Adam Chandler comes through the front doors of The Pine Valley Police Station. He stops at the front desk and says, "Yes, I'm Adam Chandler. I received a call from," He pauses to look at a quickly scribbled note in his hand, and then continues, "Officer Kennedy. He said he thought that they'd recovered some of the items stolen from my home? He said that he wanted me to come down here to see if I can identify any of those items."
The officer behind the desk says, "Yes, Sir. Just one moment, please?" As she picks up the phone, she continues, "I'll call Officer Kennedy."
"Thank you." Adam says as he takes a nearby chair.
After a few moments pass, the officer speaks to Adam, "Mr. Chandler? Officer Kennedy will be right out to talk with you."
"Thank you."
Jackson is sitting at his desk at his law office, when Tad comes through the door and says, "So, Jack, what's up?"
Jack not speaking a word stands to his feet and rounds the desk. He moves directly to the door and discreetly closes it. Turning back to Tad he says, in a quiet whisper, "I fear the walls here have ears. Follow me." As he grabs his jacket and begins to stuff papers into his briefcase.
Tad coming close to Jack whispers, "Where are we going?"
"Krystal's Café."
"Okay."
The two men leave the law office and hail a taxi. Entering the taxi, Jackson tells the driver their desired destination.
AJ coming quickly down the staircase with Emerald following closely behind enters the living room of the Chandler home and seeing Brooke sitting at a corner desk covered in papers, with a phone in her hand, says, "Grandma, can Emerald and I go to The Zoo tomorrow, please?"
Emerald coming into the room directly behind AJ says, "AJ don't interrupt. I'm sorry, Miss English. AJ wait until your grandma is off the phone."
Brooke setting down the phone says, "Oh, its okay, Emerald. I actually wasn't talking with anyone; I was just checking a text message." Looking to AJ, who is standing anxiously in front of her, anticipating his desired answer, she says, "Hmmm? The Zoo, huh?" Brooke's eyes turn to Emerald as she asks, "Does Emerald want to take you to The Zoo, AJ?"
AJ quickly answers, "Oh, yes, grandma. It was Emerald's idea to go."
"If it is okay, with you, Miss English, of course?"
Brooke ruffling AJ's hair with the palm of her hand says, "It is okay with me, AJ."
AJ jumps for joy, grabs Emerald by the hands, and yells, "Yippee! We're going to The Zoo!" As he begins to dance her around the room, Emerald tries to direct his excitement so that no harm is done, yet she thoroughly enjoys the excitement and energy of her young charge.
Brooke breaks his excitement with, "However, under one condition."
AJ freezes in his tracks and with a sense of dread says, "Oh, no, graaannddma? What condition?"
Brooke smiles and says, "The condition is… that Emerald stops calling me, Miss English, and calls me, Brooke?"
AJ's eyes quickly dart to Emerald as the two stand facing each other and holding hands. Emerald quickly responds with a wide smile, "I can certainly do that, Miss – um, I mean, Brooke."
"Yippee! We're going to The Zoo!" AJ and Emerald sing together as they leave the room and head for the kitchen to pack their lunch for the trip.
"Mr. Chandler?" Officer Kennedy says as he extends his hand to Adam.
"Yes. I'm, Adam Chandler. I understand you may have recovered some of my property?"
"Yes, Sir. We picked up a local punk, yesterday, and the car he was driving was loaded to the roof with many items that we thought possibly could belong to you, or your family, based on the descriptions of the items filed in your burglary report of last week. If you'll follow me, I'll show them to you?"
"Of course, please, lead the way?"
"Right this way, Sir."
The pair walks down a long hallway and coming to a door, Officer Kennedy opens it and directs Adam to a large table filled with many treasures each carefully tagged with cards, each with a number written on them, and short strings connecting them to each item.
Adam surveys the table and carefully looking at each item he says, "Yes, Officer. This is all our stuff. I hope you are going to lock that little thief in a deep hole someplace?"
"We are still working the case, Sir. Are you willing to press charges?"
"Absolutely, I am!" Adam says with some shock at the question.
"Good. Okay, Sir. First I'll need you to sign, that you wish to press charges and then sign that these are your items. Once you sign that you're taking possession of said items then you can take your things home with you. I'll get the paperwork in order and send an officer in with a box to help pack it to your car for you."
"Good enough. Thank you. I'll be here." Adam says as he gently opens Brooke's jewelry box, to inspect the jewels inside it, a gentle music escapes it and softly plays.
Jack and Tad enter Krystal's Café and taking a table in a corner; the waitress quickly comes to them and asks, "Hello, gentlemen, can I get you something to drink?"
Jack almost bothered by her interruption says, "Just coffee, please?"
Tad nods his head in agreement with Jack and says, "Cream and two sugars, please?"
"Very well, I'll be right back then."
Tad whispering at Jack says, "So, Jack, what are we whispering for?"
Jack talking in a normal tone says, "You can stop whispering Tad. I just didn't want to discuss this matter at my office as I think I've a mole there."
Tad raising his voice to a normal level says, "A mole? You're kidding me?"
"No, Tad. I wish I were." Jack stops speaking as the waitress places two cups of coffee on the table in front of them.
"Thank you." Jack says, and waiting for her to move away he continues, "Someone is leaking information to the press."
"Information about a case you're working?" Tad asks with much curiosity.
"No, not a case. Worse then that."
Tad's confusion showing he says, "I don't understand?"
"Someone in my office – I assume – leaked information to the tabloid rag mag, The National Intruder, about Krystal and me."
"You're joking?" Tad says, knowing that Jack is serious. "Who would do that? What kind of information?"
Jack pulling the magazine from his briefcase he spreads it out on the table in front of them. The cover picture shows Jack and Krystal locked in a passionate kiss at The Valley Inn. Pointing to the date of the magazine, Jack says, "This picture was taken the night before Krystal and I were ambushed at my hotel room's door. You know, the morning that we gave our forced press conference on the front steps of The Valley Inn?"
Tad looking over the magazine's cover, then turning the pages to view more pictures says, "She sure was looking fine that night."
Jack closing the magazine says, "Tad? Someone called, this rag, and told the photographer where Krystal and I would be that night. They also gave them the time that they should show up and take these pictures."
Tad looks to Jack with a bit of surprise and says, "Well, Jack, surely you are used to this kind of thing. I mean, after all, the press hiding in the bushes is a natural occurrence when Erica is around, right?"
Jack resting back in his chair says, "Yes, it is."
Tad feeling a bit defensive and anger starting to build says, "What the hell is the issue, Jack. You yourself, in your press conference, that day – you told the world that you were seeing Krystal? Are you playing some kind of game with her?"
Jack surprised by Tad's reaction says, "What? No! Hell no, Tad. The thing is this, Tad. I don't have too much trouble with the fact that these pictures were taken. I love Krystal and am not ashamed of our relationship, in any way whatsoever." Feeling insulted by Tad's response he finishes with, "Geez, Tad?"
Tad relieved by his answer and response says, "Then what is the problem, Jack?"
"The problem is that I have a mole in my camp, Tad. If this personal and private information was given out – especially to a tabloid paper – then anything else could be leaked out as well. Information about cases I am working on? High profile clients who guard their privacy very carefully and expect that same diligence from me and my office. Or, Tad, your daughters' privacy as well." Jack looking seriously at Tad says, "Do you now understand, why I have a problem with this story, Tad?"
Tad's anger resurfacing in another direction, pauses for a moment and says, "Yes. I understand. You want me to find the mole for you."
"Exactly, Tad. I want you to find it and then report back to me who it is."
"And then what?" Tad says as he stirs his coffee.
"Then, I'll take over from there." Jack pushes the magazine back into his briefcase and angrily slams it closed.
Tad pulls a pen and small tablet from his pocket and says, "Okay, Jack. I'll need access to all your employees – without them knowing, of course?"
"Done."
"I'll need complete access to all your computers, cell phone records, private home numbers and addresses?"
"Done. Anything you need Tad. Just you find this mole for me."
"I'm on it, Jack. However, you need to know that I might be pulling Zack in to help me on this."
"Zack? When did you and he team up?"
"We've been doing some work with Jesse. He has good instincts and some pretty good connections – if you know what I mean?"
Jack gives a wide smile and asks, "Friends in some low places, you mean?"
Tad smiles and says, "The lowest and some of the highest as well. Both come in handy sometimes, you know."
"Yes, I know. Zack is fine with me, Tad. What else do you need?"
"I'll also need a key to your building, as most of my work will have to be done after hours, when none of your people are there to see me and become suspicious."
Jack pulls a new key from his pocket and says, "I'm way ahead of you. Here you go." As he hands Tad the key he also hands him a slip of paper with writing on it and says, "And these are the pass codes for the computers, building security and files."
Jack stands to his feet and says, "I've got to go back to work now. I think it best if we speak about this only in person and only here or at the house."
"Good idea. I'll call you when I have something."
"Thanks, Tad. I appreciate your help."
