Thanks to Teyerin for her great suggestions and for helping me fill in some of the holes on the below letter. The plot thickens. I just hope it's not getting too thick - or should I say deep??

June 2, 2007

Jack,

I'll spare us both any flowery sentiments about what was between us, all those years ago. Sadly there are more pressing matters to attend to if you indeed, have occasion to be reading this.

Samantha Weaver did not engineer the death of Charles Dillon.

While I was working for Samantha's attorney, Andrew Tepper, the focus was on her defense. Casting doubt on any evidence you had against Samantha and not on who the real killer was - or as you liked to say so often the 'search for the truth'. Being trained as prosecutor, it was my nature to dig a little deeper.

After Samantha was convicted, my services were no longer required for the appeal process - by now I'm sure you're acquainted with what exactly 'my services' entailed - briefing Tepper on your prosecutorial style and alerting him to any weakness on your part he might use to his advantage in court . As you had assigned Connie Rubirosa to take the lead at appeal, my involvement was no longer necessary. However, I had established a relationship with Samantha by then and continued to make periodic visits to her in prison.

It was during this time that I began to seriously formulate a plan to take you down and keep you down, for reasons which you are well aware of.

As I reviewed the trail transcript, it became clear Tepper had a strong chance of a win. Samantha would be a free woman within the year. As that time grew closer, I was able to persuade Samantha that the man who had destroyed both of our careers - hers based solely on supposition - needed to be taught a lesson. To her credit, she was reluctant - until she was finally tranferred from Riker's to Bedford Hills.

If you check Samantha's medical records during her time at Bedford, you will find she was hospitalized a week after her arrival. It wouldn't be the last time. The records enclosed will graphically demonstrate the greeting that was bestowed upon her in general population. Not too long after that introduction to prison life, she was more than ready to consider some form of retaliation against you. Especially given the fact she was innocent of any crime.

You put the wrong person in prison again, Jack. This time, you did it all on your own.

My plan was to destroy your credibility enough that not only would Arthur Branch be forced to withdraw your name for consideration as District Attorney - the fallout would be so bad that your new boss would have no choice but to ask for your resignation. This action would be akin to ending your career in law - a fitting way to put you squarely where you put Samantha and myself.

With your track record, it should have been easy - especially once I convinced Samantha of the damage it would do to you if we were able to manufacture evidence of a sexual relationship - one that was coerced by you.

I won't bore you any further with the details - clearly it didn't work or you wouldn't be reading this now. Obviously, something has gone very wrong. Wrong enough that I am forced to rely on you to set things right.

What isn't as obvious is who killed Charles Dillon - information you need if you are going to correct the wrong you've done to Samantha Weaver.

Dillon was a greedy opportunist and he wasn't working alone. The current CEO of Haligen-Webb Brock Stoddard, was Samantha's second in command. He worked with Dillon to force Samantha out hence leaving the path clear for him to take her place, once she was ousted. Stoddard was also sleeping with Samantha's mistress, Julia Veloso.

Dillon threatened to expose Stoddard's role in the plan. When the plan backfired - Veloso left her fingerprints in the room by mistake - Stoddard cut his losses. He threatened to not only to expose her relationship with Samantha, but to have her deported - after he informed Brazilian officials and her family of her life of prostitution. Julia has a child in Brazil. There's your reason why Julia didn't implicate Stoddard at trial.

I'm sure you're skeptical, given the course of events that have brought us to this place, Jack. Once you review the enclosed documents - bank records, Stoddard's phone records, etcetera, and confirm Julia's background information I think your doubts will be alleviated.

Why didn't I come forward during the appeal? Because with your inevitable appointment to the position of District Attorney, the opportunity to seek my long awaited pound of flesh from you was too great for me to pass up. Samantha's role was critical. The appealate court ruling would get her out of jail, but not completely vindicate her. I knew if she was exonerated, she would never be willing to continue her role in my scheme.

Samantha Weaver has been victimized by not just Stoddard and Dillon, but by you and me, Jack. The question is: Will you right the wrong or will you put your personal ambition before the truth?

You are now in the same position I was with the Dillard case.

I just wish I could be there to watch you live with your decision.

Diana

Anita Van Buren rubbed her forehead, shaking her head as she looked up from the letter.

"This has been authenticated," she asked taking the glass McCoy offered her.

He nodded, as he refilled the glass beside him on his desk.

"I had Connie pull some of the cases Diana and I worked together on from the archives. Diana's handwriting is all over those case files. Connie took copies of the letter and the case files downtown right after we opened the envelope. It's Diana's handwriting. The question is, how much of her ramblings are based on fact and how much are based on fabricated evidence?"

"Green and Cassady have finished interviewing all of Samantha Weavers associates from the first investigation. Based on what you've just given me, I'll have them dig deeper. During the first investigation into Dillon's death, we didn't look at Stoddard at all," she held a hand up in anticipation of his response. "Jack, you need to remember there was no reason to look at Stoddard, back then. We had Julia Veloso' prints at the scene, her confession. The evidence pointed to a conspiracy between Veloso and Weaver to keep Dillon quiet. You yourself were convinced-"

"I know, Lieutenant," McCoy said raking a hand through his hair. "I was convinced Weaver was behind the murder. Apparently I was wrong. If Diana's documentation checks out, there's a good chance I not only sent an innocent woman to prison, but that the real killer struck again."

"You think Stoddard found out Hawthorne had evidence that tied him to Dillon's murder?"

"It makes sense, doesn't it," he said leaning forward. "Based on what your investigations turned up on Diana, we know she was in financial trouble - but certainly not enough for someone to kill her. If Weaver didn't kill Dillon, it's unlikely she killed Diana. Stoddard would have the most motive to go after her."

"I don't know Jack," Van Buren said uncertain. " If Weaver found out Diana had evidence to clear her and sat on it so Weaver would…"

"Would sleep with me," he asked bluntly. "That might be motive enough for her to kill Diana,"

"Jack, we've got someone fitting Samantha Weaver's description on the surveillance video in Hawthorne's building the night of the murder. Until we can nail down Stoddard's movements and locate Weaver you and I are just speculating."