Free Blindsided by Fern Michaels Page B

the square. Ivy-covered buildings. What you’re seeing is a picture taken in the springtime. Note the colorful flowers everywhere. It all looks like an army of gardeners work twenty-four/seven to keep it looking like it does. There’s no sign of litter anywhere. I’d like my own people to do a visual check. Avery Snowden is gathering up his men to do just that. I want to be sure things are clear before any of you go there to do whatever you’re planning on doing.
    â€œThere was something else that hit me straight out. When I was researching the town of Baywater, one of their claims to fame is their extraordinary police department. They have no crime, or so they would have you believe. The Baywater Police Department has been looked up to by virtually every law-enforcement agency across the country. The chief of police travels around the country giving speeches on how to safeguard citizens. The chief gets paid to do this. Handsomely, I might add. But only when he does it on his own time. He’s also one of the men the twin judges have dinner with on a regular basis.”
    â€œThat’s very interesting,” Nellie said. “The first word that comes to mind is collusion . Do you all agree?”
    The ladies nodded as one.
    â€œCharles, how far did you get when you checked the land records?” Maggie asked.
    A snort of sound escaped Charles’s lips. “I ran into all kinds of problems with the state’s Web site. I managed to get to the Baywater site, then it shut down. I was pulling my hair out in frustration because a virus warning kept popping up and wouldn’t let me advance any of my searches. I immediately knew something was wrong. I turned it over to Avery and his experts. So, to answer your question, Maggie, I can’t tell you anything.”
    Maggie’s fist shot in the air. “I knew it! I knew it! This is what I think. Like I told you before, I think the twin judges lease out their land to some kind of organization, possibly themselves, that built camps for sentenced offenders and the state picks up the bill. If the jails and prisons are full, what do they do with offenders on an ongoing basis? If you can get arrested and sent away for jaywalking or spitting on the sidewalk, it sure makes sense to me.”
    Marti sucked in a deep breath. “How many such places do you think there are, Maggie?”
    Maggie shrugged. “I have no clue, but I have to think this is not a small operation. I think it’s on a much grander scale than the case in Pennsylvania. It’s just my gut and my reporter’s instinct that tells me that if we’re right, the twins went for the max. That’s not to say they didn’t start out small, got a feel for things, then they went at it full bore. Again, it’s just my opinion.”
    â€œMaggie, dear, your opinions carry weight with all of us. You’re the professional, and we respect your opinions,” Myra said.
    â€œHas Abner been in touch, Maggie?” Annie asked.
    Charles bristled at the mention of the hacker’s name. No one but Myra seemed to notice.
    â€œHe just sent a text saying he was out of cell-phone range and is on his way back to the city and would call me in the morning. If Charles is right, Abner will know how to get past that virus thing he ran into. Since land records are available to the public, anyone can go to the hall of records in Baywater and search them out. If we do that, we’ll see firsthand if we’re being stonewalled. But we would also be tipping our hand.”
    â€œBefore we do that, we need to create a legend that will bear intense scrutiny. I can get started on that right now. Off the top of my head, I’m thinking of a wealthy European industrialist. I’ll leave you ladies to your planning,” Charles said. He clicked the remote, and Lady Justice once again reigned supreme over the room.
    Myra took the floor. “Okay, ladies, it does look,