Four Square Ch. 04

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

Part 15 - The Teacher Teaching

"... all of them." I said.

"What?!" the three women said at one time.

"Yes, all of them." I said. "It had to be on purpose, and they had to have done it together."

"Before you tell us how you've come to that conclusion," Cindy said, "tell us why they did it."

"I haven't confirmed it yet with the Feds," I said, "but I strongly suspect that David Lang was a mole embedded inside Audial."

"For espionage?" asked Julia.

"Or possibly investigating Audial, and ultimately MegaTech Industries, for something." I replied. "Okay, let me tell you what I'm observing before I endure green and blue crowbar beatdowns."

I settled into my Command Chair and started: "My guess is that David and Ashwarya were playing each other while playing with each other, enjoying each other sexually. At some point in time, MegaTech must've realized that Lang was a mole, and a 'good guy' that was investigating this Big Boy Elite firm. He was embedded in this satellite company, and MegaTech assigned Ashwarya the task of keeping Lang under surveillance, possibly with the idea of using him for disinformation purposes."

"Ashwarya and Tanu did their job with the open relationship sex routine." I continued. "But then something went wrong, and Ashwarya and her little gang were told to eliminate David. Their plan to do so was actually pretty well conceived: they were going to have Ashwarya cry for help, Amit comes in and hits David and kills him, then they say it was a horrible accident. But it was very poorly executed, very sloppy when it came to attention to detail."

"In the first place," I said, "they forgot that Amit had been filming some of the videos, including some of David and Ashwarya at David's place So how could he have failed to know who David was when he came upon that 'rape' scene? And after we learned that it was roleplay, we were confronted with the old 'the dog did nothing in the night time' situation... Tanu did not try to stop Amit from hitting David. That showed me that Tanu is part of the plot, and perhaps he was trying to frame Amit for the crime."

"And then, thanks to Detective Rodriguez's excellent foresight to do some sound testing," I said, "we know that Amit couldn't have heard Ashwarya crying... unless the doors or patio doors to both apartments were open, and even then it was sketchy. So Amit lied, which further implicates him."

"But beyond that, the doors and windows were supposed to be open, but they'd been closed." I said. "Tanu said he'd opened the windows, so that meant someone else had closed them... and that meant that Ashwarya was playing her own game."

"But how are we going to prove this to a jury?" Cindy asked.

"For that," I said, "Detective Rodriguez is going to have to do some very good interrogation work, along with ADA Paulina Patterson." Seeing the look of shock and fear on Julia's face, I said "Now that you have the answer, Julia, I am counting on you to come up with the solution."

"You got this." said Tanya, showing excellent leadership. Julia looked relieved and a bit more confident after hearing that.

Part 16 - Blue vs. Gray

2:00pm, Friday, April 12th. The phone call that I'd made while Tanu and his lawyer were talking was returned, with the information I'd expected to hear. In return, I passed along some information.

Hanging up, I called Theo, and had him meet me in the anteroom to Interrogation-1. When I got there, I told him "Okay, Jefferson Gray has invoked, but we might yet get something out of him. It's going to be tricky, so follow my lead, okay?"

"Don't worry, sir." said Theo. "I'm going to keep my mouth shut, and just learn."

Jefferson Gray had been brought to I-1, and once again we had a large audience in the Monitor Room and Classroom 'E'. Nathan Masterson was representing him, and Lt. Rudistan had pulled rank to be the Uniformed Presence. He always seemed to know the best times to do that, I thought to myself.

I read Gray his rights from the card, though he declined to respond. Masterson said "My client has invoked already. What is the point of this? More harassment?"

"Not at all." I said. "I'm giving your client the chance to confess. I'm giving him the chance to cop a plea."

Masterson broke out laughing. Jeff Gray did not see the humor; he was gaping at me in open disbelief.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Masterson gasped. "You're bluffing!"

"I never bluff." I said. "I'm going to present the D.A. with a case that will get Jeff and Rhonda Gray sentences to spend the rest of their lives in prison... if they don't get the Death Penalty itself."

Masterson looked from me to Theo and back again, several times. Finally, he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Okay, I can't wait to hear this one."

"Mr. Gray," I began, "you are the nephew of Franklin Gray, who was arrested for a massive number of crimes in association with a White Supremacist group known as 'Superior Bloodlines'. Your father was on the periphery of that group, and you desperately wanted to be a part of it."

I continued: "Superior Bloodlines was blown up like a supernova, and like supernovae it left little remnants, isolated pockets of white race hatred. You knew that a fortune of a hundred million dollars would go a long, long, way to reconstituting your uncle's old group, and even reviving the 'Stormbringer' operation."

I have an uncanny ability: my peripheral vision is not as blurry as most people's. I was looking at Gray, but watching Masterson out of the corner of my eye. And Masterson was unable to hide his reactions at several things I'd said.

"So when you had the chance to acquire your father-in-law's estate through fraudulent means," I said, "you went after it. You arranged to have a false will made that left everything to you and your wife. You acquired deadly drugs from an an associate with military connections. And then Rhonda murdered her father by injecting those drugs into him."

"This is ridiculous." Masterson said. "And a waste of my time. I'm going to get a Court Order to enjoin you from these fraudulent interrogations."

"Mr. Gray," I said, "I cannot advise you to tell what you know, since you've taken the Fifth. But I can advise you that I have one plea deal, and only one, to give out. And when I talk to Rhonda again in a few minutes, and she takes the deal... you are finished."

I got up. "Talk to your lawyer. I hope he gives you better legal advice than you've been getting from him to this point." With that, I exited the Interrogation Room, followed by Theo Washington.

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

As we came out of the anteroom into the hallway, ADA Paulina Patterson came up to us. "Miriam Walters is on the way here." Paulina said. "I'm used to you, but she probably won't like what she's going to see on the tape of what you did with Jefferson Gray, there."

"She'll love me again when I deliver a strong case for her to take to trial." I said as we came to the Monitor Room. "Or better yet, a plea deal after we talk to Rhonda. Anyone want to bet on who will crack first, and take the deal?"

Theo laughed. "Heck, no. After you're done with them, sir, they'll both be begging for a deal."

"You're going to have to show it to me." Paulina said. "I'm not seeing it."

"Oh ye of little faith." I replied...

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

Jeff Gray was taken back to his holding cell, and Rhonda Gray brought into I-1 again. This time Paulina came in with me. Miriam Walters had arrived, and was watching in the Monitor Room. Only Captain Tanya Perlman had 'priority' seating over the Town & County District Attorney.

"Why don't I just have my client invoke completely, so we can stop these charades you're harassing my clients with." snarled Nathan Masterson, who was becoming physically tired by now. Tired men make mistakes, and I had no problems wearing Masterson down.

"Before you do," I said, "your client should listen to what I have to say. Mrs. Gray, I know that it was you who injected your father with opiods to wear him down physically, then other drugs which killed him. I know that your motive was partly to defraud his estate of as much as a hundred million dollars, but also to leave your mother penniless and with no means to care for herself."

"You're full of crap!" Masterson exclaimed. "How did my client get these drugs you claim she injected? And how would she know how to inject them?"

"How?" I asked. "She admitted it. She said her military MOS was '68C'... Practical Nursing Specialist. I had her military 'career', such as it was, confirmed through contacts with a Federal Agent, and I also confirmed that Rhonda was in the Town High Vocational Program... for Nursing. She did apply to the University's satellite Nursing Program, but was not accepted due to poor grades in high school. She then tried to go the military route, but washed out... you couldn't hack it, Rhonda."

I bore in: "You were also separated from the Army because you made a number of racist statements. Your Commanding Officer was more than generous in giving you the Entry Level Separation... he could easily have given you a Dishonorable Discharge. But the overall point here... is that you had medical training, and knew enough to inject drugs into your father."

"And where did she get the drugs?" Masterson asked skeptically, though I could see he was growing worried.

"From a man with military Special Forces connections." I said. "A man that Rhonda recognized when I showed her some photos a few moments ago. Yes, Rhonda, you denied knowing who he was, but I could see it in your eyes; they gave you away as much as if you'd said you knew him."

"That'll really fly with a Jury." snarled Masterson.

"Yes. Yes it will." I said. "Especially when I give the Assistant District Attorney here a case she will spoon-feed to that Jury that will have them begging to not only convict her, but to give her the Death Penalty. Now Rhonda, there is only one way you can save yourself from that. ADA Patterson here has one plea deal to give, and it'll either go to your husband, or to you. If I leave this room without a deal from you, I'll be offering it to your husband, and he knows it's his only chance to live."

"That is total crap!" yelled Masterson. He turned to Rhonda and said "Don't listen to a word of that! He's bluffing! Make him take it all the way to trial, and you'll walk free when you're easily acquitted!"

"I'll add one thing before I go." I said. "You were hoping to cut your mother out of the will and leave her penniless. But that is not going to happen. Even if your will was accepted as the valid one, which it won't be, your mother will be cared for. Your father had friends, good friends, and one of those friends has a lot of money... more money than he could hope to spend in his lifetime. So your ploy on that will fail, so you might as well take the plea deal and confess everything."

"No more!" yelled Masterson, rising to his feet. "Get out! I want to talk to my client! Now!"

"Sure, Jew Hater." I said, also standing up, and being sure to 'front' him. "Talk to your client, though I suggest she be the one to do the talking and tell you what to do." With that, I left the room, followed by Paulina.

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

After Masterson talked to Rhonda, I had her taken back to her holding cell. This time I made sure that they were bringing her husband down the hall to the Interrogation Room, such that they'd cross paths. They did not speak to each other, but I saw the fear in her eyes become the fear in his. Good. Most very good, I thought to myself.

This time, District Attorney Miriam Walters came in with me. I'd briefed her to the extent that I was able about the situation, and to say she was skeptical would be a vast understatement. But she was going along with me, for now. Good. Most very good...

Lt. Rudistan and Patrolman Drew were both present, which surprised Masterson, though he said nothing.

"So!" I said to Gray as we sat down opposite him and Masterson, "what's it going to be?"

"Don't say anything." said Masterson.

"Shut up." said Gray. To me he said "What are you offering?"

"That is not a confession to anything!" Masterson spluttered. "I need to talk to my client---"

"Shut up!" yelled Gray. "You should already have asked what their terms are and let me decide! Now either do your job and represent me, or get the fuck out!"

"If you won't listen to good legal advice," said Masterson, getting up, "then I can't help you further." As he was leaving through the 'jail side' door, I said "Lt. Rudistan, escort Masterson to Interrogation-A. He is not to leave the building. If he tries, arrest him and put him through full booking."

"Yes sir!" Rudistan said jovially. Masterson was shocked.

"You staying or going, Jew Hater?" I asked. Masterson walked out.

"Do you want new legal representation?" I asked Jefferson Gray.

"Not yet." said Gray. "What are you offering?"

"Twenty years, straight-up, no parole." I said. "In exchange for your truthful confession, and you testifying against your wife and possibly others in connection with the will fraud case."

"What others?" asked Miriam Walters, her beady black eyes boring into me.

"Tell you in a minute." I said.

"I want one more thing." said Gray. "I need protective custody. Serious protective custody."

I agreed, then asked: "You give up your Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, including testifying in Court?"

"Yes." said Gray.

"Let's hear it, then." I said as D.A. Walters began filling out the agreement form.

Gray said "There's not a lot to tell. You're exactly right on all of it. My father and I had wanted to be part of what my uncle was doing with Superior Bloodlines, but my uncle kept us out. Franklin told my father Jefferson, Sr. that if anything happened, he wanted my father to be clean. My uncle told me he didn't want me involved because I was an idiot, and not good enough for them. He called me 'Fredo', after the dumb Corleone brother in The Godfather ."

"Obviously your uncle's words did not keep you away." I said.

"No." said Gray. "I really wanted to do something that would show that I was good enough. After my uncle showed that he was the real idiot, and was arrested as Superior Bloodlines was being crushed, there was a group of people who escaped you, Mr. Iron Crowbar. They vowed to re-constitute Superior Bloodlines, but not so much as a race-based organization. It would be a group of leaders that would bring Order to the People."

"In other words, control of them." I said.

"Pretty much." said Gray. "Some of these people contacted me, and said I could be useful and would show my uncle that he'd misjudged me. My reward would be that I would become a Grand Dragon in a new Ku Klux Klan, which would put the niggers in their place, mostly in graves. They told me what I had to do, and it was easy enough... acquire $100 million to start up the organization again."

Gray continued: "They also brought Rhonda into the fold; in fact, she was more enthusiastic about it than I was. I didn't care for my mother-in-law; she was the reason my father-in-law cut Rhonda out of his will; but I didn't wish her harm, either. Rhonda, though, wanted to make sure her mother suffered. So she wrote up a will and forged my father-in-law's signature, which gave Rhonda and me total control of her father's estate."

"She wrote the will herself?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. I don't know anything about how it got written." said Gray. "Rhonda took care of that, as well as getting the opiods she injected into her father during her visits."

"Did she inject the final, fatal drug cocktail?" I asked.

"I don't know for sure." said Gray. "I don't think so. I was told it was fast-acting, and Rhonda was with me all night. For plausible deniability..."

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

Chip Blake came in with Rhonda Fitch Gray, who was escorted by Patrol Officer Laurer. "What did you do with Masterson?" Blake asked.

"We're showing him the full extent of our hospitality." I said. "Have a seat." Blake did so. I introduced D.A. Walters, then just looked at Rhonda and said "Well?"

Rhonda said "What are you offering?"

"That's not an admission of guilt." Blake started, but he shut up when I glared at him.

I said "Death off the table. 25-to-life with possibility of parole. Best I can do for murder in the first degree."

"I did not kill my father." Rhonda said.

"You may not have made the final injection of lethal drugs, but you did make the prior ones that debilitated him." I replied. "But I'll offer 25 years, no parole, keepaway status so that you don't get murdered in jail. Best I can do."

Rhonda most very wisely took the deal. I took out my Police iPhone and brought up Trent Ridge's photo. "Is this the man that gave you the drugs?"

"Yes." said Rhonda. "I wasn't going to admit it, but he's the guy."

"What's his name?" I asked.

"I don't know." said Rhonda. "That's the truth. He told me to call him 'Team Leader', as if it was his name."

"Were there others that contacted you, or you them?" I asked. "Maybe a young loser?" I was thinking of Jimmy Tolson as I spoke.

"No." said Rhonda. "Just 'Team Leader', at least in the past few months. Before that, Jeff had friends in his uncle's organization, but they were all treated like little shits by his uncle and the other big boys in that group.

"Did you actually meet with 'Team Leader'?" I asked.

"Twice. At the Sunrise Hotel, south of Town." said Rhonda. "That's when he gave me the drugs and the needles to inject them. And he pretty much forced himself on me and fucked me both times we met, but I didn't mind: he was good looking and he was a pretty good fuck, better than my husband, for sure."

Miriam Walters seemed shocked by Rhonda's lewd talk, but it didn't bother me a bit. I said "He's the one that went into the Hospice disguised as a male nurse and injected your father with the deadly drugs?"

"I don't know." said Rhonda. "The plan was ready to go, we had the will ready to probate. That's when I got the instructions to start giving my father the opiods, and he started physically declining immediately."

"And that didn't bother you?" asked D.A. Walters. "He was your father..."

"He stopped being my father the day Jeff and I got engaged." said Rhonda. "He and my batty old mother despised Jeff. Then they realized that I share Jeff's views of a world without niggers, and they disowned me. So I say fuck them."

"So these others?" I said, showing Rhonda a number of other photos, including those of Tolson, Dick Granger, and Edward Blassingame. "You never saw any of them?"

"That older guy in the suit looks like someone I saw on TV a bunch of times." Rhonda said. "But I never saw him myself. And I didn't see any of the others."

"None of them?" I asked. "Who created the will for you? You guided you through this entire process from the legal end?"

Rhonda hesitated, and then answered...

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

"All right." I said to Miriam Walters as we came out of the anteroom into the hallway. "You've got two plea deals, saving the taxpayers of the County the expense of trials."