CHAPTER 5
1266 Words
CHAPTER 5
Dominic’s prayer had disarmed her. Put her in a vulnerable position until she divulged the whole story. She still wasn’t sure it was the right thing to do, but at least she got through her recitation calmly. No more choking heaves or suffocating sobs.
When she finished, she searched his face for any telltale signs of anger or disbelief. Had she done it? Had she broken the unwritten code of police procedures and exposed a bad cop?
Would he say the whole thing was her fault, that she or Reuben instigated the confrontation? Would he even believe her?
Dominic was tugging at his short beard hairs. “And you say when the fight was all said and done, the cop who attacked you was gone? Just like that?”
“Yeah.” Her voice was weak. What time was it? Exhaustion clung to her individual muscle fibers.
“He didn’t stay and write you a ticket? Didn’t arrest you for assault? Nothing?”
She stared at her empty bottle of water and shook her head, realizing how ridiculous the whole thing sounded now that she’d heard it herself. She sat and waited. Waited for him to tell her how stupid she’d been to antagonize an officer. For Dominic to poke a dozen more holes into her story until even she doubted its veracity.
“There’s no way an officer would just drive away from a situation like that. Not unless he knew he was guilty and hoped to pretend it never happened.”
Kennedy was too busy imagining the conversation she’d have with her dad from a jail cell to piece together the meaning of Dominic’s words.
“If he had just cause, he would have written you up. Hauled you both in. That would be the end of it.”
For the slightest moment, a spark of hope flickered in Kennedy’s core. Was he saying he believed her?
“But instead, he ran away.” Dominic was musing now, apparently speaking more to himself than Kennedy. “Which only goes to show he was the guilty party.” He leaned forward. “And you didn’t get his name?”
“No.”
“Didn’t see his badge or anything?”
“No.”
Frankly, she had been too busy trying to keep him from murdering her best friend to worry about minute details like that.
“Can you at least remember what he looked like?”
Kennedy sighed. She could picture his face but didn’t know how to portray it. She did the best she could, certain by Dominic’s expression she wasn’t helping.
“That could be half the police force you just described there.”
“That’s what I thought.”
He sat for a moment in silence before leveling his gaze. “You know this isn’t going to paint a pretty picture when it all comes out in the wash.”
What did he mean? Not a pretty picture for the officer involved? Or not pretty for her and Reuben? Kennedy wasn’t sure. She glanced up at the walls. There were no clocks here, but she guessed it had to be at least nine by now. The musical would probably be finishing up in the next half hour or so.
She had hoped tonight would end so differently.
She had been looking forward to her date with Reuben for nearly the whole semester. Finally, she’d stopped kidding around like a little junior high girl and admitted her true feelings to herself. Reuben meant so much to her. So much.
She let out her breath. “What happens now?”
She wished Dominic would smile. There was something comforting about his face when he did. But his features were set in a scowl as he tugged on his beard. “I can’t tell you what to do, but I can at least spell out your options. You can write a report. File a complaint. If you go that route, I’ll show you the ropes. Tell you the right people to meet with. You don’t want to walk into the main department building and talk to the first person you see.” He let out a sigh that seemed to hold the heaviness of several lifetimes in its breath. “I need to warn you, though, it might not go very far. You didn’t get his name. Think you could identify him if you saw him again?”
“Probably.”
“Yeah, well, the chances of the chief ordering a dozen of his men to stand in a line-up isn’t looking all that hot.”
“So there’s nothing we can do?” It was such a relief that they were talking about bringing the unruly officer to justice instead of discussing Kennedy and Reuben’s plea bargain for assaulting a cop. Part of her would be happy to just walk away and pretend none of this ever happened. She realized, though, that’s exactly what Bow Legs was counting on.
So then what? Make herself into an Atticus Finch, stare injustice in the face and jump into some sort of legal battle that was doomed from its inception? And what kind of legal battle would it be if the police department decided to block justice?
Dominic frowned. “I’m not saying it’s impossible. I’m just saying you’ll face a lot of obstacles along the way. Cops have this code ...”
Kennedy rolled her eyes. “I know.” She was sick of hearing about it.
“I’m not saying it’s right,” Dominic inserted. “I’m just saying that’s the way it is. Most folks in the department will tell you police brutality doesn’t exist, that anyone who finds himself on the wrong end of a nightstick must have been asking for it.”
His chest expanded visibly as he inhaled. “This isn’t going to be easy.”
She couldn’t fully comprehend what he meant, but she sensed the warning behind his words. “Well, what would happen if we just let it drop?”
Her question must have pulled Dominic out of some sort of daydream. He shot up his gaze. “Let it drop? You mean don’t report it?” He shrugged. “Nothing. Nothing at all would happen. And then next time that same cop pulls over someone he doesn’t like or who looks a little funny to him, well, who knows what would happen then? All because of a little bit of nothing.”
“But you just said we couldn’t make any progress on a case like this.” She felt like Milo in The Phantom Tollbooth, who agreed to move a pile of sand with a pair of tweezers before realizing how many thousands of years it would actually take him.
“No, it might not turn out in your favor,” Dominic replied. “But it’s a start. There’d be documentation. If enough reports come in with similar complaints, eventually the department would have to take a good, honest look at itself. And I’m guessing the chief wouldn’t like what he’d see.”
Kennedy squeezed her eyes shut and massaged her throbbing temples.
“I’m sorry.” Dominic stood. “I’m throwing a lot at you right off the bat. I know you’ve had a hard night.”
Kennedy didn’t bother coming up with a response. All she wanted was to get home.
Dominic held open the door. “Listen, I’m not gonna keep you here any longer. You think about what I said.” He glanced up and down the hall and lowered his voice. “Then when you’ve made up your mind, let me know how you want to proceed. Like I told you, I can get you in touch with the right people. It’s not ...” He took a deep breath before continuing. “The department’s not perfect. We do a lot of good. A lot of good. But you get one bad apple in there and ...” His voice tapered off. “What I’m trying to say is you have a question, you have a problem, you come to me. I’ll help walk you through the steps if you decide to file a grievance, ok?”
Kennedy nodded. For some reason, his kindness toward her made her miss her parents more than normal. Pangs of homesickness pulsed between her firing temples. She swallowed. “Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it.” She was too tired to elaborate, but she hoped he knew she was thanking him for more than just his practical assistance. “I think I’ll go check on Reuben now. Do you know what room he’s in?”
“Just down this hall.” Dominic pointed. “I’ll walk you there.”
“Thanks again.”
His smile was both comforting and warm. “That’s what we’re here for. Follow me. I’ll show you the way to your friend.”
- Writer
