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“I think it’s time to bring the USA in on this,” Cameron said.
“It’s sixteen years past time for that,” Sam said, feeling sick to her soul for the man who’d spent sixteen years in prison for a heinous crime he most likely hadn’t committed.
“I wanted your input before I called Forrester,” Jeannie said to Sam.
“Why? You’re the deputy chief.”
Jeannie smiled. “And yet, your opinion is still the one I want at times like these.”
“My opinion is always free of charge to you. Before you call the USA, I’d brief the chief.”
“Will do. And by the way, Detectives Green and Lucas did great work on the review of this case.”
“Duly noted.” After Jeannie left, Sam said, “Am I the only one who feels sick?”
“Nope,” Green said. “I’ve been feeling sick since I found the complaint Davies launched against Stahl, who roughed him up during a routine traffic stop. Stahl was suspended without pay for three days.”
“And exacted his revenge the minute he could,” Freddie said, shaking his head.
“On rape charges, of all things,” Sam added. “Other than murder, the vilest accusation there is.”
“From what I can tell, Stahl persuaded a woman to seduce Davies, had a rape kit performed on her and then charged him. We believe the woman in question was facing drug charges that were suddenly dropped after she slept with Davies.”
Sam heard the words he was saying, but could barely process the implications.
“This’ll be another massive scandal,” Freddie said.
“What will?” Malone asked as he came into the conference room.
Sam looked to Green to update the captain.
After Cameron filled him in, Malone’s expression was one of shock and outrage. “Does the chief know?”
“Jeannie was going to brief him before she calls the USA’s office,” Sam said.
Malone sat in one of the chairs and seemed to sag into himself. “Just when we think we’ve seen the full extent of his depravity…”
“There’s more,” Sam said.
“Yeah.” Malone ran his fingers through his hair. He seemed to rally all at once as he stood. “I need to talk to Joe.”
Fueled by outrage and despair,Jake Malone walked from the detectives’ pit to the chief’s suite. “May I?” Jake asked Helen, the chief’s admin, as he pointed to the closed door to Joe’s office.
“Go ahead.”
She could probably tell he was set to boil as she waved him in.
He knocked once on the door and went in. Deputy Chief McBride was seated in one of the two chairs that faced Joe’s desk.
The chief glanced at Jake, his gaze full of despair. “I take it you’ve heard.”
“I have.”
Jake sat next to Jeannie. “What’s the plan?”
“I was about to call Tom Forrester.” Joe picked up the receiver on his desk phone and asked Helen to call Tom for him, telling her to use the wordurgent. While they waited, the three of them sat in uneasy silence.
The phone beeped a minute later. “Tom Forrester on line one for you, sir.”
