John knocked on Tom Moore's office door as it stood open. Tom looked up from his desk. "John?" He asked as he stood up and walked around his desk.
"You must be Tom?" John asked as he stuck out his hand. The two shook hands as they sized each other up. Both had military backgrounds. Both decided to pursue law enforcement for the same reason. They hated bullies.
"How was your drive up?" Tom asked as the two sat down. Tom behind his desk and John in a chair directly in front of it.
John smiled as he thought about all their 'mandatory' stops they made along the way. "It was ok. Enjoyable in some ways. Nice to get away from the stress of the job."
"I hear you on that. I'm headed up to Canada next month for some fishing for a week." Tom paused. "I've asked Lisa Demotte to join us this morning. I know she wanted to meet you and Amanda."
"OK. Good. I'd like to meet her as well. Sam has told me about her."
"I don't know that name." Tom replied.
"Sorry. Sam, or Samantha, is the head of our counties sex crimes unit. I guess her and Lisa have been talking quite a bit since I decided I'd like to go after Aaron Buckman. At least as much as I can. I was glad to hear you got him on something."
"Yeah. Well, we need to talk about that." Tom responded hesitantly.
Lisa DeMotte walked in the office.
Tom stood up when he saw her come in. John then did the same. The three exchanged greetings and then sat down.
"It's nice to finally meet you." Lisa said to John. "I take it Amanda didn't come with you. I'd love to meet her as well. From what Sam has told me she's a very tough lady."
John smiled as he thought about Amanda. "She is. She's been through a lot. And in some ways Buckman really messed her up."
"She's not alone." Lisa added. "I have five other women who have similar stories to Amanda's. One of them is in protective custody with her son. She's willing to testify against him. Not on the sexual crimes. But as a witness to some of his dirty business dealings. I want to talk with you about her before you leave today."
John shook his head. "Glad to." Then he looked at Tom. "So tell me all about Buckman. I want to know everything that you know."
For the next twenty minutes Tom and Lisa filled him in on all of Buckman's illegal dealings and his associations. His biggest association being with the Russian mob within the city. "He's made a lot of money off the Russians." Tom added as he started rapping up his report on Buckman. "Some of it through his defense of them in court. But most of it from his helping them launder their money. They're into everything; drugs, guns, prostitution, extortion, human trafficking. The list goes on and on."
John sat in silence for a few seconds as he took it all in.
"But now for the bad part." Tom said as he stood up and walked around to close his office door.
"What's going on Tom?" Lisa asked, knowing something wasn't right. She had been working up a case against Buckman before having him pulled away from her for the case Tom was the lead detective on.
Tom sat back down at his desk. Then leaned across it like he was going to whisper. "What I'm about to tell you can't leave this room. I could lose my job if it does. I was told to keep this under wraps. The case the DA has against him is quickly unraveling. They made some huge fuck-ups with the whole procedural thing. They're trying to fix it before they are forced to release him. The only people who know about this is the DA, his assistant and me. Only because I'm the lead detective. And now you two." He looked at Lisa, who was as angry as he'd ever seen her.
"What the fuck did they do?" She growled. "They're going to let that piece of shit get off again on some legal bullshit." She slammed her hand on the arm of her chair. "I hate this fucking system! Hate it! Hate it!" She said, almost screaming.
John sat silently as his two counterparts vented their anger, back and forth. When they became silent he asked. "I have two questions. How quickly could I see Buckman? And how could I possibly get a rumor started that the Russians would hear?"
Tom and Lisa looked at each other. "I could get you into see Buckman this afternoon. But what's this about a rumor?"
John thought for a second. "Do you think Buckman would do any time if you're case wasn't falling apart?"
Tom laughed. "That would depend on the judge that was assigned his case. The Russians have several of the judges in the city on their payroll."
John smiled. "I have an idea. But I don't want to involve you two and possibly jeopardize your careers."
"Stop right there!" Lisa almost jumped out of her seat. "I'd put a bullet in that fuckers head if I thought I could get away with it."
"Same here." Tom added.
"Tell us what you're thinking." Lisa said.
"The lawyers call it, 'creating reasonable doubt' within the minds of the jurors. What if we created reasonable doubt within the minds of the Russians. Put Buckman in isolation. Make it look like he's being protected before trial." John paused. "Who's the toughest judge that would come down on Buckman?"
"Sandra Fiore." Tom spoke up without hesitating. "One tough lady. And I'm almost 100% certain she's clean."
"Then we somehow circulate the rumor that Buckman might stand before her. But more importantly, he's going to turn States evidence to save his own ass."
"I don't think the Russians will buy it." Tom spoke up.
John smiled. "They don't have to buy it completely. All we have to do is create reasonable doubt in their minds. Do you think they're loyal to Buckman? Lawyers like him are a dime a dozen. They get rid of him and get another one. I'll let you two figure out in your heads what will happen to Buckman."
Tom and Lisa looked at each other for a few seconds before Tom spoke up. "You two get out of here. I have some calls to make."
John stood up and reached across the desk to shake Tom's hand. "Don't do anything that would jeopardize your career. I know exactly how I can play this out. And it won't come back on you. Or me, for that matter, if I do it just right."
John and Lisa walked out of Tom's office and headed for the street. Lisa had to get back to her precinct. John was going to meet Amanda for lunch after an exhausting morning of shopping.
Lisa told John all about Tina and her son. The situation they were in, and their desire to relocate someplace and start all over. "If I'm being too presumptuous, please tell me." Lisa added. "But Sam and I have talked quite a bit over the last couple of months. Especially with regards to Buckman. Sam mentioned that Amanda has a house that is sitting empty. Do you think she might be open to letting Tina and her son relocating and renting from her while they get their new lives together?"
John's first reaction was anger, that Sam would give out so much personal information about Amanda. But then he realized that was minor compared to what was at stake here. "I'll bet Amanda would love to help them out that way. But I don't want to speak for her. Let me talk with her. Why don't the three of us get together for dinner some evening? You can meet Amanda and talk with her yourself about it."
"I would like that very much." Lisa replied. Then she held out her hand to shake John's. "Amanda's a lucky lady to have you in her corner to fight for her."
"I'm the lucky one." John replied. "She is quite the unique woman." He added smiling.
Lisa returned this smile. "That's what Sam has told me. It sounds like the two of them have become good friends."
"I'm going to have to have a talk with Sam about what she's saying about Amanda." John voiced his displeasure.
"Don't be too hard on her. It's just girl talk." Lisa responded with a smile.
"I know all about Sam's 'girl talks.'" John said laughing. "I know Sam real well."
"Funny you say that. That's exactly what she said about you. I might have to call her and ask about all the juicy details." Lisa said laughing.
John laughed. "You do that. I'd like to hear what she tells you."