Hilary Kern (Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye)

Hilary Kern (Shannon Lawson) is the main villainess of "The Kiss", the Season 2 finale of Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye (airdate May 23, 2004). She was a lawyer and partner at the law firm Callahan & Mercede, serving as the superior to new partner Ann Leland (the younger sister of FBI agent Myles Leland).
The episode's events revealed that Callahan & Mercede did business with corrupt PI Brian Peyton, who assisted members of the firm commit various crimes to benefit their own careers, including (but not limited to) illegal wire taps and tampering with witnesses and juries. Ann reluctantly participated in Hilary's crimes, though the episode's later events revealed she secretly detested her firm's corrpution.
Prior to the episode's events, Hilary learned that lawyer James Radley was planning to report the firm after learning about Callahan & Mercede's corrupt nature and that judge Andrew Colton (previously an ally to the firm's actions) was becoming unreliable. With that, the evil Hilary paid Brian to kill James and Andrew, with the PI in turn hiring a henchman to eliminate the men. The henchman's use of the same gun in both murders, as well as James and Andrew's shared connection to Callahan & Mercede, led the FBI to investigate the firm, with agents Sue Thomas and Jack Hudson going undercover at the firm. Throughout their time there, Hilary put on the persona of a chipper and supportive woman, covering her status as a corrupt villainess.
After the FBI's investigation revealed the crimes being committed by Callahan & Mercede and Brian (aided by Ann working with the FBI), Hilary was officially revealed as an evil conspirator following Ann naming her as such when records were found of her payments to Brian to kill James and Andrew. Sue later witnessed Hilary confronting Brian in her office after the FBI told the press about the same gun being used to kill James and Andrew and it was published in the newspaper, with Hilary blasting Brian for the mistake. After Brian promised to get rid of the gun and kill his henchman to cover their tracks, Hilary plotted with Brian to fully cover their tracks by killing Ann, intent on framing her posthumously as a villainess who killed James and Andrew before committing suicide, with Hilary rehearsing how she would speak of Ann following her demise before sending Brian out, ordering him not to mess up their plan again.
Ultimately, though, Brian was shot and killed by Myles as he prepared to kill Ann, and the episode's climax had Ann meeting Hilary at a bar, doing so to coerce her into making a full confession. After claiming that she'd killed Brian herself and blasting her boss' corrupt deeds, Hilary asked Ann what she wanted, with Ann pulling out a folder containing all the evidence she had against Callahan & Mercede and expressing intent to blackmail Hilary with her knowledge. At that, Hilary expressed pride in Ann's demand, stating that she was wrong about Hilary and offering to make her an equal partner in her illegal business, while referring to James and Andrew as "weak" and claiming they no longer needed Brian's help to work their way up the corporate ladder. Afterwards, however, Ann declined Hilary's offer and walked away before the villainess was handcuffed and arrested by Jack and Bobby Manning.
==Trivia==
*Shannon Lawson also appeared in the Lifetime film Love Thy Neighbor as psychotic villainess Janis Rivers.
==Quotes==
*"I was wrong about you. Radley and Colton were weak, they would've taken us down. This shows me....you're not. You're a fighter, just like me. I'm glad Peyton's gone, we don't need him. We don't need any help climbing up the ladder anymore, we made it! It's just you and me now. If we stick together, no one can touch us. I have the clout to make you an equal partner. You'll be at the top of one of the most powerful law firms in this country." (Hilary's offer to Ann to join her in her corrupt schemes)
==Gallery==
Hilary Kern Smirk.png|Hilary's evil smirk
Hilary Kern2.png
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Category:2000s
Category:Attempted Murder
Category:Bondage Used On Villainess
Category:Boss
Category:Business Villainess
Category:Callous
Category:Conspirator
Category:Greedy
Category:Live Action Villainess
Category:Murderer
Category:Murder: Indirect
Category:Redhead
Category:Villainous Reveal
Category:Fate: Arrested