“Wall Street always did support the mayor’s policies on corporate taxation,” said Leopold. “I’m sure they’ll stand to profit from Teddy’s work. Even if everyone else has to suffer for it.”
“Like I said, not our call.” Mary looked up at Leopold, a hint of concern in her eyes. “This bothers you, doesn’t it?”
“What, the banks making cash out of everyone else’s misfortunes? I can’t say it appeals to me, no. If Teddy was right and this storm is coming, all we’re doing here is giving the financial institutions notice to dump their bad investments. It’s delaying the inevitable. And who the hell gave them the right to come out of this any better?”
“What’s the alternative?”
“If the news went public, we could recover. It might take a few years, but we’d get there. If we keep this secret and let the banks work their accounting scams, millions will lose everything. The economy will dry up and investment will move overseas. Other nations will start calling in their tabs. Entire cities will be forced to declare bankruptcy. Healthcare will be a mess. The government itself could shut down.”
Mary sighed. “It’s pointless speculating.”
“I’m not speculating. I’ve seen the numbers in the Needham accounts. If Teddy’s formula is accurate, and the DA seems to think it is, we’ve already reached the tipping point. It’s already happening.”
“Maybe it is.” Mary stood up. “And maybe it isn’t. But its not our job to make this decision. I’m taking this to the captain and then I’m going home. It’s been a long day.”
Leopold nodded. “Fine. I guess you’re right. I’m going to go home too.” He turned to leave. “Goodnight, Detective Jordan.”
“Goodnight, Mr. Blake.”
Leopold made his way to the exit. One hand thrust deep into his pocket cradled a USB drive, one that looked almost identical to the one currently in Mary’s possession. But there was one key difference. Leopold’s version wasn’t completely wiped.
He allowed himself a smile. The mayor was not going to be happy.
The glow of the computer monitors hurt Leopold’s eyes. It was past midnight and he was at home, going through the contents of the filched USB drive. The situation was worse than he had expected. Using Needham’s numbers as a starting point, the math didn’t lie. Any lingering doubts were now grim certainties.
There was a faint noise from behind and Leopold spun around in his chair. Jerome stood in the doorway to the study. He flicked on a light.
“You’ve been sitting up here in the dark for hours,” he said, stepping inside.
“I hadn’t noticed.”
“You have a visitor.”
“Let me guess...”
Jerome nodded. “Detective Jordan. She’s not happy.”
“She come alone?”
“Yes.”
“Good, then I’m probably not going to get arrested tonight. Send her up.”
“She’s waiting in the hall.”
“Then tell her to come through.” He took a deep breath. “Oh, and give us a little privacy. This might take a while.”
Jerome left. A few seconds later, Mary appeared. She looked pissed.
“Come in, take a seat,” said Leopold, gesturing toward a set of armchairs in the corner. Mary obliged.
“You were expecting me,” she said, as Leopold sat down opposite.
“I had a feeling you’d drop by, yes.”
“You switched the pen drives. When we were talking earlier—you slipped me a blank one. Give it back.”
Leopold leaned forward in his seat. “I would never do such a thing.” He smiled. “But, if I did take Teddy’s files I can assure you it would have been for noble reasons.”
“Drop the bullshit. You’ve got millions tied up in the stock market; you’re just covering your ass.”
“On the contrary. Unlike most, I choose not to keep all my eggs in one basket. Sure, I might take a hit, but the impact will be minimal, I assure you. What concerns me is the effect this is all going to have on people like you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Look, these analysts you’ve called in to help—what do you think they’re going to do once they authenticate the source? They’ll run on home to their bosses and spill their guts. The banks will dump their stock and tie up their capital somewhere else, meaning the people who invested with them stand to lose a fortune.”
“So what? I don’t invest in the stock market.”
“No, but you can bet your ass the banks that control your savings and pension do,” said Leopold. “Once they’ve been cleaned out, what do you think happens to your money? It goes right back into the pockets of the guys that screwed you over in the first place.”
Mary frowned. “My money is safe. Not that there’s much of it, but it’s safe.”
“It’s happened before,” Leopold continued. “In 1901 and again in 1929. You ever heard of The Great Depression? What about 1937, 1987, and 1989? Then again and again, every few years. And that’s just in this country. Each and every time, regular people were hit the hardest—they lost everything. This time it’s no different, except now we have a chance to warn people. Give them the ability to prepare for the inevitable, maybe make their lives a little easier. It’s not going to be pretty, but it’s a damn sight better than letting the banks have their way.”
“What were you planning on doing, Leopold?”
He sat back. “If the media got hold of this information, we’re all on equal footing. No special treatment for the banks. People can make arrangements, hopefully mitigate the impact. Maybe even keep their homes, keep their jobs.”
“And the banks?”
“They’re doomed anyway. The smart ones will bounce back, the others... well, suffice to say, there’s very little they can do about it now. Giving them access to Teddy’s work is only going to allow them to pad their directors’ wallets before the doors shut for good. You really think they deserve to be treated better than everyone else?”
“What I think doesn’t matter.”
“Yes it does, Mary. You’re a cop—it’s your job to protect the people. That means not letting the bad guys win if you can stop them. That’s what’s happening here. Are you telling me you can’t see it?”
Mary shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
“When the dust settles, the SEC is going to figure out what happened. But by the time they get enough evidence together, most of these bastards will be out of their reach. If we act now, we can at least guarantee some kind of justice.”
“But the mayor...”
“Nobody will know the source of the leak, I guarantee it. None of this will be traced back to you. Melissa Gordon will spend the rest of her life in jail for her part in this—but it’s time to cast the net wider. This is your chance to do the right thing.”
“I don’t know what the right thing is any more,” said Mary.
“You do. You know it in your gut. These people we’re talking about—they stand to make a fortune out of ruining the lives of millions. Are you going to sit back and let that happen?”
“You know, for someone with such loose morals, you’re actually not completely rotten inside,” Mary said, getting up.
“Thanks. That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me since we met.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“The mayor is expecting the micro drive with Teddy Gordon’s files by three a.m. So long as it arrives on time, I don’t think there’s anything I need to worry about.”
Leopold smiled. “I’ve got a feeling that won’t be a problem.”
“And if the media does get hold of the story, and it leaks on the national news, there really isn’t anything I can do about it, is there?”
“Good,” said Leopold. “Because I already sent the email.”
Mary opened her mouth to say something but the words never came out. She shook her head.