Chapter 4
October, 2001...
John Mangano and his consiglieri, Dominic Valentino, were meeting at the office of their attorney, Eric Schrecter. They were going over the Ultra-Cola case and the possibility that it could lead to federal indictments.
Eric said "I don't want to minimize your position, Mr. Mangano, but with two priors you're in danger of sentencing under the habitual offenders statute."
John rolls his eyes.
"That waht I'm paying you for?" he asked, "To tell me shit that's already keeping me up at night?"
Eric gets a note from his briefcase and hands it to John. John reads it and nearly jumps out of his seat.
"I'd be happy to surrender Mr. Mangano at your request! You can be assured of my full cooperation!?"
Nervous, Eric said "Would you rather they break down your front door and hogtie you in front of your wife and kids? It's a target letter, a way to make us look good if this does turn into a racketeering case. So far, they only have dirt on Ms. Li and Mr. Lamm. All they got on you is guilt by association. With this letter we help paint a picture of you as an innocent victim in a government witch hunt."
Upon hearing this, John calms down. He just hopes that they don't find evidence of just how involved he actually was as it could be used to build a RICO case. He knew that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act could be used to take down Ms. Li, Mr. Lamm, and himself.
"So" asked John, "They got anything on me but my name?"
Eric said "Their still going through the evidence. Last months terror attack has put this whole thing on the back burner as resources are being shifted to counter-terrorism."
"Fuckin' sand -s" said Dominic, "Flying planes into our buildings. Cocksuckers."
"Bottom line," said Eric, "The DA said I'd know when he knows."
WSBC-TV...
Linda Griffin is in her office. Her phone rings and she picks it up.
"Hello, Linda Griffin."
On the other end of the line is John Mangano, on his cell phone outside of his lawyer's office.
"Linda, can we meet at the abandoned quarry?"
Linda joked "What are we, seventeen?"
"It's not that. I need to talk to you about something, something neither of us should speak of over the phone."
Linda's face turned pale as she heard this. She knew that it must have something to do with their kickback scheme.
"I haven't taken my lunch break yet. I can be there in ten minutes."
The Quarry, ten minutes later...
Linda arrived to find John's car already parked. This was the perfect spot to discuss illicit business as no one was there during the daytime. Linda exited her car and entered the passenger side of John's Lincoln.
"What's going on?" she asked.
John said "I'm getting a little worried about the feds closing in on our Lawndale kickback scheme. You still have the tape?"
"What tape?"
John rolled his eyes.
He said "Remember when we met in the principals office, after the debacle with the original Ultra-Cola deal?"
Linda nodded.
"Li didn't want the surveilence footage falling into the wrong hands so you agreed to take the tape for safekeeping."
Now, Linda remembered.
"I still have it. I hid it in my study, behind the filing cabinet. It's still there. No one is allowed in. I forgot about the tape until just now, but I still have it."
"Burn it."
Meanwhile, in Boston...
Raft sophmore Daria Morgendorffer sat in the North End apartment that she shared with Jane Lane. The apartment was a small one-bedroom located above Colombino's Pizza e Pasta. Daria slept in the bedroom while Jane used the fold out sofa bed in the living/dining room. Daria was in the bedroom staring at the package that Sandi had given her and was torn. She'd told no one about it. She didn't tell her mother because Helen would have insisted that Daria send it to theauthorities right away and she had no desire to become more involved than she already was. She didn't tell her father because Jake would freak out and this was stressful enough without that. She didn't tell Quinn because she was starting college and didn't need something like this on her mind. She didn't even tell Jane for fear that Jane would not be able to keep it a secret if she tried.
Daria debated whether or not to turn it in anonymously. While she had no desire to get involved, getting this evidence to the authorities was the right thing to do. She agonized for a few weeks. Then 9/11 happened and Daria was so worried about Quinn in New York that she forgot about the package. Her concern for Quinn's safety turned out to be unfounded. Quinn was in class when the first plane hit. After that, the school went on lockdown to ensure everyones safety and Quinn had spent the rest of the day in the common room of her dorm with her face glued to the news like everyone else. After the attack, the campus quad was made into a disaster shelter and Quinn spent the next few days volunteering, providing comfort to traumatized victims of the event. In the midst of all this national turmoil it was easy for Daria to forget about the letters and tape, until now.
Now, she stared at the package and sighed. She'd already listened to her conscience once, taking the package so Sandi could let go of her hate and finally move on. Now, that same conscience was telling her to do something about the package. Finally, Daria decided.
The post office, five minutes later...
Daria approached the counter with a package marked with the address of the Federal DA's office in Philadelphia. She had the package weighed and shipped out. After paying the postage she began the short walk back to her apartment.
You did the right thing She thought to herself. She began to have her trademark half-smile on her face. She had no idea that she had just signed Sandi's death warrant.
Lawndale, that evening...
Linda Griffin has just entered her study. She goes to the urn where she kept the key to the safe-deposit box that she'd hidden the tape in. She gasped when she found that the key was missing. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed that the filing cabinet was flush against the wall. There should have been a six inch gap between the cabinet and the wall. Starting to panic, Linda sprinted over and started to look all over her study. Dread filled her as she realized the tape was gone.
At first she asked her husband, Tom, if he'd been in her study. He said he hadn't and she belived him. Next, she asked Sam. Sam said he wasn't in her study since that would've been lame. Linda knew her oldest son well enough to know he had zero interest in her study. It was the same thing with Chris. That left just one possiblity: Sandi.
Sandi was sitting in her room watching Fashion Vision when Linda violently burst in, startling her.
"Where is it?" Linda hissed coldly.
"Where's what?" Sandi asked haughtily.
"YOU KNOW GODDAMN WELL WHAT." Linda snapped, "You were in my study and stole the safe deposit box, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?"
A feeling of dread fear filled Sandi at that moment.
"I...I don't know what you're talking about." she stammered, "I've never even gone into you're study and..."
Linda smacked Sandi with the back of her hand so hard that Sandi fell to the floor.
"DON'T YOU FUCKING LIE TO ME, YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BITCH!"
Sandi stood up. As she did she tasted something warm and salty. She wiped her mouth and realized that her mother had smacked her hard enough to make her lip bleed. Her fear immediately gave way to rage. Sandi lunged at Linda, but Linda therw her to the floor. Sandi struggled as Linda put her in a chocke hold. Sandi struggled as Linda wrapped her left arm around her neck while repeatedly striking the back of her head with her right hand.
"STOP STRUGGLING, YOU WEAK INGRATE!" Linda shouted, "OR I'LL BREAK YOUR FUCKING NECK!"
With that, Linda locked her right arm behind Sandi's head and pressed forward while continuing to strangle Sandi with her left arm. Sandi now realized that her mother would keep squeezing until she felt something snap. Sandi immediately stopped her struggle. Linda released Sandi. Sandi could only watch in horror as Linda tore her room inside out, looking for the tape. When she didn't find it, she turned her attention back to her terrified daughter.
"What did you do with the tape?" Linda asked in a tone dripping with venom.
"I...I ddd...didn't take anything." Sand replied weakly.
Linda lunged at Sandi and began to strangle her.
"YOU LIE!"
Linda let Sandi go after smacking her face a few more times. Sandi's will is finally broken.
"I...I..." she said, "I went into your study over the summer. I was upset about the grounding and wanted to find some dirt that I could use as leverage. I...I found the safe deposit box and the key. I saw the tape and wanted to hand it over to the authorities, but I didn't. I...I wasn't sure what to do so I snuck away and asked Quinn's sister, Daria, for advice. She convinced me to give it to her and walk away from the whole thing. S-she has the tape."
Linda glared at her daughter with pure hatred.
"YOU DARE!"
Linda kicked Sandi in the gut so hard that it knocked the wind out of her. As she left Sandi curled up into a ball and started to cry.
Philadelphia International Airport, two hours later...
John Mangano's car was in parking. Linda was in the passenger seat. She'd just told John what had happened. His face was hard as stone.
"If this is true.." he said, "You know what has to be done. Sandi has to be taken care of. If that tape hasn't fallen into the wrong hands yet, maybe Sandi's end will scare this Daria girl into silence. I have to. I'm sorry"
Linda sighed.
"I understand. Sandi's a disappointment. I don't even consider her my daughter anymore."
"I want you to pretend to forgive her." said John.
"What!?"
"Linda, if she thinks she's forgiven she'll let her guard down. It'll make my job easier."
"Good."