by Denise Irwin
Sal was sitting at an outside table eating a piece of pizza when LoVerde showed up. “Don’t ever keep me waiting again.”
LoVerde checked his watch, “It’s 1:45 now. The contact told me to meet you at 2:00 this afternoon. Technically, I’m early.”
“Don’t stand there looking like a statue, sit, you’re drawing attention.” LoVerde sat. “So, tell me what’s, so fucking important that we had to meet in person?”
LoVerde snapped at him, “I wanna know why the fuck you had Grossman poisoned.”
“Don’t you ever speak to me in that tone again, do you understand me? It was obvious that you couldn’t get the job done, so I took care of it.”
“Whoever you hired in the prison didn’t get it done either. He was taken to the hospital and from there the US Marshal’s Deputies will take him to a safehouse.”
“Where the fuck is this safehouse?”
“No one is telling me. They told me that when I needed to speak to my client, deputies would bring him to a secured location. Sal, if I go down in the mess you made, I’m taking you down with me. I hope you really understand that.”
LoVerde walked away from the table. He was smart enough to know that he’d just set himself up to be executed. On his way to the pizza shop, stopped at his bank and withdrew enough cash to pay for a room at some run-down motel under an assumed name. He stashed all his court documents there. He also sold his car and purchased some piece of shit with temporary tags.
On Saturday afternoon, Sam and Leona returned to the charter boat marina. Sam had reserved a room in the Marina’s hotel.
Leona said sadly, “This is the last night of our honeymoon.”
“We’ll go on a honeymoon every year to celebrate our wedding anniversary.”
“Okay, I like that plan.”
They dined in the marina’s restaurant that evening. Leona gazed at her husband’s tanned face and saw that he was already lost in his job.
Chapter Thirteen
November 2001
As Sam and Leona made their way to the airport in St. Thomas, the Deputy US Marshals pulled into Sue’s driveway. Cassie was packed and waiting. Both men showed their badges as they introduced themselves. “Agent Henson, I’m Deputy Testerman, and this is Deputy Grant. We’ll escort you to the Delaware state line, where we’ll transfer you to the next team.”
“It’s nice to meet you. Can I have a moment to tell a buddy that I’ll see him soon?”
The deputies look at one another, and then Testerman spoke, “Agent, I don’t want to be inappropriate, but I need to know who this buddy is.”
“Deputy, don’t look so doom and gloom, it’s a dog in the kennel. You’re picking me up at a dog kennel where I’ve made a friend.”
They chuckled and acknowledged that she could walk to the kennel. When Cassie returned to the car after saying goodbye to Bailey, she hugged Sue who was waiting next to the car, “Tell Neal to keep the chess board ready.”
“I will. We’ll see you when you come back home.”
Deputy Marshal Testerman opened the rear passenger door for Cassie, “Agent Henson, are we all set?”
“Yes sir, I think we are.”
Cassie watched out the back window waving to Sue. Sue gave her the ‘thumbs up’. Cassie turned in her seat daydreaming as Testerman drove toward the Maryland State Line. In her daydreams, she worked in a job that didn’t put anyone at risk including herself. Until she saw them again, she’d be worried that her safehouse had been compromised putting Sue and Neal at risk. She worried that Sam was at risk as well. If the investigation of her boss revealed he was a dirty cop, her entire world would tilt to one side and everyone she loved and trusted would fall off and disappear into space.
Testerman pulled the car into the last rest stop before the state border. Both deputies had their firearms accessible. “Agent Henson, it’s time to transfer you to the Jersey boys. Marksman’s friend Larry Black handpicked these deputies and of course, we know them well, so we know you’re in good hands.”
Cassie inhaled deeply. “Deputy Testerman and Deputy Grant, thank you for the lift. We worked together on a case when I was in training, so please tell him I said hello.”
Testerman told her, “We will. Larry told me to be sure I passed a message from Marksman to you. Black told me to tell you that Sam said to be safe.”
For the first time that day, Cassie laughed, “That’s my Sam.”
Cassie nonchalantly left the first and opened the rear passenger door and slid into the back seat. “Welcome aboard Agent Henson. I’m Deputy Parson and this is my partner, Deputy Starling.”
“I guess that you both know my name, so I’m just gonna say it’s nice to meet you.”
Neal came through the kitchen door to find his wife making herself lunch. “Neal, what are you doing home this early in the day?”
“I wanted to say goodbye to Cassie.”
“That’s sweet, she would have appreciated that. The deputies picked her up about an hour and a half ago. Grab a plate and I’ll fix you lunch.”
“How was she when she left?”
“She was solemn, very solemn. It broke my heart to watch her leave alone.”
LoVerde took his piece of shit for a car and used a McDonald’s Drive Thru lane to get a burger. He returned to the stink-hole of a room with his burger and fries to wait the out the night. LoVerde was definitely Cappella’s next target. He’d be surprised if he made it through the night.
The deputies pulled into a house driveway outside of Atlantic City. “Agent Henson, we’re turning you over to the next team of deputies.”
“Thank you.”
Parson and Starling walked her to the front door. Once inside the house, the new team showed their badges and introduced themselves to her, “Agent Henson, I’m Deputy Barry Morris and this is my partner, Deputy Alvin Schofield. We’re on duty until 11:00 tonight. Have you eaten?”
“As a matter of fact, I’ve not eaten anything since early this morning before I cleaned the kennels out.”
Morris and Schofield looked at one another in such a way Cassie had to laugh. “My last safehouse was a dog kennel.”
Schofield chuckled, “I’ll go pick something up. Do you want anything in particular?”
“No, whatever is easiest will be fine with me. Where’s the bathroom?”
Morris pointed, “Down that hall, last door on the left.”
As Cassie started down the hall, her legs were shaking. She was in a situation she’d never been before and wasn’t sure if she could handle it. This was the first time she was the victim who needed protection rather than the Agent who participated in protecting victim witnesses. In the bathroom, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. The face in the mirror looked like a scared little girl.
When the plane from St. Thomas landed in Baltimore, Sam told Leona to call her mother while he called Sue.
“Ma, it’s me.”
“Welcome home Mrs. Marksman. Did you have fun?”
“Ma, it was more than fun. I could run away and become a boat bum. I mailed a package to your house don’t open it until I get there. The shuttle is pulling up, so I gotta run.”
While Leona spoke with her mother, Sam had called Sue’s house. Neal answered the phone, “Wayfarers’ Bed and Breakfast, we have one room available”
Sam laughed; he had placed Cassie in the right house. “Leona and I are home. We’re catching the shuttle to the parking lot. May we claim our prize?”
“We’ll be here.”
Sam kissed his bride on the shuttle to the parking lot. “That was the best honeymoon I’ve ever been on.”
“Are you saying this wasn’t your first honeymoon? Is there something you need to tell me?”
“Only that I love you.”
Sam had intended to pick up his mutt and run, but when they arrived at Sue’s house, she was pulling a fresh baked apple pie out of the oven.
Cassie couldn’t even consider sleeping. She and her new babysitter, Dep
uty Anderson played gin and watched television. She felt a little better when she won every game.
While LoVerde was restricted from appearing in the Grand Jury proceedings in the morning, he feared for his life. He actually jumped out of bed, and ran into the bathroom where he locked the door when another guest accidently tried to use his key to open LoVerde’s door.
Sam arrived at the courthouse at 8:30 Monday morning where he found Assistant US Attorney Smyth, Agent Farlow, and Joe Schuman, the Boston FBI Director waiting outside the Grand Jury room. Farlow stepped forward.
Farlow stepped forward and extended his hand to Sam, “Did that wedding ever take place?”
“It sure did. My bride and I spent two weeks in the Caribbean.”
“Is that right? Where did you stay?”
“I chartered a Morgan 50’ sailboat, so we ended up island hopping. Now, my wife wants me to buy her the bigger boat. My Morgan isn’t big enough in her opinion.”
Farlow chuckled.
Smyth came over to them, “Sam, I’m about to go in and give my opening summary. I’ve put together a list of witnesses they may want to hear from. Agent Henson will go first, then Grossman. Farlow will testify after Grossman and you will follow Farlow. Detective Bradley is standing by in case we need him, but I believe Farlow can cover the bomb testimony. I served a subpoena on Shuman; he’ll go last if we need him.”
Sam addressed the prosecutor, “Phil, I’m not about to tell you how to do your job, but Joe was very instrumental in Cassie’s assignment in this case. Have you spoken with her?”
“We spoke for a few minutes this morning. I wanted to make sure she’s okay to testify in person.”
Sam chuckled, “Did you have to ask? She’s the iron woman.”
“The deputy staying with her last night said she whipped his ass at gin rummy.”
“That sounds like my girl.”
“If you’ll excuse me, it’s show time. I wish I could ask you to join me for a drink at the end of the day, but I can’t., until the jury proceedings are complete. Once we get the indictment, we’ll go celebrate and you can tell me all about your honeymoon.”
In Baltimore, Leona reported to work. It felt strangely quiet to her. She ducked her head into John’s office. Even though she knew he was gone, the stark walls took her by surprise. There was nothing personal to indicate that he’d ever occupied the office. She sat at her desk for over an hour waiting for someone one to tell her she was being laid off. There wasn’t the usual pile of work on her desk, which made her office feel lonely. She looked again and saw there wasn’t a damn thing on her desk. Her framed pictures weren’t there. Her plants were gone along with her coffee cup. She’d bought that coffee cup, so if someone took it, they were gonna owe her some money. She looked in her desk drawers. Someone had placed her stuff in the desk drawer including her plants, which now looked half-dead. Was someone sending the message that this was no longer her desk? No one told her to go, so she just couldn’t sit here with nothing to do, so Leona headed for Shelly’s desk.
“Good morning, Shell.”
Shelly jumped from her chair and ran around the desk to hug Leona. “Welcome home babe, how was the honeymoon? Sit I want to hear about it.”
Leona took the chair next to Shelly’s desk. “It was incredible. The boat was huge, but it handled like the Cream. We sailed to six different islands. Shell, I even sailed naked.”
Shelly laughed, “Did you also go skinny dipping?”
“Of course, we did. We swam in clear blue water to the beaches. The water was so clear that you could see the fish. It was wonderful. You are not ever going to believe this, but I rode a horse in the surf.”
Shocked that Leona had ridden a horse, Shelly laughed, “Did you fall off, landing in the water?”
“Nope and I raced Sam down the beach and won!” I told Sam I could live on a sailboat as long as it was as big as the Island Hopper. I bought you a gift, but I had to ship the gifts in a box to my mom’s house, so we’ll get together, when she receives it. How are you?”
“I’m okay. I’m not throwing up as much in the morning, but I have to tell you my doctor prescribed vitamins for me. They’re fucking horse pills; I gag on them every morning.”
“Yuck. I’d end up puking after gagging.”
“It ain’t easy.”
“Shell, now that John’s gone I have nothing to do. Do you have anything I can help with? I’ve been sitting at my desk for over an hour waiting for someone to tell me what’s going on. I’m going crazy. The phones aren’t ringing; no one’s dropping work on the desk, so if you can share some of your work with me I’d really appreciate it. Someone packed my personal stuff in one of the desk drawers. My plants are dying.”
“Really? I haven’t heard any scuttlebutt around the office. Since I knew you were away and John was gone, I didn’t go to that side of the building. Lee, that’s, so weird. Most folks in the office couldn’t keep a secret if you paid them. What’re you gonna do?”
“I dunno. If I leave, they’ll fire me for walking off the job. John said he recommended that the firm put together a compensation package. I guess I have to wait and see if anyone approaches me. That’s why I was hoping you could share your work. Sitting by myself with nothing to do is creepy.”
“Well if you want some work to do, trust me, I got it. Take this pile of motions and fax them to all parties listed in the case.” As Shelly handed over the work, she said to Leona, “Lee, I really missed you while you were away.”
Leona laughed, “I almost missed you too.” Leona took the pile of faxes and spent the next hour faxing out motions.
When Smyth entered the Grand Jury room, sixteen sets of eyes honed in on him. The look of awe in their eyes told him this was their first grand jury case to hear. He smiled to them and thought it was a shame their first case would be one as horrible as this one.
“Good morning, ladies, and gentlemen. My name is Philip Smyth. I am an Assistant US Attorney. Before I proceed with an opening statement, may I ask by a show of hands if anyone has served on the Grand Jury in the past?” Not one hand went up in the jury of sixteen. There were seven women and nine men looking as if they were on trial.
“I’m sure someone has explained your role as a Grand Jury member along with a set of rules. However, I always like to open with your role and the rules of the road.” Smyth saw the jurors sit a bit forward in their chairs to hear every word he said.
“I will open with the charges against the defendant. It is my responsibility to provide you with enough information for a ruling for or against an indictment. It’s important that you are aware that you will not be deciding the guilt or innocence of the defendant. It is your role to decide if the government has substantial evidence to try the defendant in criminal court. Any questions, so far?”
No one raised a hand, so Smyth moved on. “It is extremely important that you understand that you cannot speak to anyone about this hearing. That includes family and friends, as well as your fellow jurors. At the end of witness testimony, you will have the opportunity to speak freely with one another during the deliberation process. Before I move on are we in agreement on that point?”
The jury members nodded in unison that they agreed.
“I’d like to make one last point before I move forward with the case. As members of the Grand Jury you may, and should, pose questions to the witness testifying. Understanding the details of this case is paramount to making the correct decision on your part. As we work through the questions and testimony, no one in the room will use the names of the members of the jury. The court clerk gave each of you a number. The court clerk will use your assigned number as she records questions and answers. Does anyone have a question?”
A nervous looking woman raised her hand. “Mr. Smyth, will anyone we question know our identities?”
Didn’t I just say that they wouldn’t? “No ma’am they will not, including me. I have not been given your identities.”
Smyth smiled at
her and that appeared to ease her fear.
“The government, specifically me, as a representative of the US Attorney has charged the defendant, Mr. Bruce Grossman, with four violations. The charges in question are: 1) Money Laundering, in violation of Title 18, US Code, Sections 1956 and 1957. 2) The Attempted Murder of a Federal Bureau of Investigation Agent, in violation of Title18 US Code, Section 16. 3) Making a Bomb, in violation of Title 18, US Code, Section 842; and, last 4) Impersonating a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, in violation of Title 18 US Code, Section 912.”
Smyth turned on a video device and pointed to the monitor. He also handed printed photographs of the photos displayed on the monitor to the jury members.
“I will begin presenting evidence for those charges in the order they were read to you. The first charge is for Money Laundering. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, under a search and seizure warrant, seized boxes full of cash from the defendant’s home. Those boxes contained two million dollars. It is the government’s position that the defendant was skimming money intended for laundering through the Chariot casino owned by Glen Englar. There are several photos taken by FBI Agent Cassandra Henson using her cell phone camera in the casino’s kitchen. Please take note of the time stamp on Agent Henson’s photos. The time stamp indicates the photos were taken late in the evening of a fresh vegetable delivery signed for by a casino staff member at 7:00 that morning. Bruce Grossman made that delivery. We have the casino’s signed receipt as evidence for the delivery by Grossman.”
The jury members quietly passed the photos to the jury member he or she was sitting beside. Smyth waited until Jury Member Sixteen handed the photos back to Smyth.