Robert K. Tanenbaum - Counterplay

October

KARP GLANCED AT HIS WATCH. FOUR OCLOCK. STILL, PLENTY of time to hear the verdict, congratulate Guma, then meet up with Marlene, swing by the loft to grab the kids, and make it to the synagogue in time for the twins bar mitzvah class.

Word that the jury in the Emil Stavros murder trial had reached their verdict had come an hour agomore than two weeks after summations and deliberations had been delayed due to the events at St. Patricks.

Jon Ellis had wanted to make a deal with Stavros, who, according to his lawyer, had quite a bit of information on al Qaeda banking practices and the accounts he was supposed to send the ransom money to after the transfer from the Vatican bank. Hed be placed in a Witness Protection Program and given immunity from further prosecution for his role in the weekends events, as well as the murder trial.

In a meeting with Karp, Guma, Murrow, and Jaxon, Ellis hinted that he didnt need the locals permission seeing as how this is a national security matter but was asking as a matter of courtesy. Karp told him where he could stick his courtesy and that Stavros was still a prisoner under the lock and key of the New York City criminal justice system and under the jurisdiction of the Honorable Paul Lussman of the New York County Supreme Court, Trial Part 34.

Im sure the media will be interested in a story about how you vouched for Agent Hodges, also known as Andrew Kane, and almost got the Pope and two thousand other people killed, Karp said looking the assistant director in the eyes until the man stood as if to leave.

This isnt the end of this, Karp, Ellis said.

Damn straight it isnt, Karp said. So dont be surprised if you receive a subpoena to testify before a New York County grand jury.

Ellis glared for a moment longer at Karp, then laughed and shook his head as he turned to Jaxon. You coming? he asked.

Jaxon kicked back in his chair. No, he said. I have other matters to discuss with Mr. Karp.

Ellis stormed from the room as Guma quipped, See you in court.

When he was gone, Jaxon gave the others the official explanation being handed down by Homeland Securitys public relations office. Agent Hodges came from another agency, and therefore wasnt personally known to Ellis, except by reputation, Jaxon said. Heads will rollsupposedlybut not Elliss. Obviously, Kane went to great lengths to alter his appearance and was able to force the real Hodges to reveal information, including passwords and such, that only an agent would have. Ellis was as stunned as anyoneat least thats his story, and hes sticking to it.

In other words, Ellis has plausible deniability going for him? Murrow asked. But what about the Russian agent? Nadya Malovo.

Jaxon shook his head. She wouldnt say anything to us, he replied. The Russian government is, of course, denying any knowledge of her involvement in a conspiracy to blow up St. Patricks and blame it on Chechen nationalists. Theyre labeling her a rogue element and making noises that they want her returned so that she can be prosecuted in Moscow.

You guys going to go along with that? Karp scowled.

Jaxon shrugged. I hope not, but it may not be up to the Justice Department, he said. Homeland Security and the administration are desperate to keep the Russians involved in the War on Terror; so saving the Russians embarrassment might trump federal charges of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, and various other crimes that fit under the terrorism label.

And, of course, Putin canceled his appearance at the United Nations to explain the need for continued Russian occupation of Chechnya, Karp noted.

Yeahand the rumors are that the administration is going to trade Malovo and keeping a lid on Russian involvement at St. Patricks in exchange for the Russians sitting down for meaningful dialogue with the nationalists, Jaxon said, which, if something came of it, would be a blow to the Russians and al Qaeda, but Im not holding my breath.

On a sad note, the bodies of the Homeland Security agents who had been assigned to work with the fake Agent Hodges on security inside the cathedral had been discovered in a parking garage near Columbia University. But on the brighter side, the real Agent Hodges had been found in the cabin of Kanes speedboatbound and gagged, but alive. Apparently, Kane had planned to dump him in the Hudson as if hed been abducted from the ambulance with Lucy and then killed. Hes been reunited with his family, Jaxon said, and a former priest who had an outstanding warrant out for sexually molesting children and was tailing the family for Kane, was arrested with Hodgess help.

Karp looked around the courtroom. Guma was chatting amiably with detectives Fairbrother and Bassaline. With surprise he noted that Amarie Bliss Stavros was sitting on the prosecution side of the aisle with her arm around Zachary. Meanwhile, those sitting at the defense table appeared as if they were on their way to a good friends funeral.

Anderson looked like the bully on the playground whod just had the shit kicked out of him by the new kid hed tried to pick on. He hazarded a quick glance back at the blond reporter and, Karp thought, probably wished he hadnt; she was staring at him with open contempt. Karp half expected her to mouth the word loser.

Unshaved and crumpled-looking in his jail jumpsuit, Stavros just sat morosely looking at the table. Hed tried claiming that hed been blackmailed into cooperating with Kane and pointed to Dante Coletta as his wifes killer. But Coletta started squealing as soon as Fairbrother got him to the Tombsadmitting to his part in the murder and burial in exchange for eight to twelve years at Attica for conspiracy. Given the circumstances, Judge Lussman had allowed Guma to put Coletta back on the stand to recant his original testimony.

Hear that banging? Guma had asked Karp after Colettas testimony.

What banging? Karp asked, puzzled.

The last nail going into Stavross coffin.

There were still many unresolved questions from what Ariadne Stupenagel in a special report for the Times had called The Siege at St. Patricks. The biggest blank was whatever happened to Kane and Grale. The official view of the NYPD was that the two were missing, presumed dead, but no bodies had been found after extensive searches of the banks of the Harlem and Hudson rivers. But Karp wasnt going to believe that either man was gone, not until hed seen the bodies himself.

Now, Karp and everyone else in the courtroom jumped to their feet when Judge Lussman entered the courtroom and remained standing while the judge brought in the jury. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor, the foreman said. He handed the paperwork to the court clerk who took it to the judge for his perusal.

Lussman glanced quickly at the verdict sheet and handed it back to the clerk who walked it over to the foreman. Would you read your verdict, please, the judge said.

We find the defendant guilty

They all knew what was coming but spectators, lawyers, defendants, and witnesses held their breath.

of murder

As the foreman read off the guilty verdicts for the remaining counts and reporters ran from the courtroom to file their stories, Karp turned to Guma and shook his hand as he pretended not to see the tears that had welled up in his friends eyes. Congratulations, pal, you did it again.