“What I have a hard-on for, Mr. Wheeler, is making sure that justice is met against those individuals who willfully and flagrantly break the laws of the United States.”
Lockhart jumped back in, quick to appease. “What my colleague means to say is that Mr. Torino is a small fish in the very big pond that is this case. According to the FBI reports, you guys have been building your case against Senator Sanderson for months. Perhaps we can assist you in getting your big fish.”
Cade’s tone remained polite, but firm. “With all due respect, gentlemen, I already have everything I need from Mr. Torino.” He turned to address the hospital CEO directly. “I have recorded conversations between you and the senator, both on the phone and at Sogna. On top of that, we’ve got a video of the two of you at the restaurant, literally shaking hands as you agree to pay him two hundred thousand dollars in exchange for keeping Parkpoint Hospital open. That’s more than enough for the jury, regardless of whether or not you testify.”
Torino looked at the window and shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe any of this was happening. After a few moments, he spoke in a subdued tone. “I made a mistake, Mr. Morgan. One mistake. I’ve already lost my job and a three-million-dollar severance package. But worst of all, I’ve lost my reputation. And now I’m facing twenty years in prison because of this.” He swallowed hard, seeming to struggle to maintain his composure. “I have two daughters. Seven and nine years old. Even if the judge only sentences me to half the maximum sentence, I’ll miss out on so much time with them.”
Despite the fact that Cade heard stories like this all the time, he wasn’t immune to them. And while he certainly felt sorry for Torino’s two daughters, he’d learned a long time ago not to think about the families of the defendants he prosecuted. He had a job to do, one that he believed in, and he remained focused on that. “I’m sure those are factors the judge will take into consideration at your sentencing hearing, Mr. Torino.” With an efficient nod, he stood up from the table. “I think, gentlemen, that we’ve covered everything we need to discuss.”
“Hold on, Morgan.” Lockhart glanced at Wheeler, then at Torino, who nodded.
Cade knew instantly that something was up.
“What would you say if I told you there was another big fish in the pond?” Lockhart asked. “One you haven’t hooked yet.”
“I’d say that you probably should stop using fishing metaphors if you want to keep me in this room.”
“I’ll put it a different way, then.” Lockhart folded his hands on the table. “In exchange for certain guarantees, Mr. Torino could tell you about other . . . arrangements, shall we say, that he had with another government official.”
“Arrangements I made solely to serve the interests of the hospital,” Torino added.
Lockhart and Wheeler shot him a look, and Torino quickly shut up.
Cade kept his face impassive, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t curious. Another corrupt politician. Imagine that. “Another senator?”
Wheeler shook his head, no. “State representative.”
“How much are we talking about here?” Cade asked. This conversation wasn’t even worth pursuing if all they were talking about was Torino trying to schmooze some state representative by buying him a few steak dinners.
“Enough for you to be interested,” Lockhart said.
“Try me. I’m a finicky man.”
Lockhart paused. “About three hundred thousand dollars.”
Cade maintained his cool façade, but that was a heck of a big bribe. If this was good information, somebody in the Illinois House of Representatives was giving Senator Sanderson a run for his money in the sleazy-politician department.
Reluctantly, that meant that Cade wanted to hear more. Just as Torino’s lawyers knew he would.
“You understand, of course, that we’re telling you this solely in furtherance of plea discussions,” Lockhart added.
Yes, Cade knew that. Which meant, per the Federal Rules of Evidence, none of this conversation would be admissible at trial should Torino decide not to plead guilty. He leveled his gaze on Torino, seeing the hospital CEO in a very different light now that he knew the man had spent half a million dollars buying off not one, but two members of the Illinois General Assembly. “A onetime mistake, huh?” he asked, not bothering to hide his sarcasm.
Torino shrugged. “Figured I’d try the sob story first.”
Cade shook his head disgustedly as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed his secretary.
“Can you book this conference room for me for the next hour?” he asked Demi. “I’m going to need more time than I’d anticipated. And get a hold of Greg Boran from the Federal Defender’s Office and let him know that I’ll have to push back our call to later this afternoon.”
After thanking Demi, he hung up and faced off against Torino and his lawyers.
“Does that mean we’re going to talk?” Lockhart asked.
“No.” Cade tucked his cell phone into the pocket of his suit jacket, and then retook his seat at the conference table. “But it means that I’m at least willing to listen.”
* * *
“I’LL GIVE THE guy this: he’d covered his bases with both branches of the Illinois General Assembly.”
Cade sat across from his boss, U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde, and relayed the information he’d gleaned during his two-hour meeting with Torino. “He had Senator Sanderson in one pocket, and as we learned today, Representative Bill Fleiss in the other. Together, Torino paid them roughly five hundred thousand dollars in bribes. Of course, he’ll tell you that this was all for the public good. He claims that because Parkpoint Hospital serves one of the lowest-income neighborhoods in Chicago, he was just doing what he needed to do to ensure that, quote “poor people had access to quality health care, too.’”