No Team To Root For (23) "Good! Now you listen to me!" Stoner could feel the heat of Holstadt's intimidation. "I know this man --- " Bruce Holstadt then carefully outlined his elaborate deceptive plan to Mason Stoner. Af-ter he was finished, the judge could only stare at the telephone. "Jesus Christ, Bruce! Are you serious?" He looked quickly at his wife. She was sound asleep. "Yes I am, Mason. Yes I am! I should have stepped in long be-fore Walt Ivers had a chance to screw everything up." The gover-nor then raised his voice. "And I will tell you right now I do not want that clown getting in the way. Hopefully, we can still salvage things." Holstadt took a deep breath. "I mean --- let's face it. Walt Ivers is a damn joke! And this is the only way he is ever going to beat that fucking Miles Garrison! Don't you think so?" Mason had to pause, shaking his head in astonishment. He sud-denly saw his high moral standards, his righteous beliefs, and his long inbred ethical values disappear --- completely destroyed. Years of honesty and dedication would mean less than nothing! His over-all thinking processes needed to be totally re-organized in order to assume any role in Holstadt's outrageous plan. The governor's next statement took all decisions out of Mason's hands. "Now, Mason. I know you'd like to retire in three years. And I sure as hell wouldn't want to see anything --- go wrong!" Stoner's entire body stiffened. "So I do hope that you will co-operate. You do see what I mean --- don't you?" There was a long silence before Mason answered resignedly. "Okay, Bruce. You win!" Stoner knew when he was beaten. "Wonderful! I knew you would understand. Now you call up Walt Ivers and you tell him exactly what I told you. I would do it, but that would be improper conduct." Holstadt laughed. Stoner was livid. "And anyway, I do prefer to deeply involve you as well as Ivers." Holstadt laughed again. The laughter was brief. "Any questions?" There was another long silence. "No, Bruce. No questions!" He was squeezing the receiver so tightly his knuckles began to throb. "Well then, good night. And I am so glad we understand each other." Then as an afterthought he added, "And do give my best to Sylvia." After Mason hung up, he glared at the silent telephone. "You son-of-a-bitch! You Goddamn son-of-a-bitch!" It was exactly midnight when Mason Stoner called Walt Ivers. Sylvia Stoner continued to sleep quietly unaware of the nefarious events that were about to unfold. "Hello." Walt's voice was understandably groggy. Hello, Walt. Mason Stoner here." Stoner took another quick look at his wife then got up and sat in the chair across from the bed. There was a long pause. "Mason --- ? What the hell --- " "Don't talk. Just listen." The judge tried not to raise his strong voice. "Mason, do you know what time it is?" "Forget the damn time. We have a problem." There was another long pause. "What sort of --- problem?" "I just got off the phone with Bruce Holstadt. What a loathsome and unscrupulous bastard!" Stoner stood up and began to pace. He held the receiver in one hand and the phone in the other. "I know. I've dealt with him before." "I wanted to rip the phone out of the wall and shove it down his gubernatorial throat!" "Well, I can relate to that. So tell me about this --- problem." "First of all, he's concerned about the way you're handling the Jessop case." "Tough shit!" Walt's grogginess gave way to fury. "And I do have to agree in part." Stoner changed hands with the receiver and the phone. "I mean --- just what kind of half-assed case are you trying, for Christ's sake?" "Now look damn it! If you don't --- " "You are wasting the court's time." Mason interrupted. "I have-n't practiced law in over twenty years and I could do a better job!" "Not that I owe you an explanation, " Walt's voice was shaky. "but I had hoped the forensic expert would have carried more weight." "Come on Walt! You knew I would disallow the reliability of old fingerprints. Hell, any second year law student knows that!" Stoner took a breath. "But the busted watch could have worked for you --- if you hadn't screwed it up!" "Listen, Mason --- " "And I suppose Magenta Purdy was to have been your key wit-ness!" Walt did not answer. Mason could hear the erratic breath-ing. The judge continued. "Miles Garrison is making a mockery of this case and a fool out of you!" "Look Goddamn it! I am doing the best I can." Stoner could al-most see the attorney's face turn red. "Well then, your best just isn't good enough --- is it?" "Then let the friggen State get someone else!" Again Mason could hear the erratic breathing. "For what I'm getting paid, I don't need to be hassled!" "No, Walt. Getting someone else is a bad idea." Stoner continued to pace. "It wouldn't look real good for the State to change lawyers now. And Bruce wouldn't like it. He wouldn't like it at all!" "Is that a fact? Well --- " "Our esteemed Governor wants a conviction." Stoner inter-rupted. "His tone was intimidating and his insinuations were threat-ening!" Walt did not respond. He was totally aware of how intimi-dating the governor could be. The judge continued. "He is going to run for the Senate. Stoner sat down on the bed and put the phone in his lap. Again the bed creaked. "I know that, Mason." Fury and fatigue were mixed in Walt's voice. "He wants --- " "He wants. HE WANTS! My whole fucking existence is predi-cated upon what Bruce Holstadt wants!" Walt was yelling. "And that mother fucker made it perfectly clear to me that if we didn't co-operate, you would be sucking up to someone trying to find a spot to hang your shingle someplace back in Toledo! And my retirement plans would be --- disrupted." There was a long pause. "That's what he said?" Walt spoke softly and fearfully. "Not in exactly those words. Let's just say he strongly alluded to it." Walt didn't respond. He didn't have to. He knew Stoner was right. Mason continued. "And I just may want to retire in three years. With what I got saved added to my social security and pension, I will get close to fifty thousand a year." He looked devotedly at his sleeping wife. "Sylvia and I could live out the rest of our lives very nicely on that." His mellow tone suddenly became hostile. "And I don't need any damn Bruce Holstadt to mess it up for me!' "You think Holstadt has influence on my job and on your retire-ment?" "He has influence --- everywhere. Holstadt is one powerful man." Walt Ivers took several deep breaths. "Okay. So what do we do?" "We co-operate." Stoner suddenly realized he was soaked with sweat. "Meaning --- what?" The judge got up slowly. "I am going to tell you exactly what he told me over the phone only a few minutes ago." Mason Stoner began to pace as he relayed in detail the Governor's plan. When he was finished there was an unusually long silence. Walt response was shakier than before. "Mason, do you realize what you're saying?" "Look, Walt, I don't like it any better than you do. All of this un-derhanded --- devious shit goes against everything I was taught. It totally refutes all the ethical behavior that I so strongly believe in." Mason tried not to raise his voice for fear of waking his wife "But this is a tough world. And I aim to take care of me. I suggest you do the same." "Well --- " said Walt after another lengthy pause, " --- I guess I'm not surprised. I know his tactics. I should have known that prick would make it rough. Mason, this really stinks! Jesus Christ! What unmitigated gall!" "We have no choice!" The judge said it matter-of-factly. "You're right. We have no choice." "One day we'll get even. One day we won't have to take his shit. But right now Holstadt has the upper hand and the deck is stacked." Stoner took a deep breath and wet his lips. "Now I don't have to tell you that if Miles Garrison ever found out about our lit-tle tête-à-tête we would both be in deep shit. So as far as we are concerned, this conversation never took place." There were no goodbyes. And as Stoner hung up he wondered what the defense would say if they found out that the prosecuting attorney had a private talk with a man who was supposed to be un-biased and impartial, mediating both side of a trial. * At 12:20 am Walt Ivers dialed the number he was told to dial. A harsh and uneven sleepy voice answered. "Hello." "Hello. This is Walt Ivers." "Walt --- " "Ivers. Walt Ivers. County prosecutor." "Ivers --- yeah. Sure." The voice displayed uncertainty. "What's wrong?" "Just answer one question. What is your yearly salary?" After a short pause, the sleepy voice responded cautiously. "What --- ?" "Your salary. How much do you get paid a year?" "I know what a salary is! But I don't get it. Is this a --- ?" "Just tell me what you make a year." Walt tried to mask his frus-tration. "You call me this late just to ask me what I make a year?" "Yes. It's very important." Walt wanted desperately for the con-versation to conclude. "Well --- it's public knowledge." He gave the amount. Confusion was mixed with anger. " Now why is that so damn important?" Walt paused briefly for effect as he was told to do. "I am willing to and in a position to give you four times that amount --- in cash!" There was a long pause. "F --- four times?" "Yes. Four times." "I --- I don't understand." "I have a proposal for you. Now don't interrupt. Just listen." Walt then said exactly what he was told to say. The person at the other end of the line whistled. "Jesus --- I don't know. I --- " "Think of the money." Walt looked at the clock. It was ten min-utes to one. Long past his bedtime. "Yeah, I know --- but still --- " "Think of what you can do with the money." Walt wondered if Stoner and Holstadt were still awake. "I know --- but --- I don't want to get in any trouble." "I guarantee you, no one will ever know." "Geez --- I don't know --- " "It's a lot of money." Again he paused as he was told to do. "And it's all yours --- tax free!" There was another long pause. "And no one will ever know?" "I guarantee it!" Walt wanted to rip the phone out of the wall but he knew he couldn't. He had to finish the job. Once again there was silence. "Well --- as long as no one will ever know. Yeah, I guess so." "Then we have an agreement?" The other person took a deep breath. "Okay. We have an agree-ment." "Good!" Walt took a tissue from the bedside table and wiped his sweaty face. "When do I get the money?" The other person asked. "After you testify." The click ended the conversation. * XXXI "Please call the next witness." The powerful voice of Mason Stoner once again reverberated through the courtroom. Barrett's neck and back felt like one single piece of wood. How much longer could he sit in this room before his entire body was numb. "Will Dr. Lucille Napier please take the stand." said the eager young clerk. Lucille got up slowly and walked languidly to the stand. Then she looked about her disdainfully, was finally sworn in and reluctantly sat down. She looked totally unadorned. Her hair was combed back neatly and she wore no makeup. The only jewelry she had on was a thin gold necklace and a small sapphire ring on the third finger of her left hand. She wore a simple hi-cut black dress that was long enough to cover both knees. Lucille appeared to be drained --- both physically and emotionally. "Dr. Napier." said Miles Garrison. "Please tell the court what you do for a living --- your profession, where you do it and how long you have been at it." Barrett noticed that Miles emphasized the word ‘Dr.’ There was no cuteness. There was no clever repartee. He remembered Miles telling him how important her testimony was. Lucille Napier answered slowly and deliberately. She seemed to be trying her best to be as precise and accurate as possible. As she spoke, she looked everywhere except at Miles Garrison. Today Miles was too arrogant; too much in control; too cocksure of him-self. Today he was, in short, everything she was not! "Dr. Napier." The defense attorney, his hands behind him, turned to face the jury. "Do you remember a young lady that you treated a few years ago by the name of Jodi Bartless?" Before she could answer, Mason Stoner interrupted. "Dr. Napier. I realize the information you are about to give is somewhat confi-dential. If you refuse to testify it will not be held against you." At any other time Miles Garrison would have erupted, violently protesting an unorthodox interference from the presiding judge. But today he was not concerned. He knew very well that Lucille Napier would answer any and all questions put to her or otherwise risk having an incident of the past become a nightmare of the present. He knew it and he knew Lucille knew it. "It's alright, your Honor." Lucille spoke wearily. "I realize all of that and I'm prepared to answer." Barrett Jessop leaned forward in his chair with his hands folded in front of him. His face showed concern. His body was rigid. "Just so you understand." added the judge. Then he cast a quick and disturbing glance at Walt Ivers. Lucille gave a concise and compact account, as she remembered it, of Jodi's deep and penetrating guilt that stemmed from finding out that her mother died giving birth to her. After she had finished, she folded her hands on her lap, sat back in the witness chair, and looked at the floor. Total silence now consumed the courtroom. "Dr. Napier." Miles continued. "You have just described a person that had a traumatic incident encompass a large portion of her life. An incident that could have had a serious and lasting psychological effect. You have described someone, perhaps, very distraught." Lucille did not respond. Her gaze remained focused onto a spot on the floor somewhere in front of her. Miles adjusted the knot on his silk tie and again faced the jury. "In your professional opinion would you describe Jodi as despondent?" He turned back to the witness. " Or even suicidal?" Lucille paused for a long moment. "She was disturbed --- dis-traught, of course, as any young girl would be under those circum-stances. You see --- " "Dr. Napier!" Miles spoke impatiently. "That's not an answer. Was she suicidal?" "Objection!" yelled Walt Ivers. "She just answered that question. Defense is badgering its own witness!" Before Mason Stoner could respond to Walt, Lucille answered meekly, "Yes." There was a sudden outburst from the room in response to Lucille's belated reply. Barrett Jessop wet his lips and took a deep breath. He continued to sit forward in his chair, bemoaning his predicament, wondering how much longer he could last both physically and emotionally. The judge brought his gavel mercilessly down on the desk. "An-other reaction like that and I will clear the court!" After the din subsided, Lucille Napier continued. "In 1980 I was called in to treat Jodi after she did --- attempt suicide." "Well, Dr. Napier." Miles turned briefly to the jury then back to the witness. "Were you called in to treat Jodi Bartless after she shot herself?" "Objection!" Walt Ivers was on his feet and screaming. His head and neck were both red. "Sustained!" roared Mason Stoner. "The jury will disregard the last question." "But," Miles went on avoiding the judge's glare and ignoring the interruption. "you did state that, in your professional opinion, in 1980 Jodi was, in fact, suicidal." "Yes. She was then. I don't know if she was before or after." Miles waited then spoke with a restrained fury. "I did not ask you about before or after --- did I?" "No." Lucille responded quickly. "But I am trying to be as truth-ful as I can." Now she looked Miles in the eye for the first time since she sat in the witness chair. "You do want me to be truthful --- don't you?" She responded with a hint of sarcasm. "Dr. Napier." Miles went on imperviously. "Is it not possible that the deceased could still have been suicidal. Even up to her death?" Barrett continued to sit stiffly in his chair. The concerned look remained intact. "Now mind you." Miles was persistent. "I am not asking you if she was suicidal twelve months a year. I am asking you for your professional opinion. Could she have been suicidal at the time of her death?" The last question was aimed directly at Walt Ivers, who as he was squirming in his seat, looked to Mason Stoner for help. But once again, before Stoner could intervene, Lucille answered the question. "Yes. I suppose she could have been suicidal --- at the time of her death, that is." "No further questions." Then he walked back to his seat confi-dently, shaking hands with both George and Barrett. Walt Ivers got up rapidly and walked to the witness stand. He too looked confident. "Dr. Napier. Mr. Garrison seems to have clouded a major issue here." He glared at the psychologist. "You testified that Jodi Bartless could have been suicidal at the time of her death. I stress the word --- 'could'." Walt turned briefly to Miles then back to Lucille. "You also testified that Jodi Bartless tried once to kill herself. I believe you said with an overdose of --- " He looked at the witness for help. "Nyquil to be exact. It's a liquid anti-histamine."
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