She took a deep breath. "All right. I'm going to be fine. I'm going to be fine. I'm going to be fine."

Seated in the spectators' section was Dr. Steven Patterson. He had responded to the barrage of reporters' questions outside the courtroom with one answer: "My daughter is innocent."

Several rows away were Jesse and Emily Quiller, there for moral support.

At the prosecutor's table were Mickey Brennan and two a.s.sociates, Susan Freeman and Eleanor Tucker.

Sandra and Ashley were seated at the defendant's table, with David between them. The two women had met the previous week.

"David, you can look look at Ashley and know she's innocent." at Ashley and know she's innocent."

"Sandra, you can look at the evidence she left on her victims and know she killed them. But killing them and being guilty are two different things. Now all I have to do is convince the jury."

Judge Williams entered the courtroom and moved to the bench. The court clerk announced, "All rise. Court is now in session. The Honorable Judge Tessa Williams presiding."

Judge Williams said, "You may be seated. This is the case of The People of the State of California Versus Ashley Patterson. The People of the State of California Versus Ashley Patterson. Let's get started." Judge Williams looked at Brennan. "Would the prosecutor like to make an opening statement?" Let's get started." Judge Williams looked at Brennan. "Would the prosecutor like to make an opening statement?"

Mickey Brennan rose. "Yes, Your Honor." He turned to the jury and moved toward them. "Good morning. As you know, ladies and gentlemen, the defendant is on trial, accused of committing three b.l.o.o.d.y murders. Murderers come in many disguises." He nodded toward Ashley. "Her disguise is that of an innocent, vulnerable young woman. But the state will prove to you beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant willfully and knowingly murdered and mutilated three innocent men.

"She used an alias to commit one of these murders, hoping not to get caught. She knew exactly what she was doing. We're talking calculated, cold-blooded murder. As the trial goes on, I will show you all the strands, one by one, that tie this case to the defendant sitting there. Thank you."

He returned to his seat.

Judge Williams looked at David. "Does the defense have an opening statement?"

"Yes, Your Honor." David stood and faced the jury. He took a deep breath. "Ladies and gentlemen, in the course of this trial, I will prove to you that Ashley Patterson is not responsible for what happened. She had no motive for any of the murders, nor any knowledge of them. My client is a victim. She is a victim of MPD-multiple personality disorder, which in the course of this trial will be explained to you."

He glanced at Judge Williams and said firmly, "MPD is an established medical fact. It means that there are other personalities, or alters, that take over their hosts and control their actions. MPD has a long history. Benjamin Rush, a physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence, discussed case histories of MPD in his lectures. Many incidents of MPD were reported throughout the nineteenth century and in this century of people taken over by alters."

Brennan was listening to David, a cynical smile on his face.

"We will prove to you that it was an alter who took command and committed the murders that Ashley Patterson had absolutely no reason to commit. None. She had no control over what happened, and therefore is not responsible for what happened. During the course of the trial, I will bring in eminent doctors who will explain in greater detail about MPD. Fortunately, it is curable."

He looked into the faces of the jurors. "Ashley Patterson had no control over what she did, and in the name of justice, we ask that Ashley Patterson not be convicted of crimes for which she is not responsible."

David took his seat.

Judge Williams looked at Brennan. "Is the state ready to proceed?"

Brennan rose. "Yes, Your Honor." He flashed a smile at his a.s.sociates and moved in front of the jury box. Brennan stood there a moment and deliberately let out a loud burp. The jurors were staring at him, surprised.

Brennan looked at them a moment as though puzzled and then his face cleared. "Oh, I see. You were waiting for me to say 'excuse me.' Well, I didn't say it because I didn't do that. My alter ego, Pete, did it."

David was on his feet, furious. "Objection. Your Honor, this is the most outrageous-"

"Sustained."

But the damage had already been done.

Brennan gave David a patronizing smile and then turned back to the jury. "Well, I guess there hasn't been a defense like this since the Salem witch trials three hundred years ago." He turned to look at Ashley. "I didn't do it. No, sir. The devil made me do it."

David was on his feet again. "Objection. The-"

"Overruled."

David slammed back into his seat.

Brennan stepped closer to the jury box. "I promised you that I was going to prove that the defendant willfully and cold-bloodedly murdered and mutilated three men-Dennis Tibbie, Richard Melton and Deputy Samuel Blake. Three men! Three men! In spite of what the defense says"-he turned and pointed to Ashley again-"there's only In spite of what the defense says"-he turned and pointed to Ashley again-"there's only one one defendant sitting there, and she's the one who committed the murders. What did Mr. Singer call it? Multiple personality disorder? Well, I'm going to bring some prominent doctors here who will tell you, under oath, that there is no such thing! But first, let's hear from some experts who are going to tie the defendant to the crimes." defendant sitting there, and she's the one who committed the murders. What did Mr. Singer call it? Multiple personality disorder? Well, I'm going to bring some prominent doctors here who will tell you, under oath, that there is no such thing! But first, let's hear from some experts who are going to tie the defendant to the crimes."

Brennan turned to Judge Williams. "I would like to call my first witness, Special Agent Vincent Jordan."

A short bald man stood up and moved toward the witness box.

The clerk said, "Please state your full name and spell it for the record."

"Special Agent Vincent Jordan, J-o-r-d-a-n." J-o-r-d-a-n."

Brennan waited until he was sworn in and took a seat. "You are with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C.?"

"Yes, sir."

"And what do you do with the FBI, Special Agent Jordan?"

"I'm in charge of the fingerprints section."

"How long have you had that job?"

"Fifteen years."

"Fifteen years. In all that time have you ever come across a duplicate set of fingerprints from different people?"

"No, sir."

"How many sets of fingerprints are currently on file with the FBI?"

"At last count, just over two hundred and fifty million, but we receive over thirty-four thousand fingerprint cards a day."

"And none of them matches any others?"

"No, sir."

"How do you identify a fingerprint?"

"We use seven different fingerprint patterns for identification purposes. Fingerprints are unique. They're formed before birth and last throughout one's life. Barring accidental or intentional mutilation, no two patterns are alike."

"Special Agent Jordan, you were sent the fingerprints found at the scenes of the three victims who the defendant is accused of murdering?"

"Yes, sir. We were."

"And you were also sent the fingerprints of the defendant, Ashley Patterson?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you personally examine those prints?"

"I did."

"And what was your conclusion?"

"That the prints left at the murder scenes and the prints that were taken from Ashley Patterson were identical."

There was a loud buzz in the courtroom.

"Order! Order!"

Brennan waited until the courtroom quieted down. "They were identical? Is there any doubt in your mind, Agent Jordan? Could there be any mistake?"

"No, sir. All the prints were clear and easily identifiable."

"Just to clarify this...we're talking about the fingerprints left at the murder scenes of Dennis Tibbie, Richard Melton and Deputy Samuel Blake?"

"Yes, sir."

"And the fingerprints of the defendant, Ashley Patterson, were found at all the scenes of the murders?"

"That is correct."

"And what would you say was the margin of error?"

"None."

"Thank you, Agent Jordan." Brennan turned to David Singer. "Your witness."

David sat there a moment, then rose and walked over to the witness box. "Agent Jordan, when you examine fingerprints, do you ever find that some have been deliberately smudged, or damaged in some way, in order for the felon to conceal his crime?"

"Yes, but we're usually able to correct them with high-intensity laser techniques."

"Did you have to do that in the case of Ashley Patterson?"

"No, sir."

"Why was that?"

"Well, like I said...the fingerprints were all clear."

David glanced at the jury. "So what you're saying is that the defendant made no attempt to erase or disguise her fingerprints?"

"That is correct."

"Thank you. No further questions." He turned to the jury. "Ashley Patterson made no attempt to conceal her prints because she was innocent and-"

Judge Williams snapped, "That's enough, Counselor! You'll have your chance to plead your case later."

David resumed his seat.

Brennan turned to Special Agent Jordan. "You're excused." The FBI agent stepped down.

Brennan said, "I would like to call as my next witness, Stanley Clarke."

A young man with long hair was ushered into the courtroom. He walked toward the witness stand. The courtroom was still as he was sworn in and took his seat.

Brennan said, "What is your occupation, Mr. Clarke?"

"I'm with National Biotech Laboratory. I work with deoxyribonucleic acid."

"More commonly known to us simple nonscientists as DNA?"

"Yes, sir."

"How long have you worked at National Biotech Laboratory?"

"Seven years."

"And what is your position?"

"I'm a supervisor."

"So, in that seven years, I a.s.sume that you've had a lot of experience with testing DNA?"

"Sure. I do it every day."

Brennan glanced at the jury. "I think we're all familiar with the importance of DNA." He pointed to the spectators. "Would you say that perhaps half a dozen people in this courtroom have identical DNA?"

"h.e.l.l no, sir. If we took a profile of DNA strands and a.s.signed it a frequency based on collected databases, only one in five hundred billion unrelated Caucasians would have the same DNA profile."

Brennan looked impressed. "One in five hundred billion. Mr. Clarke, how do you obtain DNA from a crime scene?"

"Lots of ways. We find DNA in saliva or s.e.m.e.n or v.a.g.i.n.al discharge, blood, a strand of hair, teeth, bone marrow..."

"And from any one one of those things you can match it to a specific person?" of those things you can match it to a specific person?"

"That's correct."

"Did you personally compare the DNA evidence in the murders of Dennis Tibbie, Richard Melton and Samuel Blake?"

"I did."

"And were you later given several strands of hair from the defendant, Ashley Patterson?" 1 was.