Chapter 15 #2
“The local VA hospital. This was in Pennsylvania. I lost consciousness seconds after making contact with that mountain, not waking until months later.”
“Why did it take so long to go to court?” Staci asked.
“The military works in mysterious ways,” Jason said with a shake of his head. “Sometimes they work fast, sometimes they don’t.”
“I was told,” Marcia said as she looked at everyone.
“That during my recovery, I was in that VA hospital for two years going through extensive physical therapy. I was told by my JAG lawyer that it took so long for Senator Burrows to take me to court because he was dealing with the death of his son, and his divorce. This is all hearsay, but his wife blamed him for their son’s death.
Something along the lines that if he hadn’t meddled in his military career, he would still be alive.
Again, hearsay here, but the divorce was ugly.
I’m sure you can look on-line and see the headlines, it was all over the papers. ”
“Why was it ugly?” Ilsa asked.
“The money aspect of their marriage was hers. There was a prenuptial agreement and well, it got ugly. At the end, Mrs. Burrows was awarded everything. The judge upheld the prenuptial, that was the biggest thing the Senator was fighting, saying that it shouldn’t matter after being married for as long as they were.
I’m talking about their four houses, one there in DC, which was actually in Virginia, one in Florida, one in The Hamptons, and the brand-new mansion that took five years and millions of dollars to build in Arizona.
That was their winter residence. Along with the homes, she got all the cars, and the bank accounts, leaving Senior destitute.
Again, hearsay here, but whatever he purchased using her family money, she was able to recoup.
He was able to keep the small apartment he kept on the side for his affairs.
” She shrugged when everyone in the room whistled.
“That was the only piece of property in his name and there was proof that he used his money for it, not hers. During this time, I don’t know how this works, but he was either fired, or asked to step down, or suspended from being a Senator until the investigation was completed about his interference in threatening the United States Army. ”
“Why the Army?” Staci asked.
“The National Guard is an extension of the Army.”
At her frown, Lloyd explained, “The same as the SEALs are a team of Navy personnel.”
“Ah, got it. I won’t get into it, but I’m sure all branches of the military have these special or elite groups?”
“Yes.”
“Got it,” she said as she turned back to Jason. “So, the professors are saying that this disgraced senator is their source of new information? Are they saying that they received this man’s approval while he was sitting in jail?”
“Yes, but I don’t know about the jail part, at least not yet.
I called this meeting today in order to learn from the horse’s mouth what happened.
Our defense will be that they are lying through their teeth, and if they want to kill us with paperwork, like they did in your previous case, then I can do the same thing.
However, my evidence will be former cases brought before a judge.
Marcia’s case, the divorce of the Senator, his case where he was thrown in jail after physically and verbally attacking Marcia at the court house, his arrest, statements from the Warden, as well as his prison records proving when he arrived. ”
Staci sat back with a grin on her face. “Damn, I like how you think.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll testify,” Jake said into the silence.
“Why?” Jason asked with a scowl.
“Staci made a new leg for me. I can testify when I saw her, where I saw her, and our correspondence about her working on my leg.”
“Before I confirm or deny, where were you when you talked to her initially?”
“Phoenix. She was at a military expo, I still have the flyer at home. I only stopped in on a whim, I was wasting time before I had to meet my wife. I was just walking around, I had to stop to rub my leg because my previous prosthetic was rubbing me wrong. Staci approached and asked if she could look at it. In her booth, she had me remove it, and she adjusted it, then we talked about how she could make me a new one. We decided to meet the next day, and I commissioned her to make me a new one. It took a year, but I figured if it was going to be as good as she said, then I could wait.”
“And was it?” Ilsa asked. “Was it as good as she promised?”
“Better.” Jake grinned as he held his leg out and pointed his toes. “That’s the prosthetic, I couldn’t do that with the old one.”
“Were the professors around?”
“No, Staci was all by herself, and said as much. That’s why it would take a year to make it, because she worked alone.”
“When was this?”
“Two years ago?” Jake scowled as he looked at Staci. “I’ll have to dig up that expo flyer.”
“Thank you, I’d like to see it and any correspondence between the two of you. This doesn’t matter, but how did you receive the finished leg?”
“Caleb Lassiter brought it to me the day before he started working over at Broken Two. He said he had been helping Staci with it.”
Jason nodded in satisfaction. He looked at Staci. “If you know of anyone else that you helped could you get me their contact information?”
“I’ll have to check my files, but wouldn’t there be a doctor- patient confidentially clause?”
“There could be, but I will reach out to them and briefly explain what the professors are trying to do to you. If you acted alone with them, like you did with Jake, then I’m hoping they’ll step up to the plate and testify on your behalf.
I’m not saying we’ll need it, not with all the other information I’ll be presenting, but it wouldn’t hurt to have more than we’ll need. ”
“I only have one more question,” Staci said into the silence that followed his statement.
“What’s that?”
“Will this take place in Seattle? The court case?”
“Yes, because the injunction was filed there. I’ve been working with Paula and she’s been keeping me abreast of what’s going on.” He turned to Duane and Jake. “Are the two of you still doing background checks on the professors?”
“We are, I’ve reached out to my boss, Hank Patterson, and he’s helping.”
Jason only grinned and nodded. “Good.”
The meeting broke up after that, and on the way back to Staci’s cabin, both she and Tony were quiet, lost in their own thoughts.