Chapter 17

 

When Eddie put his hand out to knock, Leeanne grabbed his arm, stopping him.

“Are you sure I look all right?”

“Of course. You’re beautiful.”

“I should have worn a dress.”

“No, you look great.” He bent and gave her a quick kiss, then raised his arm again, but the door swung open before he could knock.

“There! I thought I heard you. Come in,” Marie cried.

Eddie kissed his mother’s cheek, and Lisa swooped down on Leeanne, enveloping her in a hug.

“It’s about time!”

“We’ve been missing you,” Marie said.

Leeanne smiled and kissed Lisa, then Marie. As Eddie’s mother took their coats, Monique and Eddie’s two brothers-in-law approached.

“Leeanne,” Monique said, kissing the air near Leeanne’s right ear. “We’re so glad things are back to normal.”

“Normal? What’s normal around here?” Marie cried.

Leeanne was hugged perfunctorily by Wyatt, then Lisa leaned close.

“Leeanne, I’m so sorry I was snooty to you. Can you forgive me?”

“Of course.”

“I was so upset. I knew Eddie was in love with you, and I couldn’t stand to see my brother hurt like that.”

“I’ve felt that way about my brothers, too,” Leeanne admitted. “I’m sorry we put everyone through a bad time.”

“Well, everything’s good now, right?” Marie asked expectantly.

“Yeah, Maman, everything’s good,” Eddie agreed.

“Sit,” she said.

Lisa’s husband, Ansel, held the baby. He reached out to clasp Leeanne’s hand. “Good to see you again, Leeanne.” She smiled gratefully.

“When you gonna solve this murder case?” Wyatt demanded.

“I worked all day on it,” Eddie said wearily, sitting down beside Leeanne on the couch.

“Yeah? You arrest anybody yet?” Wyatt asked.

“Not yet.”

“Too busy asking all the ladies if the cops are getting fresh with them?”

Eddie froze. “Where did you hear that?”

Marie waved her hand toward her son-in-law. “I told you not to tell him.” She turned eagerly to Eddie. “Cousin Nadine’s daughter-in-law’s friend works there, filing or something. Nadine said all the women are being questioned about bad language and men pinching them. I told her I didn’t believe it. You got better things to do with your time.”

“I spent all day on the Bolduc case,” Eddie said evenly, getting to his feet. “Excuse me a minute, I’ll be right back.” He headed for the hallway, but Leeanne saw him stop near the coat rack and was sure he slipped his phone from the pocket of his jacket.

“Give us the details,” Lisa said eagerly. “How did you get back together?”

Leeanne swallowed. “Well, we started talking about things, and…” She looked cautiously toward Marie. “Eddie sent me flowers…”

“My son did that,” she said proudly. “He knows what women like.”

“Not women, Maman,” Lisa corrected. “One woman. Leeanne is all that counts.” She smiled again. “What else?”

“Well, he—” Leeanne took a deep breath. “I never stopped loving him,” she insisted.

“Ah,” Marie said sagely. Lisa and Ansel smiled at each other.

“It’s true,” Leeanne said.

“Of course. Now, what are your plans?” Marie asked, businesslike, when Eddie returned to the room.

“Mother,” Monique scolded gently. “Give them time to breathe.”

Leeanne looked to Eddie, and he cleared his throat as he sat down again.

“Thanksgiving Day,” he said.

“What? No.” Marie waved her hands. “That’s a family day.”

“So, it’ll be a family wedding day.”

Lisa beamed at them. “I think it’s great. I won’t have to cook a turkey.”

“You don’t want to change it?” Marie was still hopeful.

“No, Maman, we don’t want to change it.” Eddie squeezed Leeanne’s hand.

“You’re going to invite the whole family, though?”

“Of course,” Leeanne assured her. “You gave me the list.”

“You getting new invitations?” Monique asked.

Leeanne’s cheeks warmed. “Yes, we just wanted to check the time with your mother, and I’ll order them tomorrow.”

“I’ll pay for them,” Marie offered. Monique scowled at her, but her mother ignored her. “Your father paid the first time. It’s my turn.”

“No, Maman,” Eddie said. “I got it covered.”

“I’m just so happy I get my daughter-in-law after all.” Marie grinned at Leeanne, and she couldn’t help smiling back. “You’re making my son very happy here.”

“Thank you, Marie.”

 “So, what time? People are going to want to have their Thanksgiving dinner.”

“Noon?” Eddie asked. “They can go home and eat after.”

“No, you gotta have the reception,” Lisa frowned at him. “Have the wedding in the evening.”

“They want to head for Montreal early,” Monique guessed.

“No, I think we’ll hang around here for a couple of days,” Eddie said.

“You couldn’t get new reservations.” Marie shook her head sadly.

“Well, no, but I only have a week of vacation left—”

“It doesn’t matter,” Monique put in. “Have the wedding when you want it. If your friends want to be there, they’ll adjust their schedule for it.”

“How about three o’clock?” Leeanne asked hesitantly. “People can have their dinner early.”

“Yeah, and they won’t eat much at the reception because they’re full of turkey,” Wyatt said with a laugh.

Leeanne looked anxiously at Eddie. “Maybe Thanksgiving isn’t such a great idea.”

“Well, hey, there’s time to think about it,” Marie said. “Let’s break out the champagne, huh?”

“None for us,” Eddie said.

Marie grimaced. “Not even champagne to toast your engagement?”

“I brought some ginger ale,” said Lisa. “The kids need to drink, too.”

“Where are the kids?” asked Eddie.

“Out back. I’ll get them.” Monique got up and headed for the kitchen, and Lisa went to help Marie pour the drinks.

“We are absolutely not changing the date again,” Eddie said low, in Leeanne’s ear.

She nodded and squeezed his hand.

The Pelletier and Rousseau children came puffing in from the back yard.

“Uncle Eddie! Uncle Eddie!”

Eddie laughed and scooped up five-year-old Annick.

“Are you really getting married this time, Uncle Eddie?” David, Monique’s oldest, asked solemnly.

“Yes. I am most definitely getting married, and you all are going to be there.”

“Can we call you Aunt Leeanne again?” Annick asked, looking soberly at Leeanne with big brown eyes as melting as Eddie’s.

“Of course, honey.”

“You do love Uncle Eddie, don’t you?” Josette asked. “Because I’m not going to the wedding if you don’t.”

Leeanne felt the tears start, and Eddie said gruffly. “What kind of talk is that? Of course we love each other. We never quit. We just needed some extra time to be ready, is all.”

Lisa came to the doorway. “Hey, kids, come get your soda. We’re going to have a toast.” She passed plastic cups to the children, then served Eddie, Leeanne and herself ginger ale in champagne glasses. Marie followed with champagne for Wyatt, Ansel, Monique, and herself.

“Well,” said Wyatt, surveying the room. “To a wonderful family, and the newest member. Leeanne, welcome back.”

Leeanne smiled tremulously and sipped her ginger ale.

She found herself alone with Lisa in the kitchen twenty minutes later, as they carried the glasses to the drainboard.

“I’m really happy about this,” Lisa declared. “Eddie is Eddie again.”

Leeanne smiled. “Thanks. You—you will still be my bridesmaid, won’t you?”

“Of course! Same dress?”

“Well, yes, if you don’t think it’s too summery.”

Lisa considered. “Nah. Burgundy is good anytime, even with the short sleeves. I love the dresses.”

Eddie came to the doorway. “Hen talk?”

Leeanne smiled. “You’re always welcome.”

He went to her smiling, and embraced her. “Look, Maman’s getting nervous again. We need to settle the time.”

“Well, I—whatever you think.” Leeanne shot a glance at Lisa.

“Je suis de trop,” Lisa said.

“No, stay,” Eddie said quickly. “You’ve been through this with the family. Help us out here. What will make them happy?”

“We’re already happy.”

“Yeah, well, you know …”

“Just pick what you want. Maman will come around.” Lisa flipped up the pages of the calendar over the microwave. “November twenty-third. You could do it in the evening. A lot of people have the next day off.”

“What about the twenty-eighth?” Leeanne asked timidly.

Eddie faced her in disbelief. “I thought we agreed, we’re not postponing this thing again.”

“I meant October twenty-eighth,” Leeanne choked, unable to meet his eyes. He was referring to their wedding as this thing, and she could tell his patience was near snapping. She turned away, dashing her hand at the tears. “I’m sorry.”

Eddie’s arms were like steel around her. “You would do that? October twenty-eighth?”

Lisa turned to the October page and studied it critically. “Saturday. Looks good to me.”

“Now you’re de trop,” Eddie said darkly.

Lisa laughed. “Pardonez-moi. I’ll stand guard at the door.”

She left the kitchen, swinging the door to behind her, and Eddie held Leeanne tight against him.

“You’re willing to knock a month off the schedule? Really?”

She nodded. “We might not be able to get tuxedoes that fast.”

“I’ll wear a suit. You sure you want to do this?”

“This is taking too long, Eddie. Your mother still thinks I’m going to run out on you again.”

“I told them, it wasn’t like that.”

“I know, but they’ll believe what they want to believe.”

“Well, Lisa wants to believe you’re the greatest woman in the world for me.”

Leeanne laughed shakily. “Isn’t she great?”

“Yes, and she will bring my mother into line. On the wedding day, she will be the queen mother, and everybody will know it was her who pulled this whole thing off.”

“I want her to like me, Eddie.”

“I’m not going to pretend this has been easy for her.”

“I know she wanted a meek little French Catholic girl in a school uniform.”

“Bilingual, with an aunt who’s a nun. But she’s wanted a lot of things she didn’t get.”

“So maybe we should ask her about the date and the time, and give her what she wants for once,” Leeanne said doubtfully.

“I love you.” He kissed her deliberately, and Leeanne clung to him, burrowing her face into his neck. “As long as it’s no later than Thanksgiving night, I’m willing to take my mother’s advice,” he whispered.

 

*****

Harvey entered the Priority Unit from the stairway with Eddie and Jimmy, just down from prayer with Mike and Jack Stewart, in the deputy chief’s office. Ryan Toothaker was sitting in his visitor chair, and he frowned. The reporter wasn’t usually allowed upstairs.

“What’s up, Ryan?” Harvey glanced toward Paula. She gave him a small shrug.

Ryan stood and extended his hand. “Captain Larson. I thought it was time I touched base with you.”

“On what?”

“Several things. The Bolduc murder for starters.”

“Detective Thibodeau’s in charge—”

“I know, but let’s face it, you’re in charge of the guy who’s in charge.”

Harvey scowled. “I don’t have time for this, Ryan. Eddie can brief you on the Bolduc case.”

“Okay, what about you ordering your men to clean up their language?”

“I beg your pardon?”

Ryan smiled. “Detective Winfield tells me you ordered him to quit swearing on the job.”

“I did no such thing.”

“Really? Winfield’s a liar?”

“No.” Harvey sat staring at him. “I might have suggested he improve his vocabulary. This unit has quite a reputation to live up to, and I don’t think mature men need to swear on the job. I want the public to see us as efficient, decent, and respectful.”

“So that’s why you’re interviewing secretaries and file clerks—to see if your men are living up to their decent reputation?”

Harvey began sorting the mail and messages Paula had left for him. “I’m not free to discuss open investigations, Ryan.”

“All right, then, what about Brad Lyons?”

Harvey schooled his face not to show surprise.

“What about him?”

“The last couple of days, when I’ve come for the police log, there’s been a new sergeant on the desk.”

“That’s right, Lyons has been out for a few days, but I’m not his supervisor.”

“Is he on vacation? Because sergeant Yeaton is very tight-lipped.”

Harvey sighed and set down the sheaf of papers he was holding. “Lyons is not on vacation. The truth is, Chief Browning and I were just discussing this a few minutes ago. We think by the end of the week we’ll have something for you, but we’re not ready yet.”

Ryan smiled. “I knew it. I could smell it.”

“Yeah, well, back off and quit drooling.”

“Come on, Captain, what’s going on here?”

“Nothing, yet.”

“No, something’s going on. I can go look up Lyons.”

“He might be sick,” Harvey said.

“He might not.”

“Ryan, please.”

The reporter leaned back in his chair and studied Harvey. “I was thinking he was taking a job someplace else, you know? But I’m getting very strange vibes from you, Captain.”

“What kind of vibes?”

Ryan shrugged. “The I-hate-reporters-who-aren’t-related-to-me kind.”

“That was low. I’ve always been square with you.”

“You know Leeanne would have broken this story by now if she hadn’t quit the paper.”

“I don’t think so.” Harvey got up and poured himself a cup of coffee. “I used to like you. I thought you were good. Now you’re being nasty. Leave.”

Ryan sat for a couple of seconds, then stood up slowly and headed for the stairs.

Harvey carried his coffee mug to Eddie’s desk. “Did you hear that?”

“Oui, mon ami. Très gauche.”

“I might just call another paper and give them an exclusive,” Harvey said.

“Not yet, s’il te plait.”

“Oh, no, not until we’re good and ready.”

Eddie pulled his wallet from his pocket and selected a credit card.

“Shopping?” Harvey asked.

“Red roses today, I think. For Leeanne and my mother.”

“Make it snappy,” Harvey said. “We’ve got to work fast, or we’ll be reading about the harassment case in the paper before we’ve cracked it.”

“Okay. Leeanne is going to call the formalwear shop today. Do you think we can get the tuxedoes for October twenty-eighth?”

“I don’t see why not. It’s not prom week, and they have all our measurements.”

Nate stood up from his desk across the room and came toward them.

“Captain, I’ve got some word on the hair samples.”

“What is it?”

“That custodian, Donald Lloyd. It’s his hair.”

“This is the one who had his court case dismissed?” Eddie asked.

“Right. His hair was on the dummy’s clothes.”

“Nate had him in here first thing this morning, while we were going over things with Cheryl,” Harvey explained. “I had applied for a warrant for Lloyd’s hair sample, and we got it this time.”

“It was a good thing,” Nate said. “He didn’t want any part of it, and he came in here with his lawyer. I taped everything.”

“What now?” Eddie asked. “This proves nothing. He had a right to be there.”

“I know,” Harvey agreed. “At least we know whose hair it is—the custodian’s, not someone’s from outside.”

“You think he did it?” Eddie asked, frowning.

“He had his story down pat,” Nate said. “He and another custodian were helping the setup crew. He ate lunch with the other guy, uh—” he pulled his notebook from his shirt pocket. “Andrew Flood.”

“Did we question him?”

Nate shook his head. “One of Ron’s men took his statement the day of the murder. That’s it, so far as I can tell.”

“Get him in here,” Eddie said.

Nate nodded and went back to his desk.

Eddie cocked an eyebrow at Harvey. “This Lloyd could have done it.”

“That would explain a few things, wouldn’t it?” Harvey asked.

Paula called to him, “Captain, Detective Rood is on the phone. She wants to see you right away.”

“Tell her to come. Is she at the courthouse?”

Paula spoke into the receiver, then replied, “She’s on her way in.”

“Tell her I’ll be here.” He turned to Eddie. “All right, you dig into this custodian thing, and I’ll debrief Emily. Maybe she can shed some light on these conveniently dropped charges.”

 

*****

After Leeanne got home from her classes at the university, she consulted with Jennifer, Beth, and Abby, in Beth’s bedroom.

“I don’t think there’s any way it will fit,” Beth wailed. “When the wedding date was Thanksgiving, I figured I’d have had the baby and be thin again.”

“We can do something,” Jennifer said, spreading out the skirt of Beth’s burgundy gown.

“I don’t think so. There’s just not enough material.” Beth turned to Leeanne. “Why don’t you just ask Eddie’s other sister to step in for me?”

“Monique? Forget it. She’s a sourpuss. She refuses to speak French, even to her grandmother.”

“But this is a family thing. It might make things easier between you for years to come.”

“I want you, Beth,” Leeanne insisted.

“Hold on,” said Abby. “What if we could match the material?”

“Impossible,” said Leeanne.

“Maybe not. Where’s the phone book?”

“In the kitchen, on the microwave,” Beth told her, and Abby disappeared.

“I’d rather wait until Thanksgiving than leave you out, Beth,” Leeanne wheedled.

“Bite your tongue,” Jennifer said. “You are not changing the date again, no matter if there’s an earthquake, a hurricane, and a blizzard the same day.”

“Look, I’ll still be there.” Beth patted Leeanne’s hand. “I’ll be sitting comfortably on a padded pew beside my loving husband.”

“Speaking of Jeff, where is he?” Jennifer asked. “Isn’t he off today?”

“Yes. He went with Mark Johnson to look at a boat.”

“Jeff’s buying a boat?” Jennifer asked.

“No, Mark is. At least, he’s thinking about it.”

Abby came to the doorway. “They’ve got one dress left, size four. We can have it for half price and make an extra panel for Beth’s dress.”

Jennifer looked to Beth. “Think we can do that?”

“Ruthann could,” Beth said.

Jennifer picked up her purse and unzipped it. “Do it.” She handed Abby a credit card. “I’ll run over and pick it up now.”

“I’ll go with you,” Abby offered.

“Get the boys into my minivan,” said Jennifer.

“Do you want me to go?” Leeanne asked.

“No, I want you to stay here with Beth and Connor, and do your homework. You’ve got to have that term paper finished before the wedding.”

“Jenn, there’s a florist truck out front,” Abby called from the living room.

“Oh, brother!” Jennifer turned and scowled at Leeanne. “Don’t you dare change the date! I don’t care how many roses he sent you this time.” She grabbed her sweater and ran for the door.

 

*****

“You’ve got something, Emily?” Harvey asked eagerly, as she came off the elevator.

“I think so, sir. Sorry it took so long.”

“No problem. These things take time.”

Emily sat down in his extra chair.

“Coffee?” Harvey asked.

“No, thank you, I’m a chamomile tea person.”

“Hey, Paula,” Harvey yelled, “We got any chamomile tea?”

“I’ll get some.”

Emily laughed and turned toward Paula. “Don’t bother. I’m fine.” She faced Harvey, sobering. “I think I know what happened in at least one of the cases in question.”

“Brad Lyons had a friend over there.”

“Actually, it was Raymond Neilsen who called the courthouse the first time.”

“The first time?”

“When the female prisoner complained. Lyons reduced the bail himself, I think. Just changed it on the form before it was filed.”

“Rather blatant.”

She shrugged. “He acted confident, and he pulled it off. Nobody said a word. O’Heir wanted to, but he didn’t dare. Nobody else seemed to think it odd.”

“But then her case was dismissed.”

“Right. There’s a clerk over at the courthouse by the name of Kim Ashford. She handled the paperwork. It took me a while to find out, and it took longer to convince her to talk to me. She was a little nervous. I had to tell her I was undercover in the end, and she talked. I hope that’s okay, because she was getting quite put out with me, and I was afraid she would complain to the D.A. or somebody that I was snooping. When I explained to her that we were investigating a harassment complaint, she was okay with it. We women tend to want to see the wolves get what’s coming to them.”

Harvey nodded. “Let’s just hope she doesn’t broadcast it.”

Emily opened her notebook. “She looked over the old file. It was over a year ago, you know?”

“Yes.”

“Well, she said at first she didn’t remember it, but after she’d looked at it, she said, Oh, yes, that was Neilsen’s case.”

“Neilsen’s case?”

“Right. She said he called her and told her to cancel the hearing because the department was dropping charges. His explanation was that the arresting officer forgot to Miranda her, and she had complained, and he was sure the case would get tossed, anyway.”

“So, she just canceled it? A clerk could do that?”

“She had the deputy chief’s word on it.”

“Hmm.”

“They hadn’t processed the paperwork yet.”

“When did this happen?”

“The day after the arrest.”

“Ashford signed a statement to that effect?”

“She’s coming over when she gets off work. Didn’t want to tell her boss, which was okay with me.”

“She knew Neilsen, or not?”

Emily frowned. “That’s tricky. She said she’d met him once or twice, but wouldn’t give details. I wondered if there was something there, but she was cagey.”

He nodded. “Anything else?”

“Well, she remembered the Lloyd case, in August. They’d set the hearing, and she got a call, saying they were dropping it because the evidence had been misplaced. It was unusual, and it stuck in her mind.”

“Who called her?”

“Three guesses.”

“Brad Lyons.”

“You’re good.”

Harvey smiled. “She’ll swear to that, too?”

“Yes, sir.”

Harvey consulted the folder on the Lloyd case, then scribbled a note. “Emily, please run downstairs and ask the detective sergeant to check the evidence locker for this item.”

Her eyes widened. “You think he just left it in there, but claimed it was lost?”

“Who knows? Maybe he took it home and snorted it, but if it’s in this building, I want it.”

Nate was leading a gray-haired man in blue work clothes into the interrogation room.

“That the custodian?” Harvey asked Eddie.

He nodded. “Want to watch?”

Eddie connected his computer’s monitor to the camera feed from the interview room. They watched Nate and his witness sit down at the table.

“Mr. Flood, could you please tell me what happened on Labor Day when you were ready to leave City Hall for lunch?”

“Lunch?” Flood seemed a little befuddled. “I ate lunch … let’s see, the city gave us vouchers that day. I went to Burger King with Don Lloyd.”

“Yes, sir,” Nate said patiently, “but before that. Where were you and Mr. Lloyd working?”

“Well, we did the setup downstairs first, in the city clerk’s office, then everyone went upstairs and did the comptroller’s office.”

“And the game officials and setup crew were there?”

“Yes. Most of them left before we did.”

“Who was still there?”

“The two detectives and one of the officials. Funny name, glasses. I think he was from Lewiston.”

“Myron Stickle?” Nate asked.

“That’s him. He was checking the position of everything, before they taped it off. Those three were there when Don and I left, and there were a couple of fellows downstairs.”

“Did you and Mr. Lloyd go down the elevator?”

“I went down the stairs. Don’t know what Don did. We went out into the hall together, after everything was ready for the game, but Don said he’d left his tape measure in the office. He went back to get it.”

“You didn’t wait for him?”

“No, I told him I’d get my truck and meet him out front.”

“Was he waiting when you got there?”

“No. I had to double park for a few minutes, and I wasn’t too happy. I almost went without him. An ambulance came by, and I remember I had to get out of the way. I ended up driving around the block. When I came back, Don was just coming out the end door.”

“Not the front door.”

“Right.”

“And then what?” Nate asked.

“I picked him up, and we went to Burger King.”

“How did he seem then?”

“What does that mean? He seemed like he always does.”

“Which is…?”

Flood shrugged. “I dunno. Am I supposed to say something particular here?”

“No, no, sir. I just wondered if his manner was odd in any way?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Was he out of breath?” Nate asked.

“No. Well, maybe. I honestly don’t remember. He lit a cigarette, though. I didn’t like that, but he said he needed one, and he couldn’t smoke in the restaurant. I thought he was quitting, but I guess he gave up trying.”

“He still smokes?”

“Yes, sir.”

“How long would you say elapsed between the moment you entered the stairway and the moment he got in your truck?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Five minutes, anyway. Maybe more. I sat there a while, then drove around the block. Probably ten minutes.”

“Did you see anyone else leave the building?”

“Yeah, the girl detective and—what’s his name? Sickle?”

Harvey looked at Eddie. “Emily told me Brad fixed Donald Lloyd’s case in August. He called the courthouse and told a clerk they lost the evidence. They dropped the drug charge, and the registration one, too.”

“Maybe he didn’t want to have to face the judge and tell him how clumsy he was at losing the evidence.”

Harvey shook his head. “I don’t buy it. Brad wasn’t the arresting officer, and the evidence seems to have been logged properly. Lloyd has a record, though. This would be his third drug bust.”

“Naughty boy,” Eddie said.

“Mm-hmm. I’m thinking Brad represented to him how hard the judge would be on him. Brad’s good at slanting things the way he wants them to appear.” Harvey turned back to the monitor.

“So, you think he got the charges dismissed in return for a favor from Lloyd,” Eddie said.

“I do. Find out if Lloyd has a gun.”

 

*****

“We’ve got to bring Brad in, Mike,” Harvey argued at four o’clock. “There are too many rumors flying. Ryan Toothaker may be at his apartment interviewing him now.”

Mike scratched his jaw. “I think you’ve got plenty, but if we arrest him tonight…”

“What?”

Mike shook his head. “You’re right. If we wait, this could blow up in our faces. Let’s do it.”

“You want me to take my men?”

“Yes. I’ll wait here. I think, given Brad’s rank, I’d better be on scene when you book him.”

Harvey nodded. “We’re going with criminal charges, then.”

“Obstructing justice, criminal threatening, and sexual assault.”

“You think the assault will stick?”

Mike sighed. “Maybe not.”

“Tampering with a victim?”

“Maybe. See, that’s it, Harvey. It’s still so nebulous. You’ve got to have everything nailed down.”

“He changed the bail and canceled court hearings, Mike.”

“You have no proof that he didn’t have reason to do that. Now, if you could prove he exchanged favors with Lloyd, kept him from a stiff sentence in exchange for getting rid of Joey…”

Harvey paced to the window and looked out over the east end of the city. “We’ve got to have him in custody.”

“I think you’re right. Firing him isn’t enough. I’m certain he’s in the middle of the Bolduc murder, but you’ve got to get your ducks in a row, Harv.”

Mike’s phone rang, and Harvey leaned on the window frame, waiting.

“Cheryl Yeaton’s coming up here with a taped statement from the female prisoner, Lorraine Dowd,” Mike said. “Drink some coffee and calm down.”

“I’m calm.”

He got the coffee and sat staring at the Turner print on Mike’s wall until Cheryl walked in.

“Chief, Captain Larson. I think you’ll find this interesting.” Cheryl handed Mike the videotape, and Mike inserted it in his video player.

“You’re not going to arrest me again for that old OUI, are you?” Lorraine Dowd asked on the tape.

“No, ma’am,” Cheryl told her. “We’re only interested in the behavior of the police officers that night.”

“I was drunk,” Dowd admitted. “I shouldn’t have been driving; I know that. I haven’t done it since. But I know what happened to me. One of your officers molested me.”

“Was it rape, ma’am?” Cheryl asked matter-of-factly.

“No, it didn’t go that far. He started talking to me, nice like, about how I could beat the charges. Then he came in the cell and—touched me. I was a bit muddled, as you can imagine, but as soon as I realized what he was doing, I started screaming. He shoved me down on the bunk and told me to shut up. I didn’t, and he slapped me.”

“The other officers didn’t report that you were bruised, ma’am.”

“I don’t care what they reported, I know what happened. I told the creep I was going to sue. He put his hands on my shoulders and said, ‘I don’t think you want to do that.’ He was hurting me. I pulled away, and I said, ‘You’re the one who’d better think twice here, buddy. You enjoy roughing up your arrests? My brother’s a lawyer.’ Then when Jerry came to get me, the officer said the bail was only two hundred, and he let me go.”

“Did you tell your brother, the lawyer?”

She laughed. “My brother’s a mechanic. But I was called a few days later and told the charges had been dropped.”

“Why was that?” Cheryl asked.

“I don’t know. It might of been a fluke. I was glad, though. I was looking at a mandatory jail sentence and a thousand-dollar fine.” She looked at Cheryl and shrugged. “I was glad I hadn’t followed through and sued the guy. I figured he fixed things so I wouldn’t rat on him.”

“And you never told anyone what he’d done?”

“I chalked it up to experience. And, like I said, I don’t drink and drive anymore. So it worked out all right for me.”

“Could you identify the officer who struck you from among these photographs, ma’am?” Emily opened an album.

“That’s him.” She pointed without hesitation.

“You’re indicating the picture of Sergeant Brad Lyons.”

“If you say so.”

Mike clicked the machine off. “Well.”

“Did you tell her she’ll have to testify?” Harvey asked anxiously.

Cheryl nodded. “As long as we don’t charge her with anything, she doesn’t mind.”

Mike looked at Harvey. “Go get him.”