The Detective

This is a little tale that came to me one day when I least expected it. I was watching a detective show and I wondered what it would be like to put my words into that context. This isn't a true Consequences story but it could well be. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you don't, just ignore it.

Edited by Lady Cibelle with her thoughts included.

Prologue

We were sitting at our desks and discussing an open case when the phone rang. Ed and I exchanged glances. He nodded and took the call. It was our informant, calling to let us know that Mario Luciano was in town. Mario was the man we had been searching for, for almost a year. We had him dead to rights in the murder of a local businessman and had a be-on-the-look-out-for (BOLO) on him throughout the US. This was the first time we had even an inkling of his whereabouts. Ed, my partner, and I talked it over and decided to set up a sting using the informer. If he could pull this off, his rap for holding a kilo would go away. Ed called him back, told him the deal. He was up for it and made the contact.

Luciano was staying at the downtown Marriott and he was looking to establish some local contacts. The informer let it out that he had a source, a big one, that was looking to expand into our area. Mario bought into it as we hoped and we had him hooked! Now that the hook was set, all we had to do was reel him in. Easy and neat! We made an appointment with the management of the Marriott and told them what we intended. We assured them there would be no shooting and no danger to their guests. We reinforced that we could not let anyone know what we were doing in order not to alert our target. Management agreed and we made our plans.

We went back to the Marriott the following day and set up for our plan to take him down. We made a call using the informant, asking Luciano to come down to meet some people that could make him a lot of money. The informant insisted they would only meet in a public place and not in his room. Since he was into drugs, our informant used the story of a major supplier who was looking for a local distributor. Mario took the bait as we hoped, saying he would be down directly.

We were going to apprehend him, peacefully we hoped, by taking him the minute he walked off the elevator. We had information saying that he would probably not be armed and we used that fact in our plan. We had blocked off the doors and stairways to keep traffic to a minimum, even though we expected no trouble; we wanted to be safe. The two of us moved into position, just to the right of the bank of elevators that went up to the twentieth floor. We made sure the uniforms were in place and out of sight. They were stationed to the left of our position. There were three of them, ready to arrest the man we had come for.

The informant was gone and we were waiting on our quarry. He would be coming down any minute. Ed and I motioned to the uniforms to make sure they were ready. Now all we had to do was wait. We settled into position, our guns holstered with the snaps open, ready to draw if need be. We saw the arrow on the No. 2 elevator change to the down direction. It should only be a few more minutes. I signaled the uniforms and pointed to the arrow. They nodded in understanding.

None of us thought to look toward the restaurant, thinking that it was closed for the afternoon. We were experienced cops and shouldn't have assumed anything. But we did.

From that direction, a man and a woman walked toward the elevators, his arm wrapped around his companion. Her head was tilted up to his and he was smiling down. Two lovers, ready to go up to their room to make love. Ed nudged me to call my attention to them just as the doors to elevator No.1 opened and they moved inside.

Without thinking, I had stepped into the area in plain sight of the elevators when I recognized the woman. I was standing directly in front of the doors when they started to close. As they moved silently together, she looked out to see me standing there and her eyes grew wide and her mouth opened in an attempt to scream. She began to reach for the doors to stop their path but too late. The doors closed and the elevator started up.

Ed swore, angry that I had blown our scenario, grabbed me, pushed me behind him and motioned to the uniforms to be ready to rush the second elevator when the doors opened. I was too stunned to say or do anything and I was still standing there when Ed shouted to move and all hell broke loose. He and the uniforms arrested the man and took him into custody. I moved to a chair in the lobby while this occurred and I was still sitting there when Ed came over to me.

"Come on partner. I know it's hard but you have to pull yourself together and do this thing. Come on; I'll drive. We have to book him and get him into holding now while we have him."

"Did you see. . . .?" I couldn't say it out loud. I couldn't ask him the question.

"Yeah buddy, I saw. Let's get you out of here right now. You don't want to be here when she comes down, you hear me? Let's go!"

I rose, followed him out to the car and sat there quietly as he drove us back to the station. I had just witnessed something I never could have expected and it had flattened me. I was sick to my stomach, my head was pounding and my throat was thick with emotion. My world had just come crashing down on me without warning.

On The Job

I showed my badge to the uniform standing just inside the doorway and waited until he moved aside to let me in. This was a late call, coming in just before I was to head home for the night. I had stayed behind to finish up some paperwork and it was just my luck that I was the one that picked up the phone, making me the primary on this case.

But what the hell, I thought to myself. Since I was now living alone in a crappy little room in a run down part of town, maybe it was for the best. Let those guys who had a faithful wife and family take the night off. I wasn't in that category so I guess I was the best guy for the job. I did call my partner Ed Prentiss to tell him about the call but to stay home with his own wife and kids. I said I could cover till tomorrow.

I went inside the small three room apartment, noticing that it was twice as big as my place, and followed the trail of uniforms to the last room on the right. It was the bedroom of the poor dead sap who lay half on the floor and half on the bed. I went inside, the room kept empty until I was on site. I moved to the body and stood, my eyes taking in the blood, the body's position, the surroundings, the bed covers, everything that had anything to do with this man. This was what I did and I did it well, but even without any training, I could say right off that with the amount of blood on the floor, the guy had apparently bled out.

"Hey, Cross, when can I have the body? It's been almost an hour that I've been here. What took you so long? And where's your shadow? He takin' a vacation?"

That was Harry Feeney the assistant coroner. He usually worked the same shift I did and it seems he got caught just as I had. He would have been in, done his thing, being careful not to disturb the scene, and then waited for me

"Sorry Harry. It's just me tonight. I was working over and just on my way out the damned door when the phone rang. Just my luck no one else was around to pick up. I'll just be a few minutes, just to get a feel for what went down. Time of death? I guess you're going to tell me cause is that he bled out?"

"Yeah, Pete. Near as I can tell, he's been dead for about three hours, give or take. And you're right: shot twice, once in the chest and once in the gut, but COD is exsanguination from the gut shot. That should be obvious but I'll reserve final cause till after I cut him. Here's his wallet. Name is Sean Trent and this is his place. Twenty eight and single. No cash found and he's missing his watch and a few rings. Visible marks on the wrist and fingers show they were there. Take your time. I've got nowhere else to be. Just yell when you're done."

I walked around the body, looking for anything that was out of place, not as it should be. Anything that was not part of the usual or the ordinary. I was about to give up when I noticed a small tag of some sort sticking out of his shirt pocket. It was almost hidden in the blood that covered his upper torso. Blood from the bullet in the chest. I took a pair of gloves from my pocket, a small pair of tweezers with a strong grip, and an evidence bag. I pulled the tag from his pocket, examined it before putting it in the bag and sealing it. That would go along with Harry and ultimately end up in Trace Evidence.

After another five minutes, I was done. I walked out the door and told Harry the body was his. I handed him the bag and told him to add it to whatever he found when he got the body back to the basement where he did the autopsies. I went up to Clancy, the uniform who seemed to be in charge and told him to start the canvas of the apartments on this floor and the ones directly above and below. He said it had already started and the report would be on my desk in the morning. He had already called the crime scene boys and they were just arriving as I was leaving. I told them it was me who was in charge and left, knowing they would file all evidence collected and forward the list to me.

I went back to the office and filled out a few forms; victim's name, time of death, cause of death, location, me as primary, Harry as receiver of the body, and more that made this an official case for Homicide. That was where I worked and what I did. My name is Peter Cross and I'm a gold shield. A detective first grade working Homicide for the city of Plattsburgh, NY. I put the ID up on the blackboard on the wall close to the entrance of our 'office'. That would clue everyone else that I was primary and this was my case.

Homicide had the top floor of a three story building that used to be a warehouse. Wood floors, a high ceiling with exposed struts, aluminum wrapped ducts that carried heat in the winter and tepid air in the summer. The windows all opened so we didn't suffocate in the heat but it was far from comfortable. Made the guys and gals eager to be out and about, rather than sitting behind a desk here. Downstairs was for the uniforms and the second floor was special units and some of the brass. I avoided that floor.

I spent an hour on the computer searching his name and anything else I could find. My police access gave me information about his financials and his priors but there wasn't much to be gleaned. No wants or warrants, no outstanding charges and a short sheet of prior arrests. A small time petty thief as I suspected. I made a crime board, got the few pictures one of the uniforms took and put them up. This would be a low priority since he was obviously a street hustler. No job listed under his name, no credit cards and no known back accounts. Apartment rented by the week, no prior address listed; cell phone was a cheap prepaid. Closets yielded little of value and no sign of burglary other than the wallet and watch. I would see what the canvas yielded and if the crime scene boys picked up anything but I expected this one to go into the open files. I finished up what I could, turned off my light and my computer station and started for home.

Usually I walked up and down the twenty six steps leading to and from the ground floor, but tonight, I took the freight elevator that still worked most of the time. It dropped me to the ground floor where the uniforms had their home in only a minute and a half; half as long as it would take to walk down. I was so tired that I just wanted to get back to my apartment and take a shower. Hot or cold made no difference. I got into the police issued sedan I called my own and drove the short distance to the rented apartment I was using.

I went up the short flight of steps and into my apartment. I checked the mail on the way and found only a few flyers of no interest and one official document that I knew was from my lawyer. I was tempted to throw them all into the trash can but stopped myself. I took the official letter and placed it carefully on the counter and tossed the rest. I went in and took my shower, letting the warm water run over my aching shoulders and neck. I stayed in as long as possible, not getting out until the water started to run cool. I dried with a huge fluffy towel I brought from home and went into the single room that served as living room/dining room/ kitchen. I dropped down on the couch and just tried to stop thinking.

After a few minutes of relative silence, I sighed once in resignation and got up to grab the official looking letter. I stared at it, not caring much what was inside but finally got up the energy to open it. I ripped the end off, letting it drop to the floor and took out the pages tucked inside. I read the first page, telling me it was a counter claim from my wife. I leafed through the attached pages, noting the causes her lawyer listed and just sniggered. It was all bullshit, but so what. I expected nothing less from her.

I tossed the pages on the coffee table and stared into space, thinking of what she had included. What the hell was she talking about? She was accusing me of abandonment. What the fuck was that about? And emotional cruelty? Come on! What the hell was she thinking? She was the one that started this whole thing. She was the one cheating on me and our marriage with that asshole Jeffry Trousdale. He was the one that seduced her into betraying me. What did she expect me to do after that? Abandonment? Bullshit! I left her cheating ass! Emotional cruelty? I hated her guts after what she did, and I told her that. Was that emotional cruelty? Hell no! That was the fucking truth!!!

I sat there fuming for another five minutes, the heat from my anger doing a good job of drying the remaining water from my wet hair. I told myself I wanted nothing more than to be done with her but the more I thought of it, the angrier I got. I reached for the phone and punched in her number at home. Probably out with her lover I thought as it began to ring. Where were the kids when she did that shit? She was a bitch, cheating on me the way she did, but I was sure she wouldn't do anything in front of our kids. But hell, I never thought she would cheat on me either so maybe I was wrong. I was about to hang up when she answered. She seemed out of breath.

"Hello?" Soft voice but sort of breathless like she had been running or doing something that took energy. I bet I could guess what that was. I could guess a lot of things with my mind taking me places I didn't want to go. I had visions that made me sick. Visions of her and that son of a bitch!

"Hello Carol. I just got your counter claim from your shyster lawyer. I'm surprised you didn't have your lover prepare these. Sounds like something he would have done. I was going to talk to you about it but it sounds like I interrupted a fuck session with your lover. You must have been going at it since you seem to be out of breath. I hope to hell the kids aren't there while you're screwing another man."

I was about to hang up when she answered. "Stop, Peter! Just stop it right now! I was in the garage trying to find the circuit breaker that controls the washer and dryer. They aren't working and I have washing to do. The kids are with my mother and I wasn't with my lover. I have no lover! You know that!"

"No Carol, I don't know that. I know you've been shacking up with him at the Marriott. I saw the two of you together there and I watched the two of you heading up to your room together. What I saw was two lovers making out in the lobby while waiting for the elevator. Just because you saw me there and came running home doesn't change the facts."

"Pete, no! You never gave me a chance to explain. It wasn't what you thought. Yes, I was with him and yes I was going up to his room and I know it looked bad, but nothing happened! Nothing!"

"Only because I was there, but what if I wasn't? What would you have done? Nothing? I don't believe that. You were ready! I could see that! I've been married to you for thirteen years Carol and I know what you look like when you're ready to make love. Only it wouldn't have been to make love would it? It would have been just plain fucking!"

"No! No! You don't believe that! You can't believe I would have done anything. Yes, I was tempted and I thought about it, but you can't believe I would have done that to you. I love you Pete and I love our family and that would have stopped me. You have to believe that. I wouldn't have done anything with him. Nothing!"

"Sorry Carol. I don't have the same faith in you that you seem to have all of a sudden. This wasn't the first time you were with that slime ball. You've obviously been seeing him for some time the way the two of you were getting along. He was used to taking liberties with you; that was obvious.

"Anyway, I just called to tell you I'm going to fight this counter claim and see to it that it gets shoved back down your shyster's throat."

"Pete, please! Please come home so we can work this out. I made some mistakes, but not like you think. I've never been unfaithful to you. Never! You have to let me talk to you and explain what you saw. Please, Pete. Come home! Think of the children!!"

"Sorry, Carol. You were the one that didn't think of me or our children! You started this and we're going to finish it. I refuse to be your wimp husband and I'll be damned if I will share you with another man! But wait! Has it been other men, plural? And are the kids even mine? I have a lot of questions now Carol; questions I never thought I would have to ask!

"I trusted you completely but now I can't even trust you to tell me the truth. And to make it worse, I wasn't alone when I saw you. My partner and a bunch of uniforms also saw you and shithead in that fucking elevator, arms around each other. Guess how many people now know about the two of you? Goodbye, Carol."

I slammed down the phone, my anger causing me to hyperventilate. I put my head down between my knees and tried to get myself under control. God! As a cop, I knew better than to lose my temper that way. But that was on the job. This was personal and this hurt! Bad! My breathing slowed down and the lightheadedness passed, leaving me exhausted and sick to my stomach. It's a good thing I hadn't eaten any dinner. Matter of fact, I couldn't remember the last time I did eat. But no matter, I wasn't hungry. I hadn't been able to keep much down since it happened anyway.

The following day, I pulled Ed Prentiss aside. Ed was my partner, but he was also my best friend. He and I went through the academy together and had been uniforms together and both of us made it our goal to become detectives. I made it first, and after he made detective, he became my partner. The two of us had a good conviction ratio and we had a couple of high profile busts to our credit and we were considered tops in our division. I wanted to talk to him privately.

"Listen Ed. You know what I'm going through right now with Carol. I need information and I need it yesterday. I want the uniforms to put some pressure on shithead and I want him to crawl on his knees to me. I want him to want something from me and I want him to know it's me who's pressuring him. Not in any way he could prove it of course. He knows what I need to know. Can you do it without it getting on me?"

"Say no more partner. It's done. Give me a couple of days and he won't know which way is up. He won't be able to take a shit without breaking some law or other. And the force is with you on this one. He's not liked much by the guys anyway. He's a fucking shyster and everyone knows it!"

He was referring to the guy who was her lover and her boss; Jeffrey L. Trousdale. He was one of the lawyers in her office and the one I caught her with. He was, at best, an ambulance chaser and a slimeball of a man. He was universally hated by the guys in law enforcement for defending the worst of the worst. None of us minded a good defense lawyer who followed the rules, but Trousdale wasn't one of them. Now, when he crossed me, he had shit in the backyard of his enemy. And his enemy had a lot of ways to hurt him. He was about to find that out.