False Accusations by Jacobson, Alan (great novels of all time .txt) 📕

going to turn it all over to you once I had the results, but when he told me where the tests had been run, we were in a bind. I couldn’t tell you what I had because you’d want to see the report, and when I had no report, you would’ve asked why and then I would’ve had to tell you that it was done at the state crime lab, and for sure all hell would have broken loose.”

“So this way is better?” Denton asked. “You don’t tell me about the information you’ve uncovered, you hide it from me. Kind of violate discovery, but not really, because you strongly hint that I should check out this other suspect. But what you don’t tell me is why you’re so convinced that she’s the guilty party. You hand me this cock-and-bull story about motive and extortion—”

“It’s not cock-and-bull. It’s absolutely real. And it’ll make your case.”

“That’s not the point. You should’ve told me what you had.”

“Look…” Hellman pinched the bridge of his nose. “Can we just put this behind us?”

“Put this behind us? Tell that to Jennings. He’s got a history with Chandler—”

“I know all about it. But if you’re going to let Jennings stir up all sorts of shit all because of a disagreement fifteen years ago—”

“Jennings is not a marionette, Jeffrey. I don’t have control over what he says and does. If he wants to go blowing wind all over the goddamned station about what Chandler did, there’s nothing I can do to stop him. If he wants to go to the lab chief, again there’s nothing I can do.”

“If he ever wants to step foot in that lab again, he’ll keep his mouth shut.”

“It’s his decision.”

“Why don’t you let him know your position?”

“And get accused of trying to assist a cover-up?”

Hellman did not like the sound of that. It meant that Denton was going to take action on this himself, regardless of what Jennings said or did. “Don’t tell me you’re going to get involved.”

“Get involved?” Denton asked, his voice rising a couple of octaves. “Get involved? I’m already involved. The only question is what I should do about it. And really, there’s not even a question. I have no choice.”

“Well, before you do anything rash, think about your actions.”

“What the hell do you think I’ve been doing all morning since Jennings told me? It places me in an ethical bind.”

“You can deny that Jennings ever disclosed any of this to you.”

“I can rationalize all sorts of things. But you’re asking me to do you a favor that—”

“Whoa, hold it a second. I’m not asking for any favors whatsoever. It’s your lab that’s going to be raked through the coals in the media. And the lab’s never had a better manager than Lou Palucci. You know that as well as I do. But you have to ask yourself if one error in judgment is worth not only destroying a man’s career but also causing a tremendous upheaval in the lab at a time when it’s enjoying one of the most impeccable reputations in the entire country.”

“Jeffrey—”

“Wait a minute, I’m not finished. If you don’t care about the greater good, look at it selfishly. Every time you introduce a piece of evidence gathered at a crime scene, think about what every defense attorney who’s worth his weight in gold will say about it. It came from a corrupt lab. Who knows what’s tainted and what’s not? Who’s doing who favors? Who’s been paid off? Hell, some congressman vying for votes could push for a full-scale investigation. Maybe a few other skeletons will fall out of the closet. Not just at the lab, but at the DA’s office too. And then where will you be?”

“That’s a distortion of the situation—”

“Is it? It’s an edge for the defense. I’d use it, I’m telling you right now. And I have a bunch of friends who I’m sure would use it, too.”

There was a long silence. Hellman knew that sometimes saying nothing elicited more of a response from his adversary than continuing to argue.

“I’ll give it some more thought. Talk to Jennings.”

“I think that’s a good idea, Tim. Let me know what happens.”

Hellman hung up and walked out into the cold air with his head spinning. His mind was sifting through several emotions, the most primal of which were frustration and anger aimed at Chandler. He found his car and headed over to his health club for a dose of weights and a visit to the steam room. He needed to work off some stress before it tied him in a knot from which even Houdini would not be able to escape.

Saperstein poked his glasses up his nose. “I’m not asking you to overlook your duty as a homicide detective, Bill. I’m just telling you that you shouldn’t let what happened fifteen years ago affect your good judgment now.”

“And why not?” Jennings asked.

“Because you have to look at the big picture. What are you going to accomplish and who are you going to hurt along the way?”

“I can’t look the other way for personal reasons.”

“But you’re obsessed with this because of personal reasons. You can’t deny that. At least, if you’re honest with yourself, you can’t deny it.”

Jennings sat there in Saperstein’s cramped office, a six-by-eight cubbyhole with a desk shoved against the wall. There was barely enough room for Saperstein to squeeze past the desk en route to his chair.

“It’s not worth it,” Saperstein said. “I know what happened between you and Chandler fifteen years ago. It’s time to let go of it. Don’t let it destroy you all over again.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If you pursue this, it’s going to cause a shake-up in the lab. We’ll be dragged through the muck, mired in scandal for months, if not years. Lou Palucci will come under fire from the chief, and then he’ll be canned. Guaranteed. That won’t go over well here. We’re a tight family. We look out for each other.