Chapter 6
Sydney knocked on the door. There was no response, although she could hear someone moving around inside. She looked at her sister.
"Senor Rodriguez," Nadia called out in Spanish, "we are Arvin Sloane's and Jack Bristow's daughters. We need to speak to you about them. We know you worked with them in the 1970's. We just want to ask you some questions about them during that time."
There was a pause, then the sound of feet approaching the door. "How do I know you are related to Arvin and Jack?"
They had expected this question and Nadia produced a photograph Weiss had taken during her birthday party from her purse. "We have a photograph of us all together."
The door opened a crack and a hand appeared and grabbed the photo. After a pause the door opened wider and they could see the man inside. He covered them with a gun as he studied their faces. Then, satisfied, he stuck the gun in his waistband and stood back, inviting them in. Now she could see him clearly, Sydney understood what Marshall had meant about him being dangerous. He was about her father's age, squat and heavily built, with big powerful looking hands and a hard, ugly look about his eyes.
"How did you find me?" Rodriguez asked.
"I used to work for the CIA. I still have friends there" Sydney replied.
"OK." he grunted, "This picture doesn't prove you are their daughters but it does show you know them so I will listen to what you want." Rodriguez said.
Sydney and Nadia had discussed their strategy on their way over and had decided not to mention the murder charge against their fathers at this stage.
"I'm Sydney Bristow," Sydney introduced herself, "and this is Mr Sloane's daughter, Nadia Santos. My father and I have been estranged until recently while Nadia and Mr Sloane only became aware of each others existence a short while ago. Both of us are trying to find out more about our fathers. For instance, we know they were in the CIA too but they won't tell us much about it. One of my friends told me you worked with them. We were hoping you could tell us what they were like back then."
Rodriguez gestured for them to sit down as his face became animated by memories. "We were all young, full of patriotism and hatred for the communists who threatened to destroy our countries. I first met them in the summer of 1973 when I was a corporal in the Chilean Army. I was General Pinochet's driver. They gave the General information about how the communists were undermining our nation through their front organisation, Allende's Socialist Party and gave him the names of other senior officers who were concerned about the way Allende was ruining our country. After that they helped us plan the coup to get rid of the communists. They were great comrades. You should be proud of them."
"We are!" Nadia said. "Tell us; were they there during the coup?"
"Yes, of course."
"Then you may know the answer to a question. We have spoken to others and they hint about something that happened during the coup to a young American. Something that involved our fathers, but they won't tell us any details. Do you know anything about that?" asked Sydney.
Rodriguez face became guarded and he appeared agitated. "I cannot speak about that. It is a classified matter, even to their daughters. If you wish to know about it you should ask them. Now, I am busy, I have answered your questions. Leave now."
"But …" Nadia began to protest before she was interrupted by a loud knock on the door.
"Mr Rodriguez, it's the police. Open the door." Sydney and Nadia recognised the voice as belonging to Detective Green from their conversation with him the previous day.
Rodriguez swore viciously. "Maraca! The CIA warned me to lay low. I should have listened. You are police spies sent here to trap me into a confession." he rushed to the window, violently pulled it open, clambered onto the fire escape and disappeared.
"Ed, he's making a run for it."
The shout came from the other side of the door. It shuddered and then crashed open as Briscoe and Green staggered into the room, shouting into their radios. They rushed over to the window and watched.
Then Green turned to his colleague. "We got him. Good thing we put some uniforms at the back." he said with satisfaction.
The two detectives turned and looked at Sydney and Nadia, "Ladies, for people who said they didn't know any Rodriguez you sure found him quick" Briscoe said.
Sydney opened her mouth to explain.
"Save it." Green ordered. "You're coming back to the Precinct with us. We'll hear what you've got to say there."
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Nadia and Sydney sat quietly in one of the 29th Precinct's interrogation rooms. They had been separated on their arrival so they couldn't compare notes while they gave their statements. Then they had been put together and left alone. That had been over an hour ago now and they had seen no-one since. They both knew from their training that they had been left together deliberately to see if they gave anything away while they thought they were alone and there was probably someone observing them through the one way mirror on the wall by the door so they had remained silent. They also knew the appearance of being ignored, perhaps forgotten was meant to soften them up for further questioning if necessary.
The door opened and they looked up to see the female ADA from their fathers' Arraignment walk in and sit down opposite them.
"Ms Bristow, Ms Santos," Serena Southerlyn greeted them. "You're both very fortunate not to be facing serious criminal charges."
"Why?" asked Nadia, "Is it illegal to look for evidence of our fathers' innocence?"
"You lied to a police officer and interfered with an ongoing investigation."
"As we said in our statements, we only found out about Rodriguez after your officer told us his name and he never said why he asked us about him." Sydney replied. "If we'd known he was wanted, we would have reported his whereabouts."
"I'm inclined to believe you and that's why I'm not filing charges. But if you are found near anyone connected with this case in the future you may not be so lucky." Serena's voice took on a gentler tone, "I know you believe your fathers are innocent and want to help them. I understand that. But, unfortunately, they did do this terrible thing. The best way you can help them is by persuading them to co-operate with us and name the person who gave them their orders. If they do, we are prepared to offer them a lighter sentence. They could be out in as little as eight years."
"My father does not kill innocent people." Sydney stated firmly.
Serena sighed and took some photographs from her briefcase. She selected one and slid it across the table. Sydney and Nadia looked down at the face of a handsome young man wearing the long hair and floral shirt with the large collar fashionable in the early 1970's. He was grinning at the camera, his face alight with laughter and optimism.
"James Selzer." Serena said. "He was only twenty one when your fathers murdered him. He'd just graduated from NYU with a degree in journalism. Like a lot of young people at the time, he opposed the war in Vietnam and much of U.S. policy towards Latin America. Unlike many of his contemporaries, however, he acted on his beliefs. He went to work for a Chilean newspaper sympathetic to President Allende."
She slid another photograph towards them. They looked down, then quickly glanced away, their faces showing their disgust at what they saw.
"James Selzer after your fathers and your friend Rodriguez had finished with him. There is no doubt they did this and they will probably die in prison unless you can convince them to give us someone higher up the command chain. You are free to leave now but please think about what I've said."
Nadia and Sydney silently walked out of the precinct into the cold evening air.
Then Nadia spoke hesitantly, "Sydney…?"
Her sister nodded. "I know." she said, "She seemed so sure of herself and Rodriguez was definitely hiding something. If only I could talk to my Dad privately. I need to know the truth!"
Nadia gasped and tugged at Sydney's arm, pointing at a news vendors placard opposite.
CIA OFFICERS HELD FOR MURDER NYC YOUTH
NOVEMBER 26TH COURT APPEARANCE
"The DA's decided to go public," Sydney noted in a hard voice. "And that woman didn't have the decency to warn us!"
"The date's almost a month away. They have all that time to poison people against Jack and my father."
"We need to speak to their lawyers and Director Chase." Sydney decided.
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There was a knock on the door and Jack McCoy grinned in delight when he recognised his visitor. "Abbie." he said, "How long has it been?"
"It's only about a month since we last had dinner Jack." Assistant US Attorney Abbie Carmichael reminded him.
"It seems longer. What are doing in this neck of the woods? Want your old job as my assistant back?"
Abbie laughed as she sat down. "No thanks. The U.S. Attorney's office is keeping me busy putting away the bad guys."
"Then what are you doing here? Just stopped by because you were in the neighbourhood?"
Abbie laid a legal paper on the table. "No. We're filing an Amicus brief on behalf of Jonathan Bristow and Arvin Sloane. I thought I'd drop by and give you the paperwork in person."
McCoy's face twisted in disappointment. "Why are you lending yourself to this Abbie? You know they're as guilty as hell. You'd have been demanding the death penalty for what they did to this kid when you were working for me."
"Come on Jack. Face the facts. These people aren't criminals. Sometimes it's necessary to do unpleasant things in order to protect this country from its enemies. Maybe Selzer was such an enemy or maybe they made a mistake. Either way, they thought they were acting in the best interests of the U.S. These are the good guys and prosecuting them not only sends the wrong message to all the brave people who put their lives on the line every day, it gives aid and comfort to terrorists and diverts resources from putting away the real predators."
McCoy's face was set as he said, "I thought you believed in law and order, yet here you are arguing that crime is OK if it's done by the government and spouting the official line straight from Washington. Crime is crime, Abbie and I am required by my office to prosecute it. By sending you, the US Attorney clearly thinks that you will somehow be able to use our previous relationship to stop this case. I'm disappointed and surprised that you're co-operating in such a sleazy tactic. In any case, the decision is out of my hands, the DA fully supports the prosecution."
Abbie Carmichael smiled at him, "Yes. I heard about his testosterone rush during the meeting with the A-G's representatives. It's a shame he's letting his pride get in the way of his patriotic duty." She got up, "See you in court in two weeks time Jack."
McCoy nodded to her, "See you in court, counsellor." he replied.
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A biting cold wind was coming off the East River. Jack and Sloane hunched down and plunged their hands deeper into the pockets of their jackets in an effort to keep warm as they paced round the half empty exercise yard.
Sloane raised his eyes and studied the slate grey sky, "It's going to snow." he announced with all the authority of a native New Yorker
Jack grunted, "So? It's not as if we're going anywhere."
"Precisely. We've been incarcerated for nearly five weeks now. It was late fall when we were arrested and it's now winter. Unless something changes very soon, we're likely to still be here at Christmas. And let me tell you this Jack, being in jail was not how I planned on spending my first Christmas with Nadia."
"Right. After all, it's not as if you've ever done anything to deserve being imprisoned." Jack responded dryly. "Anyway, the Motions Hearing is next week. Wilson expects the judge to toss out the case. Even if she doesn't, he's confident we'll get bail."
"We're both in the same boat here." Sloane reminded him "The DA thinks we both deserve to be locked up and, yes. Shapiro told me the same thing but you'll remember that they told us we'd get bail before our Arraignment too. You said this McCoy is a dangerous opponent and so far he's won every round, so I'm not relying on them being right this time either. If we aren't released I'm putting my name down for the Garbage Squad work detail as soon as we're processed back in."
Jack stared at him in astonishment, "Why? Hauling other peoples' trash isn't something I ever imagined you'd volunteer for Arvin. I know the leisure activities here are limited but, if you want to work, there are more congenial assignments available.
Sloane glanced meaningfully at the security cameras and guard tower looming overhead, tracking their every movement. "Because the Garbage detail has access to all parts of this facility, including the area where the City Sanitation Department picks up the trash twice a week. There must be a weakness in security somewhere. That is how we find it. I strongly recommend you put your name down too."
Jack grasped the implications of Sloane's remarks immediately, "You think it may come to that?"
Sloane shrugged, "You've read the newspapers Jack. For the last four weeks we've been major news and the DA has made all the running. There hasn't been a single supportive story or even a comment from the CIA. I think they're preparing to throw us to the wolves if necessary so yes, I think we should prepare in case it does. I can't speak for you, but I am definitely not going to prison and leaving Nadia and Sydney at the mercy of whatever Elena has planned for them."
TBC
Glossary
Amicus Brief – When an individual or group who are not a party to the proceedings but have an interest in its' outcome appears in court to argue in favour of the position taken by one of the parties.