Reunion Fever Ch. 04

"Glad to help." Laura said. "We'll get the paperwork done in a few minutes. Let me go tell everyone what's going on. My husband is in there, and he's one of the investigating Officers." She had noticed my Deputy Sheriff badge still clipped onto my jacket, she would tell me later.

As they came into the waiting room, Jenny asked "How is he? Is he going to be okay?"

Laura pulled up a chair in front of Jenny and sat down, and took Jenny's hands in her own as she said "He came through the surgery as well as we could hope for. The knife damaged his testicles, bladder, and nicked his colon, but fortunately missed the major blood vessels. The biggest danger now is if infection from his colon wound got into other areas. We're pumping antibiotics into him, and we'll monitor for infection. If there is none, then he should make a full recovery."

Jenny began sobbing in relief. "Thank you, Doctor. And thank you for operating on him, and saving him."

Laura: "I'm glad I was here and able to help. But it's not all good news. Unfortunately, the damage to his testicles and vas deferens was bad enough that we had to remove one testicle and we'll have to monitor to see if the other one survives. And the vas deferens was cut, and I had to remove some of it. I'm hopeful his... sexual performance will be okay, but he will not be fathering any more children."

Jenny nodded in acknowledgement. Just then, Captain Wisocky and Detective Watson came in. Laura filled them in on Craig Reynolds's condition. When Leanne asked if they could talk to Craig, the other doctor said "It'll be several hours. He's in post-op, and the anesthesia hasn't worn off yet."

Leanne said "Jenny, I know this is a tough time, but I need to interview you and get your statement." Jenny consented, and Detective Watson set up a videocamera to record it.

Leanne: "I understand Lori Lovlin gave Craig a note, and Craig went outside. Do you know what the note said?"

"No." Jenny said. "Craig looked at it and said he'd be right back, but didn't say anything more. He said he'd meet me at the bar, so I went over that way, then went to the restroom."

"Who did you see in the restroom?" Leanne asked.

"Lori Lovlin was washing her hands when I came in." Jenny said. "She saw me in the mirror and got an ugly look on her face, and practically ran for the door as I went into a stall. When I came out of the stall, I saw Lisa Baker washing up. There were three other women in there, two our age and one that was much older, but I don't know who they were."

Leanne asked what Jenny did next, and Jenny replied: "I went back into the banquet hall, and people were talking and some were coming in from outside. Someone, I don't know who, came up to me and said Craig was hurt, and that's when I ran outside and saw all of you attending to him." Jenny said at that point she couldn't remember much of anything beyond being held back, and then taken to the hospital in a patrol car behind the ambulance carrying Craig.

"Don, Captain Wisocky," Laura said when the interview was done, "I have something for you." She led us out of the waiting room and to the nurses station. The nurse handed her a bagged 'Rambo' knife, and Leanne got a statement that it had not left her possession from the time Laura removed it until she left it with the nurses.

Laura added "I put that bag around the handle in the hopes you can lift a fingerprint from it."

Leanne said "Well, it was in the water, so any useful data is probably gone."

I said "Well, let's see." I took out my Police iPhone and shone the UV light on the handle. Some smudges showed up on the iPhone's screen, but not enough to be useful.

"Oh well." I said. "It was a good try. Thanks for doing that, Laura."

"Where do you get those wonderful toys?" Detective Watson asked, impressed with the equipment.

"Town & County Police standard issue." I replied. "I'll send you the information so you guys can get a couple of these smart devices."

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

It was Captain Wisocky's cell phone. She listened to what she was being told, then said "Okay, I'll be back at Headquarters soon." and disconnected. She looked at us and said "No sign of Roddy Baker, and they've been all over the place looking for him. They went by Steve Greene's, Kitzi Taylor's, and several other houses where someone might be harboring him. His cellphone is not pinging off any towers, either. I'm heading back to Headquarters."

She and Detective Watson left. Laura and I went to the waiting room. Laura said "I'll stay here for now, and make sure Craig's vitals stay good. Todd, can you give me a ride back to the hotel in the morning?"

"Sure." Todd said.

I said "Tyrone, are you up to some super-sleuthing with me tonight?"

Biggs grinned. "Wouldn't miss it, Commander. Wouldn't miss it..."

Part 13 - Baker And Friends

4:00am, Sunday, October 3rd. I had used my Police iPhone to connect to the TCPD's computers back home, and input the information for Roddy Baker's vehicle. A moment later, the location of his truck came back to me, courtesy of the tracking of his GPS and 'Theft' light data.

(And you better believe that the American Federal Government can trace your vehicle the same way.)

I asked Tyrone: "Does the Courthouse here have a Night Court to issue warrants?"

"Normally, no." said Deputy Biggs. "But with the attempted murder tonight, we've been getting warrants for stuff like the videos at the hotels, as well as search warrants. So the Judge is sleeping in his Chambers, and will be ready for us if I make a phone call." He made a phone call.

After picking up the warrant, and patiently enduring the Judge telling me how excited he was to be meeting the Iron Crowbar, Deputy Biggs and I drove up to the home of Kitzi Taylor, a small two-bedroom home in a neighborhood of similar homes on the road towards Rome.

"There's her car." Biggs said, nodding his head towards the old, beat-up Toyota Camry in the driveway, in front of the closed garage. "But I don't see his."

"Think about it." I said. "Why would Kitzi park her car in her driveway, and not in her garage? There's two answers: one, the garage is so full of crap that she can't get the car into it; and two, another vehicle is in there. And since she's a woman that lives alone, and not a packrat like most of us men tend to be, I'm betting on the second choice."

Biggs laughed. "So Roddy's truck is in there?"

"So I read the riddle. And armed with a warrant and this..." I said as I held up my red crowbar, "... we'll be effecting a quick entry into the home. No-knock, if you're willing."

"Let's do it." Biggs said. He parked in front of the house, and we went up to the front door, the dim streetlights barely illuminating us. I halfway expected to see The Slender Man in the street at the limits of my vision, but we were not favored with Slender attentions tonight.

There was a dim light on in the front room. The curtains were tightly drawn so I could not see inside as I walked along the porch attempting to. I placed my hand on the doorknob and turned it, and to my surprise it opened! I looked back at Biggs, who nodded, then I opened the door and walked in.

Sitting on the sofa on the far side of the room was Roddy Baker. He was naked, and his body was hairy. On top of him, sliding her ass back and forth as she rode his cock with her tight pussy, was Kitzi Taylor. She had been a slim girl in high school, and she was cute but not Lori-Lovlin-beautiful. Now she had some girth to her, though she wasn't really a 'fat girl' yet.

Sitting in a chair next to the sofa was Steve Greene. He was clothed, but his pants were opened, and he was stroking his hard five inch cock as he watched the rutting couple humping passionately in front of him.

Roddy's six inch cock was thick, and stretched Kitzi's cunt as she undulated on him, riding him both up and down in tight circles. Neither of them noticed us for a second, then Roddy looked up. "What the fuck?" he yelled out. Steve looked up at us, frozen in place.

Kitzi looked over her shoulder and saw us. "You get the hell out of my house!" she yelled. Unfortunately for her, I had a document, and I held it up.

"This is an arrest warrant for Roddy Baker." I said. "And you're coming with us, too, Kitzi, for harboring a wanted fugitive. And you too, Steve, as a material witness." Biggs watched over the couple, who were still rutting on the sofa as I went through their clothes on the floor, dropping item after item in front of them after making sure there were no weapons.

"Sorry to be cockblocking you, Roddy." I said. "Both of you, get dressed. I've called your attorney, Robert Reichard, and he will be meeting us at Headquarters." As, they began getting dressed, I frisked Steve Greene for weapons, finding none. When I was done, I said "Hustle up, folks. It will be a lot better for you if I get you to Headquarters before---"

Too late.

*WOOP-WHOOP!*

The sound of a Police siren was followed by the glare of blue lights illuminating the curtains. An instant later, two uniformed AGPD Officers rushed in, weapons drawn, followed by Captain Leanne Wisocky.

I had turned and put myself in front of Roddy and Kitzi, so that the Officers would have to shoot through me to get to them. "Away put your weapons!" I said loudly. "We mean you no harm." The Officers hesitated, then relaxed, and finally holstered their service weapons.

"Roddy Baker," Captain Wisocky said with glee, "you are under arrest. Cuff him, guys."

As Roddy, Steve, and Kitzi were cuffed and perp-walked to the patrol car, I said to Leanne "How did you find them?"

"By following you." Chief Wisocky replied. "I figured you had a way to track the GPS of Roddy's truck, and I knew for sure when you went by the Courthouse and got the warrants for Roddy and for Steve. So, did you let us follow you, or did I actually get one over on the Iron Crowbar?"

"Gloating does not become you." I replied. "And you'll never know for sure."

"Are the kids here?" Leanne said. "I'll call DFACS, and have them take the little trolls away."

I peered hard at Leanne until she noticed, and become uncomfortable. Then I said "They're not trolls, they're children. And no, they're not here, and they're safe. Go process your suspects. I'll see you at Headquarters." She went to the door and out onto the front porch.

Deputy Biggs followed me as I went and found the door into the garage. "Ah, bonus!" I said. "Steve's car is in here, too. You got your LEO cellphone?"

"Yes sir." said Biggs.

"I want you to record me as I take the GPS data from both vehicles." I said. "This could be our big break in the case." Biggs proceeded to record me hooking my Police iPhone up to the GPSs of both vehicles and downloading the data.

"Where do you get all those wonderful toys?" Biggs said with a grin, causing me to laugh...

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

Roddy Baker was led through Booking and forced to change into an orange jumpsuit, despite not being formally charged with anything yet. I felt sure that was done just to harass and humiliate him.

Deputy Biggs and I came in as that was going on. I had my notebook with me. I also texted my mother, saying "You were right..., then made some requests. She said she would get with Todd, and that she would follow my instructions, which those requests really were.

Sheriff Donny Hall came up to me and drew me aside. "Your mother is damn good at crime scenes. She found the perp's black clothing and a skin-tone plastic mask that's generally featureless. They were in a plastic bag, and the perp had lifted a tile of the drop-ceiling in the men's changing room and thrown the bag up there. How your mother knew to look for that, I'll never know."

I grinned and said "A perp did that in one of my old cases at home." (Author's note: 'Hot Wives Investment Club', Ch. 03.)

Sheriff Hall: "Well, the lab will try to pick up some DNA or fingerprints from it. No gloves, though. They use a lot of latex gloves at the hotel, especially in the kitchen areas, and trash cans are full of them, so 'no joy' on that."

"That's still very good, and may help us break this case." I said. "We really need some hard evidence. By the way, Sheriff, can you contact the nearest Federal Court and get warrants to obtain cellphone data of these people?..."

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

Roddy was put in the main Interrogation Room, which was newly constructed and well equipped. Steve was not taken through Booking, but was in the old, original, smaller Interrogation Room. Kitzi was in a holding cell.

Roddy's attorney Robert Reichard arrived. Reichard was middle aged, tall, stout, and his hair and rather unkempt beard and mustache were flecked with gray.

"What the HELL is going on?" the legal beagle thundered. "Why is my client in a jumpsuit when he hasn't been charged?"

"He's a fugitive that has eluded Police for over 24 hours." Leanne Wisocky fired back. "And I'm just saving some time; he will be charged soon, with two counts of attempted murder."

"Here we go again." Reichard said bitterly. "Captain Wisocky once again harassing my client. I swear to God I'm going to sue you to death if you can't prove that. Now I'm going in there and talk to my client, and you better not try to listen in again."

"I never listened in the first time." Leanne said. Reichard went into the Interrogation Room alone. As he talked to Roddy, Leanne thundered "WHO called Reichard?"

"I did." I said, meeting her glare with one of my own. "Just saving some time." Leanne rolled her eyes.

Sergeant Stegall was there, and he snarled "There he goes again, pretending to be all about suspect rights and the Constitution."

I fronted him. "You got a problem with the Constitution?---" I thundered.

"THE CONSTITUTION IS JUST A GOD DAMNED PIECE OF PAPER!" Stegall yelled back at me. Biggs got between us, and confronted Stegall.

"Go say that at my daddy's grave." the very large and fit Deputy said menacingly. "I'll rip your goddamned ass in two---"

"Biggs! Stand down!" said a voice. It was Sheriff Donny Hall, who was coming up the hallway. Biggs didn't move, still towering over Sergeant Stegall and staring him down hard.

"Stegall, get out of here." ordered Sheriff Hall. "You're relieved of duty. Go home."

"Sheriff, he's my Officer." said Captain Wisocky, standing up to the Sheriff. "You can't relieve him. And I'm not going to."

"You better reconsider." Sheriff Hall said. "You're about to blow any case you can make, Captain. You know how the D.A. feels about you, especially when the Bakers are involved."

Leanne said quietly to Stegall "Go on home and get some sleep. Come back in a few hours." Stegall left, but not before glaring hard at me on his way out. I glared back at him just as hard.

"Thank you for intervening, Biggs." said the Sheriff. "Okay, Wisocky, interrogate your suspect. He'll probably invoke the minute you walk in, so get it overwith."

I spoke up: "Sheriff, can I take a crack at him first? He might talk to me."

"No!" Leanne exclaimed. "I'm going to interrogate him personally---"

"Go ahead, Don." said Donny Hall. "Watson, go in there with Commander Troy, but let him lead the interrogation. And every one of you should be watching. You might learn something from the Iron Crowbar."

I said "While I'm in there, can someone bring Lori Lovlin and Niko Nimzovich here to Headquarters? Let them look at Lisa, and her at them, through the one-way glass. Ask Lori if she saw Lisa in the women's restroom at the time of the attack. And ask Lisa if she saw Lori..."

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

Detective Watson and I went into the Interrogation Room and sat down on the near side of the table, the one way glass next to the door at our backs. On the far side was Robert Reichard, and to his left was Roddy Baker. Baker was swarthy with dark hair, but he was a handsome man, too handsome for that orange jumpsuit.

I began: "My name is Donald Troy, and this is Detective Ben Watson---"

"You're out of jurisdiction, Commander Troy of the Town & County Police." said Reichard. "I'm surprised you're not at home, considering what went down there, tonight."

"Let me finish a sentence." I said, then pointed at the badge on my jacket. "I'm a fully deputized Agent of the Law in the Fillmore County Sheriff's Department. And don't even try to question my qualifications, or I will embarrass you very, very badly." Seeing as I'd just anticipated his next tactic, Reichard held his tongue.

I re-read Roddy his rights from the card, then said "Roddy, this is truly your lucky day that I'm here. You see, I don't know you. I have no history with you. I don't have any preconceived notions about you. I have no agenda regarding you. My only agenda here is to find out the truth of what happened tonight. So if you work with me, I'll be fair with you."

"What do you want to know?" Reichard asked on Roddy's behalf as Roddy stared warily at me.

"First," I said, "I know you had a conversation with Craig Reynolds in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel, just before the Dinner began. Several people heard portions of it, but you know how witness statements go... some are more accurate than others. I'd like for you to clarify that conversation for me. You haven't invoked yet, and you have the right to at any time. So... what was it about?"

Roddy looked at his lawyer, who nodded. Roddy said "I invested some money with Craig Reynolds for his business, and I needed it back. I was asking him for my money back."

"What did he say?" I asked. "Some witnesses said he told you you'd be making a heck of a lot more if you stayed in with him until next week."

"Yeah, he did." Roddy said. "But I'll tell you what I told him... I needed the money right away, and I couldn't wait until he realized his gains. He said he'd talk to me tomorrow... today, now."

Detective Watson asked "Why couldn't you wait? Especially if you stood to make a whole lot more."

Roddy said "All I'll tell you is that I needed the money now, and didn't want to wait."

I said "How much did you invest with him?"

"Three thousand dollars." Roddy said... and then all hell broke loose. The door flew open, and Leanne Wisocky flew into the room.

"Where did you get three thousand dollars?!" Leanne shouted. "Answer me, asshole! Where did you get that money?"

"None of your goddamned business, Cunt!" Roddy yelled back, coming out of his seat. Reichard grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back down. Meanwhile, I had stood up and gotten in front of Leanne.

"Would you please get the hell out of here and let me finish my interview?" I yelled in her face. Watson had also stood up, and I didn't know if it was to intervene against me or Leanne. The point became moot when Tyrone Biggs and Sheriff Hall came in. Biggs physically pulled Leanne back while the Sheriff yelled at her to get out.

Once the room was cleared and Watson and I sat back down, Roddy said "Fuck that cunt. I'm done. I'm invoking."

"Is my client under arrest?" Reichard said, getting to his feet. "If not, I'm taking him out of here---"

"Hold on.... HOLD ON! SIT! DOWN!" I yelled as he walked around Roddy. When he sat back down, I said in a calmer voice "He's not free to go. He is under arrest. But since you just invoked, Mr. Baker, I won't ask you any more questions. Instead, I'll just tell you what happened, and you can have your lawyer correct me if I go astray, okay?"

Roddy stared at me in simple disbelief. Reichard crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair and said "Okay, hotshot. Let's hear it."

I permitted myself a smirk at him, then started: "Over ten years ago, you, Roddy, were told by Lisa Lewis that you had impregnated her, and you were all but forced to marry her. And for those nearly eleven years, your life has been a living hell. I believe you've stayed married to her only for the sake of your kids, whom I believe you do love."