Jail Cell Love Affair - 14. A Trip, a Mountain, and a Reprimand

When Kirsten came in the next morning, Fred told her about the task Sebastian requested. At first, she didn't believe him. Once he showed her the order from the A.C., she did, but was not happy about it.

"Should I just start from eight years ago and pull the files for all of his losses? Maybe quarterly?"

"Can you get a count first, see what kind of effort we're looking at?"

"Sure."

"If it's too big a task, Sebastian will throw more bodies at it."

"Any qualifiers? Felonies only, anything like that?"

"Not exactly. What I'd love to be able to do is start with the clients that have the most time remaining on their sentences. We can definitely de-prioritize those who have already been released."

"Just ones that went to trial, or plea bargains too? Death penalty cases?"

"All. Put any death penalty cases in the first group, regardless of length of sentence. If there are more than one, order them by nearest execution date. Finally, I would hope most of the plea bargains really were guilty."

"Okay, let me pull some numbers, see what we're looking at."

While Kirsten was busy with that, Fred made copies of the orders he would leave at the prison, made four separate folders, two for Winters, and two for himself. He then called Rosharon.

"Rosharon Correctional Facility, Janice speaking. How may I direct your call?"

"Hello Janice. This is Fred Jamers of Lyons, Martin, and Gold. I need to start the process on getting two prisoners their release. Can you tell me where I'd start?"

"I'd say at the top. Warden Winters is in a D-O-C staff meeting until around eleven o'clock. I can put you on his calendar for eleven."

"That would be great. Since it's still almost two hours away, can we make it in person?"

"Of course. If you'll give me the prisoners names, I'll give the Warden a head's up."

"Great, let's do that. Burton Madison Wallingford Junior, and Missouri St. Louis."

"I'll let him know. We'll see you at eleven."

"Thanks."

Kirsten returned with some data.

"Okay, in just under eight years, Silas handled one hundred and ninety-six cases. The average conviction rate in Texas is seventy-one percent. That rate when Silas was the attorney was seventy-eight percent. So, he lost one hundred and fifty-three cases."

"Ouch. Wait, so seven percent worse than average?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Seven percent just happens to be the percentage of people who identify as LGBT in the U.S."

"Maybe that's just a coincidence. Anyway, most of those were misdemeanors, and half of those, the sentence has been completely served. Eighty-six clients are still serving time. Another half of the misdemeanors have approximately a year or less to go. So the number that are still serving sentences with over a year to go is fifty-seven. Only one capital murder case. Discounting your two pending releases, there are fifty-five to potentially work on first."

"Wow. So, if we look at one case per day, we're talking two and a half months."

"Yeah, but I'd be more conservative and say one case every two or three days, due to other caseloads."

"True. Okay, say one every three days. The A.C. wants quarterly updates. One hundred and sixty-five business days is seven and a half months. Rounding down to be a little more conservative, that's reviewing twenty every quarter. That doesn't sound too bad."

"I guess not."

"We need to show progress, we don't need to be done in one quarter. Okay. Get me a list sorted by time remaining and pull roughly a month's worth, the first seven now."

"So, a full list, plus the seven of his losses with the most time remaining to be served."

"Exactly."

"I'm on it."

"Thanks Kirsten. I'll be heading to Rosharon shortly to set two men free. If you can let Sebastian know what we're looking at, copying Karter and Conrad, and leave the top seven on my desk, I'll start with those later."

"You got it."

Fred stopped by Sebastian's office to ask Cheryl about the rental car. She handed him the keys and rental agreement. Then it was off to Rosharon. Nice, a white Yukon. He'd get there around ten-forty if the traffic was with him. Being a Tuesday morning, he wasn't expecting any delays. Checking in at the visitor's entrance, Fred went through the normal routine. Metal detector, briefcase search, and pat-down. He was finally on his way to the Warden's office. He'd have a ten-minute wait if the Warden was on time.

After walking into the Warden's outer office, "Hi, I have an eleven o'clock appointment with Warden Winters."

"Yes, hello Mr. Jamers. He's off the call, I'll let him know you're here."

The Warden made Fred wait until eleven-oh-four before he asked him to come in.

"Hello again, Mr. Jamers. I see you landed on your feet pretty well after your stay here."

"Yes. I suppose I got lucky and found the right job."

"Good for you. You have some paperwork for me, I assume?"

"That I do."

Fred handed the Warden the two original files. The Warden took a few minutes to review them, initially focusing on Wallingford's paperwork.

"I'll have Janice make copies for you, unless you've already done that?"

"I have."

"I think we'll go with the rich boy first, Wallingford."

Fred nodded, it's exactly what he was expecting. No way was Winters going to give Fred the satisfaction of dealing with Mo first. Winters picked up his phone and punched a few numbers, "Janice, have Mr. Faines retrieve Mr. Wallingford and bring him here. He can leave his belongings out there."

"Yes sir."

Five minutes later, Burton is brought into the Warden's office. Smiling, he says, "Hello, Warden Winters. Hello, Fred."

Fred nods as the Warden speaks, "Hello, Mr. Wallingford. Apparently, today is your lucky day."

"I'd have to agree. I knew I'd be getting an update this week, but a release is an extremely pleasant surprise."

"Yes. Well, everything is in order. Let me be the first to apologize to you from the state of Texas for its mistake."

"Yeah, thanks, I guess."

"Mr. Faines, take him to one of the min-sec holding cells until I'm finished with Mr. Jamers, and then return here."

Faines went bug-eyed, "I thought he looked familiar." Without hiding his sarcasm, "You clean up nice, Jamers. Follow me, Mr. Wallingford."

The Warden took another look at the paperwork, this time checking St. Louis'. A few minutes later, Faines returned, but the Warden sent him right back out to retrieve Mo. After yet another wait of a few minutes, Faines returned with Mo.

The Warden repeated his greeting to Mo, changing only the name, "Hello, Mr. St. Louis. Apparently, today is your lucky day."

"Apparently so."

"Yes. Well, everything is in order. Let me be the first to apologize to you from the state of Texas for its mistake."

Mo didn't hold back on the sarcasm, "How nice of you."

"Mr. Faines, take him to one of the min-sec holding cells until I'm once again finished with Mr. Jamers."

Mo and Faines left. He addressed Fred again, "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I don't like watching convicted felons walk out of here before they're supposed to. Were their releases based on some technicality, or are they really not guilty?"

"I respect your opinion; I didn't take it badly. They are both truly innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted."

"Amazing. Three in the span of a few weeks, when usually it's years between occurrences."

"I hope to make it four or more."

The Warden raised his eyebrows and jerked his head back, "Four?"

"Yes. I took over the case for four more gentlemen. One of which I feel fairly comfortable about his chances at appeal. That one would possibly be a reduced sentence. The Appellate Court has tasked me with looking into all my predecessor's cases for mistakes that have been followed by Texas's mistake of incarcerating the wrong man. This may turn into a fairly regular meeting between us."

"As long as everything is above board, I look forward to correcting those mistakes. I'm not an unreasonable man."

"I know that, Warden."

"Very well. I have other duties to attend to. I assume you can find your way back to min-sec?"

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you."

"Thank you too."

Fred left, thinking to himself, 'Not unreasonable? Ha, that's a fucking joke.'

When he got to min-sec, the guard there, who he had met while a resident here, Mr. Glank, pointed at the two adjacent rooms where his clients were held. "Just knock when they're each ready."

"Will do. Which is which?"

"Mr. Silver Spoon up his butt is in room 1."

Shaking his head, Fred simply said, "Thanks."

After retrieving both men, each dressed once again in street clothes, they received the rest of their stored personal effects. Then they stepped outside the prison walls for the first time in five years in Mo's case, a few months in Burton's.

Burton spoke first, "Wow, two of us. You're a magician, Fred. I could kiss you, but I heard the rumors, so I won't, in case they're true."

"Rumors?"

"Yeah, um, you and Mo here were an item while you were on the inside."

Fred looked at Mo, who gave a nearly imperceptible nod, "Yes, the rumors are true. But you're both free because you're innocent of the crimes you were accused of."

"Oh, I didn't mean somehow you got special treatment for Mo. I..."

Mo interrupted, "It's cool Burt. I'd just wish it was only me, so I could thank Fred properly right away."

Fred winked at Mo and whispered, "Tonight."

They got into the Yukon and headed back toward La Marque, stopping in Santa Fe, where Fred's apartment was. Fred invited Burton to come along while he showed Mo where everything was. Until they were just about ready to leave, that is.

"If you wouldn't mind waiting in the hall, Burton, I'd like to say so long to Mo."

With a big grin, "Yeah, I get it. Just don't take forever, hehe."

"Funny. We won't."

Burton stepped out the door, and Mo picked Fred up and planted a big wet one on his lips. "Thanks for bringing me here. I can't wait until later."

"Me neither. Help yourself to anything in the fridge or cabinets, and I'll be home as early as I can. I love you Mo."

"I love you too, Fred."

Fred left a hundred dollars and the spare key with Mo, just in case. He retrieved Burt from the hallway, telling him that his father should be at the firm sometime later today, if he wasn't already there. Then they were back on their way to LMG's offices.

Wallingford Senior was indeed already at the building, waiting in Conrad's office. He gave both his son and Fred a big hug.

Smiling at Fred, "You can't imagine how grateful I am to have my son back. I really didn't want to sue the firm for malpractice, but if you had lost the appeal, that would have come to pass."

"I'm happy too." With a big grin on his face, "I get to keep my job."

"Conrad tells me you've been tasked to perform the same miracle for over fifty other clients who may have been screwed by Silas fucking Thompson."

"That's true. I have my work cut out for me. I don't know if Mr. DeVore mentioned it, Mr. Lyons; but Mr. Wallingford, Silas F. Thompson is facing a disbarment hearing."

Actually pumping his fist, Burton said, "Really? Good for the Appellate Court."

Clenching his fists, through gritted teeth, Conrad grumbled, "No, Sebastian failed to mention that."

Wallingford was anxious to get his son home, "I'll leave you to your work. Again, a million thanks Fred."

It actually turned out to be twenty thousand thanks. All in the form of pre-tax dollar bills in Fred's next paycheck, courtesy one Burton Madison Wallingford, Senior.

After Burton left, Conrad asked, "Do you have the orders from the A.C.?"

Fred opened his briefcase, "Yes, here they are."

Conrad took a moment to review the document, then said, "I'm happy you won for Mr. Wallingford. I can't say I'm happy the court saddled us with reviewing all those cases. I was hoping to put you on something more important, but it appears you'll be tied up for the foreseeable future."

"I'm sure I'll have cycles left. The A.C. wanted quarterly updates, so I wasn't planning on spending all my time on this. Kirsten and I figured getting through one case every three days would be sufficient progress. I suspect most of the plea bargains will be straightforward."

"Hmmm. Yes, I think that's a good way to go. Nice way of interpreting their, ahem, request. I need to speak with Sebastian and Karter about something, so get started on this activity and I'll grab you when we're ready to give you something else."

"Will do, Conrad. Thanks."

Next on Conrad's agenda was reaming DeVore a new asshole. "Stephanie, can you ask Sebastian to come see me?"

"Yes sir."

A few minutes later, Sebastian knocks on Conrad's door. "Come in Mr. DeVore."

Sebastian's shoulders drooped when Conrad used his last name.

"Take a seat."

"Yes, sir."

"I'm very disappointed in you Sebastian, for three reasons. First, for hiring that schmuck in the first place. You apparently didn't verify his history very well. Would you agree?"

"Yes. I suppose I should have been suspicious of his apparently elevated success rate."

"I got the report from Kirsten earlier too, apparently his success rate here was quite a bit off from the norm. Did you know that?"

Sebastian's shoes suddenly became of huge interest to him. "No sir."

"I thought not. Lastly, I understand your summary of yesterday's hearing was incomplete."

"Sir?"

"Thompson will have a disbarment hearing?"

"Oh. Yes sir. I'm sorry I failed to mention that."

"I don't believe that was an accident." Conrad said, raising his eyebrows.

"No sir, it wasn't."

"I don't think I need to ask why. Am I correct?"

"No sir."

"The firm can ill afford to be reviewing dozens of cases previously believed to be complete. This decision leaves us short-handed, but I don't believe I have a choice. Otherwise, your work has been exemplary, so I will provide a positive recommendation."

"Thank you, Conrad. I'm extremely sorry. How long do I have?"

"I'll give you until the end of the week to transfer your caseload. Per your contract, you will receive the equivalent of your last six months' salary as severance. See me Friday afternoon and I will have your letter of recommendation ready."

"Yes, sir."

Sebastian got up and slowly walked away. As he was walking into his office, Cheryl noted his downtrodden demeanor. "Are you okay, Mr. DeVore?"

"I will be. Can you arrange a staff meeting for two PM?"

"Of course. Should I prepare an agenda?"

"That won't be necessary, hold my calls, please."

"Mr. Atkinson will be here at three."

Sebastian mumbled 'fuck' under his breath. "See if he can reschedule until later in the week, please."

"Of course."

A few minutes later, Sebastian's phone rings. "I said hold my calls, damn it!"

"I'm sorry, sir. I just wanted to let you know Mr. Atkinson will be here on Thursday at one o'clock."

"Thank you, Cheryl. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"That's quite alright. Can I do anything for you?"

"No. Just run interference for me, no interruptions unless it's Conrad or Karter."

"Yes, sir."

Cheryl jumped on the secretarial grapevine. "Stephanie, what happened in Conrad's meeting with Sebastian?"

"Apparently, Sebastian screwed up big time. Conrad asked him to leave."

"That would explain his mood. Thanks. Let me know if you get details."

"Will do."

Next up - "Meetings, Meetings, and More Meetings"