Roland P D Omnibus

by Ruth DuCharme

  “I think there’s something more to this. And I think it involves the brass.”

  She has my full attention now.

  “A certain lieutenant in fact?”

  I open the door wide, “What are you talking about?”

  The reporter takes a deep breath, “I think someone you know set you up. I have evidence.”

  This kid reporter now has my full undivided attention.

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Six

  I step back from the door and let the kid in. She takes a look around. “Redecorating are you?” She quips.

  “Ha, ha. No, it seems the department sent internal affairs here searching for something.”

  “Any idea what they were they searching for?”

  “I’m hoping you can tell me, since you seem to know so much.”

  Sarah looks at me with eyes of interest. “You look pretty rough.”

  “It feels worse than it looks.”

  “I bet.”

  “Want a beer?”

  “Sure, if you’re having one.”

  I can feel Sarah’s eyes on me and I venture to the fridge and retrieve two beers. I notice her gaze lands on the cash and gun I left on the table.

  “Making a run for it?”

  “That’s no one of your business.”

  “Sorry.”

  I motion for her to have a seat on the couch. “So tell me what you think is going on.”

  “Sarah takes a sip of her beer and then pushes aside a pile of papers on my coffee table to set it down. Ok, here is what I think. I think Lieutenant Carson was involved with your disappearance.”

  Sarah looks at me in an effort to gauge my reaction. I don’t even twitch. “Why do you think Carson would have anything to do with what happened to me? He’s a police officer and a very high up one at that. He’s been around here for quite a long time.”

  “That’s just it. He knows a lot of people. He was born and raised here did you know that?”

  “The question is, how did YOU know that?”

  “You’re not going to make this easy on me are you? Ok, here’s the deal. I’ll tell you what I know and what I suspect and if when I’m done you don’t want to share that’s fine. But I’m going to keep looking into this and next time I won’t share.”

  “Give it your best shot, kid. What do you got?”

  “I was at the station the morning you went missing…” Sarah spends the next few minutes filling me in on what she saw.

  I have to admit, the kid has some interesting information. “This guy, Johnson, I think you said his name was. Did you hear him called anything else? A nickname, a street name? Anything?”

  “I’m pretty sure Carson called him ‘Greg” at one point. Does that name mean anything to you?”

  “One of the captains who came to visit me this morning in the hospital asked me if I knew anyone named Johnson. I don’t.”

  Sarah dug through her purse and removed her cell phone. She got up from her place on the couch and knelt down next to my chair. She pressed a button her phone and then handed it to me, “Well watch this.”

  As I watch the confrontation unfold on Sarah’s little iPhone I feel a little spark of pride. This kid sure has balls. When the video concludes I hand her back the phone. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

  “I wasn’t sure how much I should share with. You want me to send it to you?”

  “No. At least not yet. Both of my phones are missing and all I have right now are these burners. Besides, I don’t want to risk anyone finding that video if they decide to confiscate anything else from me. You might be in danger having it yourself.”

  “No one knows I took it.”

  “Oh yeah? You do realize we have security cameras in the station, don’t you? You’re probably front and center on video taking pictures of that conversation.”

  Sarah pretended to be nonplussed but I could visibly see her throat tighten. Poor kid tried to even sound like it was no big deal. “Still, I’m sure no one is looking at video from inside the station while they are so busy trying to figure out what happened to you.”

  “Riiiiiight. Carson may have thought of it. If he chose to review the tape and watch his little episode with this Johnson guy, then you an bet he has already seen your cameo. You’re in over your head, kid.”

  “What should I do?”

  “Put that video in a safe place until I can figure out how we are going to use it.”

  “Like where? I’m taking suggestions.”

  “I don’t know. Don’t you have a safety deposit box or something? Where do you hide your diary?” That last dig was a little unnecessary, even for me.

  Sarah was brave enough to give me s dirty look. “I’ll find a place. I’ve shown you mine, now will you tell me what happened?”

  “The less you know, the better, kid.”

  “I’m already in the thick of this. You might as well tell me.”

  “Why? You cant print it.”

  “I’m not trying to. Sergeant, it looks like maybe you could use a friend that isn’t a police officer. Am I right?”

  I feel deflated all of the sudden. I don’t think I can keep fighting this kid off, especially, with that look of genuine concern on her face. In that moment I decide that Sarah may be just the person to confide in.

  I spend the next fifteen minutes telling Sarah everything that has happened in the last few days and as I talk I watch her eyes get wider and wider until they are like saucers on her face.

  “HO-LY SHIT!”

  “You can say that again.”

  “What are you going to do?” Sarah stands up and begins to pace. “What can we do to fix this? No one is going to believe you!”

  “We need more video, for starters. Proof that Carson not only tried to kill me but tried to kill Sharonda.”

  “I agree but we can’t do this alone. Not just you and me. We need back up!”

  I laugh at Sarah. She stands in front of me looking like an angry teenager and sounding like a wannabe cop. “I have the back up covered. I know just who I can trust.” I check my watch, “In fact I’m off to meet up with my back up now so I’ll have to I have to cut this little meeting short.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “Ohhhh No. You’re not going with me. For your own safety we have to keep up some semblance that I’m a victim who has no memory of what occurred. If I have a reporter tagging along everywhere I go, someone will be suspicious. If you hadn’t noticed, cops and reporters don’t exactly hang out together.”

  Sarah’s pouty face betrays her age even more than before. “Listen to me, Sarah. You’re clearly very brave and your tenacity is refreshing. In other circumstances you might have made a great cop. But this, this is more than you and I can handle. We aren’t batman and robin. Its my job to make sure you stay safe so there’s no way I’m bringing you along. Not yet.” I get up out of my chair and suppress a groan as my ribs grate against each other. “I’m late for my meeting but I have your number and you can bet I’m going to use it, ok? In the mean time, be careful. Watch your back. And most importantly, keep your mouth shut. If you run into any trouble you call me first, got it?”

  “Got it.”

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Seven

  The minute Sarah leaves I start getting my belongings together. I’m still not entirely convinced I can trust her but I have to trust someone. I send a text to Camden with the location of our meet spot. He texts back that he’s on his way. I search for my car keys for a full three minutes before I remember my car is still at the station. How the hell am I going to get out of here? I reach for the business card tucked inside my baseball hat and smile.

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Eight

  Sarah left the apartment building the way she had come. She rounded the corner to the front of the building and she walked straight past the other reporters, to her car. She could hardly believe the fantastical tale Shaw has told her. Could she have been making it up? Was Shaw just messing with her? W
hatever that woman had gone through, it was pretty bad.

  Sarah pulled her car onto the street and was so deep in thought she didn’t even notice the black sedan that pulled out behind her.

  Chapter One Hundred Forty-Nine

  Sarah stayed lost in thought as she drove around the city. She tried to think about what her next move should be. She felt sorry for Shaw. Police are supposed to protect people not hurt them! Sarah let her anger boil to the surface. She had to do something to help but what?

  Sarah stopped for the red light she glanced up in her rearview mirror. A black sedan was on her bumper and Sarah felt a cold chill run up her spine. It was a police car.

  Once the light turned green, Sarah drove through the intersection at normal speed and the sedan stayed close behind. She made a left turn and then another but the car was still behind her. What the hell is this shit? Suddenly the sedan sped up and moved up close to her bumper. Sarah gripped the wheel tighter. Then the car backed off. Why wasn’t he pulling her over?

  Sarah tried to think quickly. Where should she go? She could drive straight to the police station, or maybe straight to the bank. She suddenly felt a very strong need to get rid of the video like Shaw said.

  Sarah made a right turn onto the next residential street and sped up. The black sedan once again sped up to within a foot of her bumper. Sarah took her eyes off the road momentarily and glanced in her mirror. Carson. Carson was driving the car behind her and he was smiling.

  Sarah turned her car left and sped up the hill towards the outlook. She had to get away from Carson and maybe he won’t follow her into a residential neighborhood.

  Sarah drove faster than she should. The black sedan moved in closer and tapped her bumper causing her vehicle to lurch forward. Holy shit! Is he trying to run me off the road? She sped up even though this neighborhood isn’t ideal for speeding traffic. Carson let her get ahead by two car lengths before once again racing forward and bumping her bumper.

  Sarah’s head snapped back at the force of the hit and she struggled to keep her car on the road. She took the next turn too fast and her car began to slide. She slammed both of her feet on the brake but the wheels locked up.

  Twenty feet later Sarah and her car came to a complete stop against the opposite curb. She looked into her mirror fully expecting to see Carson bearing down on her, but he was gone. No sedan, no killer cop.

  Sarah didn’t want to, but she began to cry. She wasn’t scared so much as angry. How dare he! He could have not only hurt her but some innocent person walking on the sidewalk, if there had been any.

  Sarah inhaled a few deep breaths to calm herself and looked around. She recognized the neighborhood and realized that there’s only one place to go at the moment.

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty

  A frantic knock on the door caused Kevin to jump. The knocking became more frantic but Kevin took his time getting to the door. “Ok, ok, I’m coming. Keep your shirt on.”

  Kevin opened the door and was pleasantly surprised to see Sarah on the other side of it. “You didn’t have to bring me the story in person, you know. I didn’t even think you knew where I lived, kid!”

  Sarah shoved past him, “Don’t be a pig. I need to come in.”

  “Mi casa es su casa…..or something like that.” He followed her to the kitchen where she was frantically opening and shutting cupboards. “Can I help you find something?”

  Sarah spun on him and Kevin took a long look at her disheveled clothes and tear stained face. “Hey. Whoa, kid. What’s wrong?”

  “Well for starters not only have I been followed but someone tried to run me off the road!”

  “What? Are you sure it wasn’t some kind of accident?”

  Sarah slammed her fist down on the kitchen table and leand in close to his face. “It was NO accident. I’m telling you this asshole tried to kill me! And that’s not even the worst part.”

  “There’s something worse than someone trying to kill you?”

  “Oh you betcha. The guy driving car? None other than that lousy, no good, creepy, evil smiling, Roland PD Lieutenant Carson.”

  Kevin stared at her skeptically. “Ok have a seat and I’ll make you some tea. I think you may be losing your mind.” Kevin pushed her away from the cupboard over the stove and grabbed a dusty box of tea.

  “I don’t want any fucking tea. I want a drink!”

  “Oooook a drink it is.” He put the tea back and reached for the Scotch instead. “Will this do?”

  “Yep!” Sarah grabbed the bottle out of his hand, uncapped it and took a swig.

  “Oh good lord woman!” Kevin snatched the bottle back from her. “What? Were you born in a bar? That’s good Scotch your back washing into!” He grabbed a glass and poured her two fingers.

  Sarah snatched the glass from Kevin and swallowed the liquid gold down in one shot. She slammed the empty glass down on the kitchen table and demanded, “More.”

  “Slow down kid. Your gonna send your liver into shock drinking like that.” Kevin poured a little more alcohol into her glass and handed it to her slowly.

  Sarah took the glass but this time she sipped it slowly.

  Kevin frowned. “You ready to tell me what happened?”

  “Remember when I told you I saw Carson and that guy in the police station and you didn’t believe me that they were up to no good?”

  “I remember.”

  “Well there’s something I didn’t tell you. I videotaped it.”

  “You did what? You know can’t just record people inside the police station right?”

  “Oh that’s rich coming from you, Mr. Goody-two-shoes. Shut up and let me finish. I went to Shaw’s today. Yeah, that’s right. Me. I found her. And not only that, she let me in and we had a nice long talk about what happened to her.” Sarah took another small swallow of the alcohol. It’s finally making its way into her veins and she’s starting to feel a little calmer. “You might want to sit down for this.”

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-One

  The moment Sarah is done telling him about all she had learned, Kevin grabbed the bottle of Scotch and drank a huge swig straight from the bottle himself.

  Sarah finished her story by recounting how she came to show up at his door. “So then when I was on my way home he tried to run me off the road! It was him! I saw him!!!”

  Kevin put one hand up to slow Sarah’s torrent of words as they slapped him in the face. “Ok, calm down.” Suddenly he was all business. “Send me the video right now.”

  Sarah eyed him suspiciously. “What are you going to do with it?”

  “Don’t worry I’m not going to still your byline. Sarah, its clearly not safe for you to be the only one with this video. We need copies and we need them spread out so when it’s time to come forward nothing will prevent it.”

  “That’s what Shaw said.”

  “She sounds like a smart woman. You should listen to her.”

  “You think he’s going to manage to kill me?”

  Kevin eyed her sternly, “You never know what is going to happen from one minute to the next. I am going to do everything I can to help Shaw and make sure you rent caught in the cross fire but the truth is, the good guys don’t always win.”

  Sarah is shocked to hear a sadness creep in to Kevin’s voice. “Something tells me you know a little about that kind of loss.”

  “I’ve lost my share. Hasn’t everybody?”

  “You want to tell me about her?”

  “What makes you think I’ve lost a her?”

  Sarah looked at him with sympathy. He was clearly full of a certain deep sadness. She had no idea such a sadness could exist in one person’s soul. “Just a feeling I get.”

  “It’s in the past. But as far back as that past might be, I’ve experienced enough of it to know I won’t let another person I love go without a fight.”

  “You barely know me. You certainly don’t love me.”

  “I do care about you. Yes, I know I’ve been an ass but truthf
ully I don’t know how to act with you. I’ve been through a lot and it tends to taint my actions. I’m sorry I’ve been such a pain.”

  Maybe it was the adrenaline from what she had just been though, maybe it was the sadness in Kevin’s eyes or maybe it was just the Scotch working its magic, regardless of what made her do it, Sarah reached a hand up and touched Kevin’s cheek.

  Kevin felt a little shock at Sarah’s bold move but the warmth of her hand on his face was enough to bring down a few bricks on the wall he had built around his heart. He stood and held Sarah’s face in his own hands. He looked down into her wide brown eyes, “I won’t let anything to happen to you, kid.”

  Sarah kissed him.

  Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Two

  My new best friend Amir pulls the cab to the curb in front of my favorite Mexican restaurant and I alight quickly. I pull my hat down over my eyes and enter the restaurant as he drives away. I’m greeted immediately by the roundest, Hispanic, grandmother I’ve ever known. “Sweetie!”

  “Hi Marisol,” I mumble into her ample bosom as she tries to smother me with a hug.

  “Let me look at you!” Marisol holds me at arm’s length and then with tears in her eyes and a stream of Spanish I don’t understand she once again hugs me too tight. I wince from the pain but who can say “no” to a welcome like that?

  Marisol pats my face with a heavy hand that smells of onion and garlic. “Mija, I’m so glad you’re ok. I was so worried about you. I’ve been watching the news nonstop and praying you would be ok.”

  “I’m ok, mama Marisol. I can’t really talk about it though.”

  “Well if one of those bad guys got you they better hope they don’t run into mama Marisol. I will CUT THEM!” Marisol has a knife in her hand and waves it around. I grab her wrist before I get caught in the swing. She’s pissed and that makes my heart swell.