JUSTICE REBORN (A Charlie Taylor Novel Book 1)

by Ivan Bering

  “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.

  CHAPTER 27: statutory rape

  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 f
ull 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.

  CHAPTER 28: uncle willie wanders

  “Mario, the Sector team will be up to full complement by late afternoon; then they’ll start executing the prisoners on death row. Maybe, just maybe, they’ll uncover a few innocent men who will be able to walk out the front door.”

  “Warden, once they start clearing death row, I’m not sure it’ll be safe for you to continue wandering, at any time of day or night.” Mario, a guard at Fort Green prison for 12 years and the man in charge of the exercise yard, worried about Uncle Willie.

  “The prisoners know about White Rock and the results of the executions, not many walked. Everyone knows legal appeals no longer exist. It all comes down to an S3 interrogation to prove innocence or guilt. Even the guys not on Death Row know that eventually their turn will come for an examination of some type.”

  The Warden listened to Mario and didn’t stop him even though this was not news to him. He wanted to hear grassroots concerns. The rapid introduction of the new system and Amendment 33-2 fertilized the rumor mill. Where they on the edge of a prison riot? He waited, knowing Mario would eventually tell him any unpleasant news.

  “Warden even the guards are worried. No one has defined our new roles. Where will we fit? Are we going to have jobs? And if so, where and what? Or, are we going to be deemed unsatisfactory for the new system. Not having the proper education, too indoctrinated in the old approach to be of any value. If we’re not careful, the guards could strike or develop some type of work protest, work to rule, or whatever, it would be ugly.”

  “Mario, you can pass the word. I guarantee it won’t happen. There’ll be a place for everyone. My retirement doesn’t start until you’re all looked after.” The Warden meant what he said, but he knew his promise would depend on his immediate supervisor, Jake, the son of a bitch.

  Today, at 67 years of age, Willie reflected most of his years: almost handsome, short and round, with a pug nose, the beginning of jowls, a full head of curly white hair. The wrong crowd dominated his early life; the full spectrum of trouble was on their agenda: fast cars, alcohol, drugs, early school dropout and a few petty thefts. As the group aged, they became bolder, the result being more high-risk crimes. At this point, Willie accepted the time had arrived for him to move away and change direction.

  He returned to finish high school, got a part time job as a prison guard because it allowed him to attend afternoon classes at a local university. The longer he worked in the prison system, the more comfortable he became, and he began a slow, methodical progression up the ladder. The prison population recognized someone with empathy, not cruel or vindictive. The Warden believed everyone could be rehabilitated and never changed his approach, regardless of the number of times he had been disappointed, an unapologetic straight shooter, hence his nickname: Uncle Willie.

  Justice Reborn and all the preceding political debates disgusted him; he stopped reading about the evolution of the legislation, of the miracle drugs, the technology of no interest. He’d met the criteria and was legally able to retire before the full impact of the reform hit his prison. However, Jake insisted that he stay on until the first phase (Death Row) was completed.

  Willie knew enough about Jake and took the demand seriously; Jake played for keeps. Although Willie’s lack of a degree had hindered his career potential, he was recognized as one of the most competent administrators in the system. The Sector needed Willie’s kind of experience to deal with the convict population as the prison decommissioning evolved. Some people complained the evolution was equivalent to jumping off a cliff without knowing if the water at the bottom was deep enough. Willie became the best hope to deal with any unknowns which might surface in the prison population.

  Although only a few weeks separate him from full retirement, he refused to be a stationary object tied to his desk. The solitary wandering relieved the tension. His life had been a long journey and struggle, but he had enjoyed his tenure, in particular, his climb from guard trainee to the top of the heap. He knew the inmates and his staff referred to him as ‘Uncle Willie,’ and he was perceived as soft or too liberal and a push over for a sob story.

  These halls triggered memories and they flowed through his mind as he wandered from one location to another. The guards monitored his wandering but didn’t try to engage him; their sole task: opening the security gates as he wandered, occasionally stopping to talk to a long-term prisoner or a senior guard.

  He would have to be present when they cleared Fort Green death row; the thought of so many executions and bodies flowing out of this prison each day revolted him. But, Jake warned him to keep out of any debates and to allow this to happen without incident or he would find out how serious the politicians viewed this process. Jacob hinted bureaucratic errors could delay pension checks for months.

  Today was not an aimless wander; he had a particular destination: to talk to Ronald Bowen. A random draw had Ron as the last prisoner to be assessed with an S3 interrogation. The Warden believed Ron was innocent, a conclusion reinforced by numerous chats with him over the years.

  Since being in prison, Ron dried up, upgraded his high school marks and completed three years of University, making full use of the Internet facilities provided. His new maturity and confidence were now evident; his native intelligence, which got derailed years ago, flourished on death row. The Warden stopped at his cell.

  “Good morning Ron, I see your interrogation position is set, and you’ve named your Watcher.”

  “Good morning Warden. Yes, I’m trying to get ready but there’s not much I can do. I have neither family nor any possessions so that part is easy.”

  “I understand you’ve named a homicide detective as your only Watcher. It’s not my place to advise you about this policeman, Charlie Taylor. But you should be aware he has a reputation for being a hard-nosed cop. I doubt his primary objective will be to help you, and I have concerns about this choice.”

  “I don’t know how anyone can help with this S3 interrogation. I requested Detective Taylor because he conducted the initial investigation of the liquor store killing. The detective who took over the case has passed away. Detective Taylor knows all aspects of the shooting, knows the man whose deathbed confession convicted me and, most important, he knows the details of my alibi. He’s most
knowledgeable.”

  The Warden continued to step over the line; no doubt Ron was his favorite. “I understand your rationale, but I think you should search for someone else. You know Forensics can allow scenes to play as long as they wish. The scanning technician does not reposition the memory probe until the Watchers signals. With Amendment 33-2, any past crime has to be assessed. A detective will force any suspicious scenes to be played out to ensure you are innocent. There must be someone else.”

  “Believe me, I’ve reviewed this many times, and I think Charlie Taylor is my best bet; I don’t have many options.”

  “OK Ron, it’s your decision. The Warden at White Rock Prison told me the recent implementation of Amendment 33-2 has made the Historians more aggressive. The mood seems to be any scene, which can implicate you in a major crime, is sufficient to allow the execution to take place.

  Their attitude: on the table is a convicted killer and when a scene appears involving a violent crime, this is often enough justification. They’re in a hurry and don’t need much to be convinced an execution is justified. If it’s been a hectic day and they are running short of time, a short crime segment from memory may be enough….that is enough to trigger a final verdict. You should be aware of the fact: this Forensic team has an enormous workload.”

  They continued the discussion, Ron not receptive, and the Warden, over the line in a useless argument, surrendered and turned away to continue his wandering.

  Ron’s doubts had been amplified. He felt confident with Father Ed but different with Charlie. Their meetings consisted of three poignant encounters: once when he was a teenager, next early in the robbery investigation when Charlie was still in charge of the case, and yesterday when he came to the prison.