"What do you mean?" Judge James asked, "You say you can continue the trial?"
"Like, of course," Khloe said. "I did kind of, like, witness the crime."
"That's right," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie, "The prosecution calls Khloe Calaverni to the witness stand to testify about what she saw."
"But, we're waiting on the report from Magdalena's men. Without that information, how can we-"
"Your Honor," Cammie said, "The defense has no objections."
Alright, now that she's taking the stand, Cammie thought, It's time to expose her lies and find the truth.
"Alright then, if the defense has no objections, this trial will continue while we wait for the report. Khloe Calaverni, please take the witness stand," Judge James commanded. Khloe nodded and walked up, replacing Doctor Octavio. He began to take his seat in the gallery and proceed to watch the trial when Cammie spoke up.
"HOLD IT, Your Honor," she exclaimed, "The defense requests that Doctor Octavio be allowed to be my courtroom assistant."
"Well, this is certainly different. Does the prosecution have any objections?" Judge James asked.
"None, Your Honor," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie, "Every lawyer must have an assistant in any courtroom battle."
"That is true," Judge James said, "Doctor Octavio, do you have any objections?"
"Nope, Your Honor," Doctor Octavio said, taking a seat next to Cammie.
"The defense's request is granted. Let us continue with the trial," Judge James ordered.
"So, got some sort of plan?" Doctor Octavio whispered to Cammie.
"Not particularly," she replied.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" asked a bailiff.
"Like, yes," Khloe said, lowering her right hand.
"Khloe," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie, "please testify to the court about what you saw regarding the crime at hand."
"Gotcha," Khloe said, "So, like, I was sitting there, drinking tea, when, like, that girl came into Mikayla's house. She was, like, curious about who I was because we hadn't, like, met before, and so-"
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed, "Can the witness please refrain from using the word 'like' every eight or so words?"
"Hey," Khloe said, "I don't make fun of the way, like, you speak."
"We cannot truly control how one speaks," Martin said in a calm attitude, "Restraining how someone speaks is not an acceptable objection."
"Yes, that is true. Objection overruled," Judge James said, "Please continue with your testimony."
"Okay, so, like, Mikayla was talking on her phone to her, like, sister," Khloe testified, "She told Cammie to get some, like, tea. As I looked up from my tea, like, that's when I saw her. I saw Cammie, like, at the counter when she put some powder, like, in the tea. I didn't think much of, like, it at the time because I thought she, like, was just flavoring Mikayla's tea. Now I know, like, that she was actually putting poison in!"
"So, you saw Cammie actually putting the poison in the tea?" Judge James asked.
"Yes, I did," Khloe stated, "I thought it was, like, sugar at the time."
"I see," Judge James said, "Defense, you may now cross-examine the witness."
"Understood Your Honor," Cammie said, "Khloe, you said I was at the counter, correct?"
"Yes, that's, like, right," Khloe said calmly.
"Martin or Magdalena, do we have a floorplan of Mikayla's house?" Cammie asked, turning to the prosecution.
"Yes, we do," Martin said, gesturing to the Prosecution Bailiff. The bailiff walked into the locked room behind him and brought out a large board on a stand. The board tilted and laid parallel to the ground about three feet off the ground. On the board was a piece of paper with thick black lines corresponding to the walls of Mikayla's house. In thinner lines were objects, such as chairs, counters, and couches. A blue dot with an arrow labeled "V" was in the place of where Mikayla was sitting, arrow facing how Mikayla was facing. A green dot with an arrow labeled "W" was placed where Khloe was sitting, arrow facing how Khloe was facing. Martin walked over to Khloe and gave her a red dot with an arrow labeled "C"
"Khloe," Magdalena said, "if you wouldn't mind, please place the dot where you saw Cammie and position the arrow as to what direction you saw her." Khloe nodded and walked over to the diagram. She put the red dot near the island counter in Mikayla's kitchen and pointed the arrow away from the entrance. She returned to the witness stand and took her seat.
"She was, like, right there," Khloe said confidently, "I'm sure of it."
"I see," Judge James said.
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed, "There is a clear contradiction right here, Your Honor."
"Please elaborate for the court," Judge James requested.
"If everything happened as Khloe currently testifies, there's no way that she could have seen me," Cammie explained, "Anything I was doing would have been blocked from view by my back."
"That is true," Judge James said, "Plus, that coat and hair of yours is rather large and would easily obstruct anyone's view if they sat from where Khloe was sitting."
"Explain yourself, witness," Martin commanded, no longer fiddiling with his bolo tie. He seemed surprised, but still in control of the situation.
"What?" Khloe said, rather shocked, "Oh, wait, that's, like, right. I got some of the details, like, mixed up. May I please amend my, like, testimony?"
"Yes, please do," Judge James said, "Try to keep your facts straight."
"Yes sir," Khloe said, "Sorry, I've always been a little, like, short term memory lossed. So, anyways, it wasn't when Cammie, like, first walked into the kitchen. When I, like, saw her, it was when she took the tea, like, back into the kitchen. That's when I, like, saw her put the white stuff in. I, like, thought it was strange at the time that, like, she would put sugar in the tea if, like, she put the cups in the sink, but now, like, I know what she was doing. She was, like, putting more poison in the cup in case, like, Mikayla went back for another drink."
"This does drastically change your eye witness account," Judge James stated, "Amend the diagram to where you actually saw Cammie."
"Like, yes sir," Khloe said, stepping down from the diagram. She put Cammie's marker and placed it facing the kitchen sink.
"I see," Judge James said, "From this spot, it would be possible to see what Cammie was doing at the time."
Crud, she's lying, but she's good at it. I can't just disprove that with logic, so I'll have to go around another approach, but what? I don't have any evidence to-
"Cammie," Doctor Octavio said, interuppting her thoughts, "If you don't mind, I have something I believe will come in handy." He reached into his lab coat and handed Cammie a dossier.
"OBJECTION!" Martin exclaimed, "What is that, Doctor?"
"This?" Doctor Octavio asked, "This is just all my findings and reports about Hydroxidaticasotocin. I decided to bring a copy since this trial is all about this poison."
"This wasn't approved before by the police," Magdalena stated, "Therefore, it cannot be accepted as evidence."
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed, "Why not? Are you that determined to get a guilty verdict that you'd send an innocent person to jail just because you won't accept some crucial evidence?"
"Well," Magdalena stuttered, "The police still have to review it before we can accept it as evidence."
"No problem," Doctor Octavio said, "I have another copy for you." He stood up and placed another dossier on the prodecutor's bench. Magdalena quickly looked over it as the rest of the court waited patiently.
"Alright, I approve this evidence," Magdalena said.
"Fine then, the court accepts this into evidence," Judge James said, nodding to the court recorder to make a note of the new evidence, "but, what does this change?"
"Easy, Your Honor," Doctor Octavio said, "Hope you don't mind that I'll take over for a bit, Cammie."
"Please, go right ahead," Cammie said, hopeful that this would shed new light on this trial that Khloe had blinded the court to.
"Look closely at the picture of the teacups," Doctor Octavio said, "If you notice in Mikayla's cup, there are specks of whtie floating around."
"Yes, I do see that," Judge James said.
"What does this change?" Magdalena asked.
"Well, as it turns out, Hydroxidaticasotocin has a very low solubility rate. This means that very little of the poison will dissolve into the solution it's being put in," Doctor Octavio explained, "If that teacup was completely filled, only 7.00 mg of Hydroxidaticasotocin could dissolve in it. Only half that amount if half full."
"Wait, you don't mean-!?" Magdalena exclaimed.
"I think I understand what you're saying," Cammie said, speeding up her train of thought, "Mind if I regain control of the defense?"
"Be my guest," Doctor Octavio said.
"If we go along the facts that the poison was already there in the teacup at the time," Cammie said confidently, "Then that means that there shouldn't be any Hydroxidaticasotocin undissolved!"
"What!?" Magdalena exclaimed.
"Even at half volume, as seen in the picture, the excess Hydroxidaticasotocin that would be added that Khloe testified to, which would be 1.01 mg, would still have all dissolved and left no visible particles!"
"No way!" Magdalena exclaimed in shock.
"This proves that the events could not have occurred as portrayed by the prosecution," Cammie said. "The evidence is proof that I could not have put the poison in the tea! The defense continues to claim that Khloe laced the teacups with poison before I got there!" Murmurs rose from the crowd in shock and surprise.
"Did they arrest the wrong woman?"
"No way!"
"So, that Khloe girl did it?"
"I can't believe it."
"Well, have anything to say in your defense?" Cammie asked Khloe.
"I, well, like, I'm," Khloe stammered.
"I believe the word you are looking for," Cammie said with a rather smug look, "is that you're gui-"
"OBJECTION!" Martin exclaimed, slamming his hands on his desk. He held Doctor Octavio's dossier in his right hand. "Doctor Octavio, there is something I wish to bring to your attention."
"Hmm? What's that?" Doctor Octavio asked, a tad confused.
"It says here in your trial experiments that there was an instance where when you placed the poison in some water and specks formed, correct?" Martin asked.
"Yes, that's right. It never happened in any of the other 49 experiments, but for some reason the poison binded with itself and formed an insoluble clump," Doctor Octavio recalled. Cammie stared wide-eyed at Doctor Octavio has he came to realize what he just said.
"You see, Your Honor," Martin said with a smirk, "there is a possibility that putting in that low amount of poison would be able to create these specks seen in the picture."
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed. "That was one out of fifty trials. The odds of it happening in this case would be implausible. It's much more likely that all the poison was put in at once."
"Implausible, yes," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie, "but, not impossible. You still could have put the remaining poison in the teacup and not realized that the specks were forming."
"No way," Cammie stammered. "I don't know what do to," she muttered nervously to Doctor Octavio.
"I can't think of anything right now," Doctor Octavio said, making Cammie's heart sink faster.
"Your Honor, there is no further reason to continue these flights of fancy," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie. "The defense has failed to prove how Khloe poisoned Mikayla, or how Cammie herself could not have poisoned Mikayla."
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed. "We're still waiting on the report from Mikayla's men. If the poison was found in any other teacup, then-"
"Madam Magdalena!" shouted a gruff voice. Everyone turned to face a police officer who had opened the courtroom doors. "We have the lab report on the teacups."
"Well, why are you just standing around there? Read it to the court," Magdalena commanded.
"Yes madam!" the guard said, saluting. "The investigation team examined every cup and bag of tea in Mikayla's house. Only the teacup with Mikayla and Cammie's fingerprints were found to have Hydroxidaticasotocin. No other traces were found anywhere else."
"What?" Doctor Octavio said in shock.
"This," Cammie stammered, "can't be." She began to breathe heavily in panic. "NO WAY!"
"You see, Your Honor," Martin said smirking, "there is no more room for debate. This proves that the poison was added to the cup, not pre-laced. Since the only person to have opportunity to poison the tea was Cammie, she is the only one who could have commited this crime!"
"No!" Cammie exclaimed repeatedly.
"Like, that's what you get for try to poison, like, our sweet sheriff, Mikayla!" Khloe said sternly.
No! There has to be something we overlooked!
"It seems you are correct," Judge James said, raising his gavel.
I'm innocent! Khloe's guilty! I didn't poison Mikayla!
"Argh, isn't there anything?" Doctor Octavio muttered to himself.
I just can't prove it. Why is this happening?
"Then, by the power invested in me by Clarksburg judicial system..."
I can't do anything about this.
"...on the charge of poisoning Mikayla Barquette..."
I can't think of anything!
"...this court finds the defendant..."
What am I missing? Think, think, think!
"...Cammie Staub..."
Wait a minute ... It can't be!
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed at the top of her lungs. "Please hold your verict, Your Honor!"
"OBJECTION!" Martin exclaimed back. "The defense is merely stalling for time."
"N-No, I'm not," Cammie said, still a bit nervous, "There is still something that the court has failed to review. A certain time slot that allows opportunity for someone else to have put in the poison in the teacup!"
"You're bluffing," Martin sternly stated, slamming his hands on the desk, "That phone call clearly shows the time of the poisoning and that we proved that before that time, you were the only one who could have put Hydroxidaticasotocin in the tea! Khloe did not previously lace the teacups nor is it possible for her to have known which teacups you would have used."
"You know," Cammie said, this time in a very calm and collected manner, "You're right in all but one of the aspects of what you just said."
"Explain yourself," Martin requested.
"Yes, I was the only one with opportunity to poison the tea," Cammie explained. "Yes, it would have been impossible for Khloe to lace the teacups before I got there. What you are wrong about, however, is that I did not put the poison in the tea, and that phone call is wrong."
"OBJECTION!" Martin exclaimed. "What are you blabbering on about?"
"Magdalena, do you have a picture of the crime scene as it was when you got there?" Cammie asked.
"Yes," Magdalena responded, gesturing to the Defense Bailiff. The bailiff handed Cammie a photograph. The furniture was all in the same spot and the carpet still kept the same shuffle marks that all three people's feet made. "I don't see any difference that it makes."
"Are you certain?" Cammie asked.
"How about you stop speaking in riddles and just explain to the court already?" Martin said, a tad confused.
"Look closely at the floor. Notice the footprints," Cammie pointed out. "As the court can clearly see, there are three sets of footprints, each to the three people associated with the case at hand."
"What difference does that make?" Martin asked rather sternly.
"Take close notice to the footprints leading to and away from Khloe's seat. They are the most recent because they lay over top of any of the other footprints."
"Yes, I can see that," Judge James said, "but what does this change?"
"The most recent set of footprints, which belong to Khloe go from the entrance to Khloe's seat, since this is when she went to reclaim her phone. However, take note of where they go after that." Cammie slammed the desk as she paused. "The footprints lead straight to the kitchen and back!"
"So what if she went into the kitchen? This was after the poisoning," Martin stated.
"That is true. This did happen after Mikayla was poisoned, but it was the exact time the poison was added to the tea!" Cammie shouted confidently.
"What nonsense are you blabbering about now?" Martin asked in a stern voice.
"We've been assuming all this time that the tea was how the poison got into Mikayla's system, but we've been wrong this entire time," Cammie said.
"But, the phone call happened exactly fifteen minutes before Mikayla's symptoms shown. It would have been impossible for anything else to have entered Mikayla's system at that time while she was drinking tea," Judge James explained.
"That's the thing," Cammie said, with a now rather smug look. "It would have been impossible for anything else to enter her system at that time."
"Then you agree that only the tea could have poisoned Mikayla," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie.
"No, that's where we're wrong," Cammie said. "You see, before Mikayla drank the tea, she was eating something."
"That's impossible for the poison to have been in there," Magdalena stated. "Mikayla's symptoms would have shown up earlier. That fifteen minutes isn't an average, it's exact."
"That is true," Cammie said, holding up the new hospital report card about Hydroxidaticasotocin, "unless, of course, you were eating a cough drop."
"What?" Martin asked, shocked.
"Take a look on the hospital card. It clearly states that 'cough drops can keep it at bay,' does it not?" Cammie asked, already knowing the answer.
"That's preposterous!" Martin exclaimed.
"It's true," Doctor Octavio said, "You can prolong the effects with a cough drop, however, the poison takes effect a few minutes after the cough drop is completely dissolved."
"And, Mikayla was eating a cough drop before we came here," Cammie smugly said.
"HOLD IT!" Khloe exclaimed. "Where's your evidence? It doesn't exist, sorry to say that. If she was eating a cough drop, and that prolonged the effects, then it would have all dissolved. That means that there's no evidence of it any more. Besides, she's already long and thrown away that wrapper it was in. Even if you found it, there's no proof that it's the same on Mikayla ate." A wicked smile slashed across her face and she grinned at Cammie. "In other words, you lose."
I've got her on the edge now. She's shown her true side and she's ready to break at a moment's notice. All it will take is one more shove to seal her fate, but what? What can I do? Do I have any evidence? ...
"Well, do you have any evidence?" Judge James asked. "If you do not, then I am afraid that your case no longer holds."
... Do I?
"Of course she doesn't, Your Honor," Khloe said, still smiling like a maniac. "All this woman has been is bluffing and bluffing. I believe it's time for your verdict."
... Of course ...
"Your Honor," Cammie said, in a calm and collected manner, "The defense does not have any evidence."
"You don't have any?" Judge James asked in surprise.
Khloe laughed and continued smiling from ear to ear. "Ha! I told you, Your Honor. She's nothing but bluffing."
"It's a shame," Martin said. "I actually thought you had something that could clear your name. We in the legal world tend to call that our 'miracle evidence.' Pity it never came for you."
"What are you talking about?" Cammie asked, now both calm and smug, "All I said is I don't have the evidence."
"Again with the riddles," Judge James said.
"What do you mean? If you don't have the evidence, then you can't clear your name, meaning you are guilty, as you always were," Martin stated.
"I don't have the evidence," Cammie said, smiling, "the hospital does."
"What?" Martin asked in surprise.
"The evidence I'm talking about," Cammie paused to slam her desk, "is Mikayla herself!"
"Did you not hear the good doctor?" Khloe asked, still smiling. "All of the cough drop is gone, if the poison was in the cough drop, as you claim."
"Oh, it's not the cough drop I'm after," Cammie said, "More specifically, it's Mikayla's pants I'm after!"
"That is just foul!" Magdalena exclaimed. "What is wrong with you?"
"Well, more like what's in her pants pocket," Cammie said, clarifying her previous statement.
"Her pants pocket?" Khloe said, a tad worried now.
"You see, Mikayla went to go throw away those wrappers that you mentioned, but she was stopped by the trial starting," Cammie explained.
"Wait, you don't mean," Khloe stammered.
"Yes, I do," Cammie said as she slammed her desk, "The wrapper that held the poisoned cough drop is in Mikayla's pants pocket in the hospital! If we test it, I'm sure we'll find traces of not only Hydroxidaticasotocin, but your DNA from when you generously handed them to Mikayla."
"No!" Khloe shouted. "There's no need to test that one. I still have other cough drops here in my purse. You can test those."
"Sorry, but that won't do," Cammie stated. "Those might not be laced at all. Your Honor, the defense request a thorough examination of the contents of Mikayla's pants pocket!"
"I hereby grant the defense's request. Magdalena, send your men to investigate this evidence," Judge James commanded.
"Yes, Your Honor. Men, run tests on anything in Mikayla's pants pocket. Check for DNA and Hydroxidaticasotocin. Don't screw up," Magdalena ordered into her walkie-talkie.
"No way!" Martin exclaimed in shock. "This is preposterous!"
"No!" Khloe exclaimed.
"It's over," Cammie said, "The test will prove that you poisoned Mikayla! As you said in your own words, 'You. Lose.'"
"NO!" Khloe screamed in agony, holding her head in her hands. The scream echoed through out the courthouse as Khloe began to come face to face with her fate. She shuddered and shook as they all awaited the results of the test.
"Your Honor," a policeman said, entering the courtroom after about half and hour, "we have the results of the test."
"Please, read them to the court," Judge James commanded.
"We found trace amounts of Hydroxidaticasotocin in the wrapper in Mikayla's left pants pocket. There were skin cells that we managed to lift from the outside of the wrapper as well. Some of them belonged to Mikayla Barquette and others belonged to Khloe Calaverni," the policeman reported.
"No," Khloe said in a meak voice, shuddering and shaking. "I was told I wouldn't be caught," she muttered to herself silently.
"Thank you," Judge James said, dismissing the policeman.
"I can't believe this," Martin said.
"Cammie was innocent," Magdalena said calmly.
"I knew you could do it," Doctor Octavio said.
"No one can run from the truth, no matter what tactics they try," Cammie said.
"It seems that there are no further objections. I will now hand down my verdict," Judge James said. "This court finds the defendant, Cammie Staub, innocent. On the charge of poisoning Mikayla Barquette, this court finds Khloe Calaverni, guilty." The judge slammed down his gavel. "Bailiff, take Miss Khloe to her cell until her sentence is determined." The bailiff took Khloe to her cell, Khloe shuddering as she walked. "This court is now dismissed!" The judge slammed his gavel down and the gallery began to file out.
"I can't believe I was prosecuting the wrong person," Martin said to Magdalena.
"I can't believe that Khloe went to such desperate lengths to poison Mikayla and frame me," Cammie said to Doctor Octavio. "What could have pushed that girl to do something like that?"
"I guess they'll find out in questioning," Doctor Octavio stated. "Until then, it's a myst-" Doctor Octavio was interrupted by his phone ringing. "Hello?" he asked into the phone. "What about Mikayla?"
* * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
A small electric fan softly buzzed through the silent hospital room. The curtains that hung over top a large window gently floated in the breeze. A heart monitor softly beeped in rhythmic time while a respirator squeeze air into the patient. A TV sat on the wall opposing the patient, which would allow a patient to easily watch TV without need to strain his or her head. To the right of the patient was a small coffeetable, which currently was empty. Various wires and devices were hooked up to the patient in an effort to keep her alive. Her eyes were closed as she sat on the bed, gently stirring. Cammie sat along the side of the bed while Martin and Magdalena stood on the other side, near the windows. The sunlight coming through the windows gently reflected off Mikayla's "SHERIFF" badge. Her eyes gently fluttered open and she turned to Cammie.
"What happened?" she muttered, a bit weak.
"Oh thank goodness, you're alright," Cammie said, a wave of relief washing over the four observers. Doctor Octavio walked up to Mikayla and began to do some routine checks.
"You were poisoned," Magdalena stated.
"Poisoned?" Mikayla asked, surprised.
"Yes, by Khloe Calaverni," Martin explained, "but do not worry. Her crimes brought to light today."
"What's more important right now is that you're alive," Cammie said, feeling compassion for her friend.
"Well, that's good," Mikayla said, going through certain actions that Doctor Octavio requested she do.
"She appears to be in good health now," Doctor Octavio stated, "She'll just need some rest at home and she'll be as good as new."
"That's a relief," Mikayla said. "I do have just one question, though. Well, two kind of."
"Sure, ask away," Magdalena said.
"Who are you people, and who am I, for that matter?"
"Like, of course," Khloe said. "I did kind of, like, witness the crime."
"That's right," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie, "The prosecution calls Khloe Calaverni to the witness stand to testify about what she saw."
"But, we're waiting on the report from Magdalena's men. Without that information, how can we-"
"Your Honor," Cammie said, "The defense has no objections."
Alright, now that she's taking the stand, Cammie thought, It's time to expose her lies and find the truth.
"Alright then, if the defense has no objections, this trial will continue while we wait for the report. Khloe Calaverni, please take the witness stand," Judge James commanded. Khloe nodded and walked up, replacing Doctor Octavio. He began to take his seat in the gallery and proceed to watch the trial when Cammie spoke up.
"HOLD IT, Your Honor," she exclaimed, "The defense requests that Doctor Octavio be allowed to be my courtroom assistant."
"Well, this is certainly different. Does the prosecution have any objections?" Judge James asked.
"None, Your Honor," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie, "Every lawyer must have an assistant in any courtroom battle."
"That is true," Judge James said, "Doctor Octavio, do you have any objections?"
"Nope, Your Honor," Doctor Octavio said, taking a seat next to Cammie.
"The defense's request is granted. Let us continue with the trial," Judge James ordered.
"So, got some sort of plan?" Doctor Octavio whispered to Cammie.
"Not particularly," she replied.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" asked a bailiff.
"Like, yes," Khloe said, lowering her right hand.
"Khloe," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie, "please testify to the court about what you saw regarding the crime at hand."
"Gotcha," Khloe said, "So, like, I was sitting there, drinking tea, when, like, that girl came into Mikayla's house. She was, like, curious about who I was because we hadn't, like, met before, and so-"
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed, "Can the witness please refrain from using the word 'like' every eight or so words?"
"Hey," Khloe said, "I don't make fun of the way, like, you speak."
"We cannot truly control how one speaks," Martin said in a calm attitude, "Restraining how someone speaks is not an acceptable objection."
"Yes, that is true. Objection overruled," Judge James said, "Please continue with your testimony."
"Okay, so, like, Mikayla was talking on her phone to her, like, sister," Khloe testified, "She told Cammie to get some, like, tea. As I looked up from my tea, like, that's when I saw her. I saw Cammie, like, at the counter when she put some powder, like, in the tea. I didn't think much of, like, it at the time because I thought she, like, was just flavoring Mikayla's tea. Now I know, like, that she was actually putting poison in!"
"So, you saw Cammie actually putting the poison in the tea?" Judge James asked.
"Yes, I did," Khloe stated, "I thought it was, like, sugar at the time."
"I see," Judge James said, "Defense, you may now cross-examine the witness."
"Understood Your Honor," Cammie said, "Khloe, you said I was at the counter, correct?"
"Yes, that's, like, right," Khloe said calmly.
"Martin or Magdalena, do we have a floorplan of Mikayla's house?" Cammie asked, turning to the prosecution.
"Yes, we do," Martin said, gesturing to the Prosecution Bailiff. The bailiff walked into the locked room behind him and brought out a large board on a stand. The board tilted and laid parallel to the ground about three feet off the ground. On the board was a piece of paper with thick black lines corresponding to the walls of Mikayla's house. In thinner lines were objects, such as chairs, counters, and couches. A blue dot with an arrow labeled "V" was in the place of where Mikayla was sitting, arrow facing how Mikayla was facing. A green dot with an arrow labeled "W" was placed where Khloe was sitting, arrow facing how Khloe was facing. Martin walked over to Khloe and gave her a red dot with an arrow labeled "C"
"Khloe," Magdalena said, "if you wouldn't mind, please place the dot where you saw Cammie and position the arrow as to what direction you saw her." Khloe nodded and walked over to the diagram. She put the red dot near the island counter in Mikayla's kitchen and pointed the arrow away from the entrance. She returned to the witness stand and took her seat.
"She was, like, right there," Khloe said confidently, "I'm sure of it."
"I see," Judge James said.
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed, "There is a clear contradiction right here, Your Honor."
"Please elaborate for the court," Judge James requested.
"If everything happened as Khloe currently testifies, there's no way that she could have seen me," Cammie explained, "Anything I was doing would have been blocked from view by my back."
"That is true," Judge James said, "Plus, that coat and hair of yours is rather large and would easily obstruct anyone's view if they sat from where Khloe was sitting."
"Explain yourself, witness," Martin commanded, no longer fiddiling with his bolo tie. He seemed surprised, but still in control of the situation.
"What?" Khloe said, rather shocked, "Oh, wait, that's, like, right. I got some of the details, like, mixed up. May I please amend my, like, testimony?"
"Yes, please do," Judge James said, "Try to keep your facts straight."
"Yes sir," Khloe said, "Sorry, I've always been a little, like, short term memory lossed. So, anyways, it wasn't when Cammie, like, first walked into the kitchen. When I, like, saw her, it was when she took the tea, like, back into the kitchen. That's when I, like, saw her put the white stuff in. I, like, thought it was strange at the time that, like, she would put sugar in the tea if, like, she put the cups in the sink, but now, like, I know what she was doing. She was, like, putting more poison in the cup in case, like, Mikayla went back for another drink."
"This does drastically change your eye witness account," Judge James stated, "Amend the diagram to where you actually saw Cammie."
"Like, yes sir," Khloe said, stepping down from the diagram. She put Cammie's marker and placed it facing the kitchen sink.
"I see," Judge James said, "From this spot, it would be possible to see what Cammie was doing at the time."
Crud, she's lying, but she's good at it. I can't just disprove that with logic, so I'll have to go around another approach, but what? I don't have any evidence to-
"Cammie," Doctor Octavio said, interuppting her thoughts, "If you don't mind, I have something I believe will come in handy." He reached into his lab coat and handed Cammie a dossier.
"OBJECTION!" Martin exclaimed, "What is that, Doctor?"
"This?" Doctor Octavio asked, "This is just all my findings and reports about Hydroxidaticasotocin. I decided to bring a copy since this trial is all about this poison."
"This wasn't approved before by the police," Magdalena stated, "Therefore, it cannot be accepted as evidence."
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed, "Why not? Are you that determined to get a guilty verdict that you'd send an innocent person to jail just because you won't accept some crucial evidence?"
"Well," Magdalena stuttered, "The police still have to review it before we can accept it as evidence."
"No problem," Doctor Octavio said, "I have another copy for you." He stood up and placed another dossier on the prodecutor's bench. Magdalena quickly looked over it as the rest of the court waited patiently.
"Alright, I approve this evidence," Magdalena said.
"Fine then, the court accepts this into evidence," Judge James said, nodding to the court recorder to make a note of the new evidence, "but, what does this change?"
"Easy, Your Honor," Doctor Octavio said, "Hope you don't mind that I'll take over for a bit, Cammie."
"Please, go right ahead," Cammie said, hopeful that this would shed new light on this trial that Khloe had blinded the court to.
"Look closely at the picture of the teacups," Doctor Octavio said, "If you notice in Mikayla's cup, there are specks of whtie floating around."
"Yes, I do see that," Judge James said.
"What does this change?" Magdalena asked.
"Well, as it turns out, Hydroxidaticasotocin has a very low solubility rate. This means that very little of the poison will dissolve into the solution it's being put in," Doctor Octavio explained, "If that teacup was completely filled, only 7.00 mg of Hydroxidaticasotocin could dissolve in it. Only half that amount if half full."
"Wait, you don't mean-!?" Magdalena exclaimed.
"I think I understand what you're saying," Cammie said, speeding up her train of thought, "Mind if I regain control of the defense?"
"Be my guest," Doctor Octavio said.
"If we go along the facts that the poison was already there in the teacup at the time," Cammie said confidently, "Then that means that there shouldn't be any Hydroxidaticasotocin undissolved!"
"What!?" Magdalena exclaimed.
"Even at half volume, as seen in the picture, the excess Hydroxidaticasotocin that would be added that Khloe testified to, which would be 1.01 mg, would still have all dissolved and left no visible particles!"
"No way!" Magdalena exclaimed in shock.
"This proves that the events could not have occurred as portrayed by the prosecution," Cammie said. "The evidence is proof that I could not have put the poison in the tea! The defense continues to claim that Khloe laced the teacups with poison before I got there!" Murmurs rose from the crowd in shock and surprise.
"Did they arrest the wrong woman?"
"No way!"
"So, that Khloe girl did it?"
"I can't believe it."
"Well, have anything to say in your defense?" Cammie asked Khloe.
"I, well, like, I'm," Khloe stammered.
"I believe the word you are looking for," Cammie said with a rather smug look, "is that you're gui-"
"OBJECTION!" Martin exclaimed, slamming his hands on his desk. He held Doctor Octavio's dossier in his right hand. "Doctor Octavio, there is something I wish to bring to your attention."
"Hmm? What's that?" Doctor Octavio asked, a tad confused.
"It says here in your trial experiments that there was an instance where when you placed the poison in some water and specks formed, correct?" Martin asked.
"Yes, that's right. It never happened in any of the other 49 experiments, but for some reason the poison binded with itself and formed an insoluble clump," Doctor Octavio recalled. Cammie stared wide-eyed at Doctor Octavio has he came to realize what he just said.
"You see, Your Honor," Martin said with a smirk, "there is a possibility that putting in that low amount of poison would be able to create these specks seen in the picture."
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed. "That was one out of fifty trials. The odds of it happening in this case would be implausible. It's much more likely that all the poison was put in at once."
"Implausible, yes," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie, "but, not impossible. You still could have put the remaining poison in the teacup and not realized that the specks were forming."
"No way," Cammie stammered. "I don't know what do to," she muttered nervously to Doctor Octavio.
"I can't think of anything right now," Doctor Octavio said, making Cammie's heart sink faster.
"Your Honor, there is no further reason to continue these flights of fancy," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie. "The defense has failed to prove how Khloe poisoned Mikayla, or how Cammie herself could not have poisoned Mikayla."
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed. "We're still waiting on the report from Mikayla's men. If the poison was found in any other teacup, then-"
"Madam Magdalena!" shouted a gruff voice. Everyone turned to face a police officer who had opened the courtroom doors. "We have the lab report on the teacups."
"Well, why are you just standing around there? Read it to the court," Magdalena commanded.
"Yes madam!" the guard said, saluting. "The investigation team examined every cup and bag of tea in Mikayla's house. Only the teacup with Mikayla and Cammie's fingerprints were found to have Hydroxidaticasotocin. No other traces were found anywhere else."
"What?" Doctor Octavio said in shock.
"This," Cammie stammered, "can't be." She began to breathe heavily in panic. "NO WAY!"
"You see, Your Honor," Martin said smirking, "there is no more room for debate. This proves that the poison was added to the cup, not pre-laced. Since the only person to have opportunity to poison the tea was Cammie, she is the only one who could have commited this crime!"
"No!" Cammie exclaimed repeatedly.
"Like, that's what you get for try to poison, like, our sweet sheriff, Mikayla!" Khloe said sternly.
No! There has to be something we overlooked!
"It seems you are correct," Judge James said, raising his gavel.
I'm innocent! Khloe's guilty! I didn't poison Mikayla!
"Argh, isn't there anything?" Doctor Octavio muttered to himself.
I just can't prove it. Why is this happening?
"Then, by the power invested in me by Clarksburg judicial system..."
I can't do anything about this.
"...on the charge of poisoning Mikayla Barquette..."
I can't think of anything!
"...this court finds the defendant..."
What am I missing? Think, think, think!
"...Cammie Staub..."
Wait a minute ... It can't be!
"OBJECTION!" Cammie exclaimed at the top of her lungs. "Please hold your verict, Your Honor!"
"OBJECTION!" Martin exclaimed back. "The defense is merely stalling for time."
"N-No, I'm not," Cammie said, still a bit nervous, "There is still something that the court has failed to review. A certain time slot that allows opportunity for someone else to have put in the poison in the teacup!"
"You're bluffing," Martin sternly stated, slamming his hands on the desk, "That phone call clearly shows the time of the poisoning and that we proved that before that time, you were the only one who could have put Hydroxidaticasotocin in the tea! Khloe did not previously lace the teacups nor is it possible for her to have known which teacups you would have used."
"You know," Cammie said, this time in a very calm and collected manner, "You're right in all but one of the aspects of what you just said."
"Explain yourself," Martin requested.
"Yes, I was the only one with opportunity to poison the tea," Cammie explained. "Yes, it would have been impossible for Khloe to lace the teacups before I got there. What you are wrong about, however, is that I did not put the poison in the tea, and that phone call is wrong."
"OBJECTION!" Martin exclaimed. "What are you blabbering on about?"
"Magdalena, do you have a picture of the crime scene as it was when you got there?" Cammie asked.
"Yes," Magdalena responded, gesturing to the Defense Bailiff. The bailiff handed Cammie a photograph. The furniture was all in the same spot and the carpet still kept the same shuffle marks that all three people's feet made. "I don't see any difference that it makes."
"Are you certain?" Cammie asked.
"How about you stop speaking in riddles and just explain to the court already?" Martin said, a tad confused.
"Look closely at the floor. Notice the footprints," Cammie pointed out. "As the court can clearly see, there are three sets of footprints, each to the three people associated with the case at hand."
"What difference does that make?" Martin asked rather sternly.
"Take close notice to the footprints leading to and away from Khloe's seat. They are the most recent because they lay over top of any of the other footprints."
"Yes, I can see that," Judge James said, "but what does this change?"
"The most recent set of footprints, which belong to Khloe go from the entrance to Khloe's seat, since this is when she went to reclaim her phone. However, take note of where they go after that." Cammie slammed the desk as she paused. "The footprints lead straight to the kitchen and back!"
"So what if she went into the kitchen? This was after the poisoning," Martin stated.
"That is true. This did happen after Mikayla was poisoned, but it was the exact time the poison was added to the tea!" Cammie shouted confidently.
"What nonsense are you blabbering about now?" Martin asked in a stern voice.
"We've been assuming all this time that the tea was how the poison got into Mikayla's system, but we've been wrong this entire time," Cammie said.
"But, the phone call happened exactly fifteen minutes before Mikayla's symptoms shown. It would have been impossible for anything else to have entered Mikayla's system at that time while she was drinking tea," Judge James explained.
"That's the thing," Cammie said, with a now rather smug look. "It would have been impossible for anything else to enter her system at that time."
"Then you agree that only the tea could have poisoned Mikayla," Martin said, fiddling with his bolo tie.
"No, that's where we're wrong," Cammie said. "You see, before Mikayla drank the tea, she was eating something."
"That's impossible for the poison to have been in there," Magdalena stated. "Mikayla's symptoms would have shown up earlier. That fifteen minutes isn't an average, it's exact."
"That is true," Cammie said, holding up the new hospital report card about Hydroxidaticasotocin, "unless, of course, you were eating a cough drop."
"What?" Martin asked, shocked.
"Take a look on the hospital card. It clearly states that 'cough drops can keep it at bay,' does it not?" Cammie asked, already knowing the answer.
"That's preposterous!" Martin exclaimed.
"It's true," Doctor Octavio said, "You can prolong the effects with a cough drop, however, the poison takes effect a few minutes after the cough drop is completely dissolved."
"And, Mikayla was eating a cough drop before we came here," Cammie smugly said.
"HOLD IT!" Khloe exclaimed. "Where's your evidence? It doesn't exist, sorry to say that. If she was eating a cough drop, and that prolonged the effects, then it would have all dissolved. That means that there's no evidence of it any more. Besides, she's already long and thrown away that wrapper it was in. Even if you found it, there's no proof that it's the same on Mikayla ate." A wicked smile slashed across her face and she grinned at Cammie. "In other words, you lose."
I've got her on the edge now. She's shown her true side and she's ready to break at a moment's notice. All it will take is one more shove to seal her fate, but what? What can I do? Do I have any evidence? ...
"Well, do you have any evidence?" Judge James asked. "If you do not, then I am afraid that your case no longer holds."
... Do I?
"Of course she doesn't, Your Honor," Khloe said, still smiling like a maniac. "All this woman has been is bluffing and bluffing. I believe it's time for your verdict."
... Of course ...
"Your Honor," Cammie said, in a calm and collected manner, "The defense does not have any evidence."
"You don't have any?" Judge James asked in surprise.
Khloe laughed and continued smiling from ear to ear. "Ha! I told you, Your Honor. She's nothing but bluffing."
"It's a shame," Martin said. "I actually thought you had something that could clear your name. We in the legal world tend to call that our 'miracle evidence.' Pity it never came for you."
"What are you talking about?" Cammie asked, now both calm and smug, "All I said is I don't have the evidence."
"Again with the riddles," Judge James said.
"What do you mean? If you don't have the evidence, then you can't clear your name, meaning you are guilty, as you always were," Martin stated.
"I don't have the evidence," Cammie said, smiling, "the hospital does."
"What?" Martin asked in surprise.
"The evidence I'm talking about," Cammie paused to slam her desk, "is Mikayla herself!"
"Did you not hear the good doctor?" Khloe asked, still smiling. "All of the cough drop is gone, if the poison was in the cough drop, as you claim."
"Oh, it's not the cough drop I'm after," Cammie said, "More specifically, it's Mikayla's pants I'm after!"
"That is just foul!" Magdalena exclaimed. "What is wrong with you?"
"Well, more like what's in her pants pocket," Cammie said, clarifying her previous statement.
"Her pants pocket?" Khloe said, a tad worried now.
"You see, Mikayla went to go throw away those wrappers that you mentioned, but she was stopped by the trial starting," Cammie explained.
"Wait, you don't mean," Khloe stammered.
"Yes, I do," Cammie said as she slammed her desk, "The wrapper that held the poisoned cough drop is in Mikayla's pants pocket in the hospital! If we test it, I'm sure we'll find traces of not only Hydroxidaticasotocin, but your DNA from when you generously handed them to Mikayla."
"No!" Khloe shouted. "There's no need to test that one. I still have other cough drops here in my purse. You can test those."
"Sorry, but that won't do," Cammie stated. "Those might not be laced at all. Your Honor, the defense request a thorough examination of the contents of Mikayla's pants pocket!"
"I hereby grant the defense's request. Magdalena, send your men to investigate this evidence," Judge James commanded.
"Yes, Your Honor. Men, run tests on anything in Mikayla's pants pocket. Check for DNA and Hydroxidaticasotocin. Don't screw up," Magdalena ordered into her walkie-talkie.
"No way!" Martin exclaimed in shock. "This is preposterous!"
"No!" Khloe exclaimed.
"It's over," Cammie said, "The test will prove that you poisoned Mikayla! As you said in your own words, 'You. Lose.'"
"NO!" Khloe screamed in agony, holding her head in her hands. The scream echoed through out the courthouse as Khloe began to come face to face with her fate. She shuddered and shook as they all awaited the results of the test.
"Your Honor," a policeman said, entering the courtroom after about half and hour, "we have the results of the test."
"Please, read them to the court," Judge James commanded.
"We found trace amounts of Hydroxidaticasotocin in the wrapper in Mikayla's left pants pocket. There were skin cells that we managed to lift from the outside of the wrapper as well. Some of them belonged to Mikayla Barquette and others belonged to Khloe Calaverni," the policeman reported.
"No," Khloe said in a meak voice, shuddering and shaking. "I was told I wouldn't be caught," she muttered to herself silently.
"Thank you," Judge James said, dismissing the policeman.
"I can't believe this," Martin said.
"Cammie was innocent," Magdalena said calmly.
"I knew you could do it," Doctor Octavio said.
"No one can run from the truth, no matter what tactics they try," Cammie said.
"It seems that there are no further objections. I will now hand down my verdict," Judge James said. "This court finds the defendant, Cammie Staub, innocent. On the charge of poisoning Mikayla Barquette, this court finds Khloe Calaverni, guilty." The judge slammed down his gavel. "Bailiff, take Miss Khloe to her cell until her sentence is determined." The bailiff took Khloe to her cell, Khloe shuddering as she walked. "This court is now dismissed!" The judge slammed his gavel down and the gallery began to file out.
"I can't believe I was prosecuting the wrong person," Martin said to Magdalena.
"I can't believe that Khloe went to such desperate lengths to poison Mikayla and frame me," Cammie said to Doctor Octavio. "What could have pushed that girl to do something like that?"
"I guess they'll find out in questioning," Doctor Octavio stated. "Until then, it's a myst-" Doctor Octavio was interrupted by his phone ringing. "Hello?" he asked into the phone. "What about Mikayla?"
* * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
A small electric fan softly buzzed through the silent hospital room. The curtains that hung over top a large window gently floated in the breeze. A heart monitor softly beeped in rhythmic time while a respirator squeeze air into the patient. A TV sat on the wall opposing the patient, which would allow a patient to easily watch TV without need to strain his or her head. To the right of the patient was a small coffeetable, which currently was empty. Various wires and devices were hooked up to the patient in an effort to keep her alive. Her eyes were closed as she sat on the bed, gently stirring. Cammie sat along the side of the bed while Martin and Magdalena stood on the other side, near the windows. The sunlight coming through the windows gently reflected off Mikayla's "SHERIFF" badge. Her eyes gently fluttered open and she turned to Cammie.
"What happened?" she muttered, a bit weak.
"Oh thank goodness, you're alright," Cammie said, a wave of relief washing over the four observers. Doctor Octavio walked up to Mikayla and began to do some routine checks.
"You were poisoned," Magdalena stated.
"Poisoned?" Mikayla asked, surprised.
"Yes, by Khloe Calaverni," Martin explained, "but do not worry. Her crimes brought to light today."
"What's more important right now is that you're alive," Cammie said, feeling compassion for her friend.
"Well, that's good," Mikayla said, going through certain actions that Doctor Octavio requested she do.
"She appears to be in good health now," Doctor Octavio stated, "She'll just need some rest at home and she'll be as good as new."
"That's a relief," Mikayla said. "I do have just one question, though. Well, two kind of."
"Sure, ask away," Magdalena said.
"Who are you people, and who am I, for that matter?"