Chapter 18
KARA STARED OUT the window while Shane drove through the Village of Pittsford, turning onto Rand Place. Two police cars were blocking the McCauley driveway. Cleary stood next to one of the police cars with a uniformed officer.
“This is going to be a real shit storm,” Shane said.
Kara quickly compartmentalized and focused on her job. “I don’t see Foster or Jones.”
“They’re coming from Greece. Probably another ten minutes out, depending on traffic. It’s rush hour.”
Kara stepped from the vehicle before Shane could open her door, pulling her wool coat around her body. The temperature had dropped again, and a light snow fell from the sky. “Let’s stick together on this one,” Kara said. “Interview Cleary first, then go inside and talk to the McCauley’s.”
“Alright.”
She scanned the area as they made their way from the pavement to the sidewalk and then onto the driveway. Cleary was waving his finger at the uniformed officer.
“If it isn’t Frick and Frack,” Cleary said. His words slurred. He swayed when he talked.
Kara looked around again and that’s when she saw Cleary’s car halfway on the sidewalk two doors down.
Both Kara and Shane showed the officer their badge. He nodded and stepped back.
“What happened?” Shane asked.
Cleary laughed. “That little piece of shit in there raped my daughter.” He fidgeted, and sniffed a few times, rubbing his nose. White powder still lined his nostrils.
Kara stepped closer. “Congressman Cleary,” she started. “You’re drunk. And high. I’d say on coke.”
“Fuck you,” he said.
“What did you do here?” Shane rephrased his original question.
“I knocked on the door and told them I was going to haul their son into court for rape. I’ve got all the proof in my daughter’s journals. He’s eighteen. She was fourteen. He took advantage of her. Probably why she left our house that day and is now dead. All because of that little shit.”
Shane tapped Kara on the shoulder, then pointed down the street. “Nothing we can do about the news, but keep them at bay.” Shane waved the officer back over. “Put him in the back of your car, then rope off the area.”
“You have no jurisdic—”
Kara cut the officer off. “I do, so do what he says.”
The officer nodded.
“No fucking way. I’m not getting in the back of a police car. I didn’t do anything wrong. Hell, I left his property when he told me to.”
“You’re wasted.” Shane pointed to Cleary’s car. “Not to mention you ran over a mailbox, you’re illegally parked, and you’ve got a flat. Get in the fucking car or we’ll cuff you and put you in the car.”
Cleary got in the car.
“Not going to get anywhere with him when he’s higher than a kite,” Shane said. “Let’s go inside and see what else we’re going to be hauling the good congressman down to the county lock-up for.”
Kara felt Shane’s hand on the small of her back as they walked toward the McCauley house. “As much as I like your hands all over me, you really need to stop doing it at crime scenes or anytime we’re at work.”
He dropped his hand. “Can’t seem to help myself,” he said. “Besides, it’s calming. I really wanted to haul off and hit Cleary. What the fuck was he thinking? Especially after giving that press conference with you.”
“He’s not thinking,” Kara said. “He’s in pain. He’s grieving not only the loss of his daughter, but her innocence as well. The parallels to what’s happening to him and what happened to Haughton are a little too similar in a weird way.”
“I know,” he said. “But this isn’t going to make either of our bosses happy, and considering I’m lead, Morrell is going to chew my ass out.” He waved his hand in front, indicating ladies before gentlemen when they approached the door, but he kept his hand from the small of her back.
Once again, they both showed their badges to the officer who stood in the foyer near the porch where Shane and Kara had questioned Doug a few days ago. There was no log to sign, because it wasn’t a crime scene, but they were still going to have to file a report.
“I see you finally arrested that asshole,” Mr. McCauley said. “He had no right coming in here and making all sorts of accusations and threatening my family.”
“What exactly did he say?” Shane asked.
“Accused my son of… of… raping his daughter. Said he was the reason she’s dead.”
Kara glanced past Mr. McCauley into the living room, where Doug and Mrs. McCauley sat on the sofa. Doug leaned back, arms crossed, anger and fear etched on his face. Mrs. McCauley sat upright with a stiff back, while she gnawed on a fingernail.
“Did he enter the home?” Shane asked.
“I wouldn’t let him. He shoved me, trying to get in, so I hit him and locked the door. He tossed a rock through my window.” Mr. McCauley pointed to the porch. “He was screaming and shouting all sorts of obscenities. He left me no choice but to call the cops.”
“You did the right thing,” Shane said. “Do you want to press charges?”
“Of course I do!” Mr. McCauley shouted.
“We haul him in and charge him with a few misdemeanors,” Kara said. “He’ll pay a fine, maybe do some community service, possibly have to step down as congressman, but that puts your son and his relationship with Emily front and center.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Mr. McCauley asked.
“We need a few words with Doug,” Shane said calmly.
“Why?”
“To clarify some things so we can put all this in perspective,” Shane said. “Please.”
Mr. McCauley nodded.
Kara followed Shane into the living room, where Mrs. McCauley greeted them with a weak smile.
“Sorry to have to do this,” Shane said, “but we need to ask Doug some very candid questions.” Shane sat down in the chair on the other side of the room, closest to Doug.
Kara opted to stand and let Shane handle this one. Might be better man-to-man.
“I need you to be honest with me,” Shane said. “No matter the question.”
The boy nodded, but never uncrossed his arms.
“Did you have sex with Emily Cleary?” Shane had leaned forward, clasping his hands while resting his arms against his thighs.
“Of course he didn’t!” Mrs. McCauley yelled.
“Please,” Kara said. “Let Doug answer.”
“Not without a lawyer,” Mr. McCauley said.
“You can call one,” Shane said. “I actually suggest you call one, but that isn’t going to change the outcome of tonight.”
“Then he’ll answer that question with his lawyer,” Mr. McCauley said. “And I’m sure his answer will be no.”
“We had sex, but I didn’t rape her,” Doug said softly. “She came onto me. She pushed me. She sent me—”
“Goddamn it,” Mr. McCauley said under his breath. “Stop talking, now.”
“Thanks, Doug,” Shane said. “Being honest will help you in the long run, trust me on that.”
Kara turned to Mr. McCauley, who stood against the far wall, rubbing his chin. “Is he in real trouble?”
“He could be,” Kara admitted.”
“So, what do we do?” Mr. McCauley asked.
“Right now, nothing except get a good attorney.” Kara watched Shane walk through the foyer and out the front door. She could see Jones and Foster standing at the bottom of the steps. “We’ll also need you to file a statement about what happened tonight.”
“Alright,” Mr. McCauley said.
Kara handed Mr. McCauley her card. “If Cleary does show up here again, call me directly.”
Mr. McCauley nodded.
“Let’s give this family some privacy,” she said to the officer.
Kara closed the front door, thankful that Shane had the other officer turn off the lights on the patrol car. The news crew was still a problem, standing across the street, their cameras rolling, lights glaring, newscasters trying to talk to anyone who would give them a hint as to what went down. She checked her watch. It was after six.
“Things wrap up well in there?” Shane asked as she approached him, Foster, and Jones, who stood next to the sheriff’s car that currently contained the congressman.
“I think so,” she said. “But we still have to deal with the charges the McCauley’s are going to bring, which include vandalism, trespassing, assault, not to mention the DUI that we can charge him for.”
“He blew a .25,” Jones said. “One neighbor said he nearly hit her as he barreled down the street.”
“Fucking wonderful,” Shane said. “I’m shocked he agreed to even take the blood alcohol test.”
“I’m sure he’ll manage to find a way to say the test was faulty, wrong, and that he took it because he knew he was sober,” Kara said.
“I know you still need to talk with the medical students,” Jones said. “Then I’m sure you want to get home to Kevin. Cleary might take a while, so unless Foster has something else going on I think we’ll handle Cleary.”
“I’m good with that,” Foster said.
“Let’s get Cleary out of here then,” Kara said. “Regroup early tomorrow. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”
“Shoot for seven?” Jones said.
“I can make that work,” Shane said. “Let’s roll.”