JUSTICE REBORN (A Charlie Taylor Novel Book 1)

by Ivan Bering

  But I’ll just be a spectator as the Prison Decommissioning work unfolds. Since prisons are to be closed, the prisoners not on death row will have to be released or moved to a Farm. If inmates are subjected to S1 interrogations, officials will undoubtedly uncover different crimes; each revelation leading to a possible lethal injection which was never part of the prisoner’s original sentence.

  And, the repeaters will be a more convoluted issue; as they are uncovered, it’s a certainty the body count will mount.”

  She could sense his concern and watched him retreat into his office. Earlier that morning Stephen had explained: he wanted her to approach Charlie. It was now Ann’s turn to prepare for a lunch with Charlie, a person she liked but wondered about the Judge’s confidence in the man. To her, this assignment demanded an investigator who had a record of discretion and was able to operate with restricted resources under a top secret security clearance.

  Today, Charlie was an unknown; his earlier history included a string of spectacular successes but in the process he gained a reputation of an iconoclast, an unpredictable force. She understood why the Chief had to be by-passed, but Charlie’s flamboyant style didn’t appear to be a fit for this assignment. Since she rarely challenged Stephen, tomorrow she would lunch with Charlie and give him the job and possibly some advice.

  ###

  Monk walked the paths at the Abbey. He was pleased with Charlie and Wes, the detectives’ participation in the recent hospital visits; the kids loved all the attention, and the men seemed to be buoyed up by the energy and optimism of the children. A small bald, very young, boy took to Charlie and hung around his neck the entire visit at St. Michaels’ cancer ward. The homicide detective smiled for the whole tour, a dramatic change from an average day.

  But it was difficult to think about that success. The planned attack on the S3 interrogation continued to worry him, a pressing issue. He rehearsed his next debriefing of Charlie; Ron Bowen, the convict on death row, provided Monk an in-depth review of the entire week prior to the incident. The accused killer tried to remember all the details from the daily weather to the clothing his grandmother was wearing. Then Monk and Charlie would walk through each day of that week. They wanted this detail firmly implanted in Charlie’s mind

  The plan was: as soon as one of these early scenes surfaced, Charlie would be able to recognize them and order a jump AHEAD. They hoped the jump would be far enough to get past the drunk killing in the park.

  Charlie appeared to be coping, but Monk wasn’t convinced. He thought about all the issues: Horny Harry, the Five Star Couple, Emma, the basketball game and the Chief. Was there more? How could Charlie concentrate on Ron Bowen’s history? There was no room for error.

  Maybe he should have Charlie pull out; maybe just play it straight and hope the scene never surfaces. But this could be Ron’s death sentence.

  CHAPTER 25: HARRY and the HOTEL COUPLE

  The last girl was still alive: an error, not to be repeated.

  He was an ordinary looking guy, average build, average appearance, and average in almost any way you cared to describe him. The biggest surprise was his near genius, which surfaced when he repaired sophisticated, specialized equipment, any computer controlled device or audio/visual apparatus, his intelligence conspicuous at the work bench. Original design was not his strength. But, he repaired and modified existing equipment to allow utilization beyond anything incorporated in the first model.

  His current employer understood his value and deflected the criticisms and complaints, lost a few female staff because of him but considered that the cost of doing business. Harry, not his real name but paradoxically the nickname his coworkers gave him when the media created the Horny Harry tag, was well aware of his value. He tried to control himself at work because he wanted a low profile but on occasion the temptation became too much, and he rationalized a little incidentally contact should not be an issue.

  Harry knew the value of an apology and developed into an excellent confessor, and tears of sorrow came fast and easy. This worked the first couple of times, then the lament and admissions sounded rather hollow, and it was time for the girl or Harry to move on; most of the time it was the girl.

  Early in his life the fascination with electronics consumed him, and his late physical maturity meant more hours at the workbench in his parent’s garage. By the time all the hormones started to take over, he was nearly 20 years old, with the dating expertise of a 12-year-old. His first rape happened at a party organized by a couple of like-minded university students. He didn’t know where they got the drugs, didn’t ask, and just went for the ride which, other than the excitement of the first time, he did not particularly enjoy. The drugs made his victim an uncaring participant, this diminished partnership not to his liking.

  His first solo unrolled during a routine date. He and girl had been drinking most of the night. Although he did not batter the girl, he still used his strength and fierce temper to achieve his objective, which proved much better than his first experience. To his surprise and relief, the police never showed up at his door.

  His first violent rape, of an unknown victim, occurred almost by accident, certainly not because of a comprehensive plan. The girl, after hours of heavy drinking, decided to wrestle with him, an aggressive warm up. Things got out of hand with fists flying, and soon the blows from both parties were landing with full force. He beat her to unconsciousness, raped her and left, hoping she was too drunk to remember him or any of the details.

  The police report detailed the crime with one omission: the girl couldn’t remember his name or his appearance, an alcoholic fog prevailed. The pattern was now set. He proceeded with great care, meticulously selecting victims, many weeks between encounters, the incidents often not reported. He never thought he would lose control, but each incident seemed to demand a higher standard of brutality and blood. A few months after receiving his degree, he developed a more elaborate plan.

  Periodic employment as a cab driver financed his early university years. Scholarship funds grew with each semester, and by his third year he dropped this temporary work. But, the prior experience made it easy for him to rig a disguise for his car and himself, monitor dispatchers and identify the action streets.

  When he communicated with the news media, he used his technical skills to keep his identity hidden; the notoriety was magnificent. The DNA and fingerprints he left didn’t matter because if they got close enough to him, he would not get past an S1 interrogation without spilling everything. They were wrong when they called him reckless and sloppy; he knew exactly what he was doing and how he wanted to do it.

  The surreptitious nickname he acquired at work provided an unspoken satisfaction. This backstairs tag, only spoken when he was not present, was meant to mock him, but he loved the recognition. It was almost as good as the public acknowledgment and fear that Horny Harry generated. His arrogance made it difficult not to strut around work each day with a self-satisfied grin.

  His injured left hand enforced patience. His best guess: in another week it would be healed.

  # # #

  The Five Star Couple started planning for their last attack in this city.

  Remnants of their police training and experience were evident: a city map taped to the wall, red pins marked their strikes, blue pins for Harry’s attacks, and related spreadsheets documented dates, days of the week, and times of each attack.

  Initially, they only recorded their kills but recently, as his activity escalated, started tracking Harry. The reason for their interest: some his assaults were close to the upscale hotel district., Harry’s last attack within a few blocks of the Ritz hotel. They tried to ascertain a pattern or frequency to his activity. He appeared to regularly cruise, or dumped his victims, close to their preferred operating zone, which meant drawing police surveillance to the region. The best hotels were located adjacent to the large city parks, but Harry didn’t leave his victims in the parks.

  This afternoon they focused on th
e wardrobe changes, everything to be new and different: dress, hat, gloves, wigs, and no physical resemblance to previous attacks. The planning a painstaking process, detail by detail. The male partner always the most vocal, paced the floor, verbalizing new ideas and potential problems, his female partner a more composed, cool, and deliberate participant. Neither drank or used drugs, sex with each other or their victim not part of their world, unlike Harry, who was driven by his lust. But the demand for violence grew, and they both knew their demon would soon take control.

  For this city, their goal became one more girl. After, they would move to a different and larger city, farther north. The target hotel was selected, but their analysis software flashed troubling correlations: Harry kept showing as a possible visitor in their area. Also, from their own assessment they concluded Harry would strike soon, too much time had gone by since his last attack, and they understood uncontrollable urges.

  The female partner urged caution and wanted to leave the city immediately: any unanticipated or fluke event could be their downfall; the presence of Harry could flood the region with police. The Housekeeper was adamant they could do this, and they could move prior to Harry’s next attack. Worst case scenario: Harry attacks and causes chaos in the area. The risk seemed to add to the excitement and pleasure; it was a challenge to a disciplined mind and superior planning.

  The housekeeper decided to make this a special send off and settled on the ritziest hotel in the district. Then he planned to engage the most expensive escort agency in the region, in total a great going away present for both of them.

  After reading the latest media summary about the Five Star couple, his confidence soared, the erroneous reporting and the floundering police a bonus. The most fundamental characteristic of their operation still eluded the police. The housekeeper laughed and enjoyed the duplicity, his partner more subdued. The plan detailed a brief, violent encounter and then a rapid exit from the city.

  The misanthropic couple never understood or appreciated the limits of man-made plans; before they left the city, fate would provide an unanticipated explosive challenge.

  CHAPTER 26: Charlie’s Log: the Assistant

  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.”