that means a hundred people. You have time. Be chatty, personal. I want opinion, gut feel, anecdotes, things overheard at company picnics; the good, the bad and the ugly. Any personal details, and I mean personal. If someone was having an affair; anyone too familiar with modern chemistry, or sleeping with members of their own sex, include it. Although that may not be germane in San Francisco.”
Sydney stopped for a moment and read from a notebook. “I also need all the technical stuff, what their responsibilities are. Third, write a description of your job. Do you know how to make a flow chart? If you do, make one showing every step of your job, and every person you came in contact with while performing that job. Detail, Miss Heely, detail. Make it as technical as you like. In a week I’ll have an expert on board who knows as much about your job as you do.”
As he continued a light began to appear in her eyes. She sat up straighter. When he stopped she laughed out loud for the first time.
Sydney smiled. “I like that, Miss Heely. You have a nice generous laugh.”
“You really believe I didn’t do it, don’t you!”
He nodded. “Uh huh. I wasn’t sure when I came up here. I had a feeling, a hunch. I was pretty sure there was more to it than came out at the trial. And by the way, for a major crime, that was the fastest piece of ‘justice’ ever to come out of the California Courts system. Usually they can’t handle a contested parking ticket in less than a year.
“A friend of mine in Sacramento who follows legal things said your lawyers were as close to incompetent as they could get without being disbarred on the spot. And who authorized your case to be jumped ahead of three first-degree murders, an aggravated rape, a long standing oil/land use suit, and so on?
“It smacks of what the newspapers call, the flagrant abuse of power. I’ll have the whole legal process looked at very carefully. He’s as smart as they were stupid.”
“Wow!” She let her breath out in a rush of relief.
“You take it easy. Don’t get so excited you can’t think. We don’t spend the money until we see the numbers on the Lotto ticket. This is going to take time. I hope you have money, I can’t fund this whole thing on my own.”
This wasn’t entirely true. Sydney had a lot of money, but he was a firm believer in the theory that people should invest in their own survival.
“Well, there’s the two million in the Banco de Belgique,” Jean tried to smile. “Sorry, a little joke. Yes, I have some, though those shysters who defended me got most of it. I think there’s a hundred thousand left in stocks and bonds. I’ll give you a letter to my accountant. He’s one of the few who still think I’m innocent.”
Jean looked away, deep in thought for a long moment.
“You know, Mr. Lee, the insurers must have paid plenty, and they wouldn’t pay a dime if they could avoid it. Might they not give you a finders fee if you discovered where the money went, and were able to recover it?”
Sydney smiled, looked startled. “I’ll be damned. I hadn’t thought of that. My, my, my...what a happy thought. I confess a few million dollars interests me.”
“Much more than that,” she said.
“All right, Miss Heely. That’s enough for now. We have a lot to do. There’ll be hard times before it’s over. One of the reasons I took this case is that you don’t complain. I like that. Eat well and take care of yourself, that’s an order. You’re a beautiful woman. Don’t let yourself go.”
She looked down at her body and the tears started to come.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect anyone ever to say that to me again. This,” she indicated herself and the surroundings, “makes me feel ugly.” She pulled at the faded blue prison uniform.
“I know. Hold this thought. Before long you’ll be wearing beautiful clothes again. When you leave this place, men will see you and walk into parked cars, women will destroy their mirrors in the thousands, and little girls will put iconic pictures of you over their beds.”
Jean giggled like a little girl. “You are really outrageous. Has any woman ever said no, to you?”
“More than I care to count. In the mean time I’ll see that you get some new things to wear. This is a minimum security prison. You’re allowed to wear civilian clothing.”
“Thank you, Mr. Lee.” She held up her hand as he started to rise. “Before you go, I better tell you something. I think someone wants me hurt or dead.”
She said it in such a matter of fact way it took a moment to register.
“Christ! What happened?”
“Well, a rattlesnake was thrown into my cell about a month after I got here. If I had panicked it would very likely have struck, but I like snakes and just stood there and admired it until it got bored and left. Right after that, a guard, that one,” she nodded toward one of the female warders, “appeared out of nowhere and got the snake. She got there too fast for it to have been an accident.
“The next time, this butch type picked a fight with me on a work detail. I didn’t believe it was for real until she came after me with a knife.”
Sydney waited for her to go on. “Well, goddamn it, what happened?”
“Oh, I kicked her...you know, down there. It works pretty near as well as it does with a man.”
Sydney slapped his thighs with a bang. “Lady, I like your style. Keep your eyes open. I’ll definitely do something about that. Before I’m finished they’ll protect you like the crown jewels.”
He stood up and shook her hand gently. She tried not to cry again.
“You take it easy, Miss. We may have a funny sounding name, but we know what we’re doing. I’ll be back in two weeks. You’re allowed to use the phone. Use it. I have call forwarding so you can reach me wherever I am.”
He motioned to the guards. Before they took her away he gave them a little message.
“Listen to me, both of you. I have your names and badge numbers. I’m filing a formal complaint with the state prison oversight board, and with the State Attorney General’s Office. You will be named. If Miss Heely comes to any harm, receives any treatment other than what is proper under the law, you two won’t be able to find a hole deep enough to hide. My next stop is the Warden, where everything I’ve heard today will also be reported.”
He patted Jean on the shoulder. “You remember what I said, I want to see those ten pounds back where they belong.”
He looked at the places he wanted to see those pounds very pointedly.
Jean’s pale skin blushed deep pink.
Chapter 6
When a plan begins to unravel few people have the self discipline to assess it coolly, give it up as a bad job, cut their losses and leave. This is especially true if the leaders are powerful and arrogant. If large sums of money are involved or the acquisition of even greater power is in question, common sense and logic haven’t a chance. Look at Watergate. A simple burglary becomes a national disaster.
