For Better or Worse Read online

“Your legs aside, Walt needs you,” I said. “The public defender is way out of his league on this.”

  “Aren’t they all,” Carly said.

  Campbell returned with a mug of coffee and handed it to me. “All she does is poop,” she said.

  “She’s a baby,” Carly said. “That’s what they do.”

  “Why is it green?” Campbell said.

  I sipped the coffee. It was good, really good.

  Carly looked at Campbell. “I’ve decided to help Bekker help Walt.”

  “Like that was ever in doubt,” Campbell said.

  “Can we take the jet?” Carly said.

  “Like I would ever be caught dead on a commercial airliner,” Campbell said. “Bekker, we have something like a dozen bedrooms. Pick one and stay the night. I’ll call the pilots and make arrangements.”

  Campbell left the room again.

  “I’d love to nail that prick Napier,” Carly said.

  * * *

  Sometime after eleven, I opened the French doors in my bedroom and stepped out to the large backyard gardens. I walked over to the pool and took a seat on a recliner.

  It was a moonless night and the stars were visible in the sky.

  The perfect setting for a cigarette, except that I promised Regan I would quit smoking, and I’ve done a decent job of sticking to it.

  I heard soft footsteps behind me, and Campbell appeared and took the recliner to my left. She wore a thin robe over shorts and a tank top. Her long hair was down past her shoulders.

  “It occurs to me that I never did thank you for giving my father peace,” she said.

  “It’s the other way around,” I said.

  “Always the modest one,” Campbell said.

  She took out a pack of cigarettes from a pocket and lit one with a gold lighter. “I’m spoiled rotten, aren’t I?” she said.

  “There were times three years ago when I wanted to turn you over my knee and give you a good spanking,” I said.

  “Back then I might have enjoyed that,” Campbell said and passed me the cigarette.

  I took a hit. I said I was doing a decent job of quitting, not perfect. I held out the cigarette and Campbell took it back.

  She reached out and took my hand.

  “My father loved this place,” she said.

  “I can see why,” I said.

  We heard footsteps behind us, and Carly said, “If you two are having sex, I’m either going to shoot you dead or join in.”

  Wearing a robe over nothing, Carly took the recliner to my right.

  “Baby Settina is hungry,” Carly said. “I pawned her off on the nanny.”

  “I need a favor, a really big one,” I said.

  “Flying to Walt’s rescue isn’t enough?” Carly said.

  “From Campbell,” I said.

  Campbell sighed. “How much is his bail?”

  “Two fifty,” I said.

  “I’ll post it,” Campbell said. “But the next time I need a favor, you better come running on all fours.”

  “Agreed,” I said.

  “How are Regan and the old man?” Campbell said.

  “Oz had a minor heart attack three months ago, but has made a full recovery,” I said. “Regan is doing well.”

  “Good,” Campbell.

  From the house, the baby started to cry.

  “Burp her, you idiot,” Carly said.

  “She knows to burp her,” Campbell said.

  The crying stopped.

  “We take off at ten,” Campbell said. “I suggest we get some sleep. We’ll have breakfast on the plane.”

  Chapter Six

  The Leer Jet must have set Eddie Crist back twelve million or more. It seated ten and had a full kitchen, or galley, as it’s called on a plane.

  Besides Campbell, Carly, the baby and myself, the two nannies were on board. The nannies made us breakfast.

  The nannies were very good cooks. I had perfectly made scrambled eggs, with bacon and hash brows, toast and coffee.

  Campbell and Carly both had poached eggs with toast.

  The baby had a bottle.

  “So, tell me what you’ve managed to do so far?” Carly said.

  “I got the judge to suppress the fifty thousand found in Walt’s garage because the garage is a separate building from the house and wasn’t covered on the warrant,” I said. “I also got bail knocked down from five hundred thousand to two fifty, contingent on him wearing an ankle monitor and being confined to home.”

  “You’ve learned a few things from me, Bekker,” Carly said. “Tell me what you know about the six hundred thousand.”

  “Working on a tip from a C.I., the Internal Affairs Division and the FBI teamed up to fly to the Cayman Islands where the bank identified Walt as having deposited six hundred thousand in a safe deposit box,” I said.

  “Oh dear, it sounds like Walt is fucked,” Campbell said.

  “Don’t swear around the baby,” Carly said.

  “Settina is eleven months old, for God’s sake,” Campbell said. “She can’t even speak yet.”

  “Well, when she does speak, I don’t want her first word to be fuck,” Carly said.

  I bit into the toast and washed it down with coffee.

  “Do we know who the C.I. is?” Carly said.

  “No,” I said.

  “What about airline records of Walt flying to the Cayman Islands?” Carly said.

  “None. Even the FBI doesn’t have those,” I said. “And also, Walt has an expired passport.”

  “Interesting,” Carly said.

  “What’s so interesting about it?” Campbell said. “He could have flown under a different name for all we know.”

  “Interesting because it… why am I explaining this to you?” Carly said. “What about Jimmy DeMarko?”

  “He’s dead. Didn’t you see the news?” Campbell said.

  “I know he’s… will you shut up?” Carly said. “Bekker, is there any proof or evidence that links Walt and DeMarko?”

  “Just this C.I., as far as I know,” I said. “I haven’t seen any I.A. or FBI documents as yet.”

  “Did the department PB file a motion of discovery?” Carly said.

  I nodded. “But I told him not to do anything until I get back.”

  “And who is the genius assigned?” Carly said.

  “Harry Kane.”

  “I don’t know him,” Carly said. “He must be fairly new. Is he any good?”

  “He admitted he isn’t good enough to get an acquittal,” I said.

  Carly looked at me. “Do you believe Walt is innocent?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I know Walt,” I said.

  “That isn’t good enough.”

  “Walt has been a cop for thirty years,” I said. “If he was going to go dirty, do you think he’d be stupid enough to leave fifty grand in his garage and open an account in a foreign bank under his real name?”

  “Bekker has a point,” Campbell said.

  “Shut up,” Carly said.

  “And the account was opened only six months ago,” I said. “So, where’s he been keeping six hundred thousand, in the garage? In a coffee can under the sink? Walt is much smarter than that.”

  “I’m sure they checked his bank accounts, phone records and computer,” Carly said.

  “Walt has his pension and fifty thousand in a joint savings account,” I said.

  “Not much for a life’s work,” Campbell said.

  “He put two daughters through college and paid off his mortgage,” I said, “on a cop’s pay. That’s no easy feat.”

  “First thing is get a discovery going on everything,” Carly said.

  A nanny came by with a pot of fresh coffee and fill
ed all our cups. “There are fresh croissants if anyone cares for one,” she said.

  “I’ll take one,” I said.

  The nanny brought me a croissant.

  “Where do you think the six fifty came from?” Carly said.

  “From whoever set Walt up,” I said.

  “Six hundred and fifty thousand is a lot to spend on revenge,” Carly said.

  “What makes you think it’s about revenge?” Campbell said.

  “Walt has sent a lot of people away,” Carly said. “What better revenge than to send away the sender?”

  “The name Jimmy DeMarko sounds familiar,” Campbell said.

  Carly rolled her eyes. “He was a button man and drug importer for your father, dear,” she said.

  “Well, that has nothing to do with me,” Campbell said.

  “I didn’t say… never mind,” Carly said.

  I finished eating my croissant and washed it down with coffee.

  Settina, on the lap of a nanny, started to cry. The other nanny got a bottle from the refrigerator in the galley and warmed it in a pan of hot water.

  I looked out the window at some clouds.

  “Napier, I.A. and the Feds are going to want to make an example of Walt,” Carly said. “They’ll want the maximum. Thirty years without parole.”

  I looked at Carly. “I know,” I said.

  “We have some work to do,” Carly said.

  “I know,” I said.

  The nanny fed the baby her bottle.

  “While you’re off having all this fun, what am I supposed to do?” Campbell said.

  “Burp the baby,” Carly said.

  * * *

  We landed at a private airport that caters to corporate jets. Campbell had made arrangements for two Uber cabs to meet us. One cab took Campbell, Settina and the nannies to her mansion.

  Carly and I took the second cab to the county jail.

  I used my cell phone to call Harry and asked him to meet us there.

  “How is the bimbo?” Carly said after I hung up.

  “If you mean Jane, she’s fine,” I said.

  “Not what I meant,” Carly said. “She’s known Walt almost as long as you, and now she has to baby-sit him in her own jail.”

  “Jane is a professional,” I said. “Friendship doesn’t affect her judgment when it comes to her job.”

  “Let’s hope so,” Carly said. “Because she’ll need to remain neutral at all times.”

  “She knows that,” I said.

  “Good. Now, we’ll need a place to work,” Carly said.

  “What’s wrong with Harry’s office?” I said.

  “They won’t allow a hired attorney to work in the PD’s office,” Carly said. “I assume he’s going to want to stay on as second chair?”

  “Ask him when we get there,” I said.

  “We’ll need an office,” Carly said.

  “I know just the place,” I said.

  Chapter Seven

  Harry Kane stared at Carly as if he hadn’t eaten in a week and she was a juicy prime rib.

  “Close your mouth, Harry, and tell me what you have so far,” Carly said.

  We were in the interview room awaiting a guard to deliver Walt.

  “They won’t…” Harry said.

  “They who?” Carly said.

  “Internal Affairs and the FBI,” Harry said.

  “Good. Now, what won’t they?” Carly said.

  “Internal Affairs and the FBI?” Harry said.

  Carly looked at me. I shrugged. “Yes, Harry. What won’t they?” she said.

  “Reveal the identity of the informant who implicated Walt.”

  Carry scratched a note on a legal pad with a Montblanc pen. “Do we have discovery yet?” she said.

  “They’re dragging their feet,” Harry said.

  “What are they hiding?” Carly said. “If they’ve been working this case for months, then they should be prepared to turn over evidence.”

  “This C.I., who does he belong to?” Carly said.

  “The FBI, I think, but I’m not sure since they won’t provide any information,” Harry said.

  Carly looked at her Cartier watch. “Come on, Harry, let’s go,” she said.

  “Where?”

  “Courthouse to meet Campbell to make Walt’s bail,” Carly said. “Bekker, tell Walt we’ll be back.”

  “When?”

  “Soon.”

  They left, and I waited for a few minutes until I grew restless and left the room to get coffee. I stopped by Jane’s office but she was out. Down the hall there’s a break room, and I went in and nodded to a few deputies at a table having coffee.

  There was a coffee pot on a burner with coffee so old in it that I doubted it would pour, and there was a vending machine that, for a buck, gave you a fresh cup.

  I sprung for two cups and carried them back to the interview room.

  About ten minutes later, a guard ushered Walt in and removed his handcuffs.

  “Not that I’m not always thrilled to see you, but where’s the mope?” Walt said, as he took a chair opposite me.

  I slid Walt’s coffee across the table.

  “I got Carly Simms as your primary defense attorney, and Campbell Crist is putting up your bail,” I said. “Right about now, they’re at the courthouse.”

  “A mobster’s daughter is putting up my bail,” Walt said. “How is that going to look, Jack?”

  “Carly is putting up the bond and defending you pro bono, so don’t worry about it,” I said. “So you better be innocent.”

  Walt looked at me. “What does that mean?”

  “No lawyers in the room,” I said. “Just two old friends. As one old friend to another, is there anything to this?”

  “How the fuck can you ask me that?” Walt said.

  “Walt, for better or worse, I’m your ex-partner and your oldest friend, so I need to know,” I said. “Is there anything to this?”

  “I should get up and kick your ass,” Walt said.

  “You’re better off drinking your coffee,” I said.

  “When can I see Elizabeth?” Walt said.

  “Ask Carly when she gets back,” I said.

  “Goddamn it, Jack, when we find who did this, I’m going to lock him up for the rest of his miserable life,” Walt said.

  “First, you need an acquittal,” I said.

  Walt sipped his coffee. There was a knock on the door, and Jane entered with a paper bag and another coffee.

  “I figured you wouldn’t eat the slop we serve here, so I picked you up a couple of cheeseburgers,” she said. “Medium greasy with bacon, just like you like them.”

  “There is a God,” Walt said and tore into the first burger.

  Jane sat on the edge of the table and looked at me. “So, I saw councilor Betty Boop and Harry the Hatless leave together. How did you manage to get her?”

  “I asked,” I said.

  “And what did you have to promise in return?”

  “Not a thing,” I said.

  Jane gave me her best suspicious look. “Uh-huh,” she said.

  Walt removed the second burger from the bag and tore into it.

  “Stop by the house for dinner tonight,” I said.

  “Only if there’s no talk of burger boy here,” Jane said.

  “I’ll call you later,” I said.

  The door opened and Carly and Harry walked in.

  “Right,” Jane said. She stood up, nodded to Carly and Harry, and walked out.

  “What did the Barbie Doll want?” Carly said.

  “She brought me something to eat,” Walt said.

  Carly and Harry took chairs.

  “Your bail has been posted,” Carly said. “You can leave as soon
as you put on the ankle bracelet. Harry?”

  Harry opened his briefcase and removed the ankle monitor and set it on the table.

  “All motion of discovery documents will be delivered by courier in the morning,” Carly said.

  “To where?” I said.

  “The mansion, of course,” Carly said.

  I looked at her.

  “What?” Carly said.

  “With the baby and Campbell, the nannies and the bodyguards, and not to mention everybody knows it’s the home of Eddie Crist,” I said.

  “I see your point,” Carly said. “What do you suggest?”

  “We use my trailer as an office,” I said. “It’s secluded, it has everything you need, and it’s much closer to the courthouse.”

  “It’s a dump,” Carly said.

  “When the press gets wind you’re working out of the Crist mansion, how is a grand jury going to look at that?” I said.

  “He has a point,” Walt said.

  “Harry, write this down,” Carly said. “We’ll need the following: a computer with a really good hard drive; a copy machine with a fax; a landline phone; a file cabinet, legal pads, lots and lots of pens and a few reams of paper. Give the list to Bekker.”

  Harry gave me the list.

  “One more thing,” I said. “It’s impossible for Walt to go home. The press is already camped out at his doorstep.”

  “What do you suggest?” Carly said.

  “A change of venue,” I said. “Tell I.A. and the FBI he’ll be confined to my house where Elizabeth is staying.”

  Carly looked at Walt. “Okay with you?”

  Walt nodded.

  “Harry, get Jane so she can put the ankle monitor on Walt,” I said. “I’ll take him to my place and then go shopping at the electronics store.”

  Chapter Eight

  “I’d forgotten how good a lawyer she is,” Walt said.

  “You couldn’t afford her,” I said.

  “I can’t afford you either,” Walt said.

  We were at a drive through at a Dunkin’ Donuts, and the cashier handed me a tray with two containers of coffee. I gave her a ten spot and didn’t wait for the change.

  “I need some clothes,” Walt said.

  “Wear mine until Liz and I go to your house and get some,” I said.

  “A little big for me, aren’t they?”