She looked up at the building. “There’s a camera there.” She pointed to the roof. “If you try anything, it’ll be recorded.”
“I’m not going to try anything.” Hunter held his hands up. “You’re safe.”
“You said you’re a lawyer. Who for?”
“Dr. David Mackie.”
“You’ve got five minutes.” She took a cigarette out of a half empty pack. “Ask what you have to ask.”
“Why did you disappear before Joe’s death?”
“I needed a change.”
“We can either talk here, or I can issue you a subpoena and drag you back to Chicago.”
She stared at her cigarette. “You said you were a lawyer?”
“I did.”
“Alright. What’s in it for me?”
Hunter reached into his coat pocket and withdrew his wallet. He took out a fifty-dollar bill and handed it to her.
“Double it and I’ll tell you everything.”
Hunter drew a deep breath and took out another fifty. “For this price, I need to know everything you know.”
She took the notes and shoved them into her back pocket. “Alright. Joe always had a plan for me. It was one of the first things he taught me when I started working for him. He always knew danger was coming from somewhere. If Joe was…” She lit her Marlboro, and took a long drag. “If Joe was in trouble, then I had to disappear. That was always the plan. He made sure I kept a ‘run fund,’ which was enough money to disappear if needed. I thought he was being paranoid at first, but the longer I worked for him, the more I realized how much I needed it. The plan was always simple—burn all the evidence in his office, change my last name to my mother’s, change my address, delete social media, and change my phone number. Joe was caught up in a lot of things. He knew a lot of dangerous people. I don’t know what happened the night he died, but I know I wanted nothing to do with the aftermath. Joe was always finding trouble. The cops came and talked to me the day after he died, when I was in the office. As soon as they stepped out the doors, I went through the ten-step plan that Joe put together. But I didn’t kill him. I was out partying that night. I have lots of people to be alibis for me.”
“I’m not here to accuse you of anything. I’m trying to figure out what really happened the night Joe died. Your plan explains why there were no records in Fielding’s office after the cops came and talked to you. Do you know who Joe was working for before his death?”
“He kept a lot of that stuff away from me. Didn’t want me to get involved. I was just the office help. Photocopying, taking phone calls, organizing his schedule, all that sort of thing. He said knowing too much about his business was dangerous. He gave me a few names, but no one I knew. He never took clients to the office either. I never met his best paying clients.” She took another drag and looked at the cigarette in her hand. “I gave up the smokes; you know? For one year straight. Didn’t touch the things. But the stress of having to restart my life was too much. They’re just too easy.”
“If Joe didn’t bring his clients in the office, where did he have the meetings?”
“He used to meet them at a bar called the Whiskey Five. It’s a dive bar, up in Wicker Park. Seedy. It’s where he did most of his business and where he got most of his business. They all know each other up there. That’s why there were no clients coming into our office. The bar was his second home. He wouldn’t bring them into the office because he thought people were filming the entrance. I’d never met anyone more paranoid than Joe.”
“Did you know any of the employer’s names?”
“One of them was the law firm that gave him most of the work.”
“Vandenberg and Wolfe Family Law Offices?”
“That’s them.”
Hunter nodded. “Was Joe acting strange before his death?”
“Absolutely. He said… he said he was about to hit the jackpot. That he could take care of us forever. He’d do this one last job and then he’d pay for me to move to California with him. He promised we were going to live the highlife. We weren’t dating, but he wanted to look after me. It was always that way with Joe. He’d promise the world. He always had the next scheme, always the next idea. That’s how we first met. I was part of one of his ideas.”
“Which was?”
She bit her lip again. “I was an actress. I had dreams of making it big, and now, maybe I’ll become a character-type actor, if I get the chance. I’m getting a bit old for my big break, but I know I can add value to any show I’m doing.”
“Joe was producing a movie?”
“What?” She squinted. “Joe? No. Five years ago, he approached me to do some acting. I did one small job for him, and after the job, he asked me to work for him as an assistant. Work had dried up in acting, so I worked for five years in his office.”
“What job did he want you to do?”
“He wanted me to… you sure you’re not a cop, right?”
Hunter nodded his response.
“I did a few jobs for him. The first, he wanted me to sit in a doctor’s office in Wisconsin. Just make an appointment and wait in the waiting room. While I was waiting there, this pretty girl runs out of the doctor’s office crying. But not real crying. I could tell it was fake. Joe asked me to make a statement to the police about what I saw, but not to mention it looked fake. I did, and that was it. Easiest thousand dollars I ever made.”
Hunter nodded. Becky Bennett. The witness in Wisconsin, and the third new patient that didn’t show up at Dr. Mackie’s office. He placed the name now. “The second job?”
“Joe wanted me to pretend to be in a relationship with someone, and then he’d organize a payout somehow. I didn’t know the specifics. All I knew was that it was a good plan—he even had witnesses lined up to act like they’d seen us together. All I had to do was follow a woman out of a hotel, sit next to this woman a few times on the train, sit next to her in cafes, and walk near her while exercising. I didn’t know what it was about, and I didn’t break the law. I just tried to hang out with this woman, without her noticing me.”
“Who was that target? Another doctor?” Hunter asked.
“She wasn’t a doctor, and I don’t remember her name. Joe wanted me to go up to her and make it look like we were in a lesbian relationship. To make it look like she was cheating on her husband.”
“Why?”
“For a divorce case.”
Hunter drew a long breath, and the puzzle became more complete.
All the pieces were falling into place.
Chapter 27
Hunter walked around the long wooden boardroom table, tapping the edge with his finger as he went. The boardroom in the law offices of John C. Clarke was subdued, with the blinds pulled shut, and the dark wood wall paneling added to the sense of dim lighting in the room. All the furniture could pass for antique and there wasn’t one modern appliance to be seen, and, except for Hunter’s nervous pacing, there was a sense of calm in the room.
“Why does she want to meet now?” Hunter asked as he turned to pace the floor again. “It can only be for a deal. She wouldn’t be coming here otherwise.”
“I’m not sure, but I guess we’re about to find out.” Clarke sat with one leg crossed over the other, hands resting on his lap. “Michelle said it was important. I’m going to guess it’s a new deal for us to take to Stacey, not that it’ll help her. I think Stacey’s going to take this all the way, even if that’s not the best decision. So, it’s up to us to convince her of the way to move forward with her life. We’ll have to use a lot of tact when presenting a new deal to her.”
“As Winston Churchill once said—tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip.”
Clarke smiled. “And the hardest road often leads to the most amazing destinations. If we can convince Stacey to take a lesser deal, she can start moving on with her life.”
Hunter looked at his watch as he paced the floor. 5:05pm on a Saturday evening.
“Prosecutor Michelle Law is here.” The assistant leaned into John C. Clarke’s office boardroom. “She’s alone.”
Clarke waited for a moment, closed two of the files in front of him, and then stood to welcome Michelle Law into the room. “Hello, Michelle. Please come in and have a seat.”
“Thank you for meeting me so late on a Saturday. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do.” Law walked in with her briefcase. “Hello, Tex.”
“Michelle.” Hunter greeted her. “You said this was important?”
“It is.” Law moved to the front of the room, placed her briefcase on the wooden table, and opened it. She removed her laptop, turned it on, and then looked at the two men. “Won’t you sit, Tex?”
“I’ll stand.” He leaned against the wall at the back of the room, arms folded across his chest. “I hope this’ll be quick. I’m in the middle of a trial.”
“So I heard. A sexual assault claim is always a challenge to defend when there are witnesses to the event.” Michelle Law looked around the room. “This is a nice boardroom, John. Spacious. Can’t afford something like this on public money. I guess that’s the price you pay for defending felons.”
“The innocent pay a lot to make sure they’re not thrown behind bars by overzealous prosecutors,” Clarke responded in a calm tone. “Innocent people like Stacey Fulbright.”
“I’m sure,” Law drew a breath and sat forward. “You two men obviously aren’t interested in small talk so I’ll get to the point then—we’ve got a new deal on the table for Stacey Fulbright. We’re putting a deal on the table under 720 ILCS 5/9-3.”
“Involuntary Manslaughter.” Hunter responded.
“She acted recklessly when she attacked Fielding. She had a complete disregard for his life, and there’s no doubt she would’ve know her actions would lead to his death. There’s no sign of a struggle, so there’s no chance you’ll get off on self-defense. Fielding was a strong guy, and someone like Stacey Fulbright would not have outmuscled him. That leaves one option—she stabbed him when he wasn’t looking.”
“Sentence?” Clarke asked.
“A two-year sentence, with a year suspended. She’ll serve twelve months behind bars, and after that, she’s free to go. She can pick up the pieces after a rather unfortunate event where she took another person’s life.”
Hunter stared at her for a long moment. “What’s triggered this?”
“The courts are busy, Tex. The system is overloaded. The world is full of criminals and there’s a long line of people to process. If we can take a deal on a clear-cut case, then it’s beneficial for everyone. The court system doesn’t need any more pressure chasing cases that can be dealt with out of the courtroom.”
Clarke sat back in his chair. He smiled. “There’s something you’re not telling us, Michelle, otherwise you wouldn’t be here on a Saturday. You would’ve waited until Monday, or perhaps even later in the week. You’re scared we’re going to find something out before you can make a deal. What’ve you found?”
“Nothing at all.” She typed into her laptop. Her fingers looked like they were moving at the speed of light. “We’re here to get the best outcome for all involved. We’ve got to think about justice for the victim, and those that knew him. But we’re willing to start a discussion about manslaughter charges, instead of murder.”
“What have you found?” Hunter stepped forward, leaning over one of the chairs. “What is it?”
“There’s nothing official, and good luck digging this information up, but the deal we’re willing to put on the table is two years for manslaughter. We can negotiate prison conditions if she’s willing to entertain the idea of a deal. But I must warn you that this deal will only be on the table for the next five days, after that, we’ll take it all the way to trial. Stacey Fulbright killed Joe Fielding, that’s obvious, but we’re willing to admit that perhaps she didn’t intend to kill him. Perhaps it was self-defense.”
“I’ll take the deal to her and discuss it.” Clarke smiled. “Ultimately, it’s her decision, but it’s a good offer. I’m sure she’ll appreciate the offer, even if she doesn’t take it.”
“Thank you for the free pass, Michelle,” Hunter added.
“What do you mean?” She tilted her head as she spoke.
“By coming here on a weekend, so desperate to offer a new deal, you’ve given us a whiff,” Hunter stood tall as he held the door open for Law to exit. “We’re going to find the information, and then we’re going to make sure this case is thrown out.”
Chapter 28
Hunter loved Sundays in the Loop, Downtown Chicago. They were quieter, less frantic, and it gave him time to appreciate his city. There was less traffic on the roads, less pedestrians on the sidewalks, and less tourists asking for help. The weather was warming up and he decided to walk the thirty minutes from his apartment to his office. The sun broke through the clouds, bathing the city in a soft orange hue, and a few photographers were already out setting up to take photos of the beautiful city.
As he walked to his office, he tried his sister’s cell number again. Still disconnected. He tried the café. They yelled at him to stop harassing her and told him to never call again. He tried to call them back but they blocked his number. He started to contemplate another trip south, but doubted whether that would make any difference. She was almost a lost cause.
He used his swipe card to enter the building, greeted the security guard, walked across the empty foyer, and rode the elevator to his office. Saturday had gone well for him. Two leads in two different cases.
He was excited by the breakthrough that Becky Bennett, Fielding’s former assistant, had given him for Dr. Mackie’s case. She refused to testify, and if subpoenaed, she stated she would lie and deny everything on the stand. Hunter would work on that. He would rather convince her to come to court of her own accord rather than force her to. He knew Detective Regina Heart had a better touch than he did, and she would only help if it looked like he could prove the witnesses were lying.
But it was a lead. A whiff of information. All that he wanted. The questions bounced around his head as he unlocked his office door—how many other people had Fielding and his connections tried the scam on? How many other times had he run it? By the time they got to Dr. Mackie, they had almost perfected the scam. It was dependent on the witnesses’ ability to lie, but they were well chosen. Broke and good actors. The perfect scam artists.
Hunter opened his emails once he was seated at his desk. Jones had messaged to say he was working on collecting the video footage from the Whiskey Five, the bar Becky Bennett mentioned that Fielding used for work meetings, but the owners of the bar were refusing access. Privacy was essential to holding onto their high-paying customers.
As Hunter tried to gather information on the Whiskey Five bar, his phone pinged with a message. It was Stacey. She was outside the building. Hunter called the security officer, who escorted her into the building. Hunter stood and walked to his office door, waiting for Stacey to exit the elevator.
“Stacey. What a surprise.” Hunter invited her in. “Come in.”
She didn’t say anything. She held her arms across her chest, head down, shoulders slumped forward. Her hair was frazzled, her skin was dry, and she had the odor of a woman who hadn’t showered in days.
She walked through the office without further invitation or even a greeting, and sat down on the leather chair in front of Hunter’s desk. Hunter squinted at her as he walked through his office, staring at the woman who refused to make eye contact. He lowered himself into the chair, waiting for Stacey to begin the conversation.
After a few moments, she shook her head a number of times, her frazzled hair shaking in one large mess, and she then tossed an envelope onto the desk. Parts of the envelope were stained yellow by tears. Hunter reached forward and removed the letter inside.
“An invoice from Vandenberg and Wolfe Family Law Offices?” Hunter questioned.
“Addressed to my husband.”
She snapped. “From Vandenberg and Wolfe. He had a meeting with Michael Vandenberg only days before I was set up for murder.”
Hunter’s mouth hung open for a moment. He looked at the invoice again. “This isn’t a lot of money. Only five hundred dollars. For that amount, you’d only get to talk to them for an initial meeting. They’re not cheap.”
“Don’t you get it? This is more than a divorce case.” She responded. “Carl was talking to them about getting a divorce. He wanted me gone. My husband, the man who was supposed to be there through thick and thin, ‘til death do us part,’ wanted me gone. He wanted me out of his life. And he went to talk to the people who made me the angriest.”
Hunter’s mouth hung open for a long moment. “You think—”
“Yes.” She raised her eyes to stare at him. “He once said to me that if we ever separated, he could never let his children live with me. He would do everything to hold onto them. This is it. He didn’t want to let his children go. He did this. He wants to take full custody of the kids.”
Hunter stared at the invoice as the information rolled around his head.
“John called me yesterday and said there’s a new deal on the table. Two years for manslaughter, with a year suspended. I have to take the deal.” She continued. “Whatever deal is on the table; I need to take it. I have to. It’s what’s best for the kids. Carl can look after the kids, and then once I’m out of prison, I can work on rebuilding a life.”
“We’ve still got to investigate what the prosecution knows. They know something that we don’t. It’s not in discovery yet, but they’ve got new information coming. They wouldn’t have put the deal on the table otherwise. You know that.” Hunter placed the invoice on the table. “We’ve got to find out what it is.”
Saving Justice Page 15
