Silenced Justice: A Josh Williams Novel

by Joe Broadmeadow

  "You're gonna remember me real fast next time I see you," Chris Hamlin said, an edge to her voice.

  "I’m so sorry," Tommy replied, winking at Kennedy and Josh. "From now on it will be Lieutenant Cheeks. That good enough for you, Grandma?" chuckling.

  "Oh, real comedians aren’t we? You're lucky I am not there, smart-ass. You'd be feeling the pain of this Grandma."

  "Hey Chris," Josh said. "You got something for us or are you just in a testy mood from the age-related hormonal changes?"

  "I am not finished dealing with your snot-nosed errand boy yet, smart ass. But you're next," Chris said.

  "Why don't you get your caregiver to drive you here, wheel you in, and we'll see what happens. Don't forget your teeth and to put on your diaper," Tommy added.

  "That's it. You wait right there. I am on the way."

  The line went dead.

  "Oh great," Josh said, "Now we gotta deal with her. Nice going, I hope you enjoy pain. She's going to kick your ass."

  "What about you?" Tommy said.

  "I'll lock myself in the safe so she can't get to me," Josh answered.

  "You guys have a weird way of dealing with each other. Isn't she the one who started this thing? She is a retired lieutenant, right?" Kennedy asked.

  "Oh yeah," Josh answered. "But she deserves it. She was the biggest ball buster in the world when she worked here. Still is."

  Twenty-minutes later, the receptionist called to let them know Hamlin was here.

  "You go get her," Tommy said.

  "No, Detective Moore, you started the war. You go get her," Josh ordered.

  "Okay, but I am putting my vest on," laughing on the way out the door.

  A few moments passed and there was a knock on the door. Josh opened it cautiously. Chris stood there smiling. Tommy was nowhere around.

  "What did you do with my Detective?" Josh asked.

  Chris pushed past, walked over to Josh's desk, and sat down. "How are you, Zach?"

  Kennedy, amused by this, replied. "I am well. Is Detective Moore still alive?" he asked.

  A moment later, there was a scream from the hallway. Josh walked out and saw the Chief's assistant standing outside the door of the ladies room. Chief Brennan and Captain Charland joined the group.

  "Hey Donna, what's wrong?" Josh asked.

  Donna pointed, “Would you get him out of there, please."

  Josh opened the door. A handcuffed Tommy Moore, pants pulled down to his knees, attached to the coat hook on the wall, looked out from the bathroom.

  "What the--" Brennan said.

  "Chris came by," Josh explained, “Tommy here issued a challenge."

  "Would you get me down from here," Tommy pleaded. "I didn't want to hurt her, that's the only reason I'm here."

  "Of course you didn't son," Brennan said. "Before you release him, have BCI come up and take some pictures. Post them in the roll call and locker rooms. They may prove useful in reminding Detective Moore, and others, to tread lightly with our retired sister in blue."

  "Oh no, come on Chief, no pictures."

  A few moments later the flash of BCI cameras, and several cell phones, were illuminating the scene.

  When Josh returned to the office with Tommy, Hamlin smiled. "Now that we have re-established the proper balance and hierarchy, would you get me a coffee Detective Moore?"

  "How about I…" then he laughed. “ You have to show me that trick someday. I never saw it coming."

  "Now, there's a good boy. Willing to concede to his superiors. Never mind the coffee, when you have time we can arrange some private lessons for you. I wouldn't want you to get beaten up by girls every day." Leaning forward in the chair, she looked at Josh. "So what do we know now?"

  Josh brought her up to speed on the records trace, phone numbers, and the interview with the two victims.

  Kennedy interjected. "Josh, I think under the circumstances it is appropriate we bring her up to speed on the Fleming link."

  This caught Josh off-guard a bit. Kennedy caught the glance at Chris.

  Kennedy laughed. "She already knows, doesn't she?" shaking his head. "I should have known better."

  "Look, Zach. I'm sorry it's just--."

  Kennedy held up his hands. "No need, Josh. I have had a few partners in my career I trust with my life. I understand." Looking at Chris, "With that said, I'd like to hear what you think about it."

  "I'll tell you what I think. There is no fucking way she is involved. I know people, I can read bad guys. She's not one. There is an explanation and all we have to do is ask," Chris answered without hesitation.

  Kennedy looked between Josh and Chris. "Okay, your call Josh. How do you want to do this?"

  "Let's call her and get her over here," Josh answered.

  Before he had finished speaking, Chris was on her cell. "Maggie, you busy? No? Good. Come on over to EPPD. Call when you get in the lot and I'll send out Detective Moore the doorman to escort you in," smiling as Tommy flipped her the bird.

  While they waited for Fleming, Josh ran the license plate from the office building. "Holy shit," he said.

  The other three looked at him.

  "Anybody wanna take a guess who the plate comes back to?" Josh asked.

  "Who?" Chris asked.

  "RI registration JTS1 comes back to, wait for it, Jennifer Tucker Sorin."

  "Holy shit indeed," Kennedy added.

  "And Sorin, that name again. Where did I hear that name from?" Josh said. "I know it from somewhere."

  Twenty minutes later, Chris's cell rang. "Okay, be right there," smiling at Tommy.

  Tommy went to get Maggie Fleming. After introducing her to Kennedy, they brought her up to speed on things. "Now, my friend, here comes the dicey part. Do you recognize this number?" showing her the call records.

  "Not off the top of my head, let me look at my contact list," taking out her phone and searching. "Wait, I called that number. It's the one Collucci's Chief of Staff gave me to reach him when I was trying to arrange the meeting with the Senator. And you guys…," looking around. "Holy shit, you guys must have thought.... Holy shit."

  "Yeah, we got a lot of holy shits going on here," Josh said. "Who did you say gave you the number?"

  "Collucci's assistant, Anthony Sorin."

  There was a chorus of holy shits.

  "You ain't gonna believe this one then," Josh added. He explained the connection to Tucker's daughter.

  "So, let me get this straight. Senator Collucci's Chief of Staff, Anthony Sorin, married Jennifer Tucker, Supreme Court Chief Justice George Tucker's daughter. The bad guys called the same number I did, linking them, and me, to the office building where Tucker's daughter runs her business. And,” pausing to think a moment, “Collucci and Tucker were involved in the Grey case from the beginning. Is that right?"

  "Sums it up well," Josh replied.

  "I am surprised you guys even talked to me about this. Apologies to Mr. Kennedy here, but I know the way the Feds think. It goes against their grain," Fleming said.

  "No apology necessary. Having spent some time here now, I've learned a few things about cooperation that may not have occurred to me before. Their special investigative techniques are unmatched," Kennedy winked.

  "They took you drinking, didn't they?" Chris asked.

  "No. It was a well-orchestrated undercover intelligence gathering operation."

  "Fed-speak for they went drinking," Fleming interjected.

  Kennedy laughed. "Now the question is where do we go from here? This link to the Senator grows stronger and more ominous with each new piece of evidence. My bosses in DC are going to grow more interested in, and will want to assert more control over, this case."

  "Not if we figure it out first," Josh said. "Maggie, when did Sorin give you the number?"

  "When I was trying to arrange the meeting with Collucci, I called the main number for the Senator," Fleming answered. "It took me peeling through several layers of bureaucracy to finally get to his Chief of Staff. When I
pointed this out to Sorin, he gave me this number to use. He said it would get right to him. I used that number to arrange the meeting."

  "He either screwed up giving you the main line number or didn't realize it could be traced to the office complex. Then again, he had no reason to suspect you would," Josh said. "The issue is what is going on at this business and how involved is Collucci."

  "Tommy, do you have anything else about those businesses?" Josh asked.

  Moore wasn't listening, fumbling with his coffee cup, staring at his desk.

  Josh looked at Zach, then back at Moore. "Hey, Tommy, you in there? Earth to Tommy," throwing a pen at Moore.

  Moore looked up, startled, and realized everyone was watching him. "What? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about…I mean. What did you say?"

  "Do you have anything else about businesses at that location? Or about Jennifer Sorin?" Josh asked again.

  "No, ah, not yet. I'll keep working on it," Moore answered. "I've got to run out for a bit, LT. If that's okay?" heading out the door, not waiting for the answer.

  "What the hell was that all about?" Josh asked.

  "Maybe I hit his head harder than I thought," Chris chuckled.

  Chapter 21

  Josh pulled up to the Benefit Street side of the courthouse and parked the car. Looking around, he spotted what he needed across the street. Walking over to the parked car, glancing around, he grabbed the parking ticket from under the windshield wiper. Walking back to his car, he put the parking ticket on his windshield. Mission accomplished, he chuckled to himself.

  Walking up the stairs to the building, he passed through the security access point and walked over to the elevator. Getting off at the eighth floor, he approached Judge Tucker's administrative aide.

  "Good day, Ms. Atwell. I hope you remember me, Lieutenant Williams from East Providence police. I am here for my appointment with the Judge."

  Atwell punched a few keys on her computer. "I am sorry, Lieutenant. I do not see it on the schedule. With whom did you make the appointment?"

  "The Judge called me," Josh said, smiling at the assistant.

  "That is strange," eyes narrowing, arms folded against her chest. "The Judge always has me schedule his appointments."

  Josh shrugged his shoulders, "Well he called me, asked me to be here now. I am here. Could you check with him, please?"

  Atwell slid back her chair, stood up and walked to the door, looked back at Josh, knocked, and went in, closing the door behind her.

  Josh counted on the uncertainty and doubt he had unleashed on the assistant, and the curiosity of the Judge, to get him in.

  Atwell came back, sat at the desk, and made a note in the computer. "The Judge will be with you in a moment. He said he must have forgotten to mention this to me. Please make it brief, Lieutenant."

  Josh smiled and took a seat. He did not have to wait long. The door to the chambers opened and Judge Tucker came out, catching Atwell by surprise.

  "Lieutenant Williams, good to see you."

  "Your Honor, I would have been happy to bring the Lieutenant in," Atwell said.

  "No need, Ms. Atwell. I thought the Lieutenant and I would go down to the coffee shop." Looking at Josh, "Shall we, Lieutenant?"

  As they boarded the elevator, Tucker looked at Josh. "My assistant is never wrong, you know. Playing that little mind game will ruin her day. So what was so important it was necessary to do that?"

  "I got the documents you sent me," Josh said. "Thank you, but I have to ask. Why did you wait so long to bring these to light?"

  Tucker watched the floor indicator, as it reached the ground floor he turned to Josh. "How about we take a walk outside, away from prying eyes and curious ears?"

  Josh nodded, "Sure."

  They left the building, crossing South Main Street to the walkway on the Woonasquatucket River. Standing at the railing, Tucker watched as two kayaks slid by. He leaned against the rail, folding his arms. "When you were a young patrolman, new on the job, did you see things that bothered you?"

  Josh studied at the Judge and then stood next to him. "I did, a lot of things. Why?"

  "What did you do about them?"

  "Well, at the time, there wasn't much I could do. Police departments are hierarchical. There is a distinct pecking order," Josh said. "The Sergeants used to say we were lower than whale shit and that's on the bottom of the ocean. Rank and seniority were power."

  "It is not all that much different in the AG's office. Brand new special assistants do what they are told, when they are told, as they are told." Tucker put his hands on the rail, “Much the same, it would seem, as a police department."

  Josh nodded. "So you waited, but why so long? Once you were out of there you could have brought this out. Might have derailed Collucci's career and that would not have broken my heart."

  "No," Tucker smiled, "I imagine it wouldn't. The reality was I did not see any benefit in bringing it to light. The defendant was dead; I never knew he had a family." Dropping his gaze to the ground, "Maybe if I had known?"

  Josh turned to look at the river. "I suppose it would've been lost in the noise of other issues and accomplished nothing. Maybe this is the right time. It is helpful to me. Thanks for sending it."

  "There's something else, Josh. Something I was vague about when I spoke with you and Chris," Tucker said, watching for Josh's reaction.

  "What is it?"

  "When I told you Collucci took over the case, I said shortly before Grey died," Tucker took a deep breath. "The truth is he took over the case the day Grey died. I found out just after he assigned me to a new project. It was all a sham to shut me up."

  The Judge looked up at the sky, trying to regain control of his emotions.

  "Judge it doesn't--" Josh offered.

  Tucker interrupted him.

  "It does matter," he said. "I let him manipulate me. I was a coward, afraid to do the right thing. I have regretted the decision my whole life."

  "Judge, remember when you asked me about seeing things that were wrong but being unable to do something about it?" Josh said. "There's a difference between unwilling and unable. I understand the politics of the AG's office. Collucci would have bounced you out of there in a heartbeat."

  Josh moved to stand in front of the Judge. "If you were fired from the AG's office, your career would likely have been very different. Keep that in mind."

  The Judge perked up a bit more. "You said Grey has a daughter?"

  "He does. We’re trying to find out the truth for her. It looks to me he is, or was, innocent."

  "I would want that for my daughter."

  Josh saw an opportunity here. "You have a daughter, your honor? How old is she?"

  Tucker came off the railing, facing Josh, eyes brightening. "I do, she's thirty-two. She was married. They are now divorced, unfortunately. She has a daughter as well, my granddaughter Kelsey, nine years old." His beaming smile and wistful eyes lit his face, changing the mood.

  Josh thought a moment. How far should I go with this? Maybe a little nudge might tell us something. "Who was your daughter married to?"

  "Anthony Sorin, Senator Collucci's Chief of Staff." The judge tried to gauge Josh's reaction. "Anthony was not…, let's just say he and I have different perspectives on things. He never sees his daughter. I have tried to tell him it is time you can never get back, but he is all about his career. He has taken good care of my daughter financially, though. Helped her develop a good business. For that, I am grateful."

  "Collucci's Chief of Staff? Not someone I'm likely to associate with," Josh laughed.

  "No, I would think not," Tucker replied. "Okay, so now you understand part of why I held on to the reports. Perhaps I was waiting for this opportunity. Do what you will with them. Don't worry about the fallout," taking a few steps towards the Court before stopping. "Lieutenant, do you have children?"

  "No, not yet, but we've talked about it."

  Coming back to Josh, putting his hand on Josh's shoulder, he spoke in
a soft, gentle tone. "Do yourself a favor. Have them, lots of them. Despite all the demands they can impose, it is one of life's greatest joys," he smiled. "I must be getting back. Next time, call Ms. Atwell first; she'll be fretting about this all day."

  "Thank you, your Honor. I'll tell my wife I have a court order that she must endure many pregnancies."

  Tucker laughed. "I am sure I'll hear about it next time she appears before me. Take care, Lieutenant," crossing back over South Main Street and disappearing into the courthouse.

  Josh walked to his car. Driving through the East side of Providence, he turned onto Waterman Street. He decided to take another ride by the office building. As he pulled into the lot, he saw a car bearing New York plates in the parking spot next to the one for JTS Management. The car looked out of place. Grabbing the camera he kept under the seat, he pulled into an open spot hoping to grab pictures of the occupants.

  He did not have to wait long.

  Two men and a woman came out of the building and approached the car. One of the men held the door for the woman as she got into the back seat. Josh shot a dozen quick images, then ducked as the car pulled out. He gave them time to get out of the lot, and then headed out, intending to return to the station. As he left the lot, he noticed another vehicle; the two occupants watched him pull out.

  Turning towards the bridge, Josh saw the second car, a dark colored sedan, pull forward, and follow him. Let's see how curious they are. Just before he reached the point where Waterman Street and the bridge entrance diverged, he pulled to the side of the road.

  Getting out of the car, he opened the hood, waiting for them to pass him. The car drove down Waterman Street, the passenger looking at Josh. As the vehicle passed the bridge entrance, it put him into a one-way section, near a small traffic circle. Josh closed the hood, jumped back in, and took off over the Henderson Bridge. The other driver had no choice but to drive around the traffic circle before he could get back to follow him.

  Taking the first exit, he pulled a quick U-turn, and drove behind a commercial building. Two men working on a loading dock yelled as the car came speeding into the lot. Josh jumped out, waving his badge at the irate workers. He ran to the corner of the building in time to see the sedan coming down the off-ramp onto Massasoit Avenue, heading away from him. He could see the two occupants scanning the area, checking side streets.