Never Safe

Dodging through the commotion, Rachel finally reaches the captain's office. Gazing back through the crowd, she shakes her head and says, "It's a disaster waiting to happen." She taps on the door and waits.

Joe waves her in and then points towards the phone.

Nodding, she takes a seat on the worn leather couch. The office has stood the test of time with its dark wood walls and solid oak floors. The furnishings were nearly as old as the room that housed them, with its solid oak desk, high-back chair, and the mahogany bookshelves on the far side of the room. 

"I understand."... "I sure will."... "Thank you, sir." Placing the phone in the cradle, Joe sighs with relief.

Getting to her feet, Rachel crosses the room. "Who were you talking to?" 

"The commissioner. He wants to know why we've spent so much time and resources on Abby's case."

"Did you tell him we stopped an innocent woman from being incarcerated?"

"That's what saved me from being canned. Do you have something for me?"

"I was working on Romero's associates when I found someone from IAB on the list."

A curious look crosses Joe's wrinkled face. He's only forty- three, but the stress of the job has taken an enormous toll. "Who?"

"Your best friend, Mike Jones."

The captain laughs. "I'd like nothing more than to see him behind bars." Mike has had it out for Joe since he first started, often going to lengths to make Joe's life a living hell.

"I figured you would." She hands him a piece of paper before she continues. "According to what I've found, Mike reprimands officers who arrested one of Romero's men, and the charges against the suspect dropped."

Joe glances at the list. "How many cases are there?" 

"I've found ten so far, but I'm sure there's more."

Joe scratches his head. "So, we either have a lot of law-breaking officers, or Mike is using his authority to help Romero's men dodge the law." He scans the names. "Wait, Dan is on the list." He's one of their favorites. Dan is an intelligent, hard worker who does the job without a complaint.

"You know, he goes strictly by the book."

Joe tilts his head to the side. A perplexed look crosses his face. "It says here he was suspended without pay, but I don't remember that, do you?"

"It happened when we were on our honeymoon, which seems odd, considering it was nearly six months after the initial arrest."

Joe runs his fingers through his thinning hair. "I'd like to talk to Dan about this." 

"I'll get him." Rachel turns to leave when another thought comes to mind. She spins back around. "I wonder if this has to do with him not wanting to take the detective exam?"

Joe recalls how excited Dan had been about being selected. "He doesn't?"

"That's what he claims. I asked him why, and he said he changed his mind. " 

"I'll try to get to the bottom of it."

"I'll see if I can find him."

A shaken lad steps up to the door a few minutes later. "The sergeant said you wanted to talk to me?"

Joe gets to his feet. "Yes, come in, close the door, Dan."

 The officer's body trembles. Being prominent in both size and stature, Joe can be very intimidating. A force to be reckoned with when angry, so Dan's been told."I'm not in any trouble, am I, sir?"

"Of course not." He motions towards the couch.

Relieved, the young lad sits down.

Clearing his throat, Joe begins. "I wanted to ask you about the detective exam."

The young officer glances at the floor. With a tear in his eye, he says, "I decided not to take it, sir."

"Why?"

"I... I changed my mind."

"We're so looking forward to you being part of our team. I know you'd excel as a detective like you did on patrol."

"I appreciate your confidence in my abilities, captain, but it isn't a good time for me."

"Your decision has nothing to do with the reprimand, does it?"

Dan anxiously fidgets in his seat. "How did you find out about it?"

"It came up when we were investigating another case."

"Oh." He squirms again.

Something doesn't feel right about this. "So, tell me what happened."

"I'd rather not talk about it, sir." 

"Did someone tell you to keep quiet?"

"No." He looks away.

"You're good at many things, but lying isn't one of them, so spill it, son."

"I... I can't talk about it. I can't." The frightened lad springs out of his seat. His hand reaches for the knob when he hears Joe say,

"You're not leaving this room until you explain." 

Dan slowly turns around.

"Sit and explain," the captain points to the chair.

The young lad reluctantly does what he's told.

"I'm waiting."

Tears swell in Dan's hazel eyes. " If I tell you the truth, I'll lose everything I've worked for."

"Says who?"

IAB, sir."

"I'll see to it that it doesn't happen." A glimmer of hope flickers in the young lad's eyes. "I promise."

"I arrested a suspect by the name of Antonio Gonzalez for drug possession. Six months later, IAB told me they were investigating my actions. The suspect claims I beat him up. They even found a few people who supposedly witnessed the fight. They suspended me for two weeks without pay a few days later."

"Did you do what he claims?"

"Of course not, sir. I ordered him to stop, but he wouldn't, so I tased him. My partner cuffed him, and we took him to jail."

"Can your partner corroborate your story?"

"He can, but he won't. Mike said he'd fire him if he didn't go along." With a look of horror, he adds, "If Mike finds out I told, he'll fire me too."

"Mike won't find out we talked."

"I hope not, sir." 

Joe discovers a large man stomping down the hall when he glances up. Speaking of the devil. "Play along, Dan."

"Yes, sir."

"This better not happen again, understand?" Joe yells as the door flies open.

"We need to talk, captain," Mike says, stomping into the room.

Frightened, Dan jumps to his feet.

"I'm in the middle..."

"Talk to him later." He pushes Dan into the hallway and then slams the door. "What's this I hear about you investigating my department?" Mike asks, tromping across the floor.

***

Manny's heart pounds in his chest; beads of sweat pop out across his forehead. He wipes the moisture away and continues through the hospital's earth-toned corridor. There's always a risk with this type of job, more so now since he's on the cop's radar. I'll do this job and leave the country a rich man, he reasons. His rationalization did little to calm his frayed nerves.

Manny punches a code into the keypad; the door clicks open. He slips into the employee locker room and glances around. Finding it empty, he runs to the supply closet and grabs a pair of scrubs from the shelf. There is no time to waste. He dashes to the bathroom to change. He's moving items to the scrub pockets when the hall door opens. Manny hears shuffling in the adjoining room.

"I can't believe someone would be stupid enough to put their pecker in a pool drain. I often wonder if people have a brain these days." The surgeon laughs.

"One man's stupidity is another's job security."

Bill recalls a few of his lavish vacations. "You're right about that." He chuckles. "Hey, John, want to grab a drink?"

"I have an early day tomorrow, so I better not. Let's do it another time. OK?"

"Sure, see you tomorrow."

" A few seconds later, Manny hears the door close. It opens and closes again.

"Now, to find Abby." He thinks.