On the hall of an apartment building walked two boys and a girl to an apartment.
“Let’s see if Jimmy is at home. Then we go to the stadium”, said Hank Miller.
“There he lives”, said Gloria Taylor.
They walked to the address where they had to be and knocked at the door.
“Well, he is still sleeping it off”, Terry Parker reacted Terry Parker laconically.
They laughed for a moment but then Hank saw that the front door was open. Carefully he pushed the door further open and he went inside. Gloria and Terry followed him.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah”, Gloria screamed then.
They boys came running to her and then they saw too what the girl had seen previously.
“I will call the police”, said Hank.
Not much later the police had arrived.
“Who is the victim?”, asked Lennie Briscoe, detective of precinct 27.
“A young man named Jimmy Baker. He has been beaten with a baseball bat but nothing else has been robbed according to that threesome there. He has died around 13.00 hour”, said a policeman pointing at the threesome who had found the body.
“Ed, you give the boys a treatment and then I will question the girl”, Lennie said to his partner Ed Green.
He nodded.
“Who found the body?”, asked detective Lennie Briscoe.
“I found him. I am Gloria Taylor”, she said very upset.
“Who is the victim?”, asked Lennie.
“Jimmy Baker. We had made an appointment with him to go out. Because he has his own flat we decided to sleep at his”, answered Gloria.
“And who are we?”, was the following question of the detective.
“Terry Parker, Hank Taylor and I. We know each other from the university but Jimmy was three years older and already had his own apartment. He often invited us to stay the night. But he has no further family anymore”, she said.
The partner of Lennie, Ed Green questioned the boys.
“Was the door closed when you came?”, asked Ed.
“I saw that the front door was ajar and normally it is closed. So we thought that Jimmy was away for a moment but we were always allowed to come in by him. So today too. We were free this afternoon from 12 o’clock and Jimmy had tickets for the Yankees”, said Hank.
“Did Jimmy expect visitors?”, asked Ed.
“Apart from us not I think. He was a very loner”, answered Terry.
“He studied English but had to leave the university because he clashed time and time again with a teacher”, answered Terry.
“Why did he just clash with that teacher all the time?”, Ed asked amazed.
“That teacher is Gary Miller and really is an arrogant jerk of the top shelf. If you deliver a piece of work without misspellings you get guaranteed a F”, said Hank.
“A nice fellow so to say”, Ed remarked.
“He is very precisely and doesn’t want any contradiction”, said Terry.
“Alright. If you know more let us know”, Ed said while he gave them his card.
The three went away and Ed came to Lennie.
“A former student English gets killed and his friends complain quite about a teacher of them. Let’s first search the flat and then question that teacher”, said Ed.
In the meantime the mortal remains of Jimmy got dragged away. Ed found the laptop of Jimmy and started it up.
“Lennie, come and have a look at what I find here”, Ed said after a while.
Lennie came and looked with his partner.
“Jimmy has done a lot more that just studying. Are these bank statements real or forged?”, asked Ed.
“It looks like if they are real. But how do they come then on this laptop when the statements are of Miller?”, Lennie asked on his turn.
Ed printed a statement from the laptop and said smiling, “First we go to the bank of Miller and then to that teacher.”
At the National Bank.
“Yes, that is a statement of our branch office. But how did you get hold of this?”, the man behind the desk asked.
“We first. Does Gary Miller have an account here?”, asked Lennie.
“Of course he has an account here but you don’t have the right to look into his bank statements”, said the man.
“And Jimmy Baker? Does he have an account here too?”, asked Ed.
“He too is a client of ours”, was the answer.
The detectives looked at each other and they thought the same thing.
“Thanks”, Ed said where after they went outside.
At the university where Gary Miller worked stopped the detectives.
“Let's hope that they are here a bit more helpful than at the bank”, said Lennie.
They walked to the room of the principal.
“I am detective Briscoe and that is my partner Green. We come for Gary Miller”, said Lennie.
“Why must you see Mr Miller?”, Tina Randall, the principal, asked.
“It is a private matter”, said Ed.
“We just got the news that Jimmy Baker has passed away. He studied here?”, asked Lennie.
“Jimmy Baker? That nuisance! Fortunately he is dead”, Tina said relieved.
“Can you explain that?”, Ed asked carefully.
“Well, Jimmy was the sort of type which was very against the drain towards the teachers. When the teachers said that it was black Baker saw that as white. Also sir was good in forging in official papers”, Tina said hostile.
“Did Jimmy that as a hobby? The forging I mean”, said Lennie.
“As a hobby? It was the work of his life. Via his pc he could change the marks and he did that too”, snapped Tina.
“Can we see Mr Miller for a moment?”, asked Lennie.
“Of course. We do everything to help the police. You can find him in the teacher's room”, Tina said suddenly suave.
“Thank you”, said Ed.
The detectives went to the teacher's room where only Gary Miller was.
Ed knocked at the door and asked, “Are you Mr Gary Miller?”
“Yes, what can I do for you”, asked the teacher.
“Did Jimmy that as a hobby? The forging I mean”, said Lennie.
“As a hobby? It was the work of his life. Via his pc he could change the marks and he did that too”, snapped Tina.
“Yes, what can I do for you”, asked the teacher.
The detectives introduced themselves and recorded the teacher in their minds.
“Do you know a Jimmy Baker?”, asked Ed.
“That budding master-forger? Everybody here at the university knows him. Why? Is he nominated for the Pulitzer prize for forgery?”, Gary asked sarcastic.
“What are we funny. We have found Jimmy but he isn’t in the world of the living anymore. His friends told us that you often had a row with him”, said Lennie.
“And now I get accused of murder at that master-forger? Don’t make me laugh I am innocent”, Gary said a bit insulted.
“I hate baseball and everything that has to do with it. If it was up to me the Yankees and the Mets had played their very last game yesterday!”, raged Gary.
“That you hate the Yankees I can understand but hating the Mets. I can hardly imagine that”, reacted Lennie.
Gary couldn’t appreciate this reaction and that noticed the detectives well.
“Where were you around 13.00 hours this afternoon?”, asked Ed.
“I was here teaching all day. The class representatives Terry Parker and Hank Taylor vouch for me”, answered the docent.
“Thanks for your time”, said Lennie.
They went outside.
“Terry and Hank said that they were free since twelve o’clock and Miller says that they had his class. So one of them lies”, said Ed.
“I go for the teacher. Especially because he hates the Mets”, answered Lennie.
“You don’t like anyone who hates the Mets”, Ed reacted laughing.
“That is a good reason, isn’t that?”, asked Lennie.
Ed didn’t answer.
At the precinct 27.
“A former student Jimmy Baker has been killed and it turns out that he was a budding master-forger. On his laptop stood bank statements of a teacher of his last university. His friends and he would go to a baseball game but their teacher claims that his younger friends had his class. The young ones say though that they had the afternoon off”, told Ed.
“And how is it about that teacher?”, asked lieutenant Anita Van Buren.
“He is very precisely and has a horribly hateful of baseball. Now it is remarkable hat Jimmy has been killed with the support of a baseball bat”, answered Lennie.
“And you think that that teacher has killed that boy?”, asked Anita.
The detectives nodded.
“That teacher already had it done with Lennie when he announced that he Mets had played their last game if it was up to him”, Ed told laughing.
“Go back to that school and ask the time-table of those youths and that teacher. Then we know who lies”, said Anita.
From the caretaker they got 2 copies of the time-table.
“Mr Miller never teaches on Wednesday afternoon and is always as first away when the classes end at 12 o’clock. But today he was already gone at half past 11”, said Eric Franklin.
“And when he is away he doesn’t come back at school anymore?”, Ed asked amazed.
“No, he always goes straight home”, was het answer.
“Where does he live?”, asked Lennie.
“He lives at 345 East Street”, answered Eric.
“Thanks”, said Lennie.
Walking outside Ed said, “Miller lives at 345 East Street and Jimmy 2 blocks ahead. Miller left already at half past 11 and had so enough time to kill him. Besides Jimmy had enough bats in his flat.”
“Jimmy did love baseball and a fan also collects bats. I think that Miller and Jimmy were more of each other than just teacher and student”, said Lennie.
They drove to the office of pathologist Elizabeth Rodgers.
“Jimmy has been killed with an is aluminum bat. The culprit is right handed and taller than the victim. He4 attacked his victim from behind because there is a big head wound at the back of his head. The culprit has beaten Jimmy to death like he hit a grand slam homerun. It looked like Derek Jeter was at bat”, she said.
Lennie didn’t really like that that last thing.
“So Jimmy was powerless?”, asked Ed.
Elizabeth nodded.
“I have found 2 finger prints at the bat. That of Jimmy’s and the others are probably of the culprit”, said Elizabeth.
“Good work”, Lennie said being impressed.
They got the record with them and went to the precinct.
“Well, Mr Miller has a reputation of speeding but paying the fines, no way”, Ed said after some research in old files.
“How do you mean?”, asked Lennie.
“Miller uses the streets of New York as a race track to ride on his motor bike. He drives the average speed of 140 while you are only allowed half if it. There is about $ 1500 open on fines of him”, Ed explained.
“Then you may invite him for an acquaintance chat. I will call Serena”, said Anita.
“Open up. Police”, called Ed.
Gary answered and saw the detectives standing.
“What are you coming to do now?”, he asked.
“It is that the Mets are playing away but otherwise you were allowed to come there with us. But we can keep the talk at the precinct too”, said Lennie.
“You know that I hate baseball and never had held a bat”, Gary said angry.
He locked up his apartment.
“Don’t worry because we just go down town”, said Ed.
At the police precinct Gary got put in interrogation room 1.
“We have done some research about you and what was the result? It turns out that you still must pay some money for your fines for speeding on your motor bike through the streets of New York”, said Lennie.
“Is it forbidden to drive a motor bike?”, asked Gary.
“No, but it is to speed”, answered Ed.
“I will pay them so can I go?”, asked the teacher.
“We want to ask you about Jimmy Baker. How well did you know him to give a label as a master-forger?”, asked Lennie.
“Already during the lessons he forged everything. You couldn’t even see the differences between the real and the copy.
When I caught him on forging at school marks I demanded that he got expelled right away. But my calling didn’t get any answer so I had to make sure that he went away. But unfortunately he was very popular at school so I still hadn’t gotten rid of him. That’s way I took the right into my own hands and I killed him”, Gary said laughing.
“How did you do that?”, asked Ed.
“That lad always walked around in a shirt of the Yankees so he was rotten already. Hereby I knew that I could kill him the best way with a bat”, answered the teacher.
“And via the school administration you knew his address?”, asked Ed.
Gary nodded.
Outside the interrogation room stood Anita, district attorney Jack McCoy and his assistant Serena Southerlyn. They had heard everything.
“Ah, you are of course my lawyer. These gentlemen accuse me falsely of murdering a boy and I also seem to have fine for speeding. Tell them that they are all little white lies”, said Gary.
“I am district attorney Jack McCoy and must tell you that you hereby under arrest for killing Jimmy Baker and on top of that come the fines for speeding”, said Jack.
“Mr Miller, you have the right to be silent, you have the right to an attorney and everything you say can be used against you in court”, Lennie said while he put the handcuffs on by Gary.
Sometime later Jack and Serena got a visit from Gary and his lawyer Desmond Taylor.
“McCoy, what this man has done is only good. These days everything gets copied and we must nip in the bud. Jimmy Baker even could copy official bank statements. What shall we say, a simple community duty punishment and then it is over and done. That won’t cost the city a lot of trail costs”, Desmond said cheerful.
“He has murdered a boy with a bat and besides he still has fines to pay for driving too hard on a motor bike in town”, said Jack.
Desmond saw the motor helmet of Jack and asked, “You drive a motor bike yourself so you know that you got too fast quickly?”
“I drive a motor bike myself but never too hard. I have an offer of 25 to life”, answered Jack.
“For killing a forger and a Yankee fan? Ridiculous”, said Gary.
“First you called him a master-forger and now just a forger?”, asked Serena.
“I have so much and enough about that failure. I am glad that he has been killed”, answered Gary.
He showed a satisfied smile and a look in his eyes said, “I get acquitted anyway.”
“What would you think about if we make manslaughter of it and Mr Miller goes to jail for 2 years?”, Desmond suggested.
“No way. I remain by my offer and otherwise the court waits for you”, reacted Jack.
“Well, if you want to play it this way, see you in court. Come Gary”, Desmond said somehow insulted.
They got up and went away.
“What is that an arrogant creep”, Serena remarked.
“Which one?”, Jack asked smiling.
“Both”, answered his assistant.
“Taylor always has been arrogant and that becomes worse with each case he loses. One of the friends of Jimmy is Gloria Taylor. Find out if she is his daughter”, said Jack.
“I am away already”, said Serena.
“Desmond Taylor is indeed my father and he represents Gary Miller, the murderer of Jimmy?”, Gloria asked shocked.
“Yes”, said Serena.
“But you charge me to testify as a witness my father abuses our relationship. You can take poison to that”, reacted Gloria.
“How is Mr Miller as a teacher?”, asked Serena.
“You may not do anything during his lessons but have to listen to his chatting. He thinks he is the best teacher in the world but can’t do the job”, was the answer.
“Does your father know that you and Jimmy were friends?”, asked Serena.
“Yes, but he also disapproved it. I don’t know if I must say it but Mr Miller and pa are youth friends. They are prepared to do everything for each other”, Gloria said suddenly hesitating.
“That is interesting what you tell there”, said Serena.
“One evening Jimmy came at our house and then Mr Miller was there too. Pa exploded when he saw him and Mr Miller offered to kill him so pa could defend him”, said Gloria.
“And when was that?”, Serena wanted to know.
“Three weeks before the murder. You aren’t telling that pa is an accomplish, are you?”, asked Gloria.
“Maybe he is. I will see you later”, said Serena.
After Serena had left Gloria she went to the precinct.
“What do you know about the background of Desmond Taylor?”, she asked Anita.
“Well, he is corrupt and arrogant”, she said.
“That he arrogant is we already have noticed because he represents Gary Miller”, answered Serena.
“Oh die nice fellow. He demands for every murder a community service and if you forget to pay a fine you get death row of him”, said Anita.
“The upside down world”, Serena remarked.
“I let Briscoe and Green research the background of Taylor”, promised Anita.
During the research the detectives found much interesting information about Desmond and Gary.
“The reason why Miller has never paid those fines is because Taylor had presented them with success in court”, said Lennie.
“How did that happen?”, Serena asked who sat by them.
“Taylor just gave judge Willis for the winning and that way Miler didn’t had to pay for the fines. Though Taylor forgot to pass this on to the police. Probably because research would be done to it”, said Ed.
“Judge Willis? Is that happen to be judge Tracy Willis?”, Serena asked amazed.
Ed looked in the file and answered, “Indeed.”
Then Lennie did a remarkable discovery.
“Judge Tracy Willis knows Gary Miller for years because here says that twenty years ago she had a son who got the name James. The date of birth of the child was February 20 1983”, he read.
“That is also the date of birth of Jimmy Baker. Is that the same person by accident?”, asked Serena.
“Indeed. So there is a big chance that the judge is involved as well”, said Lennie.
“That will interest Jack and Arthur. They like her already so much”, Serena remarked.
Tracy Willis paid a visit to the boss of Jack and Serena, Arthur Branch.
“Tracy, what can I do for you?”, asked Arthur.
“I demand that you take McCoy off this case. He is out to break up my good reputation to make something from my past public news”, Tracy said icy.
“I Can only take Jack off it when he is personally involved. And he isn’t in this case”, answered Arthur.
Tracy was insulted and snapped, “You may be glad if I don’t get this case! Because then I make it McCoy as tough a possible!”
Arthur didn’t say anything where after she walked out of his office.
In the meantime Jack heard from Serena that Jimmy was the son of Tracy Willis and Gary Miller. He looked through the file and found an intern memo from Tracy to Desmond.
“What do we have here?”, asked the district attorney.
He read the memo and gave it then to Serena.
“This means that Willis and Taylor are involved with the murder”, she said amazed.
Jack nodded and answered, “Show that memo to Arthur.”
That happened and Arthur said, “Arrest them both for accessory to murder.”
Ed brought a visit at the house of lawyer Desmond Taylor.
Gloria answered the door and recognized the detective.
“Hello Gloria. Is your father home?”, asked Ed.
“Pa, it is for you”, she called.
Desmond came and was very amazed to see the police.
“I have nothing to do with you so get lost”, said Desmond.
“Not so brutal because I come to arrest you. Mr Taylor, you have the right to keep silent, you have the right to an attorney and everything you day can be used against you”, said Ed.
Desmond understood that further protest didn’t help and cooperated.
Lennie had the great honor to bring the judge along to the precinct.
He knocked at the door of her office and asked while he opened the door, “Judge Tracy Willis?”
“Yes, what can I do for you?”, she asked suave.
“I have 2 beautiful silver bracelets for your wrists. Would you like to get up to get them on?”, asked Lennie.
Tracy got up and held her wrists for.
“They fit better when you hold your hands on the back”, said Lennie.
She put her arms on her back and got the handcuffs on.
“Miss Willis, you have the right to keep silent, you have the right to an attorney and everything you day can be used against you”, said the detective.
“Why am I being arrested then?”, she asked suddenly catty.
“For murdering Jimmy Baker”, said Lennie.
“I don’t know him at all and I have been a lawyer myself so I represent myself”, snapped Tracy.
She got dragged away.
Tracy got questioned by Jack and Lennie. The judge became totally red of anger when Jack came into the interrogation room.
“McCoy! This will be the end of your career!”, she foamed with rage.
“Your career as judge is already over”, he reacted dry.
This made Tracy even more angrier than she already was.
“We know that twenty years ago you had child and that Gary Miller is the father of the child”, said Jack.
“So what? Is that so strange? I am not the first but also not the last single woman who had a child”, she said.
“Nee, that is so but one who is involved in a plot to kill him”, said Lennie.
“Plot? Which plot?”, Tracy asked amazed.
“It is common known that you give long jail time to forgers. We think that you got to know through Mr Miller that your son James was a forger too and had him killed by Mr Miller. Miller has agreed with his jail time by the way”, said Jack.
“Alright, I confess that Jimmy Baker was my child but due to my function I have had let him adopt straight after the birth. But Gary Miller isn’t the father of him. That is Desmond Taylor!”, said Tracy.
Lennie and Jack looked at each other amazed. They hadn’t expected this.
“Gary told me time and time what Jimmy was up to and via via Desmond I heard too what that forger did. To be rid of him we had thought of this magnificent plan. Gary would beat Jimmy to death with a bat; Desmond went to represent him and I would acquittal him from murder or manslaughter. And nobody would seek anything behind it”, Tracy finally confessed.
“I have 25 years to life for murder and conspiracy on offer”, answered Jack.
“Alright then. I accept it”, she said knowing that she was beaten.
The detective and district attorney looked at each other satisfied.
Desmond got a treatment from Serena and Ed.
“Is this about that forger Jimmy Baker? Then I go free”, laughed Desmond.
“I wouldn’t think that because we know everything about the relationship between judge Willis, Gary Miller and Jimmy Baker. Also that Jimmy came a lot at your place due to his friendship with your daughter Gloria”, said Serena.
“Jimmy was not only her friend but also her half brother. I was the conceiver of that forger. Tracy blackmailed me when she was pregnant with Jimmy. But by her and Miller we have finally gotten rid of him”, said Desmond.
“Whose idea was it to kill Jimmy?”, asked Ed.
“That was an idea of Tracy. He was standing her career in the way. He even could forge her documents”, answered Desmond.
“Serena, don’t you think that Mr Taylor looks very tired?”, asked Ed.
She understood him and asked, “Indeed. Mr Taylor, what would you think of a very long vacation of 25 years to life in Sing Sing?”
“Just do what you want because you won’t get me into jail. But I won’t refuse a free vacation”, Desmond said laughing.
Serena and Ed too looked at each other satisfied.
In the office of Arthur said Jack, “They all have admitted to have killed Jimmy. They were against forgers.”
“And now they are in between forgers themselves and some are even better than Jimmy Baker”, said Serena.
“That will teach them: what goes around comes around”, reacted Arthur.