JK = John Kelly, Chief of Police
Chapter 69 – Horatio's office
Charlie Daniels looked across the table at his long time friend and said
Ch - This isn't good my friend! Not good at all.
H - I know. Did Max say anything to you when you walked her out?
Ch - (tossing keys & id tag on desk) She said her department issued cell phone is in her locker, that key will open it so you don't have to break in.
H - Anything else
Ch - Max also asked if you would personally clean out her locker and drop her stuff round to her place tonight. Where she intends to hand you her letter of resignation.
H - There's no way I'm letting her quit! She didn't do this!
Before Charlie could respond there was a knock on Horatio's door
DC - Lt. Caine?
H - Yes Dan
DC - I need to talk to you, it's about Maxine
H - Come in Dan. (pointing at Charlie) this is Lt. Daniels, head of IAB
Dc - I know who he is
H - Okay Dan what do you want to tell us?
Dc - Chief Jackson came to me this morning and asked me to pull the phone logs of two telephones. One of those phones belonged to Maxine and the other belongs to the County Jail.
H - I see. Anything else.
Dc - Chief Jackson only had me confirm that a call was placed from the jail to Maxine's phone. He said that was all he needed to "bag him a Stetler".
Ch - (smiling grimly) Is that so?
Dc - I've documented everything I was asked to do by Chief Jackson and I got him to sign my work log.
Ch - Have you entered it into the system yet?
Dc - yes sir everything has been done by the book! No short cuts.
Ch - What else can you tell us Dan?
Dc - Well, when I tried to call Max this morning it went straight through to voicemail.
Ch - (eyes widening) Voicemail?
Dc - You heard me correctly Lieutenant!
Ch - I wonder how long the calls have been going to voicemail?
Dc - That's what I asked myself! Especially after what happened with Chief Jackson! So, I called her service provider and a lovely lady told me that all she could tell me without a warrant was that the first call that went to voicemail was at 4.15pm last Friday.
H - So all calls since 4.15pm last Friday have gone to voicemail is that right Dan?
Dc - yes sir.
H - Thanks Dan, Charlie and I will take it from here.
Dc - You're welcome Lieutenant! Just make sure our girl comes back! We need her!
Ch - We'll do our best.
Paul Jackson's office 1pmPaul looked down at the legal documents he had just been served with in stunned disbelief, because Maxine Stetler had filed a $5 million lawsuit against the department and she had named him personally as well! He was officially in deep sh!t!
Leaning back in his chair he realized that a simple apology would not appease the fiery Mrs. Stetler or her Attorney. They wanted blood! His and plenty of it!
Hearing his office door open, he looked up to see who dared enter without knocking and there stood the Chief of Police, John Kelly who was holding a copy of the lawsuit in his hand and he didn't look happy!
JK - Did you actually earn that Detective's shield you carry or did you find it in a Cornflakes box?
PJ - I earned it
JK - Really because right now I believe my 4yr old grandson would have done a better job investigating this than you!
PJ - Really, John there's no need to be insulting.
JK - Listen you idiot! It's a well-known fact that you hate Rick Stetler, but to go after the man's wife just to get back at him is a really low act.
PJ - I didn't do it for revenge. I suspended her because she lied about the phone call. She denied even speaking with her mother!
JK - And she was telling the truth!
PJ - Bull! She's lying!
JK - There are 4 adults and one child living at her house. Anyone of them could have answered that phone. But you didn't stop to ask that question did you! Luckily for you, I'm not stupid and I asked that question and got an answer!
PJ - So who took the call
JK - No-one did you idiot! All calls to Maxine Stetler's cell phone have been going directly to voicemail since last Friday!
PJ - (stunned) Voicemail?
JK - Yes voicemail you simpleton! Only 3 calls were received! One at 4.15pm, the next at 7.53pm both on Friday and the last call was received at 7.45am this morning!
PJ - But her mother was clearly heard making Maxine an offer of $1000!
JK - No, what was clearly heard was Emma Norton making someone an offer! You had no evidence whatsoever that it was Maxine Stetler on the other end of that phone call. But that didn't stop you from suspending her did it!
PJ - Oh Lord, what have I done!
JK - It's simple really. You accused an innocent woman of crimes she obviously didn't commit just because you wanted to "Bag you a Stetler"
PJ - (gulping) You heard about that
JK - of course
PJ - Cooper squealed did he?
JK - No, Cooper did his job! He followed procedure! He documented everything you asked him to do! You're at fault here. No one else is!
PJ - I've got to fix this John. I have to make things right. Will you help me?
JK - I'll help you, but it's going to cost you plenty!
PJ - Just how much are we talking about here John?
JK - Whatever it takes to get justice for Mrs. Stetler and this lawsuit settled! Got it?
PJ - Fine. Whatever it takes. Now tell me how to fix this
JK - What you are going to do is the following
You are not to approach any member of the Stetler family without me being present.
You will go downstairs to Charlie Daniels and ask him nicely whether or not his boys are back from taking statements at the jail. And you will bring those statements to me!
PJ - That's it? What are you going to do then?
JK - I am going to phone Samuel Goldstein and invite him and his client to a meeting. I'm also going to ask Samuel to ask Mrs. Stetler to bring her cell phone with her and would she mind not turning the phone on until she gets to the meeting.
PJ - How's that going to help us?
JK - Because then we will have Emma Norton's statement to compare with the voicemail recording. We will have absolute proof needed to have Emma Norton arrested for Attempting to Pervert the Course of Justice and Attempting to Bribe a County Employee. Plus anything else the DA wants to charge her with!
PJ - Okay, that takes care of Mrs. Norton, but it doesn't square things with Mrs. Stetler. She's out for blood! $5 million worth!
JK - That's going to be the tricky part, because everyone involved needs to agree to my proposal.
PJ - Which is?
JK - That in exchange for her dropping the lawsuit you agree to the following
You publicly apologize to her
You pay her all her legal fees relating to this mess
You accept a two week suspension – with pay
And you agree to quietly retire at the end of your suspension.
PJ - What! You can't be serious!
JK - I'm deadly serious! You can fight this and I guarantee you that the Review Board will hear all of your dirty little secrets! Think about it. You're risking your pension as well as benefits! Or you can accept my offer! Talk to your wife, I want your answer first thing in the morning.
PJ - That's blackmail!
JK - Blackmail is such an ugly word! I prefer to use the term "gentle persuasion"
PJ - No matter how you dress it up, it's still blackmail.
JK - Call it whatever you want. Either way your time with this department is over!
