Sweet Justice

"Where do you think the gun barrels are?"

"Ground to dust, melted down or dissolved in acid with all evidence of same spread over a very large area. There's no registration on gun barrel purchases; there are always many available for sale even at flea markets."

"Witnesses?"

"It's all about perfect timing and patience. It's likely that the perpetrators made several dry runs, even aborted if a witness became an issue. There was never a need to rush; 'haste makes waste' and generally results in errors. In terms of whether or not the shooters were actually in their hotel rooms on the nights in question, I would expect that someone was, at least part of the time just in case a call came in, a maid knocked, or whatever."

"A confession?"

"Don't hold your breath on that one Tom."

"Just thought I'd check."

"Nice try. Drop by any time you want to have a hypothetic discussion of a case that has you stumped."

"I might just do that; it's been a pleasure, Frank." Agent Jenkins said, extending his hand.

Frank shook his hand. "The pleasure was all mine, Tom."

*** "Well, Tom, it looks as if the Director has lifted your suspension---a lot sooner than I would have expected. 'Seems that he received several letters from your "Murder Incorporated at the Senior Center" gang attesting to your character...imagine that."

"It gave me time to reflect; thanks again for letting me have access to the old case file data base. I went back ten years and reviewed unsolved murders that met very specific criteria."

"You are going to let this go, aren't you Tom?"

"Absolutely! But just for the record, take a look at these statistics. Approximately ten years ago the first in a long serious of similar homicides began to crop up. In every single case it involved a victim who either had a significant previous criminal record or who had been charged with horrific crimes---and escaped justice. The similarities are uncanny...no witnesses, no forensic evidence---and a 'victim' who was blatantly a 'blight-on-society' scumbag, who no one was going to miss. The lack of witnesses and forensics combined with the character of the 'victims' meant that law enforcement pretty much just went through the motions and then filed the cases away in the 'unsolved' archives. We've got people who sold drugs in schools, terrorized neighborhoods, sexually abused children, killed someone while driving drunk, pilfered pension funds, scammed the elderly, took advantage of the disadvantaged---you name it."

"You're not suggesting that our infamous senior citizens were responsible for this 'crime wave'?"

"Impossible! There aren't dozens or even hundreds---there are thousands of these cases in virtually every corner of the country! While we in law enforcement have been quick to take credit for the dramatic decline in crime over the last decade, I'm beginning to believe that we had a little help of the 'Star Chamber' variety. Here's an example; this particular locale was notorious for letting drunk drivers off with a slap on the wrist. In one month three repeat offenders—who had either killed or permanently maimed innocent people while driving under the influence---were, ah, 'convicted' with a single bullet between the eyes. The local cops had to see the pattern---but drunk driving almost ceased to exist in that that area. The 'message' was not lost on the civilian population. Local citizens groups sprung up, staked out the most offensive local watering holes and reported potential drunk drivers, recorded license plates and even followed them. The judges who were letting these DUI offenders off were sanctioned by the bar and ultimately forced to resign."

"Interesting stuff, Tom, but..."

"Look at this one! A drug gang praying on elementary schools for God's sake! They were essentially wiped out over a two month period. A serial pedophile...a chronic wife beater who was politically connected...scam artists...crooked politicians...loan sharks...predatory gambling operations...a gang of young punks who just beat on and killed people for thrills...its all there and in every case the perpetrators had repeatedly escaped justice."

"How many?"

"Over six thousand...and that may be the low side."

"Jesus!"

"Look, boss, let's just assume for the sake of argument that my little trio did exactly what I believed they did---and have been doing so for ten years. But it's not isolated, it's a movement, probably even connected and coordinated, albeit loosely and very covertly. Senior citizens...many if not all with law enforcement or military training...needing to still feel vital and able to contribute...stepping in where they perceived that society was not being served by the criminal justice system."

"You do realize that after the awful adverse publicity that your case created, there isn't a law enforcement agency---local, state or federal---in their right mind that would ever again attempt to bring such charges. Nor is there a DA or Federal prosecutor who would have the nerve to take said case in front of a grand jury and seek an indictment. Did you take a look at the polls? Better than eighty-eight percent of the people don't think they did it. As many believe the government acted capriciously in attempting to go after them. More than seventy-two percent believe that even if they did it---good for them! How in the world did this go on for a decade and it took this long for 'us' to put the pieces together?"

"It wasn't arrogance nor was it carelessness. I believe in my heart it was completely planned and intentional."

"What?"

"They played us...have been playing us for years but this one was a masterful stroke."

"I don't get it."

"You just answered your own question. No one in there right mind will ever again have the nerve to go after a bunch of kindly old men under similar circumstances in the future. We never had a shred of evidence...we had a theory. We molded our theory into a conspiracy charge. We---I---hounded the federal prosecutor into seeking an indictment and three grand juries laughed him out of the room! They made fools out of us...just as they intended. If you dig into the facts, you discover that those local cops at a law enforcement convention who 'bubbled' this up to the federal level are older...probably close to retirement and in all likelihood clearly either already part of the 'movement' or planning to join it as soon as they retire."

"Christ...I'm beginning to buy into your theory."

"Well, then let's mobilize the bureau, subpoena the records of the AARP, Veterans Affairs and every retired LE organization, then stake out every Senior Center, VFW hall, 'Meals on Wheels' operation and put a tail on every potential suspect over the age of fifty-five...which by my calculations would be somewhere in the neighborhood of...oh, I don't know...five million?"

"You can't be serious!"

"You're right; I'm not. First, we're already over burdened dealing with real criminals for whom we can gather real evidence and get real indictments---and convictions. Secondly, do you really think it was coincidence that the press knew every move we made almost before we made it? Our senior citizen vigilantes had help. That help quite probably ranged from 'suggesting' potential targets to cursory investigations of the homicides, a convenient 'heads up' or even a well-timed leak to the press. They had help in local and state law enforcement---why not Federal? I'm done tilting at wind mills. This is not a good fight...it's not one 'we' can win. I've grown pretty convinced that it's not even one I want to win. Frank Thompson was still playing me when I went to visit him."

"You went to visit him!"

"Yeah, the day I was suspended; he made me coffee. It was a very cordial conversation he was still spinning me...playing me...the man is a master."

"Tom, officially my position is---let this go! Unofficially...the same advice applies."

"I couldn't agree more. I just needed to share it one last time with someone I trust to get a sense that I'm not completely nuts. You will not hear me open my mouth about this matter ever again."

"That's what I needed to hear. 'Ready to go nail some real criminals?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

***

"Hey, Frank, you really shot well today for an old fart...how's it hanging?"

"It's still hanging, Bob...the older I get the more reassuring that fact becomes."

"It got a little dicey there for a while."

"It had to be done, Bob. We've been very careful but also very lucky. Our associates down in Texas were always every bit as careful but they got unlucky...once. That flight attendant came out of nowhere. She was an honest woman who told the police what she saw. In spite of the fact that her statement became less certain when she discovered who the dead man was, she would not have lied under oath. The locals down there were days away from seeking an indictment. The DA in that county has a decidedly distorted view of justice. It had to be done and it just wasn't one of those things you can delegate. We're founding members of the board of directors; in all humility we're probably at the top of the game; we had a responsibility...to the others. We all discussed the fact that this day might come; we even chose subjects that we had remote ties to. "

"That damn FBI agent was one sharp SOB. What do you think he's figured out?"

"I spun him pretty hard when he came to visit me but I think he's got a pretty complete picture."

"Is that going to be a problem?"

"I don't think so. Here are our next three 'subjects'."

"Jesus, Frank, these are copies of official FBI case files...how the hell did you get your hands on these?"

"They were left inside my screen door. 'You remember that video surveillance system I told you about?"

"Sure."

"I was very careful to point it out to Special Agent Jenkins when he stopped by for his hypothetical chat. After all of the surveillance he's probably got my 'Meals on Wheels' schedule committed to memory. We may need to consider changing the by-laws to admit younger members."