Bottle Kill Ch. 03

"My question izzzzz...." drawled the Chief, "who is the primary killer here? Is this all Mizzz Carson's doing, and she rounded up and ensnarrred these men to do her bidding? Or is it McMillan's unrequited thirst for revenge even after 20 yearzzz that was the motivating force behind our current killings?


"McMillan." I replied. "But both he and Mary sought and received help. Consultant-ish help. And this New Consultant hedged his or her bets by putting them together to reach their common goal. Something fucks up, and they blame each other, and not the New Consultant."

"So there is a New Consultant?" Teresa asked. "A replacement... or successor...to Westboro?"

"So I read the riddle." I said. "Westboro's name has come up time and again in this case. Now someone has come in to fill the void. And a hundred-million-dollar-plus settlement would have been a case that Westboro would've salivated over."

No one else really noticed the look on Teresa's face at that realization, nor why...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I went into I-1, followed by... ADA Paulina Patterson. That was both good and bad news. Savannah had wanted to give Marty McMillan the concurrent 20 year deal, which I bitterly opposed; after all, we already had McMillan's confession with no strings attached. Miriam Walters knew she could not politically afford to botch the McMillan case, so she relented and let Paulina go in with me.

The bad news was that Miriam was going to insist we accept Savannah as the ADA for any dealings with Mary Carson and Peter Paulson. And my hopes for getting convictions took a steep dive.

Once inside I-1, we sat down opposite Marty McMcMillan, who was still handcuffed to the ring on the table. "This is ADA Paulina Patterson." I said, then played 'bad cop' by saying "As much as I do not want to give you a deal of any kind, the D.A.'s Office is willing to make you an offer. Ms. Patterson?"

"Our offer is 25-to-life with possibility of parole for the two murders here in the Town & County, served concurrently at Jacksonville State Maximum Security Penitentiary." Paulina said. "In exchange, you'll formally sign a written copy of the confession you've already given, and you'll tell us who worked with you, including testifying against them in Court."

Hunter Harris of the Rosemont & Burisma firm of public defenders said "That wasn't our offer. It was 20 years concurrently for all three, and no parole at the end."

"Yes, that was your offer." said Paulina. "My offer is the one that counts, and is the only one on the table."

I added: "And it really is 'take it or leave it'. It's the best you're going to get."

McMillan said "If it's 25-to-life with possibility of parole, I want to be taken to a facility where I can continue my agricultural research work. And I'll sign the confession, but I won't help you with any names. I won't throw anyone else under the bus unless I get the 20 with no parole following it."

Paulina said "Ears are to hear with. My offer is 25-to-life, possibility of parole, for the two murders here, served at Jax State with no promises that you'll be permitted to do research. That'll be up to the Prison and earned through good behavior, and all that stuff."

I added: "The only alternative you have is to go to full trial, which will be a death penalty case due to the aggravating circumstances. And if you're on death row, you'll never see further than the walls of your cell as you await execution."

McMillan: "Very well. I'll take it. But I won't snitch. I'll give you no other names."

Paulina and I looked at each other and I nodded. She had McMillan sign the agreement and she signed it, and McMillan read and signed the printed confession that he had murdered two human beings.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Nooooooo!" wailed Savannah Fineman in the Monitor Room. "Don't let her do it, Miriam! Make him give up the other names, or no deal at all!"

Miriam Walters said "I agreed to let Paulina and Don make the decision, and they did. You're just going to have to get Mary Carson and Peter Paulson to confess, or get convictions in their trials... and find a way to get the Iron Crowbar to back up his speculation with hard evidence...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Peter Paulson was taken into Interrogation-1 after full booking, after Marty McMillan was taken out of Interrogation-1 and put in a holding cell. He would be transported to County Jail the next morning, and into the prison system after that. I told McMillan he had until he left Headquarters to change his mind and cooperate further. I also knew he would not cooperate further.

Mike Malone was still in I-A on the other side of Headquarters. Savannah Fineman wanted to talk to him next. To her and Miriam's shock, I told Captain Michaels she could go with Fineman or have a female Detective go in to talk to Mary, and a male or female to talk to Paulson, but I wasn't going to. I sat down next to the Chief in the Main Conference Room to emphasize the point.

"You're not going in there?" Miriam all but shouted at me. "You're not going to finish this off?"

"Why no." I replied. "Not if you're sending her in there."

Miriam told Savannah to go and do as they'd planned. Savannah left and Miriam sat down on the Chief's other side, across the table from me.

"So you're going to let one conspirator to commit murder go free?" Miriam said cattily.

"No." I said. "You are."

As we watched on the monitor as Savannah and Lieutenant Davis went into I-A to talk to Mike Malone. Mr. Coleman had stayed to represent him.

Savannah said "I am prepared to give you full immunity from any crime you committed or may have committed in the Boone/Westgate murder case. In exchange, I want your full, complete, and truthful story, including anything you saw in the timeframe around the time Mr. Boone and Ms. Westgate died."

Mike Malone delivered a shocker: "Upon the advice of counsel, pursuant to the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, I will answer no further questions about that case nor my role in it nor anything having to do with Theodore Boone and my employment with him."

"What?!" Savannah gasped.

Coleman said "My client has done nothing wrong. He has committed no crime. He does not need an immunity agreement, and he has just invoked so that he will not be subjected to further badgering by you. Now either charge my client with a crime, or I'm taking him out of here right now... and with his ankle monitor remoooooved."

Jerome Davis gave it the ol' college try: "You've invoked, so I'll honor that and not ask you any questions. But I am going to ask you to reconsider not telling us what you may know. Like Commander Troy said, if you think you're protecting Mary Carson, you aren't. If you think you're doing something noble for the woman you love... a woman who is sleeping with another man and was sleeping with Tex Boone and Tiffany Westgate, and who didn't give a damn about you... you need to think again, sir. Think about doing the right thing."

With that, he got up to go. "You coming, Counselor?" he said to Savannah, who was staring daggers at Mike. She finally got up and walked through the anteroom door Jerome was holding open for her.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"He's just not going to give her up." Claire Michaels said in the Main Conference Room.

"Did he really have anything on her?" Miriam Walters asked.

"How could he not?" I asked. "He was the head of Boone's security team. He had to know about the threesomes, and about his security guys banging Tiffany behind Boone's back. But he was making money, he was in love with Mary, who may have taken advantage of that, and we can't prove he knows anything."

"That's why you're doing this." Miriam said accusingly, her beady black eyes boring into me. "You don't have the evidence on them, and they're not responding to bluffs. So you're holding back and letting Savannah take the fall for it? Is that what it is? You're setting her up because your ego can't stand losing?"

I just turned and stared back into Miriam's eyes. "It won't work, Miriam. It's not even a good try." I said levelly. "Remember, I'm married to a psychiatrist, and one of the best in the world. Your feeble attempt at psychology here is pure feces."

"Heh heh heh heh." laughed the Chief. Miriam smoldered with fury.

"Claire," I said to Cpt. Michaels, "there's something in my office that I want you to go get. It's a long shot, but it just may work..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

At that moment, Savannah Fineman practically broke the door down as she came in. followed by Jerome Davis. "For God's sake!" she exclaimed. "He not only rejected a full immunity deal, he went the other way!" Then she looked right at me and said "So what do we charge him with? Obstruction?"

It was Claire Michaels who spoke up: "What can you charge him with? And make it stick?"

Savannah looked at Claire with bitter hatred in her eyes. Then she said "So who do we work on next? Mary Carson? Or Peter Paulson?"

"What's the answer, Commander Troy?" Miriam said.

"I've given you the answer...to all of it." I replied cooly. "But let me ask you this, Ms. Walters... which of these two would you rather see in prison?"

Miriam peered at me with her beady black eyes. "I'd rather see both, if they're guilty, of course."

"And if you can't have both?" I said. "If you can only get one, because you have to give the other immunity?"

"And they just spit in our faces, like Mike Malone just did?" Savannah growled.

"Bless her heart, she just doesn't understand." I said to Miriam. "But you... you do understand, Miriam. So I ask you... are you ready to heed the words of the character John Galt in Ayn Rand's book Atlas Shrugged?"

"Who is John Galt?" Savannah asked, not realizing she was quoting the famous line from that same book... she really didn't know.

"I'm talking the line he said." I said, my gray eyes holding Miriam's black peepers.

"What line is that?" Miriam asked.

"Get the hell out of my way!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ADA Savannah Fineman went into Interrogation-1, followed by Lt. Jerome Davis. Waiting at the table was Peter Paulson. His attorney was Mr. Fowler, who had been Cassie Sanderson's attorney (Author's note: 'The Hot Wife Photos'.), and had worked with Mr. Coleman's law firm on some occasions since.

"I'm ADA Savannah Fineman, and you know Lieutenant Davis." Savannah said. "Let's talk about this. You're in a world of hurt------"

"My client does not think you can convict him of anything." said Fowler. "In fact... go ahead, Peter. You have to say the words."

Peter Paulson had a smirk on his face as he said clearly: "On the advice of counsel, pursuant to the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, I will answer no questions..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Five minutes later, Captain Claire Michaels went into Interrogation-1, followed by... ADA Paulina Patterson.

"I'm Captain Claire Michaels and this is ADA Paulina Patterson." Claire said as the sat down. "I know your client has invoked, and I am still going to re-read him his rights." She did so

Mr. Fowler acknowledged his client knew the rights, then said "My client has invoked, so what is the point of this?"

"He can listen to the offer of a deal." said Paulina. "Conspiracy to commit murder is a heavy charge. Your client could get as much as life in prison. Or... if you cooperate with us, you'll get no jail time, six years on parole, probably a fine."

"My client does not believe you can convict him of anything at all." said Fowler. "So why should he make any deals?"

"First of all," said Claire Michaels, "we noticed just how fast you lawyered up when Commander Troy came into the room to talk to you. And I understand why... that man is devastating. Whoever is advising you has warned you not to play around when he's around, and for you to hide from his proverbial crowbar behind hoops of legal steel."

"So why isn't Commander Troy here now?" Fowler asked.

"Because he is relentless." Claire said. "The Biology Banquet is going on now. We plucked Marty McMillan out of it, brought him here, and he has confessed to two counts of murder in the first degree. And now they're being asked if a man that looks like this was seen at the University Hotel last Sunday." She showed the photo that was on her Police iPhone... of Peter Paulson himself.

"It's only a matter of time until Commander Troy finds someone who saw you, or finds a piece of video evidence you will not be able to explain away." Claire said.

"We look forward to seeing it... at my client's trial." said Fowler.

"Hmmph. If he makes it that far." said Claire.

"Whaa?!" Fowler said. Paulson looked surprised. Fowler said "Are you threatening my client?"

"Oh, not me. I'm not." said Claire. "But Peter... have you ever heard of the 'Black Widow'?"

"Just explain that." said Fowler.

"Gladly." said Claire. She brought out two gold TCPD Badges in a frame. "The badge on the left belonged to Corporal Peter M. Feeley. He was murdered by a woman named Angela Harlan, a serial killer that was dubbed 'the Black Widow'. The anniversary of his death was just a few days ago, and Commander Troy is not in a good mood right now. And he has kept that badge as a reminder of Corporal Feeley's death."

In the Monitor Room, tears were flowing down Deputy Chief Tanya Muscone's face as she listened to the story of her fiancé's death. The other framed badge was hers, which I kept after she'd been shot and paralyzed. I was feeling pretty emotional, as well... and it was I who had instructed Claire to take Pete and Tanya's framed badges to enhance her story.

Claire Michaels: "In this case, we have another 'black widow'... Mary Carson. She mates and she kills. She enticed both Tiffany Westgate and Tex Boone with sex, ensnared them in her web, and then conspired with Marty McMillan to murder them. But Marty needed help. He needed an alibi... and Mary got you to provide him one."

Claire: "You were tempted by your 'black widow's' charms, and a hundred million dollar inheritance is a big prize to go for. She either promised you part of it, or said she'd marry you. Yes, we know the story of how Mick Jagger said his relationship with Jerry Hall lasted so long because she gave him a blowjob every morning. And you've woken up to Mary giving you a blowjob every morning, and giving you sex almost every day."

Claire: "But Peter, do you really think you're going to see any part of that inheritance? You think Mary is going to marry you? Share that fortune with you? Yeah, right."

Claire: "Right now, Peter, you and Marty are the only guys that can put her in prison. Marty's thinking about his future right now. And he better realize that he knows too much, that he'll come over all dead in prison before long. And you? You know too much, Peter. And one morning, instead of a blowjob, you're going to wake up with your throat slit, or poisoned by a bottle of Rye whiskey. Either way, you come over all dead, Mary walks away with the money, finds her next stud, goes on to her next... project."

Claire: "You're a good guy, with a clean record. You were tempted, and you stumbled. We get that; hence, the ADA's really good offer. So no, I'm not the threat, Peter. And the threat to you is not of arrest. Our deal includes a bonus... you get to live."

Peter Paulson said nothing, but his eyes were on the framed Police shields in front of him. As Claire and Paulina got up to go, he looked up, then cried out "Wait!..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

10:00pm, Wednesday, February 10th. Paulina Patterson walked into Interrogation-2, followed by Your Iron Crowbar. I was taking this one myself. And bringing Paulina with me was my way of 'spiking the football' in Savannah's face... and Miriam's.

"Hello again, Ms. Carson." I said. "I'll read you your rights from the card." I did so.

"So, Commander," Gwen Munson said in her sweetest voice, "here to try to browbeat a confession out of my client that will never be forthcoming?"

"Nooooo." I said. "I'm just here to say my four favorite words. What are those words, ADA Patterson?"

"You are under arrest." Paulina said without missing a beat.

"Yes, she is that." I said. "So what are my next four favorite words?"

"Let's watch some TV." Paulina correctly replied.

"Yes indeed!" I said with great joviality. "Yes, let's watch some TV." The monitor came on. Playing on it was the video of Peter Paulson's full confession in exchange for a most generous plea deal. He was naming names, and Mary Carson's name was the one being mentioned the most. The look of shock on her face was priceless. The look on Gwen Munson's face was even more priceless. It connoted utter defeat, and hatred.

"As you can see, Ms. Munson," I said, "there's not much more for me to say at all. The dominos are falling. ADA Patterson, what will you offer Ms. Carson if she spares us the time and expense of her fair trial?"

Paulina said "Twenty years for each of the two counts of conspiracy to commit first degree murder, to be served consecutively but with possibility of parole. You also have to give up the Boone inheritance, should the Court award it to Tiffany and then you, but you will be allowed input as to what charity you want it to go to."

"Make it a guarantee that it'll go to the Tiffany Barclay Foundation for Battered and Sexually Abused Women at Eastern State University." Mary said. "Guarantee it, and I'll take the deal..." (Author's note: 'Midnight City' for the Tiffany Barclay story.)

Part 18 - Cleanup on Aisle 'Rye'

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Thursday, February 11th, from the rooftop of the building at Riverside and College, with Police Headquarter in the distant background. "Several arrests have been made in the double murder of a Poker player and his fiancée!"

After the hard-charging intro music, Bettina began: "Police arrested Marty McMillan, Assistant Director of Research at SynGen Biosciences in Villa Nueva, for the murders of Theodore 'Tex' Boone, age 72, and Boone's fiancée Tiffany Westgate, age 38. Also arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder was Mary Carson, who was Mr. Boone's personal assistant and was named as Tiffany Westgate's heir."

Bettina: "Both Mr. McMillan and Ms. Carson confessed to their crimes and signed plea deals. District Attorney Miriam Walters issued a statement to the Press praising her ADAs Savannah Fineman and Paulina Patterson for their work in arranging the guilty pleas, saving the Town & County the expense and time of trials in Court. Police Chief Sean Moynahan issued a statement praising his Captain of Detectives Claire Michaels for working out the plea deals with the accused criminals. As usual, Police Commander Donald Troy did not respond to repeated requests by KXTC for comment, not even to praise his Detectives for their work in solving the crimes..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"God damn Bettina." growled Police Chief Sean Moynahan as he, Sheriff Griswold, Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle, Deputy Chief Tanya P. Muscone, Pottsville Lieutenant Shane O'Brady, and Your Iron Crowbar watched and drank coffee in the Chief's Conference Room.

"My statement praised both you, Commander Troy, and Captain Michaels." continued Chief Moynahan. "Bettina omitted a portion of my statement. Mizzz Muscone, have a word with Captain Thompson to read Bettina the Riot Act." Captain Damien Thompson was the TCPD Public Relations Officer.

"I don't mind Claire getting the credit, sir." I said. "She did a great job getting Peter Paulson to turn on Mary Carson."