JUSTICE REBORN (A Charlie Taylor Novel Book 1) (18 page)

It’s been about ten days since my
reinstatement, and both investigations have stalled.

 First, our search for suppliers of
specialized recording gear didn’t yield anyone of interest. However, a local
distributors volunteered to assist with a wider search pattern, and no, we
didn’t tell him the gear was used by Harry.

The real bitch is getting cooperation from
the two west coast cities, the ones who developed the forensic crime scene
investigation tools. Our attempts to tap the gossip circuit failed. Next I
tried a formal approach: filled out all the forms and requested access to their
personnel files. Neither city has responded to my request.

My guess: they are afraid of a lawsuit. Why
and how I can’t understand; before responding, they must have run it by their
legal team and received a warning. This seems to confirm our conclusion:
someone was forced to resign, a cop with a history of using excessive force.
Since these cities refuse to cooperate, the Chief has finally agreed to become
involved and if need be, ask the Judge to help. We’re running out of time, and
this roadblock needs clearing.

This lunch stands as a unique experience
for me. Ann, the Judge’s assistant, is a special person (my opinion), generally
reserved and on occasion intimidating. For her to request a luncheon meeting,
and further I keep the appointment to myself, turns into another mystery. She’s
certainly serious about the secrecy. This restaurant is miles from the Hall of
Justice; the interior is dimly lit, and there are red and white checkered
tablecloths. My imagination takes over, and I wait for a secret service agent
to emerge from the back door.

 But I keep my mouth shut and try to relax.
This smart, attractive lady controls the situation, but I can’t help feeling
I’m about to get a lecture on the rules of good behavior. Next, I wonder: is
she really gorgeous or are my standards slipping? Then, again: what the hell is
the business about standards? I skip the wine and am rather pleased with
myself. It’s good to be able to set limits.

She continues to eat, well more accurately
she nibbles, and she talks about the great team, the Board, that the Judge has
put together. I try not to talk with my mouth full, not to use my fork as a
shovel and all the right stuff I know about but regularly forget or ignore. I
know eventually she will get to the reason for the lunch. I know it isn’t
because of my natural charm and sex appeal (you may not agree). She’s finally
finished her nibbling and begins.

 “I have to inform you: this conversation
is covered under the Security Act and any disclosure of this conversation
carries all the associated penalties. Alright?”

I nod an affirmative and wonder what the
hell is this all about.

“The Judge needs you to solve a security
problem, well really a breach in security. He thought it best if the assignment
came through me rather than you getting called to his office. This being a
security breach, everyone on the Board is a suspect, including the Chief.

 First, a revelation: in a Board meetings
when a Condition Confidential is declared the recording is to stop. Well, it
doesn’t. This fictional ‘stop’ exists as a psychological ploy someone dreamt
up.

The intent or objective: a confidential
declaration makes the situation more acute and reinforces the sensitivity of
the issue under discussion. This fake Condition Confidential approach and the
associated severe penalties significantly reduced the premature leaks which
were occurring.”

I’m not surprised, think it’s excessive but
what the hell, if it works, all the better. I don’t have much time to think,
let alone comment; she is pouring the stuff on me.

 “Recordings are reviewed, cataloged and
stored every evening. After the last meeting, when Dr. Kate declared a
Condition Confidential, our sound technician picked up some electronic
disturbances. This was the third time he’d encountered some suspicious noise
patterns……now don’t look at me like that Charlie, I don’t know or understand
what he picked up. Alright?

Anyway, he went back and conducted a more
thorough review of some earlier meetings and told the Judge he thinks someone
on the Board is recording the Confidential sessions. As I said, this behavior
carries severe penalties. Whoever is doing this is taking an enormous risk.”
She stops for a drink of water, and I sit there trying to look intelligent but
am really concerned because I know how hard the Judge has worked in an attempt
to make the Board an effective team.

“To continue, the technician says this must
be the latest and the best recording equipment on the market, a custom made
job, and he was lucky to catch it. Whatever the design, the detection stations,
which are built into the Board room’s front entrance doorway, did not detect
the extraneous hardware. The Judge needs you to find out who is doing the
recordings, but you can’t start grilling the Board or accusing individual
members.

To start, I have background material on
each Board member and can get more as you need. Of course any wrong accusations
or the news of this activity will be a terrible blow to the prestige of the
Board.”

She finally runs dry and I have an
opportunity.

  “I understand the sensitivities and
assume this means there will be severe limits on the men and resources to be
brought into the case. You’re nodding …meaning I might be on my own? Jesus, Ann
that’s an impossible restrain.

OK, first question: your technician said your
built-in detectors, at the entrance door, have not been able to sense this
recorder?”

She confirms the failure of the detection
equipment. We both drink our coffee. She is quiet and she waits, obviously
accustom to these kinds of situations and knows when to wait. I think about our
technical staff but doubt they will be any better than the group associated
with the Judge’s office. I don’t see how I can get technical assistance without
sending out some tip-off signals. Whoever sold or put together the device must
be a well-connected technical guru, and if any in-depth queries start, the
grapevine might transmit a warning. I go at the dessert, and she changes the
subject.

 “Charlie, while you’re thinking I’ll tell
you something else. Jake Konahouse has been to see the Judge and requested your
promotion be stopped or you be barred from attending Board meetings. He insists
your track record proves you’re not ready to participate in the dialogue and
interchange which occurs at these meetings. The Judge told him he would
consider his request. Jake’s connections and many political allies make him
difficult to ignore. I’m just telling you this in case your promotion gets
reversed, at least you will know the source.”

 I’m upset but try to appear calm. “Thanks
for the warning I’m not sure there is anything I can do about it.”

She pays the bill, and we wander into an
adjacent courtyard and stroll around some magnificent flowerbeds, a surprise
for this shit hole of a restaurant (you can see my attitude is deteriorating).
The hot sun pours through the transparent plastic dome roof, a great afternoon
except for my head. She remains silent and gives me space, a good tactic at
this point. After about three rounds in the small garden, it comes to me. The
plan is risky, but it appears like my time on the damn Board may be rather
short in any case.

“Ann, the other door in the Board meeting
room, the one marked for ‘Emergency Use’, it’s a standard door and could be
used as a regular exit, if someone turned off the alarms?  Correct?”

She confirms this is correct. I’m on a
roll.

“I need you to confirm where it leads. I
think it exits into the hallway on the south side. Right?” She confirms the
exit.

“I need some time to round up equipment and
staff. Don’t worry, they’ll not come from our police staff.  When I am ready,
I’ll contact you with instructions but the basics are: the Judge will have to
declare a Condition Confidential early in a meeting. This is to give you time
to let me know if the device is in the room. If it is, at the conclusion of the
meeting, the Judge will ask all Board members to exit via the ‘Emergency’ door.
I’ll have my equipment and staff set up and ready; the Board will pass through
a revised detection system.”

“When did you become a technical expert?  I
just told you our equipment failed to detect the recorder.”

“You have to trust me on this one. I have a
plan and know lots of different experts and characters. Tell the Judge I have
accepted the assignment and have a plan.”

She doesn’t look convinced but since the
Judge wants me to tackle the problem, she doesn’t have much choice. Of course,
I don’t tell her how I’m going to detect the recording device. If she knows the
risks, she’ll go back to the Judge and tell him I should be pulled off the
project.

Before leaving, she asks. “Is it true they
call you, Crazy Charlie?”

I laugh. “Yes, but not very often when I am
present. In my line of business, it sometimes helps to have a street name that
begins with ‘Crazy’. If the accused knows of your reputation, it immediately
provides a certain edge to any discussions. Don’t worry for the most part I can
decide when to allow Mr. Hyde to appear.”  She walks away, apparently
unconvinced.

 An attractive woman. Maybe I should ask
her out. Screw it. Wait until I get kicked off the Board.

What the hell is going on? Right after my
first Board meeting I got called to the Judge’s residence, not his office but
his home and there I’m forced to accept the first secret assignment, directly
from the Judge. I’m at his house in the middle of the night, a midnight
assignment outside my scope of expertise.

Stephen appears desperate: even Ann doesn’t
know about the first assignment. And now, I get another secret assignment from
Ann but again for the Judge.

I have the serial killer cases to solve.
Plus the Judge dispenses two assignments which are not to be discussed with my
boss. I can’t wait until the Chief finds out.

 In a matter of days, I’ve been escalated
from clerk to super sleuth. And oh yes, I have Monk’s plan for the guy on Death
Row.

Jesus Christ…..I really need a drink.

Even his extensive preparation did not
alleviate his anxiety.

 For most of last night, Jessie reviewed
the initial complaint recordings made by Dr. Grovernor. This morning he still
procrastinated. Finally, he pushed aside his fears and forced a start. Jessie
opened the door and walked into the reception area; he held out his hand and
introduced himself.

“Dr. Grovernor, my name is Jessie Lopez and
I’m a senior deputy in Legal and have been appointed project leader for your
case and this must be Sally…… hello.”

They all shook hands and exchanged a few
superficial comments. Jessie continued.

“Before we begin I have to explain our
change in procedures. Usually, the police would conduct this S1 interrogation,
but as you know, these are exceptional circumstances. Judge Miller insisted
that Legal and Forensic be involved from the beginning.

 Dr. Grovernor, I’m going to ask you to
stay in the reception area and allow me to interview Sally.  And after, when
Sally proceeds to Forensic for the S1 interrogation, she’ll also have to
proceed on her own.”

Dr. Grovernor nodded his agreement, and
Sally followed Jessie into the interview office. Maintaining a professional
demeanor became an issue for Jessie. The girl was a stunning model. He could
not believe she was a teenager; her physical appearance was that of a 25 years
old, a tall brunette right out of a fashion magazine; no wonder Dr. Max had
been unable to resist.

“Mr. Lopez, my Dad explained the entire
process to me. There is no need to go into a lot of details.”

“Unfortunately it’s these details I have to
make sure you understand and, by the way, this conversation is being recorded
and will become part of the official record of your case. Please sit down. I
have to ensure you understand what will happen as you proceed and what will be
expected of you.

First: you’ll have to tell me what happened
and the background of your relationship with Dr. Armstrong. After this
discussion with me, there will be a short break while the Forensic team studies
your comments and prepares for the S1 Interrogation. During this break, staff
will take a blood sample to ensure there are no drugs in your system which may
influence the Interrogation medication. Last, you will be given the
Interrogation medication and encouraged to relax on a big couch. It takes about
20 minutes for the meds to take effect.

You will feel a little drowsy, and it’s
best not to get off the couch. Finally, Janice will ask you a series of
questions, and you will get a chance to expand, fill in all the details of the
event. When she’s finished, you will have to stay on the couch for about a
little while. In a small number of cases, there are some minor side effects for
the 24 hours after an S1, dizzy spells, and some stomach upheaval. It is best
to stay home and close to your bathroom. Any questions?”

 Sally nodded and sat, relaxed in the big
chair. If she was nervous, it certainly didn’t show.  Jessie thought her
confidence and calm manner rather strange; he didn’t understand this level of
poise in a 15-year-old.  “Alright, Sally go ahead. I may interrupt for
clarification, but I’m not trying to challenge you, only trying to understand.”

 He didn’t mention that Janice Huber, the
Forensic team member who would be handling the S1, was on the other side of the
mirror watching the entire process. Janice would modify their planned approach,
based on Sally’s recitation. Jessie also didn’t tell her that the blood sample
was not a standard part of a regular S1 interrogation. This is something the
Judge requested, specifically for Dr. Max, but the decision was made to keep
both interrogations identical in every way.

“Dr. Max is a friend of the family and has
been for years and has been in our house many times, especially when he and Dad
worked together at Allied. The seduction happened a few days after my 15th
birthday party; I was alone in the house…..”

“Wait a minute, Sally you said the rape
happened a few days after your 15th birthday. This means you’re past the age of
consent and no longer classed as a minor.”

“I know, but my real birthday was a week
later. Dad and Mom had to go to Europe on the birthday weekend so we invited
everyone early and had a big bash a week earlier than my actual birthday. Dr.
Max wasn’t at the party. Dad wouldn’t let him attend any of our parties or
dinners.

He showed up later after the celebrations
ended. I was out at the pool, alone, Mom and Dad already gone. He carried a
bottle of champagne and said now that I was a grown up, I should be able to sip
the cool stuff.

It didn’t take long to finish the bottle
and with the music playing we started some close dancing. He said he should be
allowed a birthday kiss. I liked the way he kissed, and it never stopped; we
did it on the lounge near the pool and a couple of other times before he left,
and I thought I was in love.”

She paused for a moment and Jessie asked,
“Where you a virgin at that time?”

“Yes, I was. He overwhelmed with the
attention and technique. Max is world famous and a great looking guy. Only
after he left my doubts started. A friend happened to call, and we talked about
the boys we knew and our plans for the next day, then I became depressed. I
never told her what had happened.”

Jessie was impressed with this recitation.
“How did your Dad find out?”

“An emergency forced him to left Europe
abruptly. Late the same day they got back.  I was still at the pool. I just
didn’t feel like getting dressed and making supper. When he spotted the empty
bottle of champagne, he guessed who brought it to the house.

By this time my depression and tears made
him suspicious and I told him everything. He was furious. His yelling
frightened me, and I was afraid he would hurt Max. Mom was there to keep him
under control which she usually does, and I tried my best with a lot of crying
and begging to have him forget the whole thing. But he never cooled off and
within a few days, he went to see the Judge.”

Sally, of course, had been through this
presentation before, and her Dad had prepared her for an intense review. The
careful delivery of each sentence and the lack of any extraneous verbiage
confirmed her preparation. This was a smart, mature young girl.

“Good. I don’t need anymore; the full
details will be recorded during your S1 interrogation.  I’ll take you down the
hall and introduce you to Janice Huber, who will be conducting the examination.
She’s an experienced technician, and you have nothing to fear.

One last warning. For serious accusations
like this and under the current legislation, the consequences escalates as we
proceed. If this moves on to an S2 interrogation, you should be sure you are
prepared to continue.”

She was abrupt and displeased with what she
perceived as an insinuation. “I don’t know what that means. I told you what he
did. Why do Dad and I have to keep on reviewing it?”

“Sally, it’s a standard warning I’m
obligated to give anyone who is making accusations which force an S1.”

The preliminaries completed, Jessie
escorted her out of the room, past her Dad in reception, and over to Janice
Huber. On the way back to his office, his mind stayed focused on Sally, a
beautiful woman, calm and self-assured.

 He wondered if Doug assigned him the case
because he was gay and, in theory, would not get overwhelmed by Sally. On the
other hand, the case was a political nightmare, and this would be reason enough
for Doug not to take a leadership role.

After Sally’s interrogation, Jessie and
Janice would go through the same process with Dr. Max Armstrong, Nobel Peace
Prize winner, innovator, the man responsible for all the science used in Stage
1, 2 and 3. No doubt a genius resided in the university research laboratories,
but campus gossip divulged: every attractive young skirt was a potential
partner.

Concern permeated Forensics; the confusion
and worry revolved around one question: how would Dr. Max beat the system?

The bastard created the demoralizing,
confidence-shaking ambiance which flooded the Division.