CHAPTER 1
LOOKING BACK
When we left off, Allie was six months pregnant with their son. Their home was a grand addition to the main family house. Except for the landscaping and driveway, the house was completed. Molly, David's mother, went with Allie to buy furniture for the house. Allie's case was overturned, and all references and charges regarding her murder conviction were removed from her record. She was cleared, and the charges were dropped for the murder of Carol, who she was later accused of killing. David had received his privileges to practice law in New York and received his privileges in Vermont where he now resided. His father, Lou, asked him to join his law firm as a full partner. They planned to establish a criminal-defense branch of the firm. Lou had never taken the firm to that level because he hoped that David would return home one day and become a partner at the firm. Lou's dream came true. David was now home to stay. One day, it would all belong to David. The firm and assets were worth millions. With the publicity from Allie's cases, David was now the most sought-after criminal defense attorney in the region. Business could not have been better. Allie, David, Molly, and Lou, developed a stronger family bond and friendship. Together, they passed the most difficult tests during those difficult times.
Lou was a quiet man and very intelligent. He did not give his opinion that often, but when he did, everyone listened. His demeanor alone commanded respect. Lou was instrumental in developing the town and its continuing growth. The town offered something for every season. Hunting, skiing, camping, boating, and fishing were available to the local resident and tourists. It boasted pristine woods and lakes. Lou knew how to capitalize on this. The town was one of the most sought-after vacation spots in New England. The town was always clean. Not a piece of paper was found in the street. The town had the best of everything while keeping its quaint country-style appearance and atmosphere. There were no serious crimes. Their laws were strict, and an experienced police force was on hand to handle anything that might occur. Unlike most other areas and towns, this town did not have to rely on the seasonal tourist. It attracted tourists year round.
The layout of the town was excellent for tourists. The town was modernized while keeping its quaint country-style appearance. This downtown area was zoned as the "Historic District" to preserve its heritage. It remained separated from the outskirts of town. The larger malls, dance bars, fast-food restaurants, and other businesses were located away from the historic district on the roads leading into and out of the downtown area. It was a fifteen-minute drive to reach the outside of town, which was located close to the newly built highway. Access to the highway was ideal. The highway was the main reason the town grew so quickly. The town council never wanted the historic district to lose its appeal for those that made it their permanent home. The town council wanted the historic district to be far enough from the outlying areas to keep the different lifestyles separate. That was paramount to everyone who resided there as the town grew. There were dances on Saturday nights and festivities on the holidays. The town was similar to a closely-knit family. All were welcome, and it maintained its family appeal. The shops in the center of town closed at six o'clock except for two restaurants and a pharmacy. The downtown businesses were owned by the residents and catered to the tourist trade. The downtown area offered a variety of businesses. Craft shops, dress shops, a hardware store, bed and breakfast establishments, an old-fashioned general store and fully remodeled hotel, as well as others. Maintaining a family atmosphere was paramount in this part of town. During the week, the two main restaurants in town stayed open until nine in the evening and ten o'clock on the weekends. When the workday was over, it was family time. The businesses on the main roads leading into and out of the town stayed followed their own set hours. Combined, the bed and breakfast lodgings in town and the hotel were booked all year, and the lodging establishments on the outskirts of town enjoyed the same success. Many enjoyed the old town family atmosphere, while others enjoyed the more modern style of the nightclubs, bars, and other attractions outside of town. The hotels and motels outside of town had few vacancies due to the overflow from the main town. Friends stopped over to visit other friends at night. "The Café," was a less formal restaurant, whereas "The Tavern," was a more elegant restaurant. On the weekend, unless you were a regular or had a reservation, you had no chance of getting into either restaurant during the busy dinner hours. They would leave some tables open for the locals that were there weekly. Both restaurants were large and had ample seating capacity.
Molly, David's mother, owned a specialty dress shop in town that catered to both the middle and high-end buyer. She sold a full line of women's accessories as well. Molly, a beautiful woman, carried herself with grace and was a down-to-earth person. Molly looked upon Allie as a daughter. Molly's daughter Jessica was killed by a drunk driver when she was eight years old. Molly's love and devotion to David had no boundaries. She felt sad that her daughter would not be part of her life and business, especially now, that David was partners with her husband, Lou. For Molly, Allie took Jessica's place. Allie loved fashion. Allie chose to enter into a partnership with Molly and expand the shop to include a day spa and hair salon. Allie created her designer clothing line called Allie M. With everyone's past now behind them. These were exciting times. Almost six months had passed since everything had been resolved, and life appeared to be back to normal. Allie was due in three weeks. Her wedding plans with David's were to take place in two months. Allie and David did not want to wait long before Allie got pregnant again. They were getting older and wanted their children to be close in age. They were hoping for a girl the next time. Could life be any better? Getting to this point in their lives was hard work. Allie was unknown in the fashion industry but had great patterns and sketches of her work. Once the line was in production, Allie hoped that being close to some large retail stores, along with the tourist trade would help her brand to become recognized.
It was found out later that Logan Miller murdered the town council member Jack. Allie did not commit the murder as previously thought. This finding was instrumental in getting Allie's murder conviction overturned. It was determined that Jack's murder was orchestrated by Tom, the town sheriff, and the "Judge," who were both from the town where Allie previously lived. The sheriff's girlfriend Carol also played an instrumental part in these events. The "Judge." opened up many new cases for the FBI. He was nicknamed the "Judge" because he was also the town judge at the time. He ultimately turned on everyone and became a witness for the FBI. In turn for his information and testimony, he and his family would enter the witness protection program. As a group, they were referred to them as the "Crew." Carol was killed during a struggle with Allie and Allie was arrested for her murder. No evidence could be found to prove Allie's claim of self -defense. The "Crew" was a dirty bunch. They lined their pockets while the town people struggled to survive. They built a barn outside of town many years back. Although it looked like an average barn from the outside, inside, there was a large room for gambling, rooms for prostitution, and it served as a major hub for drug trafficking and weapons in and out of New England region. As the case unfolded, it was found that many who were involved were individuals the FBI had been trying to arrest for years. In most of these cases, obtaining evidence was difficult. Russell was the investigator Lou, and David hired. He was instrumental in finding out that the "Barn" was built on land owned by the federal government. The FBI could now enter the case. Not even the town was aware of since it had been located there for years.
Lou had known Russel from when he was born. Lou was friends with Russel's father for years. While Russel was growing up, he learned the investigation business from his father who was a retired agent for the CIA. He went to college and became a partner in his father's investigation firm after graduation. Russell was instrumental in getting the company known globally. Lou used their services on many occasions regarding other cases. Russell's father had many connections. He was forced to retire due to an illness. Lou was a supportive friend during his recovery. Russell took the lead in the investigation on Allie and David's past. His work was instrumental in obtaining the information they needed to have their names cleared, and resulted in the arrests of many other crime figures from New York, Florida, and Vermont. These turn of events were a big break for Ray, the prosecutor. Ray would find out all the things he needed to build a solid case against the crime bosses the FBI had been tracking for years. It would take months to put this information together. The crime families hired many attorneys. These cases were rock solid, and timing would be a key factor.
Allie and David knew they may be required to be involved in these future cases. They choose not to think about this during this time. David and Paulie were best friends. They grew up together. Paulie moved to New York when David did. After David was used as a pawn, he left the city after losing his privileges and his job. Paulie stayed at the city and was now working his way up the ladder within the crime family. Paulie loved this lifestyle. He enjoyed feeling important wherever he went. Pauline was instrumental in assisting Russel by obtaining the vital information required to clear David. Although David did not approve of his lifestyle, they were best friends since childhood. Without Paulie, David and Allie might not be where they were today. He would never forget what Paulie did for him. However, they had an unspoken understanding. At times, no words are necessary between friends. They just know. David would see Paulie from when he came to town to visit his mom and dad. They owned a craft shop in town. David and Paulie were inseparable as friends. They grew up in the same town. Both were high school football stars and popular among women. It is not surprising that Paulie being in the big city would get involved with this crowd. Paulie was involved with this crowd due to Davis involved. An involvement he thought was innocent at the time.
David and Allie clicked. They had a connection. David was very athletic and always stayed in shape. Allie was breathtaking. Her beautiful long blonde hair accented her features well. She was perfect in every way. She could easily be a top model. While in prison, a woman who liked Allie felt bad for her. She helped her to learn much about life and helped Allie to focus and take the correct path. Many nights while lying in bed next to Allie, he would think of how lucky he was. He also knew as much as their past was behind them, this was not over. He had a bad feeling. In a sense, David was much like Lou. He could remove his emotions from an equation and examine the facts. It assisted him to form his initial decision. Later, he would account for the emotional factors. David and Allie were very much in love. In their own way, they helped to save one another. A strong bond developed between them. Even though Lou and Molly were parental figures, they were also great friends. Allie and David were strong individuals. She did not take any crap. That is what kept David in check. However, David was a more rational person than Allie was. That is what kept her in check. Overall, next to Molly and Lou, they were a great team. As wealthy as the family was, they acted like everyday people. They were down to earth and worked hard for what they had. Nothing was handed to them. They appreciated this and gave a great deal back to the community. They cooked meals at home, went to the town's festivities, dances, and attended church each week. At times, they would stay in town to have dinner when Lou and David worked late. They might eat at the local pizza restaurant, "The Tavern" or "The Café." They did enjoy one special night out as a family each week, or with friends. As good as things were, none of them forgot what got them there. The hardest part came when Allie and David were apart. The family constantly argued. The family was torn and divided. After getting through these times, they all made a promise. They would never allow this to happen again.
Carol was killed during her altercation with Allie. Allie insisted it was in self-defense. The police could not find any other weapons or evidence to support her claim. This led to the arrest of Allie for Carol's murder. It would be difficult at best, to prove self-defense. The strain was unbearable. While awaiting trial, Allie discovered she was pregnant. This while having to face the possibility of spending the rest of her life in prison, was overwhelming. Due to the lack of evidence to back Allie's claim, Molly and Lou were starting to have their doubts. David and his parents began fighting. In time, David was starting to question Allie's story. Russell sat with the family and pulled them together by reminding them of all they had been through as a family and survived. His firm but gentle demeanor was what they needed that renewed their faith in each other, and strengthened their family bond. The truth eventually was found. Truth is a funny thing. If you never stop looking for it, you may find it in the strangest places. Without Russel, this would have been a broken family, and Allie could be spending the rest of her life in prison. Every card in the deck was stacked against her. There was a lack of evidence, motive, a history of conflicts between Carol and Allie, a previous murder conviction, and only the word of Allie. The only other witness was Carol, as she was dead. The evidence they had was more than enough for any prosecutor to make a clean case and get a conviction. Once again, Allie was fighting the battle of her life. A battle she felt she was losing.
In the end, as many things began to surface, the facts led to many arrests, with more to come. At times, it seems that when life is going well, something comes along to bend the path. The crime families that the FBI would be going after were not small organizations. The bosses covered their tracks quite well. How else could they avoid arrests and convictions for all these years? Because they always used an intermediary, it was hard to catch them dirty. They trusted very few people. Rewarding the loyal ones, and punishing those that betrayed them. Times were different than they were in past years. Technology had advanced, and the ability to obtain information was more efficient. The old-school loyalty was changing within this modern time crime element. The older fears disappeared with many being offered the witness protection program. If arrested, everyone was out for number one. The witness protection program made it easier for law enforcement officers to get criminals to roll over on one another. Times certainly changed. Getting into the program was not easy. A person had to provide valuable information to be considered for the program. It had to lead to an arrest and conviction. They would also have to be willing to testify. Due to prison overcrowding, the modern-day legal system had become one plea bargain after another. Law enforcement did whatever it took to chip away at these crime figures with the hopes of getting the larger players. Drones, surveillance systems, and other means of technology were used. The crime families had to be much more careful. It was no longer the days of murders and gun battles in the streets. It was all about business and making money. What was good for business was good for the organization. Everyone from the bottom up had to pay up the ladder. They had to hustle for them to make a buck. If they did, they were well off and reaped the benefits. If they did not, they did not last long. The case that Ray would bring to trial would be landmark cases, arrests, and convictions. If he were successful, his career would skyrocket.
