Chapter 51
Finally, a Decision on What To Do
That Monday night, after hearing the exciting news from Susie, the three of them – Skip, Max and Rocky went for a walk to the corner pub. In San Francisco it’s Dirty Nick’s, this one in Philly, Dirty Frank’s at the corner of 13th and Pine. Just the kind of bar that Billy Joel would sing about – a dusty piano in the corner, lots of guys sharing their loneliness, but it’s better than drinking alone. On their walk back to Phyllis’ from the pub, Max told Skip, “You know what we’ve got to do, right?”
“Besides just waiting on developments?”
“Yes,” Max said. “We need to separate away the sex ring and the murder from the terrorism stuff – if we can bust up the sex ring, great – but you have to go to the D.A. with the terrorism stuff, now.”
“All right, I’m with you on that,” Skip said after a moment. “I’ll tell Ken I’m going in alone and I’ll work the best deal I can for Gordy and maybe Jane. I don’t think the D.A. will be interested in charging Ken or any of us.”
As they walked up Phyllis’ stoop, Rocky said, “Don’t go in alone. Have Steve there with you.”
Inside, Steve was all smiles, “Phyllis is sound asleep, fell asleep purring like a kitten, and good news, my lawyer buddy in San Francisco called back, thinks he’s found a San Francisco firm with lawyers in Vancouver. Give me all the updates.” And that led to the four of them staying up all night, piecing together all possible scenarios and making plans. Rocky said, “Great idea, Max, to make this into three puzzles with separate pieces.”
First, they started planning their approach to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York – often thought of as the toughest prosecutor in the whole United States – as to the impending terrorist attack. But they weren’t too far down this list when Rocky said, “Wait one minute. Demand number one has to be ‘we get credit for busting this unholy trinity.’ Max, start a whole new list. We get in touch with Patty first thing tomorrow and tell her to start sketching out the next reprise of the San Francisco Theatre as part of an elaborate press conference with the D.A. announcing the bust.”
“Okay, ‘just-for-fun-Rocky,’ that goes to the top of the list,” Skip said, trying to laugh.
But Steve disagreed. “No, prosecution of anyone on the bus has to be first on the list.”
“No,” Skip argued. “First on the list, right after how we do the press conference, will be no prosecution of Ken and Gordy. I don’t think the D.A. will have any interest in charging anyone on the bus – I’ll do that as the last condition. As for me, I’m going to bluff him into thinking I don’t give a rip if he charges me; that way I can insist he doesn’t get a single detail out of me until he meets our conditions. You don’t think he’ll resort to torture to get me to talk, do you, Steve?”
“Okay, you’re the client – all I do is advise – you get to make the final decision,” Steve responded, “but I’m sorta representing everybody here, so promise me we don’t leave the room until you get immunity for all of us on the bus.”
“Will do,” Skip said.
They then moved on to puzzle number two. “If, and it’s a big if,” Rocky started, “if we get the evidence to prosecute the sex trafficking operation, or anybody’s complicity, like that fucking sheriff – and it sure would be nice to nail Furbush – then we get the U.S. Attorney here in New York to talk to his counterpart in Montana and agree to certain things there too, like investigating that corrupt sheriff.”
Max added, “And no prosecution of anyone Joey finds – Jesus Christ, now it’s Susie, Eloise and the cowboys too – who agrees to provide evidence, or to testify against Furbush or whomever.”
“Yeah,” Rocky said, “we nail Rafferty/Dougherty in puzzle number one. We don’t need to nail him with the sex trafficking, just the terrorism. Furbush is our target in puzzle number two.”
“Puzzle number three: Who knows if we’ll ever know who murdered Abdul,” they concluded.
At 4 a.m., they called it quits. Max and Steve went to bed. Skip and Rocky went to the Melrose Diner in Phyllis’ car to celebrate and fortify having each other’s backs all through life’s adventures, miseries and now mysteries. Sipping coffee, amazed at how many Philadelphians were already up and on-their-way somewhere, Rocky said, “Scotch ol’ pal, you’re going to be great tomorrow, or whenever you show up at the D.A.’s Office. I’ve watched you all through your political career. You’re a master negotiator. Always keep people optimistic and smiling. Keep the pole star in mind. Have your list of non-negotiables, but don’t share it with them. Give up on the street theatre if you have to – but make them think that’s the non-negotiable.”
“Yeah well, thanks for that,” Skip said, giving Rocky a friendly pat on the shoulder, “but it’s the timing of all this that has me worried. We have to get the details about the New Year’s Day plans from Ken and Gordy tomorrow, or we won’t have shit to bring to the prosecutor to negotiate with. Let’s grab 40 winks before this all unfolds.” “I don’t think I can fall asleep,” Rocky said. “Still got a doobie left. Like old frat house days, let’s make this an all-nighter – drive to the Shore, get high, and watch the sunrise.”