he connects the charger to the lighter outlet and plugs in the phone.
The screen shows minimal charge. Ahmed gets out of the van and opens the engine compartment. He stashes the other phones in the bag next to the battery. He wedges the bag against the body well for safekeeping and closes the hood. He gets back into the van, looks at his watch, starts the van and disappears down the street.
***
The law firm that Matthew Cohen works at has only nine attorneys and fourteen other employees. It is now one of the top trial firms in Colorado, specializing in criminal defense and business litigation matters.
Joe Rothman, a decorated Vietnam veteran, started the firm in the early nineties after moving to Colorado. He served as an assistant district attorney in the special prosecutor's office of narcotics investigations in Brooklyn, New York.
He ran that office for seven years then moved to head the white-collar crimes unit in Manhattan. He had earned the reputation as one of the top prosecutors in the state of New York. He served in Manhattan for four years and then decided to make a change from the big city and seek his future in private practice.
Joe is in his office and is listening to the complaints of some of the victims of Matthew Cohen's earlier morning mock assault on partners and other staff members.
He has heard complaint after complaint since he returned from court just before lunch, and he has heard enough whining about Matt's antics.
Joe heads down the hall with a look on his face that could part the sea. Matt is in his office counseling a potential client whom he had represented once before.
The client is Reginald Haynes, a body shop owner and mid-level drug dealer. Mr. Haynes has been released on bond, which he posted in cash that morning.
Matt sets the police report down on his desk and sighs as he looks at his client. "Look Reggie, the police report clearly states that you were driving twenty-five miles an hour over the speed limit, giving them probable cause for a traffic stop. Lights then summoned you to pull over, which you did. Upon contact with the officer, who claims to have smelled the odor of burning marijuana when he approached your vehicle, requested that you shut off the vehicle and step out of the vehicle, at which time you said that you did not want to step out of the car, and refused to comply with his order."
The client stares as the young attorney goes over the report with him. He is waiting for the bottom line regarding his legal opinion.
Matt reads on, "This is where it gets good. The officer states that he drew his weapon and ordered you out of the vehicle a second time, at which time you sped off and a vehicle pursuit took place. Then after four miles in pursuit, two other officers from another jurisdiction, who joined the pursuit, witnessed you throw two weapons out of the vehicle during said pursuit.
The weapons which were recovered by yet another officer who had also joined in the pursuit stated that the weapons recovered were a Ruger Red Hawk 44 Magnum handgun and a nine-millimeter Browning handgun."
A double knock on the door interrupts them. The door opens, and Joe sticks his head in.
"Matthew, excuse the interruption, could I see you for a minute?"
Matt, not surprised, responds to his boss. "Sure. Excuse me for a minute Mr. Haynes." Reggie looks at Joe and recognizes his face from past news coverage. "No problem man, do your thing."
Matt exits into the hallway, closing the door behind him. Joe stands there, all six-foot-three inches of him, looking down at Matt as he closes the door.
Joe discreetly leans close to Matt in the hallway. "What kind of knucklehead crap was that stunt this morning, Matthew?"
Matt is just going to take the verbal punishment that he knows he has coming.
"Did you bump your frigging head?" He does not give Matt a chance to answer. "What possesses you to perform these juvenile stunts in my law offices?"
Matt looks at Joe as humbly as possible,