No Way Out Ch. 03

"Then what do you suggest, Dr. Isley?" said Glenn Alberts witheringly.

"Mr. Baldwin," said Isley, "are you ready? You have the contingency plan ready?"

"Yes we do!" Baldwin said enthusiastically.

"Then let's call Ross's attorney and agree to meet at NCPD Headquarters in Hillside." said Isley. "And remember... we are not out to get Cindy Ross. We are out to destroy Donald Troy. He remains our goal. I want him in prison, if not dead, and we need Ross to make that happen..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The convoy of six TCPD cruisers, two Police SUVs, and two Sheriff Department vehicles pulled out of the gated TCPD parking lot. They went in a convoy, blue lights on but no sirens, down Riverside Drive to Jefferson Avenue, then east to the Nextdoor County Highway.

Along the way, a contingent of black vehicles fell in behind them, with embedded red and blue lights, and car tags denoting them to be owned by the Federal Government.

"Charlie to India." said a voice on the Fed's radio frequency. "The TCPD's windows are tinted. We cannot tell which vehicle the target is in."

"Roger that." said Robin Isley into her radio. "Unless you get eyes on the target, do not interdict their convoy. Do we have eyes on TCPD Headquarters, in case this is all a feint?"

"Roger." said the voice. "We're triangulating the target and her lawyer's cellphones to the convoy, but can't get a fix on which vehicle..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The procession proceeded down the highway and then down the road to Hillside. NCPD Headquarters was just north of the town. The convoy pulled into the parking lot and stopped, and were immediately surrounded by the Federal vehicles.

Doors opened, and contingents of heavily armed and armored TCPD Officers got out of their vehicles, shocking the Feds with their readiness for outright combat. They also noticed that the NCPD Officers were armed and armored.

"Where's Commander Ross?" snarled State Attorney Glenn Alberts. She was in none of the vehicles, so Alberts yelled. "Put out a warrant for Commander Ross's arrest---"

"Hey!" called a voice from the front door of NCPD Headquarters. They turned to see Cindy Ross, standing next to NCPD Chief Molly Evans. Cindy yelled "Are you assholes going to waste my time standing there in the parking lot, or are you going to come in and get this farce overwith?" She and Molly turned and went inside, and the Federal and State personnel followed...

Part 14 - Forced Betrayal

Nextdoor County Police Headquarters was not a modern, new building like Town & County Police Headquarters. It was relatively old, and while functional, it had that 1950s feel to it, especially in its Interrogations Rooms. They were lighted by old-style incandescent bulbs. The wood trim and greenish-brown paint absorbed some of that light.

Cindy Ross and her attorney were ushered into Interrogation-1 and sat down on the far side of the old wooden table, facing the one-way glass.

"I don't like it." whispered Karl Coleman to Robin Isley as they watched in the anteroom. "The TCPD brought a ton of firepower. I don't think we can fight our way out of here if things go sideways."

"No, we can't." said Robin Isley. "The goddamned Iron Crowbar wins again. Tell everyone we have to play this one straight."

As Coleman went to implement Isley's instructions, NCPD Chief Evans and Detective German came into the anteroom. Molly and Robin Isley glared at each other, then they turned to watch the interrogation...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In the Interrogation Room was State Attorney Glenn Alberts, who was pear-shaped and not in good physical condition; U.S. Attorney Dalton Kendell, who was in his upper 40s, with brown hair, glasses, and a brush mustache, and looking about as cheap as his suit; and Agent Lindsey Black, who was short with dirty blonde hair, and kind of cute but with an attitude.

They introduced themselves, Cindy introduced Agnes T. Spires as her lawyer. Kendell began reading Cindy her rights, and she said "I know the rights."

"Very well." said Kendell. "We appreciate your cooperation in meeting us today----"

"Spare me the bullshit." Cindy said flatly.

"Par-don?" Kendell asked with the French inflection.

"I said 'Spare me the bullshit.'." Cindy said again. "I am only here because a warrant was issued for me. Otherwise, you would not be speaking to me at all."

"Okay, we'll play it that way, if you want." said Glenn Alberts. "Commander Ross, where is your daughter right now?"

"That's irrelevant." said Agnes T. Spires.

"Is it?" asked Lindsey Black.

"It's also none of your business." Cindy said levelly, not rising to the obvious bait. "Your warrant is to question me, not a baby child. Or are you going to try to shoot her, like your colleague Halsey tried to shoot Commander Troy's daughter?" Lindsey Black gave Cindy a dark look. Glenn Alberts looked as if he were getting something over on someone.

"Again," said Agnes T. Spires, "that's irrelevant. What are your questions for my client?"

"Commander Ross," said Kendell, "did you accompany Commander Donald Troy and Betty Morelli when he transported her to the City for a Federal Grand Jury appearance?"

"Yes." said Cindy.

"You were with them the entire time?" asked Lindsey Black.

"Pretty much." Cindy said.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Black.

"I mean I didn't go into a men's restroom with Commander Troy, nor him into a women's restroom with me." Cindy said. "And Commander Troy and I took turns sleeping while the other stayed awake on guard duty."

"Let's just cut to it." said Lindsey Black. "Commander Cindy Ross... did Donald Troy have sex with Betty Morelli during that trip?"

Cindy looked at her attorney, who nodded, then Cindy said "On the advice of Counsel, pursuant to my rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, I refuse to answer that or any more questions regarding this matter."

"You're invoking?" asked Kendell.

"She just did." said Agnes T. Spires. "Stop asking her any more questions."

"Very well." said Lindsey Black, with a gleam in her eye and a hint of a smile on her face. She looked back at the one way glass...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In the anteroom, Dr. Robin Isley looked over at FBI SAC Bob Rovers. "You're supposed to be a BAU unit. You're supposed to be Behavioral Analysts. Tell me, Rovers, what do you make of Commander Cindy Ross right now?"

"She's thinks she's getting away with something by taking the Fifth, like Troy did." said Rovers. "But she's scared. Play your trump card, and you will break her."

"A hundred dollars says you're dead wrong." said Isley. "No... I'd rather bet your job on it. If she doesn't give us Troy on a silver platter, your career with the FBI is finished."

"We'll see about that." said Rovers. "I've got friends, too. You aren't the only game in town, in the FBI or anywhere else."

They did not notice that Molly Evans was listening to every word...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

U.S. Attorney Richard Baldwin entered the Interrogation Room with a smug look on his face. He stopped in front of the table and said "These documents give you full immunity from prosecution for any crimes you committed or may have committed while you and Donald Troy were transporting Betty Morelli to her Grand Jury appearance. One is a Federal Judge's immunity agreement, and the other is a State Superior Court Judge's order." The judges were Ruth B. Taney and Harry R. Nance.

Agnes T. Spires looked over the documents. "I need a moment alone with my client, please." she said. Baldwin looked nonplussed, and Lindsey Black all but shoved him out of the room. They were followed out by Dalton Kendell and Glenn Alberts.

"They're valid." said Spires. "Total immunity in exchange for your truthful answers to their questions, and your truthful testimony in Court cases about this issue. There is no way out of this; you cannot refuse the Immunity or you'll be jailed for Contempt. However, while the judge's orders are valid, I recommend that we also sign the agreement, which makes it a binding contract they can't get out of, and shows your willingness to cooperate." Cindy just nodded...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"You still think she's scared, Bob?" asked Isley. "She hasn't blinked an eye over any of this."

"You may be right." Bob Rovers said. "Or she's resigned to her fate. She is going to have to betray Donald Troy... or go to prison herself. Wanna bet that C-note on which way she'll go?"

"No, and it's still your job on the line." said Robin Isley. Bob Rovers went silent.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lindsey Black, Dalton Kendell, and Richard Baldwin re-entered the Interrogation Room. "Which one is my copy?" asked Agnes T. Spires.

"The loose one in the left pocket." Baldwin said. He, Kendell, Spires and Cindy signed the documents in all the right places, Spires took her copy, photographed it with her iPhone, then put it in her briefcase.

"Thank you very much." said Richard Baldwin, unable to keep a smug smile off his face. He collected his papers, and left the Interrogation Room for the anteroom.

"What are your questions for my client?" Spires asked.

"Before I ask," said Lindsey Black, "I want to make sure you understand. You will either answer our questions truthfully, or you will go to prison. You will either betray your cousin Donald Troy, or you will go to prison and your baby will be taken from you and put in DFACS. If you lie, you're lying to a Federal Agent and a U.S. Attorney, and will be charged with Federal crimes relating to---"

"Stop harassing my client." said Agnes T. Spires. "She knows the law, and what you are doing is intimidation. You also have just implied that if her truthful answers to your questions don't implicate Commander Troy, you're going to falsely charge her anyway. She doesn't have to fall for that, Immunity Agreement notwithstanding."

"Okay, okay." said Dalton Kendell. "I'll be clear. As long as your answers and testimony are truthful, you have Immunity and will not be charged nor prosecuted for any crime relating to this matter. Agent Black, just ask your question without threats or harassment."

"First question, then." said Lindsey Black, enjoying the moment. "Commander Ross, at any time while he was transporting Betty Morelli to her Grand Jury appearance, did Donald Troy have sex with her, Betty Morelli?"

To be continued.

Dear Readers, is that it? Is there truly no way out for Cindy, and for Don? Will Cindy be forced by the rabid Federal Agents to betray her blood cousin? How can she possibly get out of this one without implicating him?