Return to Innocence

Part 16

Peter read Barnes' statement again. His anger grew proportionately with each word. "It's a mistake. It's gotta be a mistake," he muttered.

"I don't think so, Peter," Stacy countered. "That has to be why the DA is going after Teddy for capital murder. They couldn't prove the case otherwise."

"Meaning?" Peter's eyes narrowed with curiosity.

Stacy met his eyes with the answer, "Meaning that to get a conviction for capital murder of a law enforcement officer it has to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the killing was intentional and premeditated. The only way the DA could make that stick is to prove that Teddy knew that police officers were at his door. . ."

"And the only way he could have known that was if we had announced our presence," Peter completed her sentence.

"Right." Stacy nodded.

"But we didn't. I kept waiting for Barnes to say something. . .for any of them to do it, but they didn't. So I started to. I never completed the sentence. The door caved in and then Michael was shot," Peter closed his eyes and shook his head. "There was no time."

"But there was before the door was knocked down, right?" Stacy tilted her head.

Peter nodded and then took a deep breath. "So what do you think happened to this report. . .do you think it's an honest mistake?"

"I don't know. . .and frankly, I don't care. I need your testimony, Peter. I need you to tell the court exactly what happened. . .the truth."

Peter felt his stomach quiver with anxiety. "Stacy, I. . ." he stuttered.

"Peter, please. You have to do this. If you don't say something, Teddy Watson could be executed for a crime he didn't commit," Stacy said sternly, her eyes pleading for his cooperation.

"But he killed Michael," Peter glared, his anger at the whole situation beginning to overwhelm him.

"Yes, he did. But he didn't commit the crime they are going to charge him with," Stacy countered.

Peter looked at the table, his fists were clinched together with tension. "I need to think, Stacy. Please. . .just give me some time to think."

Stacy frowned, her disappointment evident. "Okay, but don't take too long, Peter. I don't know how much time we have." Suddenly the ringing of a cell phone cut her off. She reached into her purse and pulled out the unit. "Stacy Pardchek. . .Hi Sara. . .He what?. . .When? But they can't do that. . ." Peter watched Stacy's one-sided conversation with curiosity. "Wonderful," the attorney said sarcastically. "I'll be there in thirty minutes." She disconnected the cell phone, stuck it back into her purse and looked into Peter's hazel eyes.

"Teddy's doctor just called my office. He's been ordered by the Chief of Staff at the hospital to release Teddy to police custody." Stacy closed the file on the table and put it back into her briefcase. "That means Teddy's arraignment hearing will be tomorrow." She frowned at the young detective, "Peter, I know you. You're a good man. But I don't have time to wait for you to decide to do what you know is right. What's it gonna be?"

Peter closed his eyes. He thought of Michael dying and his promise to protect Kathy and Elizabeth. He thought of Barnes and his lies. He thought of his fellow officers who wanted to see Watson pay for his crime. He thought of Annie and her fear of her son's involvement with the task force. He thought of his father. . .and the truth. There was no option, really. Peter was Shaolin. He had to defend the truth.

Without speaking, Peter's eyes met Stacy's. He nodded slowly, declaring his conviction to do what was right at any cost.

He was late. He ran up the precinct stairs and into the squad room. On his way to the Task Force meeting room he glanced at the bull pen clock on the wall. It read 2:15. Barnes was going to have his head. . .of that he was certain.

Peter stopped his run when he came to the door of the room. He took a deep, centering breath and attempted to calm his emotions. He was still worked up about the report Stacy showed him. But that report and the subsequent conversation had no place in the squad room. It was a subject for another time, when he and Barnes were alone and could face off about the truth.

He opened the door quietly and tried to slip into the room, unnoticed. There was no chance. With only eleven people inside, Peter's absence had been duly noted and his presence caused similar attention.

"Detective Caine, so nice of you to decide to join us. For a man who came to work an hour early, I don't quite understand how you can be late to a meeting." Barnes' voice was filled with sarcasm.

Peter had to swallow down a similarly sarcastic reply. Instead he answered with a simple, "I'm sorry, Sir."

"I expect all of my men to be at meetings on time." Barnes glared at Peter. Peter swallowed and nodded. "We'll talk about this later, Detective."

"Yes Sir." Peter responded. He had no problem with that since meeting later with Barnes was something Peter had already decided he wanted to do.

Barnes looked at the report in his hands, "The police commissioner has asked that our unit move to an inactive status for the next few days. . .maybe a week. He doesn't want the unit in the public eye any more than possible while Watson's case is in the news.

"While we are in the hold status, those of you who are from other precincts will be reassigned back to your normal duties. Once the Task Force is up and running again, you will be called back." Barnes words were abrupt and to the point. He laid the report onto the desk in front of him, "That's the formal part of our meeting. Now to the informal. I know how hard Michael's death has been for all of you. It's been hard for me too. He was a good cop. . .and a good man." Barnes lips became thin and he shook his head, "This should never had happened to him." Barnes gaze fell upon each of his detectives. "But I want you all to remember that the man responsible for this crime will pay for what he's done. The District Attorney. . .the Mayor. . .the public. . .they're all behind us one hundred percent. Watson will go down for this. . .hard." As he finished speaking his cold eyes met Peter's hazel and did not waiver. It was clear he was directing his comments to Peter.

Peter had to bite his tongue to keep from responding. He returned a cold glare at the Captain, wishing the man knew that he knew the secret. Barnes turned away and spoke to the rest of the room, "Any questions?"

There were none. The Captain dismissed the group. Peter stood, but did not leave the room with the others. Eventually, its only occupants were Barnes and the young detective. Peter was silent while he thought about his next words. But before he could speak, Barnes beat him to the punch, "You know Caine. . .it's one thing for you to be late to the meeting because you were off pissin' away time. . .but to think that you could turn on your fellow cops. . ." Barnes voice raised to a shout as he stood and glared down at Peter, "You are a disgrace to the department. . .you give Blaisdell a bad name."

Peter hitched a breath, but didn't back down. Instead, the anger that had been building since early in the day, exploded, "What in the hell are you talking about, Barnes?" Upon hearing the Captain use Blaisdell's name, any respect that Peter might have held for the man left him.

"I saw you. . .you were meeting with Watson's attorney. . .and I don't think it was a date. What did you tell her Caine? What confidences did you break?" Barnes growled.

"Confidences? Is that what we're calling them? I thought they were called 'lies.' " Peter's voice now matched the Captain's. He took a step closer so that there were mere inches separating the men. "You put in the report that we warned Teddy Watson that we were the police. . .before we broke down his door."

Barnes continued to scowl, "Yeah. . .so?"

"We didn't. You lied. We never called out. We took him by surprise. It was a sneak attack in order to gain the upper-hand on Watson. . .the move backfired and Michael paid for it with his life," Peter yelled.

Barnes turned away suddenly, "No. Watson took Michael's life. The rest of it doesn't matter."

"How can you say that? The DA is getting ready to charge him with capital murder and you and I both know that the basis for that charge is a lie."

Barnes said nothing for a long while. Peter waited in silence, wanting to hear what the response would be. The Captain turned towards the detective with a smile on his face, his words unnaturally calm, "I don't know what you're talking about, Detective Caine. We followed procedure. It happened just like the report said. I have two other versions of the report which say the same thing. So I suggest that you be careful about the accusations you raise. You might find that your lies will come back to haunt you."

End Part 16

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