The End - Blackbird book 7

13. free

** Suffolk County Courthouse, Boston

"What d'you mean he was found not guilty?"

Elizabeth Bennings, the District Attorney, didn't flinch at Banks outraged question. "The evidence was considered circumstantial, so the jury let him go."

"Circumstantial?" repeated Russell, not believing his ears. "We caught him right outside the station, about to blow up the whole building!"

"That's what he said to you. Without any legal counsel and without waiving his right to it. His legal deposition was very different."

"But we found the tampered wires meant to ignite at his call!" argued Banks.

"Well, here's the trick: no explosive expert in town was able to provide a convincing explanation as to how what you found could be actually used to blow even a whistle."

"Why didn't you call Ron Bellison to the stand?" asked Russell. "He would've explained it plain and simple."

"Bellison was just out of the hospital, still on prescribed rest. Tell me about bad timing, huh."

"Wood had already used the same trick to blow up a house in Dorchester."

"Oh, that. The Fire Department and the PD Bomb Squad ruled that event as an accident. I consulted Miles and Schwarz back then, and they admitted they'd concluded it'd been intentional only a week later. And they had only their theory, no hard evidence whatsoever."

"And what about the threat email he sent?" Banks insisted.

"Even when you caught him after that, you couldn't charge him because he said he'd been paid to do it and he didn't know the content of the file he sent."

"He carried a fake ID back then," said Russell.

"C'mon, guys. If we arrested every teen with a fake ID, high schools would be empty."

Banks snorted as Russell shook his head.

"I'm sorry, guys. You know I hate letting them get away with it. But my hands were tied hard." Bennings dropped her poker face to lean in, her eyes darting from Banks to Russell and back. "So this time, bring me what I need to send that little scumbag away for good."

Back at the field office, Russell found the whole team plus Cassidy waiting for him.

"The records are correct," Russell said before they could ask any question. "He walked free. The jury thought the evidence wasn't solid enough for a conviction."

Brock walked in, with clean clothes and his hair still wet from the shower. He shot a questioning scowl at Russell when he noticed their dark faces.

"How's Reg?" asked Aldana.

"She's fine. Her son's with her. What happened?"

"Looks like the son of the heroic cop who almost blew Bellison, Gillian and you up two years ago, was never convicted for helping his dad," replied Cassidy.

"The DA's right, guys," said Fred. "This time we can't let'im get away with it."

"Well, good luck with that," said Kurt. "What little he shows of his face on the videos is not enough for a positive ID on facial recognition."

"Didn't you say it matched his mug shot?" asked Hank.

"Yeah, but only because we had another picture of him to compare with the video captures."

"Any lawyer can argue that the captures can match anybody resembling Joey," grunted Russell.

"And considering you guys already tried to prosecute him, they can argue you're picking on him 'cause he walked free the last time," said Cassidy.

"Fine. What're we gonna do?" asked Ron, hands on his hips.

"Cooper sent a detail to my place. Brian's and his girlfriend's apartments are being watched too. So no worries there," said Fred.

"Kyle Santos' home is also watched around the clock," said Russell.

"What about Wood's son?" asked Brock. "Don't we have any address to check?"

"I couldn't find anything related to him," said Tanya, grimacing.

"Marley said he lives two streets away from the Eighty-Five's corner," Aldana said.

"Did you try his mother?" asked Brock.

"On it!" replied Tanya, typing at full speed.

"And what about Wood's apartment?" Brock asked next. "I think it was in Roxbury. Isn't that near Grove Hall?"

"Yep. We should check it, just in case," said Ron.

Hank and Fred started to the door.

"Nothing on the phone yet?"

Aldana shook her head. "Still off. T and Kurt are trying to map out where Kyle's been. But it takes a lot longer without access to the phone's GPS."

"He had some incoming calls over the morning," said Kurt. "All from her mother. I was able to access the voice mail and the messages she left were to warn him not to come home 'cause the popo's on him."

"Good mom," grunted Russell.

Cassidy turned to Brock. "I gotta go back to DC now. Would you give me the ride to the hospital? I'd like to say goodbye to Gillian before I leave."

Brock managed to nod with his blankest scowl, hiding his gratitude at the Chief Section, who'd just given him the perfect excuse to show up again so soon.

They'd just left when Cooper came to the team's office. When she heard about the outcome of their conversation with the DA, she breathed deep, fists tight against her legs, and swept their faces with one of her stormy scowls. Her voice was gauged to create a sanctuary for polar bears in a rain forest.

"Get him," she said. "And this time, make damn sure no one can question his guilt." 

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Keep reading on the next episode, the series finale: BLAKCBIRD 35 - the end