"As the lead detective in the case, I got to know her pretty good. The trial was real tough on her, she couldn't remember much of anything, but these fuckers would turn around and grin and leer at her whenever the jury was out of the room. She became more and more withdrawn until I don't think she cared what happened in the courtroom. Her husband, a real good guy, tried to stay by her, but she pushed him away and for a while wouldn't even see her kid.
"After the trial, I hoped she'd start to come around and for a while it looked like she might-she wouldn't go home, but she started seeing her daughter on weekends. That is until the day she took the kid, Rhiannon was her name, down by the pier, and while the kid was playing in the sand, Liz swallowed a bottle of Valium. Someone saw the little girl crying next to the woman who wasn't moving; otherwise Liz might have finished the job for the Coney Island Four. As it was, her husband divorced her and got full custody of the little girl. I hear he's living in Colorado or someplace like that now."
Torrisi looked up at Karp, who saw the tears glistening in the man's eyes. "Anyway, Butch, we got those guys fair and square and nailed their asses to the wall. Now they're going to get away with murder-maybe not in the traditional sense but they took Liz Tyler's life that morning as surely as if they'd killed her right then and there."
"What about Villalobos?" Kipman asked.
Torrisi nodded. "We always knew there was a sixth man. The DNA on the sweatshirt didn't match any of the five other guys. But we didn't try to keep it a secret. The ADAS-Robin Repass and Pam Russell-turned over the test results with all the rest of the exculpatory evidence to the defense. During the trial, the defense even tried to argue that the "missing man" did it all. Our argument was that just because we didn't have the sixth guy, it didn't mean the other five weren't guilty as sin. But thank God, we had the confessions videotaped. The jury only deliberated for less than two hours-a lot of it, from what I understand, taken up just filling out the paperwork on all the counts. Now, here we are only twelve years and change later and these guys have been set free based on a lie. And to pour salt on the wound, they may win a couple million dollars or so that could have been used for more cops and safer streets from the likes of these pieces of shit, excuse my French."
Karp waited a moment to make sure that Torrisi was done. "Okay. Sounds like the city has a defense…the best defense…the truth," he said. "But you didn't call me down here to hear what you already know. What else can I do for you?"
Torrisi looked at Denton, who picked up the thread of the conversation. "Actually, we'd like you to do a bit more than that. The reason I asked Dick to spell out the whole story was I was hoping it would persuade you to agree to a favor I'm asking. I'd like you to look over all the evidence, draw your own conclusions, and if you agree that Dick was straight with you regarding this case, I'd like you to represent the city in this lawsuit."
For a long moment the only sound in the office was the clanging of the old radiator that heated the room. Then Karp let out his breath and leaned forward. "Let's just suppose that even if there was nothing preventing the district attorney for Manhattan-whose responsibility it is to prosecute criminal cases, not represent the city in civil lawsuits-you have Corporation Counsel Sam Lindahl, who is paid to represent the city. He seems to be a competent attorney."
Denton shook his head. "He doesn't work for me yet, and I believe that Lindahl is going to recommend a settlement before I'm sworn in. What's more, I don't like him, I don't trust him, and I look forward to getting rid of him and appointing my own man as soon as I'm official. But that may be too late. I want to fight this case-not just to save taxpayers the money but in the interests of justice. I think I can pull some strings with the outgoing mayor to stall any attempts to have the city agree to a settlement, but the trial is set for late January, so we'll be under the gun to be ready after I toss Lindahl out on his ass."
Torrisi added, "Maybe he senses his time is about up, but it still doesn't explain why Lindahl has been in such a big hurry to move this toward a settlement. What's more-I'm, by the way, here without the knowledge or approval of my PBA bosses-for some reason the union and the NYPD brass, especially those in internal affairs, seem to have decided to let the officers and detectives involved in the case take the fall without a fight. The guys who are still on the force have been suspended, though officially they're calling it 'administrative leave.' And, of course, Robin and Pam are already being lined up for the firing squad."
Karp interrupted, "If you're planning on stalling for your swearing-in anyway, why not have your own Corporation Counsel take the case?"
"Fair question," Denton said. "I have a great guy to step in as Corporation Counsel, Brad Bradberry, good ol' Georgia boy who came to the big city. Great civil attorney, but the way I see it, this is going to be a repeat of the criminal trial, so I want the best prosecutor I can find. You. And to be honest, we're taking a lot of hits in the public relations campaign from Hugh Louis-all the press has been one-sided-and if we're going to find a jury that isn't ready to open the city coffers and make millionaires out of rapists, we need to trot out our own big cannon…someone whose name will at least give us a chance of finding an open-minded jury."
"Well, it's all very interesting," Karp admitted. "And I appreciate the votes of confidence. If what you say is true, and I believe it is, it really burns me to think these pieces of crap are going to be paid for what they did. But even if I wanted to, I don't think I could legally take on a civil case while I'm the sitting district attorney."
Karp noticed how Denton and Torrisi turned to look at Kipman. Aha, he thought, et tu Brute, a plot!
Kipman looked at him and quickly up at the ceiling. "Ahem, well, Butch," he said, reaching up to adjust the half-moon reading glasses on his nose. "Apparently, you can. We…um, I, did a little research and, um, apparently the governor has the authority to appoint you as special counsel in this matter. It seems that because you were appointed by him to replace Keegan, rather than elected, he can also appoint you as special counsel on this case. Officially, as the interim DA, you are working at his pleasure, not the electorate's."
Karp couldn't help but be amused by Kipman's unusual discomfiture. "So Harry," he rubbed it in, "apparently you've been plotting behind my back? I thought you said you didn't know what this was about?"
Kipman swallowed hard, his Ichabod-like Adam's apple bobbing in his throat, but he nodded and adjusted his glasses again. "Well, um, technically what I said was that I got a call from the mayor who said you would be present and that he wanted to talk to us, which was the truth. But ah, yes, I've had a previous conversation or two with Mr. Denton and Mr. Torrisi and, um, it's a no-brainer that you are the best man for this job, and they enlisted me in their, um, well, I guess you could call it a plot."
Denton chuckled. "Don't blame him, Butch. I've known Harry for a long time and knew that if there was some legal way to do this, he'd know about it or could find it. I approached him and asked him to look into this possibility because I knew you might not believe me or Dick. But I also swore him to secrecy until you and I could get together without the press being around to wonder what the DA and mayor-elect were discussing with one of the former detectives involved in this case."
The room fell quiet again. Karp gazed up at the ceiling; Torrisi stood near the window looking at the gray day outside; Denton kept his eyes on Karp; Kipman stared at his fingernails again. At last Karp sat up, but he shook his head. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I don't think you need me, and my job is prosecuting criminals for the people of New York City."