Big Lake 08-Big Lake Reckoning by Russell Nick

Author:Russell, Nick [Russell, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Suspense, American Suspense, Police Procedural, Crime Thriller, Murder Investigation, Arizona
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2015-08-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

Alejandro Padilla and the two Federal attorneys, along with the FBI and U.S. Marshal, were waiting for Weber when he arrived at the Sheriff's Office at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, along with the attorneys for Roland Hillard and Cutter Irwin. But before he could make it inside, he first had to run a gauntlet of news crews.

"Sheriff Weber, is there any truth to the rumor that all charges against the three defendants in the ski lodge rape case have been dropped?"

"Sheriff, was this case a total fabrication, as has been suggested by some?"

"No comment," Weber said.

"Can you tell us why the FBI and the U.S. Marshal's Service are here, Sheriff? Is their presence related to this case?"

"Sheriff, is the Justice Department investigating your actions at Cat Mountain?"

"Did you violate the rights of the defendants in this case?"

Weber made his way inside, where he was immediately deluged with demands from every direction for the release of all three prisoners.

"You have no case," Alejandro Padilla told him. "The Attorney General is in a meeting with State Supreme Court Justice Susan Widmeyer at this time. Since Ms. Tunrow has issued a statement through her attorney that whatever may have happened to her was consensual, Justice Widmeyer will be issuing an order to release the defendants immediately."

"Sheriff Weber, please be aware that my client intends to file an unlawful arrest charge against you personally, and you can expect to be served later today."

"What, Mr. Powell? The Hillard's don't have enough money already?"

"It's not about money, Sheriff, it's about principle."

"It's funny how whenever somebody says anything about principle, it always leads to money," Weber said.

Before Powell could respond, Padilla's cell phone rang. He answered, listened a moment, then said, "Okay, will do," and hung up.

"Sheriff, that was Attorney General Draper. Justice Widmeyer has just issued an order for the immediate release of all three defendants. You should be getting a fax stating so any minute now." He turned to Bradley Powell and William Lynch with a satisfied smile on his face and said, "Gentlemen, I think we should go out and make an announcement to the media."

As they went out the door to share the spotlight, Celeste Cartwright said, "You might as well start cleaning out your desk, Sheriff Weber. You're done in this town."

***

It only took them half an hour to do it, but Weber had to admit that they put on a good show. In a hastily organized news conference in the Town Council chambers, Padilla made the formal announcement that after careful scrutiny of the case, including a sworn statement by the alleged victim that she had consented to the activities at Cat Mountain Ski Resort, the Attorney General's office had determined that no crime had taken place. Attorney General Matthew Draper, himself, had requested and received an order from State Supreme Court Justice Susan Widmeyer for the immediate release of the prisoners. Padilla went on to say that the State of Arizona was dismayed at the actions of the Big Lake Sheriff's Office and intended to launch an investigation into Sheriff Weber's actions.

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