A/n this chapter is a direct follow on from the last one!

Max didn't even bother to look in her mother's direction as she was led from the room. Instead she looked across the table at Chief Jackson and said.

M - (grinning evilly) Well, Chief Jackass it's your turn now!

Laughter rang out around the table as Rick was heard groaning.

R - Jackson, Max. His name is Jackson!

Chapter 71

RJ - I think "shorty" had it right the first time!

AN - I agree!

Sue - Enough you two!

RJ & AN (contritely) Yes ma'am!

JK - (smiling) Let's move on, shall we? (Looking at Max) Mrs. Stetler, I trust your Attorney has relayed my proposal to you?

M - He did

JK - And?

M - No deal.

JK - Why not?

M - I discussed it with my family and we all agreed that it just wasn't good enough!

PJ - My career is over! What more do you want? My left testicle?

SG - My client doesn't want your left testicle or any other part of your anatomy, Jackass!

R - Chief Jackson don't you ever speak to my wife like that again or else!

PJ - (stupidly) or else what?

R - (cheerfully) I'll take you outside and beat the snot out of you!

RJ - That's my boy!

JK - Calm down! All of you! Paul for the love of God shut your mouth! I'm sure Mr. Goldstein is going to give us a counter offer. Isn't that right Mr. Goldstein?

SG - It is. My client feels that the proposal as it stands "sucks" and is not fair to all parties concerned.

JK - Okay, I can understand that. What do you propose?

SG - for starters the apology needs to be a "very" public one.

JK - How so?

SG - In the middle of the IAB bull pen with both IAB & Crime Lab staff present AND because my client has been made the object of ridicule and contempt amongst her peers, you sir need to publish and apology in the next Departmental newsletter. Also, Mrs. Stetler is to get her job back immediately! These are the non-negotiable items!

JK - (sighing) and Mrs. Stetler will then drop the lawsuit?

SG - (cheerfully) Oh, no. There's more!

JK - What else?

SG - just the following.

Legal fees to be paid by MDPD

2 week suspension for Chief Jackson, with no pay.

Chief Jackson is to retire by the end of the month.

MDPD compensate my client for all the pain, suffering and humiliation she has suffered because of Chief Jackson's actions.

JK - Just how much compensation are we talking about?

SG - An amount equal to her legal fees

JK - Which is how much so far?

SG - $2,500

JK - You're joking!

SG - No, I'm not. I'm good at what I do and my services aren't cheap!

JK - But $2,500! It's too much!

SG - If it makes you feel any better, my client won't spend a dime of that money. She's going to donate it to St. Gabriel's Catholic Church Homeless Shelter.

JK - I guess I can live with that (turning to Jackson) Can you Paul?

PJ - Yes.

JK - okay, what about the legal fees? We didn't call in the Attorney's Mrs. Stetler did!

SG - And she wouldn't have had to if the moron sitting beside you had done his job properly! (quickly taking the note Max passed to him)

JK - (grinning) Problems Counselor?

SG - (smiling) No. Mrs. Stetler has just given me her last offer to settle this.

JK - Well?

SG - Mrs. Stetler has suggested a 50/50 split in the fees. MDPD pays half and she pays half. It is conditional however!

JK - On what exactly?

SG - That Chief Jackson after he finishes apologizing to Mrs. Stetler he announces that he is retiring. Effective immediately.

JK - Now, that I can live with! What about you Paul?

PJ - I really don't have a choice do I?

SG - So do we have a deal, gentlemen?

JK - We have a deal.

SG - Chief Jackson?

PJ - Deal.

SG - Good. We'll adjourn for 1 hour gentlemen. That should give everyone time to do what needs to be done.

One hour later Chief Jackson stood in the middle of the IAB bull pen holding the papers that would effectively end his 30year career with MDPD.

JK - (to Horatio) It seems that we've drawn quite a crowd.

H - Indeed. It seems like every department is represented.

Ch - (cheerfully) I know! Isn't that great?

JK - Charlie, what did you do?

Ch - I just made some phone calls to people that Chief Jackson has managed to piss off over the years and invited them along.

JK - And not one of them refused the invitation, I take it?

Ch - What can I say? Chief Jackson is a popular man!

JK - Yeah, right! Let's get this over with shall we? Charlie, quieten this lot down will you?

Ch - (shouting) QUIET! (softer) Chief Jackson has a few words he'd like to say.

PJ - Thank you, Lieutenant. (looking around) I see word of my downfall has spread far and wide! Your doing Charlie?

Ch - (smiling) yeah

PJ - thought so.
Ch - Just wanted to make sure you had a fitting send off.

PJ - Bastard!

JK - Just get on with it Paul.

Ch - Yeah, let's get this party started!

PJ - One of the good things about retirement is that I won't have to see your ugly face everyday Charlie!

Ch - The feeling is mutual, arsehole.

JK - Will you two give it a rest. Paul just get on with it!

PJ - Fine. I want to thank you all for coming her at such short notice.

Ladies and Gentlemen, today you see standing before you a man whose 30yr career with MDPD has come to an inglorious end and I know this fact has made some of you extremely happy!

I know some of you here don't know what has precipitated this event so I'm going to tell you.

Yesterday, with little or no real evidence to go by, I accused Mrs. Stetler of Tampering with Evidence and accepting a bribe. To make matters worse, when she denied the allegations, I called her a liar. Twice.

At the time I believed I had just cause to suspend Mrs. Stetler and I did. I now know that the information that I was given about Mrs. Stetler was fabricated and that Mrs. Stetle did in fact tell me the truth.

And I also broke the law when I accessed Mrs. Stetler's cell phone records without a warrant.

That is not all that I did. I also failed to do the following.

Follow proper investigation procedure.

Notify my superior officer of the allegations against Mrs. Stetler.

Didn't allow Mrs. Stetler to have an Attorney present during her interview.

And finally, I failed to "Mirandize" Mrs. Stetler which is standard procedure.

Mrs. Stetler, I am truly sorry for the way I treated you. You did not deserve to be treated with such disrespect. I had no right to call you a liar. And I sincerely apologize for all the hurt and humiliation that I caused you.

M - Thank you Chief Jackson. It takes a lot of courage to stand up in front of a room full of people to admit that what you did was wrong and to apologize for it. I accept your apology.

PJ - Thank you for your kind words Mrs. Stetler.

Finally, ladies and gentlemen I would like to announce that I have decided to retire from MDPD effective immediately.

Paul Jackson was stunned when the room erupted into spontaneous applause, followed by loud cheers, jeers and wolf whistles! It was of little comfort to him that the Stetler family didn't join in the celebrations! With a sad shake of his head, he turned and left the bull pen.

Tbc.