Chinese Wall Merit (Bridges Legal Thriller) Crime Fiction by Manning Wolfe ➱ Book Tour with Giveaway

Chinese Wall

Merit Bridges Legal Thriller Book 4

by Manning Wolfe

Genre: Crime Fiction, Legal Thriller

MERIT BRIDGES IS TASKED, IN A MURDER CASE, WITH HIDING SECRETS BEHIND A LEGAL ETHICS DEVICE CALLED A CHINESE WALL!

WILL SHE KEEP THE SECRETS, EVEN IF IT COSTS HER EVERYTHING?

Attorney Merit Bridges finds herself a target again in this action-packed cinematic legal thriller. When court appointed as special counsel, she becomes privy to top-secret and incriminating information hidden behind a Chinese Wall. She must then discern if the curtain created by powerful FBI operatives is to deceive or protect.

Bursting with all the courthouse scheming, intrigue, and stunning plot twists that have become synonymous with a Manning Wolfe thriller, CHINESE WALL is her most vivid and evocative drama yet.

From award-winning author Manning Wolfe, a Merit Bridges Legal Thriller “so chilling the pages crackle with life, revealing a plot so tight it pops!”

CHINESE WALL – don’t get trapped behind it!

Praise for the Merit Bridges Legal Thriller Series:

“Filled with great characters, well-researched law, and suspenseful mysteries…”

- Larry A. Winters, Jessie Black Legal Thrillers

"A legal thriller not to be missed, compelling and action-packed, with vivid characters and an authentic setting.” - Mark Pryor, Hugo Marston Novels

"A high-speed storyline full of twists and turns upon a stark background of reality as lawyers might really experience it. Manning Wolfe is one of the up and coming legal thriller writers of this generation. Read her and enjoy her, but don't expect much sleep!"

- John Ellsworth, Michael Gresham & Thaddeus Murfee Legal Thrillers

In, GREEN FEES, Attorney Merit Bridges was kidnapped and tortured. Now, in CHINESE WALL, the danger is even closer to home! Read the series in any order, or start at the beginning with DOLLAR SIGNS!

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Chinese Wall © – Excerpt #1 – Merit gets the case:

Merit Bridges sat in the darkly paneled office of Judge Harold Ginsberg. The judge was a tall man with a small, round belly that looked like a beach ball had been cut in half and placed on his abdomen under his shirt. His black robe hung on a coat tree in the corner. Ginsberg was somehow related to the supreme court justice of the same name. Merit had read they were distant cousins. The judge was known to be tough but fair, and Merit respected and admired him.

“It’s good to see you, Judge. What can I do for you?”

“Have a seat. I called because we need you to act as special counsel to enable the use of a Chinese Wall around information in the McDonald case.” The judge spoke with a sophisticated voice, hiding hints of a Texas drawl. He pronounced all of his ‘ing’ words without shortcut, but when he said get, it sounded more like git.

Merit blanched. “I’m flattered to be asked, but why not get someone in San Antonio?”

“The case has been transferred to Austin due to a change of venue hearing. The judge there was convinced that the high Hispanic population of San Antonio would not allow for a fair trial. Most of those who were killed were Latinos.”

“I’ve kept up with the news about McDonald being arrested and charged, but I didn’t know the case was coming to Austin. Why me? As you know, litigation is not my speciality.”

“That’s why you. I want a strategist who can manage a lot of detail, legal parties, and points of law, all while having some perspective. That’s my experience of you. Besides, you’ll only present in court if there’s a challenge to the information you let through. You’ll mostly be a glorified editor-in-chief.”

Merit half smiled. “Thank you, Your Honor, I appreciate your confidence in me. What do you mean about my letting information through?”

“It’s a sequestered case. The Chinese Wall, or ethics wall, will allow the FBI to funnel evidence through you to the defense counsel for McDonald. You’ll decide what to redact as a matter of national security and what is necessary for the defense to know.”

“I’ll be responsible for unmasking the information?”

“Yes, you’ll also separate out anything to do with Mayor Sincero’s assassination and Mayor Thibodeaux’s kidnapping. There’s been no evidence connecting McDonald to those crimes.”

Merit blanched. “Isn’t law enforcement fairly certain it was the same group?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. I know you were friends, but her kidnapping will not be part of the trial. There’s no definitive evidence that McDonald was involved with the mayoral issues, and prosecutors have decided to go with the indictment on the bombing alone. They feel they have a stronger position without muddying the water.”

“I understand. Who will handle the case as defense counsel?”

The judge handed Merit a sheaf of papers with the names of all the participants in the trial. “Jerry Webb will be attorney for McDonald. His firm has offices here and in San Antonio. The firm has been involved since the beginning, but Webb will be the new lead at the trial as one of the former partners at his firm, Robert Riley, is now deceased.”

Merit’s eyes flew to Judge Ginsberg’s face. “Deceased? I hadn’t heard.”

“Yes. He killed himself yesterday. Jumped off a chair in his garage with a rope around his neck. Apparently, he had a history of depression, and this case may have pushed him over the edge.”

Merit flinched visibly thinking of her deceased husband, Tony, Ace’s father, who had put a bullet through his brain in their back yard a few years back.

Judge Ginsberg seemed to notice her reaction. “Sorry to open up old wounds. I seem to be the bearer of bad news today. Let’s move on to the task at hand.”

Merit steadied herself. “Right. How do you want me to handle the information from the government?”

“The FBI has a strong set of rules about their documents, how they’re handled and where they’re kept. I’m going along with their wishes for now, but if they challenge your authority as special liaison in any way, I want you to file an application for a hearing and let’s get it on the record in open court. You’ll basically act as go-between for the defense counsel.”

“Jerry Webb would not be my first choice of an attorney to work with.”

“Why not? Jerry’s is one of the few federal criminal defense attorney firms in Austin large enough to handle a case of this size. The fact that they also have a San Antonio office is a bonus.”

Merit began wringing her hands in her lap. “Your Honor, I need your advice.”

The judge stared at Merit intently. “If I can help.”

“I’m wondering if I should sign on for this task. I feel my experience may fall a little short of what’s needed here.”

“Why’s that?”

Merit dropped her eyes and didn’t respond.

“You’re not thinking this through. I went out on a limb to have you, a woman of your young age, assigned to this case. Attorneys ten and twenty years your senior lobbied for this appointment. You will be the only one to see the files and decide what to allow into court and out into the public. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s also a career maker. Headlines every day, lots of notoriety.”

“That’s what I’m concerned about.”

Judge Ginsberg looked Merit squarely in the eye as if to say, The answer to my next question will change your life forever.

Merit gulped, but held his gaze, waiting for the question.

“Do you have any doubt that the judicial process will remain fair, transparent, and unbiased?”

“Of course not.”

“Well, there’s your answer. Unless you’d still like for me to find someone to replace you?”

“No. Don’t do that, please. Sorry. It will be fine.”

“See that it is. This will be our last ex parte meeting until the trial is over. I’ll see you only in court and in chambers with all attorneys present. You can’t tell me what’s redacted from the files. No one will know except you. I’m counting on you to pave the way to a fair and impartial verdict in this case.”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

The judge nodded in approval. “The world will be watching.”

Chinese Wall © Excerpt 2 – Merit meets Duke:

Duke indicated a seat on the long side of the table for Merit. He sat at the head of the table and folded his hands.

Power play already, Merit thought.

Duke began. “I understand you will meet with the defendant.”

Merit blinked. “How do you know that?”

Duke smiled. “Just keeping up with the case. It’s a logical assumption.”

Merit grimaced. “Let’s get started.”

“Fine. As you know, McDonald’s legal defense team is entitled to the evidence we have on the physical bombing. A portion of it came to us via the San Antonio Police Department. We’ve sent copies over to Jerry Webb’s office and messengered a duplicate to your office.”

“I received them from you and from SAPD. So, if that’s the crux of it, why am I here?”

“What we haven’t sent to anyone yet is the intelligence on the bombing. We also have the information on the assassination of the mayor of San Antonio and the kidnapping of the mayor of Austin. Since there is nothing to connect McDonald to those other events, they have to be removed from what’s shown to the defense team.”

“Judge Ginsberg filled me in. I’ll cull that out of the documents if I deem them irrelevant. I’m ready to get started.”

“Not so fast, Merit.”

He said her name in such a way it made her wish she’d insisted on using Ms. Bridges.

“Well, Archie, I think I’ve wasted enough of the court’s money today at my billable rate. Why don’t we get to the point or the documents or whatever it is you’re not telling me.”

Duke frowned. “I have a series of documents comprising eight file boxes that must be reviewed here in our offices. You can work in this room and only here. An agent will bring in one box and you will be allowed as much time as you’d like to work through it. When you complete that box, it will be removed and the next box brought in.”

“What about copies of what I need?”

“All of the documents are copies. You will be provided special redacting markers that completely blot out the wording you choose to strike. You’ll be given a list of code names for all of the agents involved. Their names have been redacted already, and their code names written in above the redacted names.”

“Am I allowed to take notes or make copies after the redacting is complete?”

“You may make notes that stay in this room, on a laptop or legal pad. You will have a tray where you can leave any documents you’d like to have sent to defense counsel after you’ve completed the redacting. You must strike everything that is not necessary to the defense’s case. We’ll make the copies for you and send them over.”

Merit grimaced. “That sounds like a lot of redacting.”

Duke nodded. “We’ve narrowed down the files as much as possible under the judge’s orders. The rest is up to you. If you place a document in the tray for copying that we think reveals too much, we’ll kick it back to you for further redacting.”

“And if I disagree?”

“It won’t be copied.”

“And if I still disagree, we’ll let Judge Ginsberg decide.”

Duke narrowed his eyes and bore into her. “I hope it doesn’t come to that. And remember, you may not speak ex parte with defense counsel or the judge about the case.”

“I understand the rules.”

Merit reviewed the confidentiality agreement as Duke left the room. When she was satisfied that she understood clearly what the requirements were, she signed the document, closed the file, placed the pen on top, and let out a long breath.

What have I gotten myself into now?

Merit, Jerry, and all of the other attorneys appeared before Judge Ginsberg in chambers for a hearing on the evidence requested by Merit.

The purpose of the meeting was to address the problem with summaries and missing information from the FBI files. Merit had filed the motion for the hearing on the evidence and was joined in the motion by Jerry as primary defense counsel for McDonald. All very technically correct to preserve the record, much to the chagrin of Richard Dell, FBI counsel.

Judge Ginsberg turned to Merit. “Ms. Bridges, you asked for this proceeding. Let’s hear it.”

Merit stood and addressed the judge. “Your Honor, as asserted in my motion for the hearing, I’ve found irregularities in the FBI documentation that you’ve assigned for my review and redacting. There are documents referencing reports and information that aren’t in the files. I’ve requested that the additional material be made available, and it has not been fully provided. In order to do my job properly, I demand to see those documents.”

“I see, Ms. Bridges. How do you know that the additional information is necessary to your review?”

“Parts of the story are being left out, Your Honor. Merit gave the judge several examples.”

“How much is missing?”

“Just to clarify, Your Honor. The information is lost in the gap between the San Antonio Police Department reports and the FBI reports. It’s as if there was an investigation that occurred somewhere in the space between the two legal authorities that is not being revealed in the documentation.”

The judge looked at Prosecutor Bowser, then at FBI counsel, Dell, as if he was deciding who to call on next. When the judge nodded at him, Jerry spoke. “Your Honor, Ms. Bridges is to decide what is necessary to the defense, not Mr. Dell. We are already handicapped in our representation of Mr. McDonald by the Chinese Wall, causing an intermediary to redact and evaluate what should be passed on to us. Having that information edited even before it is given to Ms. Bridges provides a double wall to our use of what may or may not be necessary for us to properly defend our client.”

Merit piped up. “I was told that the only things removed from the documentation were the real names of the agents who work undercover.”

The judge seemed to contemplate the issue. “Mr. Bowser, do you have anything to add to this discussion before I rule on the motion?”

The prosecutor stood up. “No, Your Honor. I am willing to prosecute this case with the information Your Honor deems relevant to the charges.”

Jerry cleared his throat. Kiss ass.

The judge, seemingly unimpressed, addressed the group. “Mr. Dell, perhaps you’d like to review the documentation again and consider whether there are indeed gaps in the story as Ms. Bridges describes it.”

Mr. Dell nodded. “We’d welcome that opportunity, Your Honor.”

As welcome as a tick on a hound’s back. Merit channeled her inner Betty.

Guest Blog – Manning Wolfe – 7.22.2021

What is a Chinese Wall in the Legal World?

When lawyers need access to information that is protected by confidentiality, they often use a device called a Chinese wall, or ethics wall, to hide the confidential parts and reveal the parts necessary to defend or prosecute a case. To do this requires a special master or an attorney, usually designated by a judge, to act as an intermediary to pass information from one side of the wall to the other.

The most common use of this legal device is when national secrets need to be protected. Another use is when a defendant is accused of one crime and the evidence in question concerns multiple crimes.

For example, in Chinese Wall, Merit Bridges is tasked by the trial judge with sorting and redacting documents for the defense without tainting that documentation with other crimes that the defendant may have committed. In the case, there’s not enough evidence to include those crimes in the indictment.

Some say the use of the term Chinese Wall is derogatory, but most believe it is attributable to the wall itself dividing two portions of China, and does not reflect on the population or culture.

MANNING WOLFE an award-winning author and attorney residing in Austin, Texas, writes cinematic-style, smart, fast-paced thrillers and crime ficton. Her legal thriller series features Austin attorney Merit Bridges. She is co-author of the Bullet Books Speed Reads, a collection of crime fiction.

As a graduate of Rice University and the University of Texas School of Law, Manning's experience has given her a voyeur's peek into some shady characters' lives and a front-row seat to watch the good people who stand against them.

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