CHAPTER 47: AND STILL HE BELIEVES ALL WILL BE FINE

INTERVIEW ROOM

BIRCH

I look carefully at Novotny; yeah he’s going to be a pain in my ass!  He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t think what he’s done is wrong and if it is wrong, it’s totally justifiable!

“So explain how all of this happened?”  I lean back in the chair and look at him.  “Let’s start with the insurance policy fraud.”

He shifts in his seat.  “It wasn’t fraud.  I genuinely thought I was doing no…”

I snort and shake my head.  “Novotny, piece of advice, don’t lie to your lawyer.  I’m on your side and it is my job to keep you out of jail or at least for the minimum amount of time.  So start again.”

He narrows his eyes at me.  “Ben got sick and we agreed that should he be incapacitated then policies would be cashed in to pay for medical bills…”

I nod.  “Yes I have a statement to that effect from your ex-husband.  But how did he sign it when medical records show that he was sedated and also explain the affair you had with Kier Rollins, who coincidentally processed the claim.  Before you start to deny this, I have a sworn affidavit from him. He’s reached a deal with the prosecution…”

“Kier!  What do you mean deal?”

“He’s thrown you under the bus.  You are swinging on your own with this.”

He goes pale.  “Can I plead emotional distress or migrating circumstances?”

“Migrating?  Oh you mean mitigating.  Well that would be down to the psychologist, who will be evaluating you.”  He looks surprised.  “The prosecution suspected you would go down this route so…”

He slumps back in his seat.  “So how much does he know?  Ben, I mean?”

“Seriously? You're serious with that question right now?  You are here, so I’m going to go with everything!”  

“How did he find out?  And what’s this bullshit about theft?”  He’s starting to bluster.

“Your collectibles.”  He looks confused.  “You entered into an agreement with Talon Kho whereby you would repay the money you owe her by the 20 December or the collection would be forfeit.  They wondered why you insisted on keeping your collection wanting to get the money from any other means, so they had it appraised.  Turns out it’s a small world out there. The person who was appraising it was the same person who you bought the 1989 Batmobile from…not only did you pay him over five grand more than he paid for it but you also mentioned that your husband had died and here we are.  By the way, the car has been impounded.”

“What do you mean impounded?!  They can’t do that!”

“Uh yes they can.  Everything that was in the garage registered to ‘Astro Ladd’ has been impounded and won’t be released to the rightful owners until after the trial…”

“Rightful owners?” He gasps. “Wait... what do you mean everything?”

“All the stuff you stole.  That’s the theft part.  And…”

“I never gave permission for them to gain access to my things!”  He shrieks like some whiny two year old.

“First they’re aren’t your things.  And secondly, they don’t need it.  If there is probable cause of criminal activity, the owner has the right and duty to open it up.”

“I am the owner!”  He’s getting to a pitch that the dogs are starting to bark.

“No you are the renter, the person who owns the garage is…”

“Caleb Rudyard!  Well I will expect you to contact him and to sue him for breach of…”

“Two things.  One, I’m a criminal lawyer; I don’t handle civil cases.  And, two, whilst Rudyard Garages have retained their name, the ownership has changed.  It now belongs to...oh you have got to be kidding me?”  I chuckle, as I find the relevant piece of paper.

“Who?!  What’s so fucking funny?!  I want their name and contact details! Once I’ve finished here, I shall launch a civil suit!”

“Hunter Stark is the new owner of Rudyard Garages. He also goes by the name Hunter Bruckner, who you stole from.”  His jaw is almost on the floor.  “Took possession of it just before Thanksgiving.”

“Zaden! Fucking Zaden has done this!”  He hisses.  

“Zaden? Who’s Zaden? An accomplice that we should have arrested?”  I slide the pen and pad towards him.  “Write down their last known address.”

“No she’s his mother, by marriage!  She most probably gave him the money to buy it.”  

“I see.”  I turn over the next page of the charge sheet.  “So onto the thefts, let’s start with Debbie Horvath nee Novotny, who would be your?”

“Mother.  And she won’t press charges since I’m her son... her true son!  Besides, the stuff I was looking after would’ve come to me eventually and…”

Ah here’s the justification part.  “Well unless she gave you permission to take these...”  I show him the photos and he barely glances at them, “...ahead of her death, its theft.  And according to her statement, she wants you prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, as she categorically denies giving you any permission to take anything.”

His expression goes from incredulous to furious.  “Well, I’m going to speak to her when I get out and change her mind!”  He crosses his arms over his chest, a mutinous expression on his face. Hmm… petulant five-year old much? I continue, refusing to be deterred by his tantrum.

“Now we come to the property of Brian Taylor-Kinney and Justin Taylor-Kinney, formerly Kinney and Taylor respectively…”

“Brian is a Kinney!  There is no Taylor in his surname…”

“According to the marriage license, there is and that’s the only thing that matters.”  I cock my head to one side and assess him.  “Nice try Novotny, but you’re going to have to do better…”

“Better at what?”  He shifts in his seat and looks away.

‘Yeah a lot better.”  I smirk.  “Anyway with regards to their property, again the fullest extent of the law is the general gist of their statement and…”

“Their?  Don’t you mean Boy Wonder’s?”  He sneers.  “Brian wouldn’t do this to…”

“You keep saying that nobody would but their statements read differently.  I read up on you on my way here, hence the delay.  Your reputation has preceded you.  You are the human equivalent of anthraxacide, according to my clerk…”

“What?”  He snaps.  

“A combination of anthrax and cyanide.”  I smile at the memory of the conversation.  “But I like a challenge, so here we are.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”  He growls.

“Nobody wanted to represent you.”  I tell him bluntly.  “I decided to see how bad you are, and you’re really bad.  I’ve met murderers and even one serial killer that I can recall who has more remorse than you.”

He sits up straight.  “Well do your fucking job and get me out of here!  I have people to talk to.”

“Not going to happen. You are remanded in prison, as the judge said, until the trial starts and…”

“Speaking of judges, what the fuck is that woman doing here?”

“Meriam Maatje is part of the prosecution team and…”

“But she’s a judge and a biased one at that!”

I press my finger to my third eye and take calming breaths.  “You realise that people don’t just become judges? You have to go to law school first.  So she’s a lawyer as well, and she would’ve had to get special dispensation to be on the team.”

“Bullshit! You’re my lawyer! You get me out of here and that fucking uppity bitch off this farce of a case!” Again, he folds his arms and the mutinous look has returned.

“Wow, just wow. I would suggest you moderate your tone in court. Now, onto the next question. Why did you take the things from the Taylor-Kinneys?”

His face darkens.  “Like what?”  

I place the photos in front of him, starting with the stuff that Brian Taylor-Kinney said were from his childhood.  

“Keepsakes and mementoes. He’s most probably forgotten that he gave them to me.”  He shrugs, dismissively.

“These were from the robbery at Brian’s loft at the start of the relationship between himself and Justin.”

“Impossible.  Once again he gave them to me as they were last season at the time.”  He pauses and looks at the picture again and smiles.  “I remember this now. It always makes me laugh. He thought I could have it adjusted to fit me but I never got around to it.”

“Lies. You are telling lies!  These were taken during the robbery and the reason I know this is because they were on his insurance claim form, a copy of which has been entered in as evidence.  As you well know, Brian is a very meticulous man.”

His face twitches in an effort to control his temper.  

“Remember Mr Novotny, I am on your side.  These are the questions they will ask and you have to have plausible answers. So far, you haven’t come up with one!”  

I take another calming breath.  “Now this pad.  This contains the original drawings of Rage, a comic that you and Justin created until he bought you out of it.  You signed a sworn statement that you had returned all documentation and drawings related to this.  So can you explain why you still have it?  That, by the way, is fraud and attempted deception.”

“I thought it was mine.”

“Of course you did.”  I sigh, getting very exasperated with this man’s arrogance and continued sense of entitlement.  

I show him the picture of the watch.  “How did you come by this watch?  It was a gift from Ben to your then son Hunter and he thought he’d lost it.  And you, not Ben, punished him for his carelessness.  How did it end up in your possession?”

He smirks and then nods.  “Yes, I’m sorry that I had to punish him for it but…”

“You forgot you had it.”  I finish for him.  “And when they ask you that in court, try not to look so pleased with yourself.”

Now this is the really unpleasant bit.  “And this rather disturbing and very personal item.  Can you explain how this came to be in your possession?”

I show him the picture of the scarf and again he looks very proud of himself, before the mask slips back into place and he sighs sadly.

“Brian gave this to me because he wanted me to dispose of it after he and…”  He takes a steadying breath.  “I can’t believe it was still there.  It must have gotten caught up in the other stuff. It was a very traumatic episode in in Brian’s life.”  He looks mournfully at me.  “I don’t even know why Brian still had it and…”

“Did he give it to you like this?  Just the scarf by itself?”

“Yes he did.”

“Very strange.  You say he gave it to you as per the picture.  But when it was found, it had press clippings with it, was in a clear plastic wallet underneath the pad as if you were preserving it.  Care to explain?”

The ticking of his jaw is more pronounced.   “I obviously…”

“Why wasn’t the garage registered in your correct name?  Who is Astro Ladd?”

“I have my reasons.”  He replies, brusquely.  “Which are private.”

“Gotta do better than my reasons are private.”  

“Is there much more of this? I have to get out of here despite what you said earlier.”

“The only way you are getting out of here is if you make bail.  And you won’t make bail because everything that you own of monetary value is either in the possession of the court or your creditors.  Unless of course you happen to have half a million dollars lying around that nobody is aware of.”  

I am done with this poor excuse for a human being.

“I’m allowed a phone call.  And I haven’t placed it yet.  I want to do it now.”

“Who are you going to call?”  I have a feeling I know who he’s going to say and I’m not wrong.

“Brian! Of course once I explain this misunderstanding, he’ll put up the bail money. He always comes through for me. Unless Boy Wonder tries to stop him as per fucking usual!” He mumbles under his breath but I can’t make out what he says. Best to disabuse him of his false notions about calling Brian now… or anyone else for that matter.

“You can’t call Brian.  Nor can you call anyone who you associated with whilst you lived in Pittsburgh up until the time you moved to Canada.  They have placed restraining orders on you barring contact in any shape, way or form.”

“WHAT!!”   He springs up but is immediately pushed back down.

“Do that again and you go straight back to your cell!”  The guard growls.

“You might as well take me back there.  This guy is next to fucking useless!  I shall get another lawyer, Mr Burke. Your services are no longer required.”

I nod at the guard and he escorts him back out.  Two minutes later, the door opens again.

“What do you think?”  I ask Jermaine Stewart, a psychologist of some renown.

“You’re sure he didn’t realise that I was there?”

‘Absolutely not.”  I confirm.

“In my medical opinion, there is absolutely nothing psychologically or emotionally wrong with Michael Charles Novotny. He’s lying about why he has everything that he had in his possession, of course.  But he’s more than aware that he should not have them.  But that still rules out a defence such as kleptomania since he went to great lengths to hide those things and reaped emotional rewards in the intentional trauma he caused those around him.  A klepto doesn’t habitually steal for those reasons. In fact there is no thought or regard given to the emotional stress of their actions or any type of financial gain. Therefore, I would recommend that his lawyer tries to come up with a deal because that man is going down for a long time.”

I switch off the recording and sigh.

“Personal opinion?”  I ask as we head for some much needed fresh air.

“A malignant narcissist, who believes that he’s able to get away with everything by playing dumb and innocent or trying to be super-smart, therefore fooling everyone into believing what he wants them to believe; a psychological need for power or in his more immediate case, a sense grandiosity or self-importance, if you will.  However, he doesn’t have enough of the core characteristics that would make Michael Novotny a mental impairment case.  So in layman’s terms, I would go with he’s an unmitigated, repugnant, unrepentant cunt of a man!  Especially over the scarf... just beyond creepy!”