Hard Job

by Jeffery Craig

  “You don’t trust the Coroner or Anderson?”

  The young man was incredulous when she shook her head. “I want to trust Tom, and Doctor Evans, but I can’t.”

  “How about the… I mean, what about Chief Kelly?”

  “No. I don’t trust Chief Kelly,” she answered regretfully. He was wide-eyed at her admission, so she tried to explain. “There’s something bad going on here in the city and…and I think it’s permeated every department I can think of – or is trying to get a foothold wherever it can. I think it may already have a foothold here.” She studied his face carefully, before telling him what she knew to be true. “Somehow, someone found out we were meeting Toby Bailey last night and didn’t want what he found to see the light of day.”

  His eyes widened and then his face went very still as he processed the meaning behind her words. “I think I understand what you’re telling me,” Mitchell finally answered, once again accepting the situation for what it was. “What do you want me to do in there?” he jerked his head toward the doors.

  “Tell your part in the events of last night, if needed. Otherwise, just watch and listen. Pay attention to what’s said and done, and watch everyone’s face and body. I won’t be able to focus on that as much as I should. I’ll be busy with other things.”

  “That doesn’t sound like much for me to do. I’m willing to help more, if you need me to.”

  “What you’ll be doing may end up being very important, Mitchell.” They started to walk toward the doors, but she stopped him. “One more thing – do you have any money on you?”

  “I think I have a little,” he said, pulling out his wallet. “How much do you need?”

  “You got a five?”

  “Sure.” He pulled out the bill and offered it to her

  “Thanks, Mitchell,” she said, taking it from his hand. “I’m good for it.”

  “What do you need the money for, ma’am?

  She thought about telling him, but decided he could wait and see. She suspected that Mitchell had hidden depths and it’d be more fun that way. “Watch and learn, Mitchell. This day should be very educational for you.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  When they entered the conference room, Reightman noticed most of the planned attendees had already arrived. This room was like every other city-owned conference room with its dull grey walls and utilitarian furniture. The ubiquitous orange chairs were arranged around a large table with a worn and scarred top. There was no attempt at comfort or style. It was simply a space for large numbers of people to meet when there were things to discuss. Often, those discussions were unpleasant and today would prove to be no exception.

  Toby Bailey and Zhou Li sat on the far side of the table, side by side. The aged Chinese attorney had a stack of legal documents stacked neatly in front of her, as well as a familiar, leather covered memo pad. Toby’s satchel was slung across his body, clearly demonstrating that nothing in his possession was up for grabs. His face was pale, and his hair threatened to fall forward and hide his pale blue eyes. They both offered small, sad smiles, acknowledging her entrance.

  To Toby’s right was Dr. Evans, and to her right was Tom Anderson. Although each noted her arrival, neither offered any form of greeting, although they followed her progress with their eyes. Reightman was sure they were wondering what this was all about. She hoped they were prepared for an interesting morning.

  Seated across the table from them were Jessica Lautner, the senior Assistant District Attorney and Jerome Hollingfield, the City Attorney. Lautner and Hollingfield sat with their heads together and were engaged in a hushed conversation. Reightman couldn’t make out their words, but from their body language it was clear their exchange was not amicable. The representative from the Mayor’s office had not yet arrived, nor had Chief Kelly.

  After scouting the lay of the land, Reightman selected a seat at one end of the table. She slid the purse off of her shoulder and looped it over the chair back, and put her yellow legal pad on the table. Mitchell followed her lead and took his place on her left. That left the chairs at the opposite end of the table for Chief Kelly and the – as yet unknown – representative from the Mayor’s office.

  Moments later, Kelly entered through the double doors, followed by a thin, middle-aged man carrying an old-fashioned briefcase. Reightman recognized Adam Wilkenson, the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, and realized the city was pulling out the big guns today. Wilkenson was a powerful force in the city and had the air of rarified elegance sometimes found in scions of older local families. He gave a short, abbreviated greeting to the City Attorney, but didn’t bother to greet the representative from the DA’s staff. Obviously, he considered her to be beneath his notice. He followed Kelly to the end of the table opposite Reightman, and took his chair, as did Chief Kelly. Neither looked toward Zhou Li or Toby Bailey. While Wilkenson was occupied with opening his briefcase and removing the items he anticipated needing, the Chief leaned back in his chair and glared at her across the long table. He pursed his lips at the sight of Mitchell and eyed him speculatively.

  After everyone was seated and situated to their satisfaction, Chief Kelly exchanged a brief glace with Wilkenson then growled down the table. “Well, Detective Reightman, we’re all assembled for your little party. I suggest you get this circus started.”

  Without replying, Reightman stood from her chair and walked directly to Zhou Li, who rose from her chair as Reightman approached. Without saying a word, Reightman handed her the five dollar bill she’d caged off of Mitchell. Zhou took the money into her left hand and held out her right. Reightman shook the offered hand and bowed slightly. Madame Zhou returned the small bow and seated herself back in her chair, placing the money into her vintage purse as she settled into her place. Reightman moved back to her place and took her own chair.

  All the individuals present watched the interchange between the two women. As Reightman took her seat, she noticed Kelly frowning slightly at Zhou. Hollingfield, the City Attorney, sat back in his chair with a speculative look. Jessica Lautner leaned slightly forward in her chair and folded her hands on the notepad in front of her, with a tiny, amused smile on her face. Dr. Evans and Tom Anderson both looked from Kelly to Reightman, sensing the tension in the room, but not understanding the reason behind it. Mitchell looked confused, trying to determine what Reightman had just done with the five dollars he’d given her.

  Impatient with the delay, the Chief addressed her sharply, “If you’re finished with whatever little game you’re playing with Mr. Bailey’s attorney, I’d suggest you get started.”

  Reightman ignored Kelly, and looked placidly down the table toward him. He tried to figure out what her expression meant, but eventually gave up. His face reddened and he started to comment again, but Wilkenson – the Mayor’s Chief of Staff – leaned in and spoke a few words into his ear.

  Kelly’s flushed deepened, and he glanced back toward Wilkenson. When the man gave him a single nod, he glowered at her and then attacked. “Reightman, I said, get this meeting started! You’re wasting the valuable time of everyone seated at this table with your ridiculous games and posturing. I’ve absolutely reached the end of my patience with you, you stupid woman. Either get things started or be prepared for an official reprimand in your file.”

  She met his gaze across the length of the table. “I’m sorry, sir. I wasn’t aware your previous comment was directed at me. You must have misunderstood. This isn’t my meeting.”

  “Dammit, Reightman!” Kelly shouted. “Get this started or we are all going back to the jobs we should be doing instead of sitting here twirling on our thumbs.”

  Reightman had seen the Chief angry before, but she’d never seen him come so close to losing his control in a gathering like this. “Sir, as I’ve already made clear, this is not my meeting.”

  For a moment, she thought he was going to be able to hold on to his uncertain temper, but after another whispered comment from Wilkenson, she could see him begin to boil. She could see a
blood vessel throbbing in his forehand and braced herself for the expected explosion. He didn’t disappoint.

  “That does it!” He said in a loud, thundering voice as he shot up from his chair. He sneered at her, and then continued with a cutting voice laced with derision. “I should have known better than to have placed a stupid broad in a position with any level of responsibility! Women simply cannot accept authority and are absolutely incapable of doing this sort of job. They don’t have the balls for it! They’re fine as secretaries and meter maids but not much else. As a matter of fact…”

  “Chief Kelly! Hollingfield cut him off, realizing Kelly had just stepped into dangerous territory. “I don’t think this is the appropriate venue for this, and your comments are out of line.”

  Kelly started to retort, but sputtered to a stop as he realized what he’d just said in provoked anger. He sat back down in his chair, avoiding the shocked stares coming from all of those present.

  Madame Zhou smiled in satisfaction as she began writing notes on her tablet. The tiny old woman looked up the assembled group, peering at each of them from behind her thick-lensed glasses. “My apologies to all of you who have taken time out of their day to attend this briefing and discussion. I must also apologize to Detective Reightman especially, for suffering this unprecedented outburst in my stead. You see, this meeting is not hers. It is mine. Or rather, it has been called by me on behalf of one of my clients, Mr. Toby Bailey.”

  “Perhaps you would care to explain then, ma’am, what exactly this meeting is all about.” Jerome Hollingfield suggested.

  “Madame,” Zhou replied from across the table. Reightman struggled to suppress an involuntary smile as the elderly woman corrected the City Attorney. “I prefer to be called Madame Zhou.”

  There was a moment of silence, and then a small patronizing smile formed on Hollingfield’s face. “Well, if you insist. I suppose I can indulge you and play along.”

  Zhou’s voice whipped across the table. “I am afraid I do insist! And Mr. Hollingfield, I would suggest you wipe the patronizing smile off of your face and learn proper manners. I have been a highly respected, practicing attorney, accredited in most of the States in this country, for longer than you have been alive.”

  Before Hollingfield could respond, Jessica Lautner leaned over and hurriedly whispered something in his ear, obviously taking great pleasure in informing him just who was sitting across the table. After Lautner finished, Hollingfield looked across the table, somewhat abashed. “My sincere apologies, Madame Zhou.”

  Zhou barely spared him a look before she resumed her explanation. “We have called everyone here today to present to you new evidence discovered by Mr. Bailey. This evidence has a direct bearing on the murder of Mr. Geraldo Guzman.”

  “The Guzman murder has been closed, I believe,” Wilkenson – representing the Mayor – replied with feigned surprise.

  “Inappropriately so, I assure you.” Reightman couldn’t quite decipher Zhou’s expression as she addressed the man, but it looked like extreme distaste.

  “I believe all proper procedures were followed, and the results of the investigation have been signed off by Chief Kelly,” Wilkenson said with an almost imperceptible glance toward the Chief. “I don’t think there’s really any need to waste our time further.”

  “Both my client and myself, as well as Detectives Reightman and Jackson – a good man who was killed in the line of duty while examining and making provisions to safeguard this new evidence – feel further investigation is warranted in light of what has occurred over the last few days.”

  “And what exactly is this evidence, Ma’am?” Wilkenson asked, purposely insulting the diminutive attorney with both the form of address he used, and the emphasis he placed on the word.

  This time, Madame Zhou ignored the form of address and simply went on with her explanation. “The evidence consists of a number of quite surprising photographs of several of this city’s leading citizens engaging in a variety of sexual acts with the murdered man.” Her comment had everyone sitting upright in their chairs, beginning to listen with interest. “In addition,” Zhou continued, “we have evidence which demonstrates many of these same individuals were being blackmailed by Mr. Guzman, and paid large sums of money to prevent the photographs from being made public.” Zhou surveyed the people around the table, making sure of their attention. “This evidence – when taken into consideration with open questions raised during the investigation which were ignored or brushed aside by the others – offers motives for murder and calls into question the validity of both the Guzman case’s closure and the suicide ruling made by the acting Coroner regarding the death of Dr. Benjamin Lieberman.”

  “I beg your pardon, Madame,” Patricia Evans said from her place at the table, “But are you questioning my ruling?”

  Zhou gave an apologetic nod to Evans before she replied. “With the greatest respect for your abilities, Doctor, I’m afraid I must.”

  Evans didn’t comment, although her brow creased slightly.

  “Let’s take a look at this evidence then,” Wilkenson suggested in a patronizing tone of voice. “I, for one, can’t wait to see what collection of crap you’ve assembled.”

  Reightman winced, but was sure Zhou could handle him.

  “Mr. Bailey has agreed to share this evidence with everyone here today. This group was assembled at my request to protect his interest, and to ensure each piece of material was presented and witnessed by all present. This is to prevent any accidental misplacement or inadvertent destruction of the material.” When Wilkenson motioned to her impatiently, she added, with some relish, “However, Mr. Wilkenson, you will not be viewing the material.”

  Everyone nervously looked around the table in reaction to her declaration. At first, Wilkenson couldn’t believe what he’d just heard, but he quickly recovered his wits and changed tactics, aggressively defending his prerogatives. “I will view the evidence with everyone else in this room Madame, and I don’t think you can stop me. You do understand I’m here representing the Mayor in this ridiculous matter?” The pompous edge to his voice was familiar to everyone seated at the table.

  “I do understand your role here today, perhaps better than many others. I am also well aware of who you are. Indeed, you are quite recognizable.”

  “Then surely even you can understand why I must be allowed to view the materials. In fact, I insist on viewing this evidence before the others, and in private, so I may access its validity. I will then consult with the Mayor and make a determination of whether anyone should be asked to waste any more time on this nonsense.”

  Chief Kelly nodded his head in agreement. “I think your suggestion sounds like a sensible approach – the first sensible thing I’ve heard this morning. Don’t you agree, Hollingfield?” When the City Attorney shrugged, signaling he really didn’t care one way or the other, Wilkenson smiled condescendingly. “You see Madame Zhou – we’re all in agreement. You will provide me with the materials. After my review, I’ll make a recommendation on how – and if – we’ll proceed.”

  “No, Mr. Wilkenson. I will not consent to that.” Zhou replied serenely. “Indeed, your directive regarding how we should proceed firms my resolve and strengthens my understanding of why you must not see the evidence, under any circumstances, and most certainly not in private.”

  Zhou’s calm but firm rejoinder confused Wilkenson for a moment, but once again he regained his aplomb and responded mockingly, “I think you are absolutely crazy, Madame whoever-the-hell-you-think-you-are! I’ve made a perfectly reasonable suggestion, which you refuse to even consider.” Wilkenson’s tone changed as he presented his ultimatum. “Unless you can give me one good reason why my suggestion shouldn’t be accepted and acted upon, I will insist all city employees withdraw from this nonsensical meeting and get on to more important things. Is everyone here in agreement?”

  Reightman noted those who agreed with Wilkenson, and those who were holdouts. The city officials were in clea
r agreement, although Dr. Evans hesitated before following the lead of the others. Jessica Lautner and Tom Anderson were silent and each wore a different, but equally considering expression on their faces. Zhou Li carefully noted each individual response on her legal pad.

  When she didn’t offer comment, Wilkenson smiled; gracious in his victory. “So, Miz Zhou, are you ready to share whatever possible objection you have, now that we’re all in agreement?”

  Zhou Li considered him for a moment and then bared her small white teeth in what might – from a safe distance – be considered a smile. “Certainly, Mr. Wilkenson. In fact, I will do better than to provide you one reason. I will provide several. Firstly: You, Mr. Wilkenson, are the senior member of the Mayor’s staff, and as such you wield a very high level of influence over most, if not all, of the city departments which fall directly within the Mayor’s purview. That has been adroitly demonstrated just now.” She tilted her head slightly in a birdlike gesture. “Would you agree with my assessment?”

  Wilkenson shrugged with false modestly before he answered. “I make no bones about it. I am the senior official on the Mayor’s staff. As such, I set the tone for how most city departments react to any given situation.”

  Zhou nodded her acceptance of his evident power. “From your comments, I feel we can all agree you are indeed able to influence opinion and bring the departments into line when needed. This brings me to my second reason. Shall I tell you what my second reason is, sir?”