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Notes: snow - snow and more SNOW!

Chapter 25

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Later that evening, it didn't take the two much longer to document the facts and finalize a formal plan of action to petition the courts for a retrial. The very next day, the red diary was admitted as evidence as over-riding proof to reopen the Matthew's case. The discussions began in earnest with initial responses that were very favorable from both the District Attorney and the Governor.

"We haven't finished interviewing Larson." Danny noted as he was being duly hustled out of the office. He had only accompanied Steve in that morning to listen to the conversations that Steve had with the District Attorney and the Governor. He had taken as much pleasure as his partner when eaves-dropping on the subsequent conference call with Jason's parents.

"No, we haven't and you .. are not." Regardless of other concerns, Steve was determined to get his partner started on three days of absolute rest and relaxation per doctor's very strict orders.

"Chin and I will finish with the honors." Danny couldn't argue for obvious reasons and with Kono also out of the office, it was an inglorious task naturally left for Chin and Steve to complete.

"I can .." He was cut off as Steve looped an arm over his shoulders with a gentle shove out the doors into the sunshine. Danny thumbed backwards in the direction behind them and back in through the offices. "You know .. I could .. just .."

"I'm sure you could; but you're not." The shove became and all out interruption as Steve propelled him to his car. Steve knew that Danny wanted to at least watch the interrogation over the security cameras but time off was time off. It was risky enough to complete the detailed and very mental review of the diary which had been more than a satisfactory exercise. His partner had earned and needed a well-deserved boring, three-days worth of dullness with his feet up.

"How come you aren't sick?" It was another bug up Danny's bonnet that Steve's sneezes and scratchy throat had simply evaporated into thin air over night. Steve could only shrug in response.

"Because I wasn't sick in the first place." The disbelieving frown turned into a scowl when Steve blatantly dangled Danny's own car keys in front of his nose. "Hey, lighten up. I'm even giving you the keys to drive, Danno."

The disgusted look said it all as Danny swiped them from Steve's fingers. His voice dripped nothing but sarcasm as he unlocked the vehicle. "Thank you, Steve. Driving my own car to my own house is quite the special event."

"I don't want to see you at this office for three whole days." Steve stressed as Danny slid behind the wheel with an awkward middle-fingered salute. He laughed outright as Danny started the car and intentionally roared the engine to drown his words out, though he clearly understood what Steve shouted.

"Love you, too, Danno!" The sarcastic waggle of his fingers in return was additionally demeaning as Steve watched him leave only to turn directly into Chin who had watched the entire exchange from the sidewalk.

"He's feeling much better." Chin said calmly. "Why was he here though? He's supposed to be on leave."

"He needs more rest according to Petras, but after the work he's done on this case, Danny deserved to be part of the conversations with the District Attorney." Steve was still smiling from ear to ear about the new opportunities for the Matthews' family. Tapping his watch, Steve was adamant with his next comment.

"But the clock starts now for Danny. Three days, Chin! He's not to step foot in the office or even hint about doing work." If it was the most he could insist upon, then Steve would force Danny to follow that medical letter to the full extent of its law.

"He's definitely better, though." Steve agreed with Chin's first observation. Yet despite the open smiles, in the back of his mind, Steve still had the niggling doubt which egged him on and teased his ongoing worries. Chin saw it right away before offering to put it in perspective.

"He was run down and at the office much too soon when it happened, Steve. This is not going to be a problem for him or for you." Chin knew where his thoughts really were and Steve heaved in a breath to let it leave his lungs in slow agreement.

"I hope not." He muttered before turning his full and undivided attention to his friend. "How's Kono feeling?"

"She's good, too. Worried about what we all need to discuss." Chin noted slyly. "But, she's good and will be back to work before we all know it."

Steve smiled happily. Being down one was bad enough, but two felt like the team had gone sideways and lost itself. He needed them all back together so they could return to their healthy and very productive normal.

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The next few days were uneventful in a way. Chin and Steve completed an appropriate interview with Miller and then could only watch as the courts subpoenaed a variety of new witnesses or suspects for the Matthew's retrial. To say that Eric Doonan, Mike Hanson and Ivy Martin were shocked as H.P.D. officers visited their individual homes was an understatement. Their parents were mortified; embarrassed with emotions that ranged from outright indignation from the Doonan clan to anger within the Hanson camp and finally a resolute quietude from the Martins.

The Matthews' retrial was an aggressive affair and the courts unrelenting. Beyond her own possession and drug use, Ivy's testimony served only to further what was written in Martha's diary. The boys confessed to the truth of the allegations. Mike had obtained glow from Martha Walker specifically to use and derail the budding career of Jason Matthews. He had given the powdered form to his friend Eric who then admitted to transferring it to Jason's personal toiletries just prior to going out on the field for the first quarter of the game.

The drug sat there quietly in the bottle until half-time where the team had gathered back in the locker room to regroup. An unsuspecting Jason had been exposed just prior to returning to the field resulting in the initial fight which had been dispersed easily enough. And though Jason couldn't remember, it was proven by an esteemed medical doctor and substantiated by Charlie Fong that Jason was exposed a second time after the game ended which resulted in the final escalation where he attacked the boy from the other team in the parking lot.

With much fanfare, the charges were eventually dismissed against Jason Matthews and his record expunged. As the door to the Youth Correctional Facility revolved to release him to his family, it welcomed Doonan and Hanson into its troubled fold.

The issues of Martha Walker, Francis Peter Largo (also known as Pete Larson), Doctor Arnie Miller, Maeve Hanson and their extensive band of cohorts which defined the larger drug cartel was handled in a very controlled manner and would take time. Not a stone would be left unturned or a charge forgotten. It was a well known fact that once the drug-related charges were cared for, things would only worsen for both Martha and her pedophiliac-like lover, Largo.

By the time the ex-math teacher and former tutor would be done with his additional grandiose list of transgressions against a minor, odds were that he would not see the light of day for many, many years.

The courts would have a tougher time with young Martha Walker not only because of her age, but also due to her vicious and unsympathetic attack on three police officers. But because of her injuries sustained in her altercation with Kono over Danny's hospital bed, it would take weeks for her to be well enough to attend her own trial to face the first of her charges.

~ to be continued ~