Chapter 168: The Suit and the Billionaire
Walton Estate, face to face.
Chuck drove, carrying Gideon and JJ. After the guard at the gate contacted the main house and the electronic gates slowly opened, they drove inside. Following the winding driveway, it took several minutes to reach the mansion.
"I hope she's not here,"
JJ said worriedly, looking at the massive estate mansion.
If Amazing Amy was really being held here, finding her would be extremely difficult. God knows how many privately built hidden rooms there are. Even if they got a search warrant, it would be nearly impossible to find her.
"Unfortunately, this is the place."
Gideon narrowed his eyes as he watched two people exit the mansion's front entrance.
"Lawyer!"
JJ looked over and saw the security chief walking out accompanied by a sharp-dressed attorney. As a member of the BAU responsible for media liaison, although not a core profiler, she was somewhat skilled in behavioral analysis.
They'd called the security chief before arriving. Normally, he'd talk to them first to clear up any misunderstanding, but bringing a lawyer immediately showed he was clearly on the defensive.
"Mr. Jake Stevens?"
Gideon stepped forward. "Jason Gideon, FBI. This is my colleague, Jennifer Jareau, and Bureau consultant Dr. Chuck Wolfe. And you are?"
"Harvey Specter,"
the handsome, well-dressed lawyer confidently announced.
"Nice suit!"
JJ said with a hint of sarcasm.
"Thank you."
Harvey touched his custom-tailored suit. "People judge you by your appearance, so whether you like it or not, we all have to dress well."
"That suit isn't cheap, is it?"
JJ couldn't help but ask, "Can Mr. Stevens afford a lawyer like you?"
"It's not that expensive, only $2,000."
Harvey smiled. "As for whether Mr. Stevens can afford me? He certainly can't, but he has an excellent employer who's a long-term client of our firm. Any legal issues he has, he can consult us, and we're always available."
"So Mr. Stevens knows he's in trouble?"
Gideon looked at the security chief.
"Our standard advice is that when law enforcement approaches you, it's best to consult an attorney immediately."
Harvey spoke for the security chief. "It's better to be prepared, just like insurance. You may not need it, but you can't afford to be without it."
"Did you know about Amazing Amy's disappearance?"
Chuck looked at Harvey.
"I know. I just saw it on the news."
Harvey's smile faded, then he spread his hands dismissively, "What does this have to do with my client?"
While Amazing Amy's parents were calling the police, they were also fielding questions from Chuck and the others and brainstorming their new book plot. In the midst of all this, they also broke the story to the media, instantly making it front-page news in New York.
"If you knew it was your client who did it, would you still defend him?"
Chuck looked at him.
"Do you have any evidence?"
Harvey's expression grew serious. "If not, then this hypothetical doesn't exist."
"Did you do it, Mr. Jake Stevens?"
Chuck looked at the silent security chief.
"Of course not."
Stevens shook his head.
"You heard him. Any other questions?"
Harvey asked.
"You heard him too."
Chuck looked at Harvey. "Time to cash in that insurance policy,"
he said, turning and walking back to the car.
"We'll find the evidence, Mr. Stevens."
Gideon narrowed his eyes at the visibly uneasy security chief. "The hardest part of solving a case isn't finding a suspect. Once you've identified a suspect, finding evidence becomes straightforward. Wherever you go, you leave traces. This is New York. From downtown to here, there are surveillance cameras everywhere. Mr. Stevens, you're not as careful as you think you are."
"We know this isn't what you wanted to do,"
JJ appealed sincerely. "Amazing Amy just turned eighteen. She's an idol to countless American kids, especially here in New York. Mr. Stevens, you have children too. Do you really want them to see their hero disappear or turn up murdered on TV one day, knowing you were an accomplice?"
"Alright, that's enough!"
Harvey interrupted. "If you continue this line of questioning, I'll consider it harassment and intimidation of my client."
"JJ, let's go,"
Gideon called.
Chuck was already in the driver's seat. After they got in and buckled up, they drove away.
"It's him?"
JJ confirmed.
"Absolutely!"
Chuck was certain, and Gideon nodded in agreement.
The security chief's eyes might fool most people, but not them.
"What do we do now?"
JJ instinctively looked at Chuck in the driver's seat.
"First, let's see if Garcia can find direct evidence linking him to Amazing Amy's disappearance,"
Chuck said.
"What if there's nothing?"
JJ worried. "Even though New York has the most extensive surveillance network in the country, there's no guarantee we'll find usable evidence."
"Nothing?"
Chuck drove the car out of the estate, parked outside the gates, turned off the engine, and said, "Then I'll have IRS agents interview him and arrest him for tax evasion. That'll give us our opening."
"How do you know he's evaded taxes?"
Seeing Chuck's calm confidence, JJ's anxiety eased slightly, and she asked curiously.
"Anyone who can afford an accountant will evade taxes,"
Chuck said matter-of-factly. "It just depends on the amount and whether it's legal tax avoidance."
"Isn't that a bit harsh?"
JJ hesitated.
"Not harsh at all."
Chuck said, "The U.S. tax code is incredibly complex. Any rational person who cares about money will try to minimize their tax burden as much as legally possible."
"What if the security chief's accountant is also a professional hired by his boss?"
JJ immediately thought of the expensive lawyer.
"Nobody is more professional than I am when it comes to accounting and taxes."
Chuck said frankly.
"JJ, we need to trust Dr. Wolfe's expertise."
Gideon smiled and said, "Call Garcia and tell her to expedite her search."
"Got it."
JJ stopped questioning and started making calls.
Chuck also sent a text to Susan, the ace agent from IRS Criminal Investigation, asking her to pull the security chief's tax records.
As soon as the message was sent, Susan called: "You know you're abusing your consultant privileges, right?"
"I'm simply reporting suspected tax evasion. That's my right as a consultant. Whether to investigate is your department's decision,"
Chuck said calmly.
"You're no fun,"
Susan complained, then asked curiously, "Why don't you just go straight to the director for this kind of thing?"
"Do you need me to call him instead?"
Chuck countered.
"...I'll get it to you right away."
Susan was speechless.
Having worked major cases with Chuck before and knowing his capabilities, she was hoping to collaborate with him again. How could she possibly refuse him over such a minor matter? Her earlier comment was just friendly ribbing, but Chuck's serious tone made her feel deflated.
After hanging up, Chuck took out his phone and began reviewing the security chief's tax returns.
"Is this a joint FBI-IRS operation now?"
JJ's mood lifted when she saw Chuck had easily secured IRS cooperation, and she couldn't help but joke.
"Not exactly,"
Chuck said while scrolling through documents. "If we can find evidence, we'll use that first to apprehend him. Tax issues are just a backup plan."
"Any powerful tool is double-edged. Used well, it's unstoppable. Used poorly, it can backfire,"
Gideon said thoughtfully.
JJ nodded, then asked, puzzled, "What are we waiting for here?"
"Just waiting,"
Chuck said.
Seeing Chuck didn't elaborate on what they were waiting for, JJ looked at Gideon. Gideon smiled at her but said nothing, simply rolling down his window and gazing out at the estate.
Inside Walton Estate.
After Chuck and the others left, Harvey's expression immediately changed. He looked at the security chief with a stern gaze, "Did you do this?"
"Of course not,"
Stevens said with a forced smile. "The boss will be back soon. Do you want to wait for him here?"
"Fine,"
Harvey's eyes narrowed as he nodded.
After watching Stevens go inside, he walked to the manicured lawn, pulled out his phone, and called his managing partner: "Jessica, we have a problem."
Inside the executive office of Pearson Specter, a prestigious New York law firm, a middle-aged African American woman answered the phone: "Harvey, what's the situation?"
She was the firm's managing partner, Jessica Pearson. The "Pearson" in the firm's name came from her.
"Andy Walton might be involved in Amazing Amy's kidnapping,"
Harvey said gravely.
"Any evidence?"
Jessica Pearson frowned.
"Not yet, but I'm certain,"
Harvey said with conviction.
"That means there's no case yet."
Jessica Pearson said firmly: "As Andy Walton's attorney, you must provide excellent legal services to a major client who generates millions in revenue for the firm annually."
"What if it really is him?"
Harvey asked: "If Amazing Amy's case gets solved, what happens to the firm's reputation?"
"What does this have to do with the firm's reputation?"
Jessica Pearson smiled: "We simply follow the law and provide our clients with the most effective legal services possible. If there's any impact, it would only be positive publicity for our firm."
"What about public perception?"
Harvey asked: "Don't you always tell me to pay attention to the firm's public image?"
"Then do a few more pro bono cases."
Jessica Pearson said calmly: "This is what I've always asked you to do, to demonstrate our firm's social responsibility, but you've always resisted, haven't you?"
Harvey suddenly fell silent.
"Harvey."
Jessica Pearson's voice softened. After all, Harvey was her most trusted associate, someone she'd mentored personally. He was different from her other lawyers, so she advised: "We must follow the law in everything. Andy Walton hasn't been proven guilty. He's our major client. If he's proven guilty in the future, he'll still be our client as long as he needs representation. We'll defend his innocence or guilt accordingly. We lawyers are tools. We have no moral attributes. Everyone has the right to legal representation. If everyone were as conflicted as you are, then the legal profession wouldn't need to exist, because all our clients have problems. If they had no problems, they wouldn't spend so much money hiring us annually, right?"
"Why me?"
Harvey suddenly asked.
"Oh, grow up!"
Jessica Pearson, unable to contain herself any longer, snapped. "I know you like to think you're righteous, but we both know this whole 'I'm too pure and noble for this dirty work' act is complete nonsense. In the legal profession, justice isn't our priority; the law is! As long as everything is legal, we can consider other factors, but we absolutely cannot lose sight of our primary obligation!"
"Why me?"
Harvey asked again.
"..."
Jessica Pearson paused, then continued, "Andy Walton called personally and requested the best lawyer in the firm, and you're the best lawyer we have."
At this point, she couldn't contain her curiosity. "Is Dr. Chuck Wolfe really that impressive? I heard he can read minds."
"He started by asking me, 'Do you know about Amazing Amy's disappearance? If you knew it was your client who did it, would you still defend him?'"
Harvey scoffed. "Do you think that's impressive?"
"Actually, yes!"
Jessica Pearson marveled.
Although lawyers always promoted the concept that attorneys should be prepared for any situation, they all knew that innocent clients generally don't contact them.
If they do, there's usually a problem.
Andy Walton had called her directly. His stated reason was that he'd heard of Dr. Chuck Wolfe's reputation and wanted to prevent the security chief from accidentally revealing confidential information like tax details and trade secrets.
But clearly he was more concerned that Dr. Chuck Wolfe, now famous after several major cases, could actually extract some unspoken truths from Stevens, so he called them directly, regardless of how suspicious it looked.
After hearing Harvey's account, Jessica Pearson completely understood. Andy Walton's ability to see through Harvey's polished exterior to the lingering sense of justice beneath made him nervous and cautious.
"Harvey, do what you have to do."
Jessica Pearson suppressed her amazement at Chuck and said seriously, "This comes with the territory of being a lawyer."
"I understand."
Harvey was silent for a moment, then hung up. He gazed at the beautiful landscaping within the billionaire's estate, his eyes inevitably drifting to the main house. Was the girl known as "Amazing Amy" just separated from him by these walls?
At dusk, outside the estate, a stretch limousine approached. As it passed Chuck's car, it stopped, the tinted window rolled down, revealing the face of billionaire Andy Walton. He glanced at Chuck and the others, then focused on Chuck and said with a smile, "You must be Dr. Chuck Wolfe?"
"That's me,"
Chuck nodded.
"Thank you for watching the gate for me,"
Andy Walton said with a smile. "Security in New York has been terrible lately. With you here, I feel much safer."
JJ immediately glared at him.
"If you don't mind, I'll have someone bring you dinner later."
Andy Walton glanced at JJ and smiled even more broadly. "I just flew back from San Francisco, so I'll head inside now. Like all of you, I'm hungry and need to enjoy a delicious meal prepared just for me."
(End of this chapter)
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