’m Professor Jamison. I appreciate your taking the time to participate in our mock trial.”

Gerard stares at him with a sullen look. “Just what can we do for you, professor?”

“This is the culmination of our trial course,” the professor answers enthusiastically. “The law students get the opportunity to practice courtroom skills using evidence from a real trial. Given the notoriety of this particular case, we’ve opted to have the ‘trial’ open to the public. To shorten the length of the proceedings, we’ve already selected the jury from among students and staff on campus.” He gestures toward the two students. “Mr. Young is our prosecuting attorney and Mr. Williams is heading up the defense team.” The two students shake hands as Gerard introduces Agent Holmes. Williams, a conservatively dressed young black man, shakes Gerards hand with an obvious lack of enthusiasm and moves back into the background.

“Why the Kimble trial?” Gerard asks, getting to the point.

“Death row cases are the hot topic in legal circles right now. Especially those where DNA evidence is used to prove innocence.”

“The DNA evidence in this case proved Kimble’s guilt!” Gerard responds emphatically. Williams casts him an angry look, while the prosecuting attorney looks non-committal.

“Yes,” Jamison agrees, ignoring the student’s reactions. “That’s what makes this case such a challenge for the defense. My students were chosen randomly to work for the prosecution or the defense. They’ve studied the past evidence and been encouraged to find new evidence to support their case. Students from the summer drama school class have also studied the case and will represent the witnesses. And Mr. Williams has persuaded one of the original trial witnesses to testify for the defense.”

“Who would that be?” Gerard asks with his first sign of interest.

“Becca Ross, Dr. Kimble’s sister-in-law. You remember her?”

Gerard frowns in disapproval. “You could say that. I’m surprised you would have an ex-convict participate.”

“Well, that’s true, but she has received an early parole and Mr. Williams has persuaded me that she has some interesting new information to present that was unavailable at the original trial. I like to reward my student’s diligence.” Gerard’s face registers his opinion on anything Becca Ross has to say. Jamison notices his expression and is struck by a new idea. “Of course…you could provide a counterweight to her testimony…”.

“And how could I do that?” Gerard inquires brusquely.

Jamison tries to hide his eagerness. “As the officer in charge of the investigation, you have the most intimate knowledge of this case. Rather than just providing our students with first hand information, you could take the stand as a witness yourself.”

Gerard looks at him, incredulous at first, then obviously flattered. After a few seconds of thought, he nods his head. “I’d be happy to.” Agent Holmes stares at him in surprise.

“Excellent!” Jamison exclaims, “The mock trial will be held in our new courtroom in MacNaughton Hall, the new extension to this building. Would you like a tour? It was just completed in 1998, State-of-the art technology. We’re quite proud of it.”

Gerard nods his head and adds with mild sarcasm, “I think there are better uses for our time.”

“Yes, perhaps we should get to work with Mr. Young and Mr. Williams,” Kari adds tactfully. “We can see the courtroom at the trial.”

“Of course, these young lawyers must be eager to talk to you. I’ll let you get to it. I’ll see you all at the trial next week. Monday, 9 AM.”

OUTSIDE E. I. WHITE HALL, THREE HOURS LATER

Gerard pushes the door open and walks out onto the sidewalk. Turning to Kari, he says, “If you have something to say, say it.”

Kari looks at him. “You surprise me, Captain. I didn’t think you would be talked into testifying based on an appeal to your vanity. You're not going to get softball questions thrown at you like the ones you got from Abe Eisenberg. Mr. Williams sounds like he’s got something to prove. And its not just Kimble’s innocence.”

“Thanks for the warning, Agent Holmes, but I’ve faced hostile defense attorneys before and the facts in this case speak for themselves. The true facts, not the distorted facts of an obviously prejudiced witness like Becca Ross!”

Kari replies, “Captain Gerard, I’ve asked you before and I’ll ask you again. Why are you so convinced of Kimble’s guilt?”

Gerard answers, “The jury was also convinced, Agent Holmes, in a real court of law. This mock trial will not change that."

Kari looks visibly upset at what Gerard has said. "I’m not asking about the jury, I’m asking about you, especially since we've uncovered new information about the coroner and the latest developments with the gun found on Charnquist. Why did you ask me to be on this task force? You want to be surrounded by ‘’Yes’ People. That's not me. I’ll see you back at the hotel.” She starts to walk away.

Gerard calls after her, “All right, Agent Holmes, let’s talk."

INSIDE STARBUCK’S COFFEE

Kari and Gerard are sitting at a table. No one else is in the place. Each has a very large coffee drink in front of them. Kari is sitting back in her chair contemplating what Gerard has just told her. Kari leans forward and says, “Captain, I'm really sorry about what happened to Lenore. That stated, what does this have to do with Helen Kimble's murder?"

Gerard, offended by her remark says, “Agent Holmes, I am not going to sit back and watch another rich guy beat the rap just because he’s rich.”

Kari raises her eyebrows and says, “Captain, Richard Kimble was not born into wealth. Maybe your view of the evidence is distorted by what happened to your wife. You never went to grief counseling when Lenore died, did you?”

Gerard snaps, “I didn’t need therapy, Agent Holmes.”

Kari replies, “Really? You have confused Richard Kimble with someone else. You should consider therapy, Captain. It helps more than you know. If you don’t get yourself together, you will ultimately lose everything! Alex sees your obsession and it bothers her. It bothers her that you can't come to terms with Lenore's death even though you married Sara. You remind me of my father, Captain. My mother died when I was three. Dad remarried and had two more kids but he was never close to me like he was with Ellen and Kyle. Don't make that mistake, Captain. Alex is a great kid. Moreover, seeing Richard Kimble executed is not going to bring back Lenore nor will it change the fact that Jackson Menzies III still walks around a free man."

Gerard raises his eyebrows at the mentioning of the name Ellen, but then says brusquely, “Alex will be fine. Why do you even care? I heard you were a real Ice Queen.”

Kari says, “Captain, from the moment you set foot in the Kimble apartment, you made this case about you. I hate to break it to you but this case is about Helen Kimble. Remember her? I'm sorry if always remembering the victim makes me an Ice Queen but, you should know there are some cases you can not work on objectively."

Gerard says sarcastically, “Tell me then Agent Holmes, what cases can you never work on objectively?"

Kari replies very stoically, “A case where the victim is still alive.”

As Gerard looks at Kari in puzzlement, she picks up her purse. “For the record, you can put away a hundred more guys like Kimble and you still won’t feel better about Menzies because he’s still out there. I’ll walk back to the hotel. It's only a couple of blocks.” Kari stands up and walks away, leaving Gerard looking in deep thought.

Kari exit’s the building and walks around the corner and stops. She pulls out her cell phone and dials a number. The phone rings. “Hello?”

“Ms. Hume? This is Agent Holmes.”

“Agent Holmes? Is something wrong?”

“No Ms. Hume but, I need you to do something for me. The diary that you gave me, I finished reading it. It’s in my hotel room. I’m currently in Syracuse New York. I’ll call my hotel and tell them it’s OK for you to enter my room. Here’s the passages you need to copy to FedEx….”

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