Page 60 of Coming Home to You
I’m questioned and cross-examined for a couple of hours.The prosecutor shows the video of Ryan and me questioning the guy, arguing that everything we did was by the book.I glance at Ryan, who’s sitting at the back of the room and he nods at me, as if to say he completely agrees.
He’s not being questioned on this one, it’s just me.That’s mainly because I’m the senior officer and I was the one in charge of the investigation.The defense lawyer tries to give me some grief about our arrest, not really focusing on the interview afterwards because he basically knows he’s got shit on that one.
He doesn’t have shit on the arrest either because Ryan did all of that by the book too.Neither of us fuck about with this stuff; it’s too serious to risk letting a guy like this walk.By the time the questioning is over, I walk out of the courtroom feeling pretty happy with how things went.
“Want to grab a beer?”Ryan says, as we walk out to the street.
“Yeah,” I tell him.“I just gotta speak to the captain for a bit, but I’ll meet you there in an hour?”
Ryan gives me a puzzled look, but doesn’t say anything, nodding as he walks towards his car.
I drive to the station and head inside to speak with my boss.I’m not really sure how this is all going to go down.I’m pretty sure he’s already pissed at my sudden and undefined departure from the job, and I’ve no doubt my next question is going to piss him off even more.
“O’Loughlin,” he says as I knock on the doorframe of his office.“What can I do for you?”
“Sir,” I say, walking in and taking a seat.“I need to talk to you about something.”
He nods, but doesn’t look up from the papers he’s reading.“How’d it go today, in court?”
I shrug, even though he isn’t looking at me.“Okay, I think.Pretty sure his lawyers know they’ve got jack shit on us.My money’s on them hoping he changes his plea; saves all of us the hassle.”
“Hmmm,” the captain says.“It would look better for us too.Improper police questioning is not something we need hanging over us.”
I exhale loudly, knowing he’s right, even if it is an underhanded dig at me for it happening in the first place.
The captain looks up.“What?”
I lean forward in my chair, elbows on my knees.“You have seen the video, right?”I ask him.“I mean you’re aware of the fact that Ryan and I did nothing wrong?”
“Yes, yes,” he says, nodding.“That’s not what I meant O’Loughlin.I’m just saying the press is the pain in the ass here.They love this kind of shit and the sooner we get a result in this case, the better.”
I sit back, knowing he’s right, in more ways than one.
“Anyway, you wanted to talk to me?”he says, dropping his pen and sitting back in his chair, giving me his undivided attention.
“Yeah,” I say, running a hand down my face.“Look, I know this is shit timing and I’m already being a pain in the ass going MIA for the past couple weeks, but as soon as this trial is over, I’m going to have to head out of town again.”
“Something going on?”he asks, surprisingly calm about my request.
“Yeah,” I breathe out.“My girlfriend’s gone and got herself a stalker; really bad news.I’m worried about what the fucker’s going to do, given his background.”
I watch as the captain tucks his hands behind his head.“This the same guy Ryan’s been looking into for the past few days, the ex-cop out of Florida?”
“Yeah,” I say.“My brother’s the chief of police up in Rockport where my girl lives, he’s been investigating him up there, but well…”
“You want to be there too?”the captain says.
“I do, Sir,” I say.“I mean I trust my brother and stuff, it’s just…”
“I get it, Beck,” he says, sitting forward now.“Take all the time you need.It’ll have to wait till this trial is sorted, but once it is, go.And keep me informed.It seems this guy has been fucking around here in Boston too, so any info we can share will help all of us.”
I exhale a sigh of relief.“Thanks, Sir,” I say.
He nods and I stand and walk out, ready to call it a day and meet Ryan for a drink.
“Beck,” he says, just as I reach the door.
“Yeah?”
