Kathryn Fox - Bloodborn

Doctor Anya Crichton prepared to face the violent offenders.

Detective Inspector Hayden Richards arrived just after Anya broke the news

After giving formal police statements, Mary dropped Anya a few

After a few hours of restless dozing, Anya weaved her

Anya Crichton shuffled down stairs in her Ugg boots and thick

Anya left the operating theater an hour and a half

Anya signed over the forensic specimens to Shaun Wheeler who dropped

Jeff Sales was performing Rachel Goodwins post-mortem and invited Anya to attend.

At 8 A.M. Anya cleared security and met Hayden Richards in the

After a welcome-back morning tea at the sexual assault unit,

After vacillating over whether or not to go, at the

The following afternoon Anya removed the wax-paper covering, held her

Kate Farrer and Hayden Richards were outside the ICU, along with a

Outside ICU, Kate paced. Liz Gould stood texting on her phone

Noelene Harbourn opened the door in a pink chenille gown and

Anya pulled the document from the fax machine. Jeff Sales had

Anya fumbled for the phone in the dark.

Anya had heard a great deal about the crimes of

Martin brought Ben over to stay and agreed to have

Anya glanced at the miniscule back seat and offered to

Thats my boy. Kate laughed. All over the back seat?

With Ben and Martin back home, Anya sat down to

From the images of Savannah Harbourns car on the news, the

With two separate court appearances in the next two weeks

The following morning, Anya arrived at Saint Stephens Private Clinic. The

Natasha Ryder downed a grape from the plate on the table

Monday morning, Natasha Ryder strode into court and placed her briefcase

The morning the trial began, Anya listened from the back

After opening arguments, Anya took the stand and swore the

Anya was greeted by a nurse who quickly ushered her

Natasha Ryder hastily pulled on her clothes and carried her shoes

Still angry with Dan Brody for defending Gary Harbourn, Anya prepared some

Kate greeted Anya with a worried expression. We need to

Later that afternoon they returned to the Homicide office. Anya

Anya phoned Martin who sounded relieved that she was all

The detective had changed into exercise pants and hooded top.

Anya returned Ned Goodwins call. As if Natashas murder hadnt been

Anya left Dan a message telling him she was visiting

Anya chased Dan to his car, refusing to be left

Anyas head hit the floor and it took her a

Bevan Hart stood in front of them, eyes hollow.

Bevan Hart was on top of her, and would not move.

The following morning Anya stood with Dan Brody in Judge Pascoes

Benito Fiorelli stood in court.

Outside the courtroom. Fiorelli tried to calm Anya down.

That night Anya went home. Following Bevan Harts death and confession

Anya saw Violet Yardley outside the food co-op. Dressed in dark

At the end of the trial, the packed gallery rose

Anya stood outside the crematorium, having come from Bevan Harts memorial

Doctor Anya Crichton prepared to face the violent offenders.

Hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars had gone into first the trial and now the retrial of the four whose heinous crimes had horrified even the most jaded police and lawyers. Their young female victims continued to suffer thanks to the drawn-out legal process which seemed to favor the rights of the accused over the rights of the victim.

The Harbourn Four and their legal team were expert at playing the system to their advantage, but today would put a stop to all their legal games and manipulations.

Anya removed the digital thermometer from her ear. Forty-one degrees Celsius. She downed a couple of paracetamol tablets and anti-inflammatories to accompany the first dose of antibiotics, then wiped her forehead with a wet facecloth, lingering on the temples to alleviate the splitting headache. Anything stronger might blur her mind, and she knew how alert she had to be on the stand.

There was time for one final check in the hallway mirror. Hair pulled back, but not too severely. Pale blue blouse and navy skirt declared professional expert. The jury had to care about her testimony, not be distracted by her appearance.

A small amount of eye make-up and lipstick, her version of war paint, complemented the outfit. This had been a damned long battle and one the prosecution had to win. She had never felt so strongly about a case before and a high temperature would not interfere with her job.

While wiping perspiration from the back of her neck with a tissue, she hurriedly checked the locks on the downstairs windows.

Last night had been spent in fitful sleep, violent nightmares brought on by her bodys attempt to fight the chest infection. The bugs might not survive high temperatures, but the fevers made her entire system miserable as well. She coughed and felt the inside of her chest burn. Too late to pull out now.

Besides, it was the price she paid for traveling. Air-conditioned planes and hotel rooms, fatty food and fatigue never failed to beat down the immune system. Once her sleep pattern improved, the infection would clear quickly. It had to.

Anya slipped her stockinged feet into the black court shoes she kept by the door and grabbed her briefcase as the doorbell rang.

Wont be a minute, she called, before checking the downstairs windows just once more.

Mary Singer had a broad smile when Anya opened the door.

Welcome back. She embraced her colleague with both arms. Weve all missed you.

Anya kept one arm by her side. We should probably make a move.

The sexual assault counselor agreed. Traffics pretty hideous this morning. Youd think that work on major roads could be done at night, but no, that would be far too simple.

Anya punched the alarm code into the unit inside the doorway. A few seconds of slow beeping and the pair were away.

Bad flight? Mary opened the car door she had double-parked and climbed into the drivers seat. You look exhausted.

I picked something up on the leg home, Anya said, trying to focus on the day ahead. Private case work across the US and Europe had been physically and emotionally grueling. But the fact that shed had little sleep for forty-eight hours meant nothing to a judge or jury. This was not about her. The trial was the reason she had rushed back home to Sydney from overseas, leaving her son and ex-husband to enjoy Disneyland without her.

The painkillers had eased the headache but her arms began to shiver. Fighting the effects of the self-prescribed medication, her body was doing everything it could to push her temperature back up. She clutched her ribs and tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress a cough.

Mary Singer shot her a look but resisted commenting.

Anya took a breath and felt the stab in her ribs; pleurisy as well as bronchitis. She fiddled with the car heater, craving warm air. How is Giverny coping?

This last month has been rough. Since the mistrial was declared shes been more agitated. Mary was clearly concerned about the young woman due to testify in the Supreme Court at Darlinghurst.

Anya felt for the seventeen-year-old girl who had been abducted while walking home from the bus stop less than a year ago. If it had not been for her beloved weekly ballet lesson, the petite teenager wouldnt have been out alone. The four HarbournsGary, Bruce, Patrick, and Keithhad forced her into their car and raped her multiple times. Not content with assaulting the girl, as a final degrading act her attackers had stripped her naked and hosed her with icy water near an abandoned warehouse. The last thing Giverny remembered about them was their laughter as they drove off.