Wesley's mention of "a small legal risk" essentially referred to private detective work—tracking, gathering private information and secrets, all with the intent of pressuring the opposing party into a settlement.
The earlier court session had made things clear: as with that middle-aged man, the chances of winning through legal proceedings alone were slim.
Wesley's plan was twofold: reporter Dupree would dig up dirt on the judge and interview past victims. He'd then stir up public outcry in the press. Even if this didn't result in a new judge, it would at least make him more cautious.
Meanwhile, Jack had to arrange for someone to follow Mara Grayson, using some not-so-legal methods to pry out secrets, which could then force her to the negotiating table. Wesley, for his part, had to find a lawyer in New York State, as his status as a California lawyer meant he couldn't practice there, and this case didn't involve federal law.
The task of trailing Mara Grayson was given to Frank, the big bald guy. This was his specialty—disguises, tailing, even breaking and entering were all second nature to him. As long as he kept his cool and didn't break anyone's neck, he'd be fine.
The group met up with three elders and found a café. Didi even called over Dana Cummings, the young woman Chris had saved, who was now his girlfriend and also the chosen successor of IRS supervisor Ray King.
Jack was well acquainted with Dana. Her work as an investigator had her traveling around the country like the BAU team, but nearly every weekend she returned to Los Angeles to be with Chris.
Jack's weekends, when not spent with the girls or tending to his backyard, were mostly spent at Chris and Braxton's farm.
After everyone introduced themselves, Dupree widened his eyes in surprise, tongue-tied. "Are we up against a terrorist organization or something? We've got an FBI agent, a tax investigator, a lawyer, two retired detectives, and a private investigator."
"And don't forget the brave investigative journalist," Jack added with a smirk.
"With a little more effort, we could overthrow a small country."
In fact, Frank's dossier in *Red* did mention that he had once overthrown a South American nation. But since he was the only one whose identity needed to remain secret, he was merely seen as a "private investigator" in Dupree's eyes.
Dana couldn't reveal too much. She explained that the IRS investigation into Mara Grayson's "Grayson Guardianship Company" and its backing consortium was only about a third of the way complete. They still needed at least 8 to 14 months to wrap it up.
But for 80-year-old Joe Mason, trapped in the nursing home, even a month was too long to wait.
So Dana didn't oppose the idea of getting Joe Mason out of the nursing home early, as long as it didn't compromise the IRS investigation. She made sure to emphasize this while glancing at a certain journalist.
Dupree wasn't foolish. Personally, he'd never dare offend the IRS. As a reporter, once Dana wrapped up the investigation, he'd be the first to receive a leak for an exclusive report, practically guaranteeing him a Pulitzer Prize.
So, he wisely mimed zipping his lips.
With the boundaries set by Dana, Jack assigned everyone their tasks.
First, they'd legally get Joe Mason out of the nursing home. Wesley and the skilled lawyer he'd hired would handle the property dispute, aiming to recover at least half, with the small villa being the priority.
The villa was key not just because it was Joe Mason's home, but because it held some undiscovered secrets. Joe had stashed "self-defense" weapons and documents beneath the villa—evidence that could get several CIA agents killed. This was his leverage for retiring unscathed from the CIA.
The house had been sold, and the new owner planned to renovate it. They hadn't started yet, but once they did, things would get messy.
Money wasn't the main issue; they could deal with that once the IRS closed in on the entire operation.
Of course, Frank had privately informed Jack about the true importance of the villa. The official reason they gave was that it was Joe Mason's lifeline and his only remaining connection to the past.
Dupree's task was limited to digging up dirt on the judge—extravagant spending, suspicious income, anything that could be published at the right time. Even if they couldn't get the judge removed, they could at least prevent him from showing up in court at critical moments.
His identity as an investigative reporter made it logical for him to go after such a low-profile judge, raising no red flags.
As for his meetings with the victims who had lost guardianship of their parents, that would be coordinated by Dana. The IRS planned to unleash a media storm once they had exposed the entire corrupt system, but until then, they couldn't tip anyone off.
The two retired detectives and the "private investigator" would gather the "ammunition" for Wesley and his team of lawyers to bring Mara Grayson to the table, forcing her to choose between the entire forest and a single "cash cow."
As for Jack himself, after orchestrating this critical meeting, he'd head back to Los Angeles. His FBI status was a liability in this case, and he wasn't needed for any part of the plan.
After the meeting wrapped up and everyone was about to disperse, Dupree pulled Jack aside, saying he had a personal favor to ask.
The two drove to New York's Chinatown and found a Chinese restaurant near Columbus Park, where they ate while talking.
Jack usually avoided most North American Chinese restaurants, as the so-called "adapted" Chinese food often didn't suit his palate. This place was no exception. Despite claiming to be authentic, the chef's skills were probably no better than a dropout from a culinary school.
The knife work was atrocious, and they used oil, salt, MSG, and soy sauce as if they were free. The only decent dish was the crab soup dumplings, which, though made with sea crab, at least had thin enough skin and decent broth.
Dupree devoured the food, washing it down with strange-tasting barley tea. Finally, satisfied, he patted his belly and pulled out a few newspapers and magazines, handing them to Jack.
"What's this?" Jack asked, taking the papers and realizing they came from several different media outlets, including *The New York Post*, where Dupree worked, as well as *The New York Times* and *People* magazine.
The dates of the papers varied, but they all had similar headlines and content, like "A Night at the Plaza: An Affair to Remember."
The story was about a New York cop who had won the lottery and his affair with a café waitress.
As Jack looked at the slightly blurry photo in the article, he rubbed his eyes in surprise. What did he just see?
A young version of Uncle Cage... and his other childhood crush, Bridget Fonda.
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