Return to Innocence
Part 22
"I'm sorry, Ms. Pardchek, but your client says he doesn't want to see you," the jail guard said, his voice muffled by the bullet-resistant glass separating the two.
"Let me see him and he can tell me that himself," Stacy glowered.
The guard shrugged, "I'll ask him, but if he doesn't want to see you, I can't make him."
The guard left the woman at the check-in point. Stacy had been successful at seeing Teddy after the hearing, but he was becoming increasingly isolated as the afternoon wore on. That made her suspicious.
"Hey Stacy," the voice of Peter Caine startled her. Turning around quickly, she saw both Caines approaching. "What's going on?"
"They say that Teddy won't see me," Stacy frowned.
"Why?" Peter asked, perplexed.
"I don't know, but I have my suspicions," she shook her head with concern.
The elder Caine stepped forward, "But you are here to help him, why would he not want to see you?"
Stacy started to speak, then stopped, looking at Peter with guilt in her eyes, "I think Teddy is being. . ." she halted her speech, looking for the right words.
"Threatened?" Peter completed.
Stacy couldn't hide her surprise, "Yes."
"Can you prove it?" Peter asked, not wanting to believe what the implications of the statement.
"No. I only know that Teddy was willing to talk to me while he was in the hospital, but since he's been at the jail, he has been uncooperative."
The guard returned from the holding area, "He didn't argue with me when I told him you wanted to see him. In fact, he didn't say anything at all. He's in room 2 waiting for you."
Peter presented his identification at the guard, "Caine, 101st, I'm here to see the prisoner also."
The guard scrutinized the I.D. and made notes to the log. "You'll have to check your weapon." Peter nodded and presented his gun.
The guard looked at Kwai Chang Caine, "And who are you?"
"I am Caine. I am a Shaolin priest," Caine answered, his words deliberate.
"He's with us," Stacy said.
The guard made all three sign into the log and buzzed to allow them entry into the mantrap. As soon as the door behind them had shut, the second door buzzed and they walked through. The guard was waiting for them on the opposite side. "Come with me."
He escorted the three to a room where Teddy Watson was already waiting. The young man was sitting at the table, hands clinched tightly together, staring at the wall. "Hi Teddy?" she said gently, trying to get the man's attention.
The eyes did not turn away from the wall and no greeting was returned. Stacy took the chair opposite Teddy, so that the man would have no choice but to look at her or turn away. He didn't turn away. Instead, he looked right through her. Peter and Caine stayed by the wall, waiting for Stacy to give them a sign of what she wanted from them.
"Teddy, we need to talk about what's going on here," Stacy said, glancing at the other two men when she didn't receive a response.
Caine stepped forward, laying a warm hand on Watson's shoulder, noticing immediately that the man tried to pull away from the contact. "We are here to help you," he said. There was no change.
Peter watched the interaction between his father, Stacy and Watson. It was clear the man was becoming more withdrawn. Not all that surprising considering what he was accused of and where he was residing at the moment.
Watson turned to Peter and frowned, then he turned back to Stacy, "I don't what your help. Just leave me alone."
Stacy had seen the man look at Peter. She reached across the table and placed her hand on top of his clinched fists. "Teddy, you can trust him."
The man said nothing. Stacy looked at Peter apologetically, "Peter, do you mind?"
Peter shrugged his shoulders, knowing that Stacy was only doing what was best for her client. "No problem."
He tapped on the door, getting the guards attention. Caine watched his son leave and then turned back to Watson. "She is right. You can trust my son."
"I can't trust no one," the man muttered and slouched back in the chair.
"That's not true, Teddy. We are doing everything we can to help you. But we can't do it all. You have to talk to me. . .cooperate with me. I can't prove your innocence unless you are willing to do that." Stacy looked into the man's dark eyes and saw only pain.
"But I'm not innocent." Teddy growled. "What you're doing. . .it's for nothing. I killed that cop. I did it. Nothing can change it now."
Caine stood in front of the distraught man, "Yes, you did kill him. But, as we have discussed before, you did not commit the crime you were charged with. You know that. . .we know that. . .my son knows that. That's why we want to help you."
"But you don't understand. It won't matter. Nothing you do will make a difference. I will always be guilty," the man's voice began to tremble, tears welling up in his eyes. Suddenly he stood, slammed the chair back under the table and walked to the door. Pounding it with his fist, he immediately had the guard's attention. The armed man opened the door and Teddy muttered, "I'm finished here."
Stacy and Caine watched his movements in stunned silence. The guard looked at them and smiled, "Told you. He doesn't want to see you."
Caine and Stacy rejoined Peter in the waiting room of the facility. Peter looked at the worried faces, "What happened?"
"He is scared," Caine answered.
"He walked out on us." Stacy shook her head and looked at her watch. It was almost 5:00. I'll try to talk to him tomorrow. Maybe I can get through to him then. Will you join me, Caine."
"Of course." Caine nodded.
The three left the facility and made their way to the visitor's parking lot. "Maybe by the time you see him tomorrow, I'll have some good news for him," Peter commented.
Stacy looked at him curiously, "What's going on?"
Peter shook his head, "Can't tell you right now. But I have an idea of how I can help. I'll let you know how it turns out tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Stacy was truly intrigued. "Peter, what are you up to."
Peter emphatically shook his head. "You can't be involved with this. . .not yet." He looked at his father, "The funeral's at 10:00 tomorrow. Do you want to go?"
His father nodded his head once, "Yes. I wish to pay my respects to the man whom you called 'friend.'"
Peter smiled slightly, "Thanks. I'll pick you up at about 9:00. Then we can go to Kathy's."
"That would be fine." Caine answered.
Stacy pulled Peter into a hug and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "Give my respects to the family. And thank you again for your help."
She climbed into her car and drove away, leaving the two Caines behind.
End Part 22
To Part 23