# 25 - Chapter Twenty Five "It Hurts to Say Goodbye"

  It Hurts to Say Goodbye 

 Chapter Twenty-Five

Official Event Record; 7/8/21, by Sgt. J. Waters

Location: Interrogation Room # 14, 750 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19106-1509, police headquarters, aka The Roundhouse  

Additional: 

Interior – Standard ceiling lighting, 2 standard tables, 6 office chairs, 2 standing lamps, 1 video monitor on rolling stand 

Exterior – Observation Module, attached, sound protection, one-way mirror, video and audio recording 

Personnel:

In Room – Accused, L. Stanhope (Wearing orange prisoner’s overalls); Sgt. E. Buckley (Det.-in-Chg.); Asst. DA, C. Fernandez; R. Holmes, Def. Counsel 

In Module – R. DiNardo, CP; L. Schaeffer, Capt.; R. Johnson, Media Relations 

Running: 10:07 am

E. Buckley: Okay, I think we can start. Now that the accused has been accompanied here. I want to thank everyone for attending this session. First of all, let’s get a few official things out of the way. Mr. Stanhope, can you please confirm that you’ve been Mirandized, that you’ve exercised your right to have counsel present, Mr. Holmes, and that anything you say is part of the official record and may be used against you? 

L. Stanhope: So, what should I say?

R. Holmes: Just say “yes.” That’s good enough. It’s all boiler-plate. Doesn’t matter. 

L. Stanhope: Yes, okay. 

E. Buckley: Now, what I’d like to do is to read, for the record, so there’s no misunderstanding, the charges against the accused. These are the charges against Leland Stanhope, a resident of the city of Philadelphia, and filed by Asst. DA Chester Fernandez, and recognized by U.S. Court District Judge Reynold Dhawan, of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, who also presided over the accused’s arraignment. 

The charges are: second degree murder; first degree kidnapping; first degree rape; felony drug trafficking; and conspiracy to commit a crime, drug trafficking. Now, I’d like to add that the murder was committed in connection with the conspiracy. Therefore, I’d like to ask counsel for the accused: Are these the charges, as you understand them, as you’ve been informed by the court? 

R. Holmes: Yeah, yeah, they’re what’s been recorded, but I stipulate that these charges are total fabrication and totally false. 

E. Buckley: Now, just to keep the record straight, I’d like to ask the accused, how did you plead to these charges during your arraignment?

L. Stanhope: Now, what do I say? ‘Cause these charges are totally false, I didn’t do any of that stuff. 

R. Holmes: Just like you did before, say “not guilty.” We’re going to show them, all these people, that you didn’t commit any of those crimes. 

L. Stanhope: Okay, not guilty. I didn’t do any of that stuff. I’m innocent. 

E. Buckley: Thank you, sir. Now, what we’re going to do, when I say we, I mean the prosecution team, we’re going to present some of the evidence to show you what our case is based on. But please be aware, there’s no way I can say that this is all of our evidentiary material for several reasons, like new material could be developed at any time, we may find some material unsubstantiated and we can’t use it. There are a number of reasons. 

Just for an example, we have witness testimony that you, Mr. Stanhope, were accompanied by the victim, Faith Gruen, on the evening of May 13th, at Gertie’s Pub, and that you departed with her together when you departed from that establishment. 

R. Holmes: So, guess what folks? It looks to me like you got a pretty weak case. This, what you’re presenting here, it’s just a circumstantial case. You got nothing definitive, nothing tying my client to the murder of that poor girl. It’s been good talking with you, but I can’t say it’s been a pleasure. Now I believe I can file for a dismissal of all charges. There’s just no proof. 

So, I’m outta here. Like they say, see you in court. 

(Note: R. Holmes stands and starts placing documents in his briefcase.)

R. Holmes: I’m outta here. 

L. Stanhope: This is great. Does this mean I can get outta here too? 

E. Buckley: Mr. Holmes, I’d like to ask you to please be seated. We’ve barely started this process. Please. You may notice that I haven’t even asked one question, and your client hasn’t made one substantive statement. 

So, Mr. Stanhope, what is your answer to the witness testimony I just mentioned? Please be advised that you have not been sworn in. However, any false statement made during this session is punishable . . . 

R. Holmes: Okay, okay. Gotcha, we understand all that. You can go ahead. 

(Note: R. Holmes sits down.)

E. Buckley: I’d like to restate the question. Were you at Gertie’s Pub on the evening of May 13th, and did you leave that establishment with the victim, Faith Gruen?

L. Stanhope: Just that I wasn’t even there, so I deny everything. I’m agreeing with my attorney, your case is totally wrong. I wasn’t near Gertie’s around that time. 

E. Buckley: Mr. Stanhope, please be careful. You must tell the truth during this session. 

L. Stanhope: I’m sticking, sticking with my answer. 

E. Buckley: Let me just mention more evidence. Our police laboratory has established that Faith Gruen was murdered on or about May 13th. They also established that the victim was raped, and they completed a rape kit. The examination also determined that the victim was injured. And during that procedure, the lab found a high level of cocaine in her system. Also, the lab obtained DNA samples. We’ve obtained samples of your DNA, and your DNA is a match. 

So, let me ask you again, did you rape Faith Gruen on or around May 13th? Sir, please take your time, think over your answer and make sure your answer is accurate. 

R. Holmes: Sergeant Buckley, I’d like a moment to confer with my client. I’m sure that’s allowed, isn’t it?

E. Buckley: Yes, it is.

(Note: R. Holmes and L. Stanhope move close together, and their conversation is not audible.)   

R. Holmes: I will allow my client to make a statement. 

L. Stanhope: Okay, okay. I admit some of that stuff, but I didn’t kill Faith. I was at Gertie’s with Faith, okay, that’s true, and then we left together. We slipped into this little alley, the one off Sansom; we got excited. Faith was always attracted to me, maybe even loved me, yeah, I’m sure that’s true. Well, I don’t know. But in that alley, we lost it, and then we really got into it. It was great. Faith, she loved rough sex, she was up against the wall, and we lost our heads. But she didn’t complain. She might’ve screamed a little, but she loved it, believe me. 

E. Buckley: Now, Mr. Stanhope, please remember the police lab found cocaine in her system. Did you drug her to rape her?

L. Stanhope: No! Never! Don’t need to. She’s . . . She was hot for sex with me all the time. I just got it, ya know.  

E. Buckley: Thank you for your answer. I’d like to ask you about another occasion, earlier in the month of May. We have witness testimony that on one afternoon during perhaps the first week of May, you attended a meeting at an establishment called Eddie’s Last Chance, Bar of Renown, up in North Philadelphia, on Allegheny, not far from Kensington. Do you remember that meeting?  

(Note: L. Stanhope can be seen moving around in an agitated way in his seat. Twice or three times, he is witnessed looking toward the door of the Interrogation Room.)

E. Buckley: The establishment is on Allegheny Avenue, across the street from the SEPTA El station. And the persons you were meeting with were a Mr. Orlov and Captain McAllister, of the police department. Do you recall meeting with those two individuals at that time? 

L. Stanhope: No, absolutely not. Never been there. Can you tell me who’s pretending to be your witness? I bet you can’t, ‘cause it’s not true. 

E. Buckley: I can’t give you the name now. But I assure you you’d recognize this witness if the witness testifies at trial. The witness said that the three of you discussed plans to sell illicit drugs to a new marketplace, cultivated young people with disposable income. Some of these people are interested in poetry, and Mr. Orlov and Capt. McAllister were counting on you to make more of these people addicts. 

R. Holmes: I’d like another word with my client, if it’s all right with you. 

E. Buckley: Yes, of course. 

(Note: R. Holmes and L. Stanhope move close to each other, and begin a whispered conversation. Their comments are not audible to this note-taker.)

L. Stanhope: Yes, I was there, in that bar. I was ordered to be there. I couldn’t say no, just impossible. Orlov was a violent guy, a real killer. He was scary, ‘cause it didn’t take anything to set him off. And McAllister, I just didn’t know. I played along and pretended I agreed with their program. I couldn’t say no, really! As long as I agreed, I can’t say I was safe, no, not with those guys! But they needed me, to sell more of their stuff. They been threatening me for . . . for a long time. That’s why they wanted to frame Siegel. Guess what! He’s been tryin’ to be a poet. He kept coming to the poetry sessions, and he was seeing more and more of Faith. He was perfect! I was going to report it, but to who? The police? One way or another, McAllister would find out. I was stuck, trapped. 

E. Buckley: And now? Would you testify against McAllister at his trial? 

R. Holmes: If I may, I’d like to step in for my client. That depends on what he could get out of it. But I believe we could work something out. 

E. Buckley: Mr. Stanhope, is that agreeable to you? 

L. Stanhope: Yeah, I think so.   

E. Buckley: Just a few more questions. And these questions have to do with money. 

(Note: The L. Stanhope is seen looking toward R. Holmes.)

E. Buckley: For example, we checked with your bank, and let me mention that we were granted a subpoena by the court to examine your accounts. In fact, you have 321,573 dollars in your savings account, that is, as of about a week ago. I’d like to ask you how you were able to amass that amount of money? 

L. Stanhope: I save everything I earn. Yeah, I’m very economical, that’s it. It might seem like a lot of money, but over time, if you save . . .  

E. Buckley: Yes, I’m sure you save. But I’m wondering if it’s a coincidence that figure is close to the amount on Orlov’s ledger for you that we seized in the raid on his offices way up in North Philly. Do you see any reason for a link?

L. Stanhope: I don’t know. Really, it could be a coincidence. 

E. Buckley: We also learned that you’re planning to move to Brooklyn, New York. You mentioned that several times on social media. In fact, you’ve been showing your friends the house in Brooklyn, in Bed-Stuy, you made a down payment on.    

L. Stanhope: There’s been a mistake. I never made the payment. I just couldn’t. I didn’t have the money. 

E. Buckley: Mr. Stanhope, at trial, we would be able to exhibit the completed documents, thanks to our friends at NYPD. 

R. Holmes: Okay, I think we’ve granted you enough time. I’m calling an end to this interview. Mr. Stanhope, let’s prepare to end this session.  

E. Buckley: Sir, if you please, can I show you one more element of evidence? If you’ll just give us another few minutes . . .  

R. Holmes: What’s going on? You had your time. 

E. Buckley: Please, sir. 

(Note: E. Buckley rolls video monitor away from the wall to the table. He pushes several buttons on the control panel, and an image appears on the screen. The date and time codes are 5/14/20-1:37AM. At first, the image is blank, but then a vehicle with bright headlights appears on the screen, and a figure exits the vehicle. Because of the distance, the face of the individual isn’t recognizable. But the image enlarges, and it is clear that the individual is L. Stanhope. L. Stanhope opens the vehicle’s trunk, and he struggles to pull out what appears to be a human body. The body, in plastic sheeting, falls to the ground, and then he drags it over a path to a stand of trees, and then disappears behind the trees.)

(Note: L. Stanhope leans forward and studies the television monitor intently, his body doesn’t move, and he appears to be frozen in place. When, on the screen, he is shown pulling a human body from the vehicle’s trunk, he screams loudly.)

L. Stanhope: No! No! Stop it! You gotta stop it!

(Note: L. Stanhope bangs his forehead against the table, and a loud knock is heard in the room. The other individuals turn toward him. Then he remains head down with his hands over his ears, and he becomes motionless for an estimated thirty seconds.)

E. Buckley: Should we get a medical team up here? Get an EMS unit up here? Does he have some medical condition we don’t know about?  

L. Holmes: Look’it, let’s be calm, okay? Just let me try something. He does kinda have troublesome sessions . . . Just give me a minute, please. 

(Note: L. Holmes moves toward Stanhope, leans over him, and puts his right hand on Stanhope’s head.)

L. Holmes: Stan, com’on. You gotta come outta it! You gotta control yourself! We’re still here, with the police. You gotta come back. Stan, can you make it? 

(Note: L. Stanhope raises his head slowly.)

L. Stanhope: Please! Please! Take the movie away! I can’t . . .  No, I can’t watch it! Please!

R. Holmes: Get that thing outta here! You can’t do this! You said all the evidence. 

(Note: E. Buckley turns the video unit off and rolls it to the side of the room. ) 

E. Buckley: No, sir. I’m sorry. If you recall . . .  

L. Stanhope: My God, I’m so sorry! My God, I’m so sorry. Oh, Faith, I’m so sorry. I had to do it. They told me. You should’ve helped me. You could’ve made so much money! You told me you’d help me. Then you got on your high horse! Poetry has to be pure, and all that bullshit. Nothing’s pure! It’s all bullshit! Why didn’t you want to? Oh, Faith, I wanted to be rich with you! Why did you say you’d report me? You couldn’t! I had to do it! I’m so sorry. Oh, God, I’m so sorry! They made me do it. 

R. Holmes: Shut up, you fool! Don’t say anything. I deny that entire statement. It’s off the record.  

 E. Buckley: Mr. Stanhope, are you confessing to the murder of Faith Gruen? Let me inform you, we confirmed the car rental with Enterprise. So now, are you admitting that you killed her? Were there any extenuating circumstances? When you say “they,” who’re you talking about? Any statements you make that could be helpful in other cases might have a positive impact on your case by the District Attorney’s Office or the Court. 

C. Fernandez: Just a minute, just a minute! I can confirm that, that it’s possible. But it depends on the revelations. At this point we can’t make any promises. 

(Note: Sounds made by L. Stanhope are incomprehensible. Then the accused places his face on the table and covers his ears with his hands. He can be seen moving his head up and down while audibly sobbing.)

R. Holmes: End this! I demand that we end this session!

(Note: The accused raises his head.) 

L. Stanhope: That Russian guy, Orlov. He told me I had to, or they’d kill me. And then McAllister, he pretended he was so classy, but he’s worse, really mean. He always bossed me around. 

E. Buckley: Mr. Stanhope, are you saying that Captain McAllister threatened to kill you if you didn’t follow his orders? Is that your testimony? 

R. Holmes: Stan, I’m warning you. You don’t wanna put yourself in that position. Don’t say another word!

L. Stanhope: Yes, yes, that’s right. He did. He’s a mean son of a bitch. He killed people, I know. 

E. Buckley: Do you know the names of anyone Captain McAllister killed or ordered killed?

L. Stanhope: No, no, I don’t wanna get killed. Not me . . . 

R. Holmes: This session is over with. I want my client removed from here. 

C. Fernandez: If I can interject one thing, I’d like to stress to the defendant that he’s facing some serious charges, the most serious being murder. Mr. Stanhope, if you want your case to be influenced in a positive way, what else can you give us? Yes, your testimony against Captain McAllister could help, and – of course I can’t make any promises at this point – but do you have information about other individuals involved in the conspiracy? For example, I mean suppliers of illicit drugs, foreign sources, people involved in the transport or storage of drugs? Anything else you can mention? The more you can help us . . . 

R. Holmes: My client has nothing more to add at this time. I’m hereby instructing my client to shut the fuck up! That’s it. 

E. Buckley: Mr. Holmes, if you want to confer with your client at any point before his trial, or if you want to submit any related evidence, you can contact the DA’s Office or contact the court. Thank you for your cooperation. 

(Note: R. Holmes gathers up paperwork he brought to the session and places it in his briefcase and, without a word, exits the interrogation room. L. Stanhope remains seated, awaiting a contingent of two police officers that will transport him back to a holding cell for further transport to a police-operated long-term facility. Twenty-three minutes later, the police contingent arrives and leads the accused out of the Interrogation Room.)  

E. Buckley: Jesus, I can’t believe all this! What came over the guy? And then he snaps back. 

C. Fernandez: Let’s see what happens, but it’s possible the defendant is a great actor, and we’re gonna see his lawyer filing a mental incompetence motion with the court, or something like that. We all saw it, and it looks like acting to me. 

E. Buckley: If everyone agrees, can I declare this session over? Okay, this session is ended. 

End of Record, Time Off: 11:53 am, signed Sgt. J. Waters 

-0-

The location was Gate 25 in Philadelphia International Airport’s Terminal A West. Qatar Airways flight 673 for Malé, the Maldives Islands, with a stopover in Doha, had just been called for boarding, and the first-class passengers were lining up.  

As the line moved forward, the young desk agent, who wore a well-fitting purple and gray uniform, reached out for the boarding passes of the third couple in line. 

“Have you ever been to the Maldives?” she asked with a wide smile on her red lips. 

“Never,” said the passenger, an older man with a strong, tanned face and long gray hair combed back with scented lotion. “Just heard it’s a great vacation spot.” 

The mature woman accompanying him wore dark sunglasses and a strict dark-blue pants suit. She said nothing as she edged forward toward the jet bridge. 

“It’s a wonderful place for vacationing,” the agent said, and she smiled as she swiped the couple’s boarding passes over the reader. “I know you’ll enjoy yourself.” 

Meanwhile, the mature woman was moving slowly with stiff gestures as she started down the jet bridge. She raised her feet with each step to avoid tripping on the carpeting. 

“Well, have a pleasant flight,” the agent said. As she handed the boarding passes back to tall passenger, he held onto her smooth hand.

The young woman withdrew her hand from his grasp brusquely, but the smile remained on her pretty face. 

“Sure will,” William McAllister said. And he walked confidently down the jet bridge to catch up with his wife. 

Qatar Airways’ Flight 673 was not heavily booked. In fact, the Airbus 330 was little more than half filled. With the assistance of the first flight attendant they encountered, McAllister and his wife Sibyl found their seats easily in the first-class section. 

“Dear, why don’t you take the window seat?” McAllister suggested. “I think it’ll be better for you. You can catch a quick snooze. I’ll let you know when it’s cocktail time.”

“But I thought . . . ” 

“It’ll be fine, dear, really. I’m looking out for you.”

McAllister eased his wife into her window seat, and then he took a few seconds to twist his waist and stretch his arms before handing his light sport coat to the flight attendant. Then, he slid into his seat and closed his eyes. 

Good-bye Philly, he told himself. Love yah! It was great knowing you. You been good to me, but I earned every cent, every dollar, and every million. I thought everything out, and I had the balls to do what I had to. You bet, only the smart survive. And it wasn’t luck. I had it all planned. Plan B, and now everything is in its place, and it’s protected.

The Airbus 330 banked east as it climbed for altitude, and McAllister opened his eyes and looked out his wife’s window. Through a break in the cloud cover, he was able to get a last glimpse of Philly – the tall glass towers glimmering in the sun, the wide avenues jammed with traffic, the city hall with Billy Penn on top in the center, and two rivers holding it all together.  

He felt a discreet tap on his shoulder. When he turned, he suddenly realized the flight attendant was holding a small tray of munchies.  

She smiled and then said: “Sir, may I get you a drink?” 

“If you got a really good Bourbon, I’ll take it on the rocks. Thanks so much.” 

“And your wife, can I get her something?”

McAllister looked toward his wife, and he realized that he could hear her light snoring over the roar of the Airbus’ jet engines. 

“I think she needs a little nap. She’s been under a lot of strain lately.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll get yours right away.” 

McAllister looked up at the flight attendant. Suddenly, he realized how beautiful she was – tall and svelte in her purple skirt, her dark skin just barely peeping through her white blouse, and the face of an angel. 

“What’s your name?”

“It’s on my nametag. Well, my last name. My first name is Chrystal. She leaned down to show him her nametag, and he sniffed a light touch of a pleasingly sweet perfume.  She turned and, it seemed, in an instant she returned with his drink. 

“Enjoy your drink, sir. Please let me know if you’d like another.”

“I sure will. Thank you.”

McAllister watched her skirt move from side to side as she walked down the aisle away from him, and then took a sip of his drink and felt the syrupy liquid flow down his throat. Jimmy Beam sure knows how to make me happy, he told himself. 

And then he found himself glancing up the aisle for Chrystal. And if there’s more like Chrystal in the Maldives, I’m gonna be a happy man. Fuckin’ A, she could sure make me happy. My own Nubian! And I could show her a thing or two. The whole package: White beaches, azure waters, cocktails, and long, beautiful bodies in bikinis.

I earned it, he told himself, and they owe it to me. I milked that system for everything they owe me. I earned it all.  And then they tried to pin a bunch of crazy charges on me. Murder, how crazy! That Orlov was trying to kill me, and just a few shots, and I saved the city millions in court costs. Drug trafficking and conspiracy! I infiltrated that bunch to bring them down, of course! And all the federal financial crimes, just a joke, really!