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56
While Cara was climbing into the back of Cooper Madison’s Town Car at Cleveland State University, her oldest brother found himself sitting in the lobby of the Chief of Police just a few miles away at Cleveland’s Police Downtown Headquarters.
Detective Jason Knox, of the 1st District division of the department on the city’s west side, knew that something was up when he was summoned to the downtown headquarters. He ended up leaving straight from the golf course and headed downtown.
I hope they don’t smell the beer… It is my day off, though…
“The Chief will see you now,” said the Chief’s secretary.
Jason nodded and made his way into the Chief’s office, where he had never been before.
“Detective Knox, please have a seat. Sorry to bother you on your day off, but we have a pressing matter to discuss.”
Chief Horace Johnston, affectionately called “HoJo” by family and friends, was a tall, slender man in his early 50’s. He had been appointed to the highest position in the department just three months earlier, and in those three months, HoJo made sweeping changes to the department structure. Most of which had received mixed reviews. The media absolutely loved him, though, and he certainly seemed to love them back.
HoJo was always good for a quotable soundbyte, and he was one of the first people in his position to use social media as a means to promote all the great things that his department was doing.
While the media and the public loved him, his own officers were not as sure that he had their best interests at heart. Most officers seemed to think that he only cared about his public image rather than what was best for the department.
There were also rumors floating around the department that he used his position to pressure officers to drop charges against some powerful people. The charges were nothing major - mostly DUI and drug possession charges against wealthy businessmen. Apparently, one was a domestic violence charge against a local anchorman, too. If those rumors were true, however, it would not sit well with the police union.
As Jason took his seat he wondered what pressing matter the Chief was referring to. He glanced around the office and noticed that the walls were filled with pictures of Chief Johnston and local businessmen, politicians, athletes, and celebrities.
“I’ll get straight to the point, Detective Knox. One of my sources inside the local media tipped me off that they have discovered you are the brother of Cooper Madison’s new girlfriend.”
“Okay... Is that a problem, Chief?” Jason replied, perplexed.
“Not yet, but it certainly could become one, especially since you’re the lead detective on the Edgewater murders. You are going to be under an even bigger microscope, which means the department will be, too. It goes without saying that we really need you to make some progress on that case, and fast.”
“With all due respect, Chief, we have been working nonstop on this case…”
“Nonstop?” Chief Johnston interrupted. “You mean like when you were golfing today?”
“It was my day off, sir. I’ve been putting in six days and over 60 hours a week.”
“There are NO DAYS OFF when you are working the biggest case in Cleveland, Detective!” Chief Johnston boomed as he pounded his fist on his desk.
Jason, unsure of whether to respond, just stared back at his boss.
“I’m sorry, Detective,” Chief Johnston continued in a much softer and controlled voice. “I should not have yelled at you. I just want you to understand that everything you do is going to be magnified. If the press sees you golfing instead of trying to catch a possible serial killer, you and the department are going to look bad.”
Jason knew that no matter how he felt, or what he truly wanted to say in return, that there was only one response the Chief wanted.
“I understand, Chief. I will make sure to choose better going forward.”
“Good, that’s what I wanted to hear. I’d hate to have to take you off this case, son. This is the type of case that can make or break your career.”
“I won’t let you down, sir.”
“Do you want some advice?”
“Always, sir.”
“You need to make an arrest. Soon...”
“An arrest? We don’t even have any suspects, sir.”
“Then find one.”
