CHAPTER 82 - THE TAKEDOWN, PART I AND GETTING BUGGY
JUDGE RUSSO’S CHAMBERS - MID-MORNING, 5 DAYS LATER
JUDGE RUSSO
I’m incredulous! How the fucking hell am I staring at Supreme Justice Philpotts and DA Foster, and just why are they talking about the Hobbs trial after all this time?!
“Well, is what he has said true?!” DA Foster demands.
“Of course not!” I declare.
“Then you won’t mind showing us your bank accounts from that time, will you? We have already subpoenaed the accounts of Hobbs Senior and Taylor. And this one is for you. We have also tracked down all the witnesses and the jurors. Those who had nothing to worry about, were very cooperative, while others were a touch obstructionist, but just a touch; a court order soon had them…”
“This is ridiculous!” I interrupt sharply. “The Taylor vs Hobbs case was reviewed by Judge Stone and he…”
“Is conveniently dead. And he was dead before the review was ordered, so tell me how a dead man reviewed that case and found it fine?” Supreme Justice Philpotts glares at me. I feel my stomach drop and try to think quickly. “In fact, he seems to have posthumously reviewed a lot of cases that you presided over that conveniently involved people from your social set. Bring them in!”
The door opens again and this time and team of suits come in and begin going through my cabinets. I swallow slightly, but am somewhat relieved that those files are secured at my property.
“Your phone is ringing.” Supreme Justice Philpotts points out as I watch them go from cabinet to cabinet. “I suspect it will be your wife, wondering why on earth there are so many people in suits at your house, taking files out of your office.” I gape at him.
“We went there first.” DA Foster smirks at me. “Are you okay? You have gone an extraordinary colour. Would you like use of my handkerchief to mop that suddenly sweaty brow of yours?”
MICHAEL AND LINDSAY’S HOUSE - MORNING
LINDSAY’S ROOM
LINDSAY
I haven’t seen Kevin or Fred for the last few days. In the run up to the wretched premiere, I was hoping to invite them round so they can see how Michael has been behaving since we were in Babylon and at the Diner. He has been continuously ranting about his mother marrying Carl and the fact that over the last few days, the online community has been raving about the trailer releases. I have to admire their, well I mean Brian’s ingenuity. They have released it as a mini comic book, but only the first 10 pages or something like that and they act as the tickets to the cinema.
“Lindsay, are you in there?!” Michael shouts, knocking hard on the door.
“Yes. But I’m not...Michael!” I shout and dive under the covers as he comes in and slams the door hard. “Get out, I’m not dressed!” I yell.
“I-I’m sorry! I’ll wait outside for you to…”
“You will wait downstairs!” I order and wonder where the hell my wig is!
“Yes, yes of course!” He says and I hear him turn the door handle and then sigh.
“Michael, are you still in here?” I demand.
“Um, yeah.”
“Why for fuck sake?!” I snap.
“I can’t get out. The door’s stuck.”
This is not fucking happening!
“Michael, you need to get out of here! I have to get dressed!”
“You think I want to stay in here with you naked?” He snipes. “But until such time as I can get the fucking door open, I might as well tell you what I came to tell…”
“Michael! A couple of things you need to know. One I have my period and two I am very cranky about having my period. So get that fucking door opened and yourself out of here now!”
“Are you kidding?! I thought you were too old for that now!”
“MICHAEL!” I scream.
“Okay! O-fucking-kay!” He shouts back and I hear him rattling and pulling at the door until he gives a triumphant whoop and slams out.
I turn upside down and scramble to get to the bottom of the bed then pull up the blankets. He’s definitely gone and I sigh in relief then get out of bed. Changing into my sweats, I also stop to make sure that my wig is on securely. Taking a few steadying breaths, I head downstairs.
LOUNGE
MICHAEL
I look up as she comes in and sits down. “Can I tell you now?”
“Yes.”
“Hobbs has been relentless in his visits to Boy Wonder. I have been following him around and…”
“Sorry, what? What did you say? You’ve been doing what?!” Surely not! How is he making this so fucking easy for me?!
“Following him. He went to the HQ a couple of times, then the rest of the times he was at Britin. The one thing that has surprised me is the lack of security at the place...I mean, anyone can get in.”
There is something in his tone that...
“Michael, what are you thinking?” I sit up slightly.
“Well who are we going to bring here first?”
“Gus. Why?”
“Well, I was thinking that maybe we can get him to take Gus…”
“Hobbs? Gus would never go with him; he’s knows about stranger danger. That was the first thing he was taught when he was old enough.”
“Then how are you going to get him to go with you when you look like that?” He snaps.
“He will recognise my voice. I’m his mother. Just because I look different, that means nothing.”
“True. I suppose. So what…” He pauses as suddenly, there is a pop and everything electrical shuts down.
“What the hell happened?” He shouts, leaping to his laptop. “My basket!” He shrieks.
“Basket? What basket?” I demand, joining him by the desk as he unlocks the computer.
“Some Rage Unleashed stuff has come online and I want them!” He answers sharply. “So I can sell them on later, I am determined to make some fucking money out of this!”
“Um Michael… a question. Why does it say Michael Novotny as the account holder?”
“Because that’s my name.” He replies slowly.
“And where are you having these things delivered?”
“Here, of course.”
“And are they on the official site for Rage Unleashed?”
“Ye...oh no!” He quickly deletes his account and I resist the temptation to smash the laptop over his head.
I am about to berate him some more when the door knocks. When I open it, there are Kevin and Fred both looking up the street.
“Hi, long time no see. Has your power gone out too?”
“Shit, you as well?” Kevin sighs. “We were in the middle of prepping for our late lunch and hoped to borrow an oven as well as invite you...um both, if Michael is in a good mood.” Kevin whispers the last bit and I smirk.
“Michael! Kevin and Fred want to…” I pause when I feel a tug on my hand.
“But if he doesn’t want to come, it’s fine!” He whispers, looking pleadingly at me.
“To check if we’ve got power!” I wink at him. “What time?” I whisper.
“About two. Hopefully the power will be back on by then.” He whispers back.
“See you then.” I giggle.
THREE HOURS LATER
MICHAEL
“I’ll see...oh what are you guys doing here?” I ask as I see Kevin and Fred on the doorstep.
“Hoping to borrow your oven. It looks like you’re the only one with power on this side and we’ve not introduced ourselves to the other side yet.”
“Lindsay!” I bellow. “I’ve got to go meet a friend, so enjoy. Oh word to the wise, she’s on the rag so might be a bit cranky.” He snickers just as Lindsay appears in time to hear that.
“Dude. Not cool.” Kevin retorts.
“Thank you, Kevin. It’s good to know there are some gentlemen about!” Lindsay glares at me and I wince. “Come in boys, goodbye Michael. Don’t rush back!” She snipes.
BRITIN - EVENING
LOUNGE
AGENT WARD
I AM NOT FANGIRLING! I AM NOT FANGIRLING! Pictures do not do these two justice! I am not gay, but I know gorgeous when I see it. And they are indeed gorgeous looking men! Those two little girls with them are also just darling.
“So what’s going to happen now?” Justin asks, adjusting Harper on his hip and feeding her a popsicle.
“I will be at the premiere, just skulking in the background. Make sure you look skittish and do not do what you did last time and pull faces! I almost burst out laughing when you did that!”
“He won’t be doing that again, especially if he wants to sit down for long periods.” Brian says, raising an eyebrow.
“Wants to...oh, I see. Well. Um...so we’ve arrested Judge Russo for corruption and he, like your father, is under lock and key awaiting trial and…”
“Wait. What? My father? Why would you arrest my father, let alone the judge?”
I look at Tan and he shakes his head. “Can someone take the Carummies please?” Tan calls out. “Gents, I need you to sit down and listen. Once again whipper has snapped before time!”
“Shit! I…”
The doorbell going interrupts my apology so I go an answer it and am faced with a serious looking gentleman. “And you are?”
“Dr Alex Wilder. I was asked to attend by a James Tan as a matter of urgency.”
“This way.” I lead him into the lounge. When we get in, the girls have been taken out.
“This can’t be good.” Brian mutters and sits down heavily on the sofa. Justin immediately is by his side.
“Okay, I asked Dr Wilder to come here because of your ongoing sessions with him.” James begins. “In answer to your questions, Justin, we arrested your father and the judge because of Jury Tampering and Bribery. Between your father, Chris Hobbs’ father and other people involved in the trial, they all conspired to get him as low a sentence as he could get.”
“I want to see him.” Justin remarks, taking us all off guard.
“Who?”
“Craig Taylor. I want to see him because…”
“Let me play this for you first…” James interrupts.
An hour later, the room is silent. Brian is wincing as Justin is twisting his fingers and I clear my throat to get his attention and then nod down.
“Oh sorry!” He rubs Brian’s fingers gently to ease the pain, concentrating on that before he speaks. “I don’t want to see him anymore, but I want to tell my mother and sister. And I want to be at the trial. Every. Fucking. Day!”
“Deal.” James nods. “Now before we leave you with Dr Wilder, we’ve managed to bug their house so we will know everything.”
“Good. Oh we have shown Gus the picture of them as they are now and he’s all about stranger danger. He said that since we said he can’t go with them, he won’t no matter what they say.”
“Good, that’s good.” James stands and jerks his head. “We’re going to go now. Next weekend is the premiere and then the shit starts to go down. But we will be prepared.”
“For everything?” Brian smiles and James frowns.
“Nobody will take your children, you have our word.” James asserts.
“No, that’s not what I mean, although thank you for the reassurance. But you’ve not met Ruth yet, have you?” We shake our heads. We know of her, but haven’t met her. “Let me show you what she does when she gets slapped.”
“Oh, that was funny! Damn! So you’re saying we need a containment unit?!” James laughs.
“Make that at least five.” Brian intones dryly. “She will follow one, Arno will follow the other and the rest of the family will do what they need to do. But it’s her you need to worry about the most.”
“She’s seriously not…”
“She seriously will. These are her children and she, like us, will kill to keep them safe.” Justin growls and holds his gaze.
“Understood.” James replies.