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Chapter Five
Posted by
harrisoncase
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06 September 2012
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Eve sat in Observation with Peabody while Baxter and Trueheart took Aaron Cook through interview. Their own interview with Kirk Stephens had unearthed very little information. He'd done the disc scan and recognized Eve's name from the Icove investigation and the vid that had recently been released. He'd read far enough to comprehend that it had been about Lt. Eve Dallas, contained her basic description, public information and several attached documents that he hadn't had time to open.
He'd sounded mildly disappointed that he hadn't gotten to read more of the file when his supervisor had come into the security office. Somehow, Eve refrained from hitting him.
"Did Mr. Stephens share any confidential information with you at any time?" Baxter asked Cook.
"No sir."
"Were you made aware at any time what information was being passed to the Hadley?"
"No sir. We discussed reading the files, and Stephens opened one during one of his shifts. He never told me what was in it."
"Did you have any part in the escape of Mr. Pearson Hadley?"
"No sir. Neither Stephens nor I were on during that time."
"Did you take part in any disruption of security, passing security codes or any other tools that would have helped the prisoner escape?"
"No I did not. Detective, Kirk and I were paid to accept and pass information without screening. All data discs are screened before going to prisoners, so we just signed off on their screenings and got them to Hadley."
"Pretty stupid, don't you think?" Baxter asked with a sneer.
"I've worked in that sector for eight years. I've seen all kinds of things get passed to prisoners that shouldn't have passed screening. Data discs are hardly a security issue."
"But if you weren't even screening these discs, you don't know if there may be something dangerous on one of them." Trueheart pointed out.
"They're data discs, Officer," Cook rolled his eyes, "They're pre-screened for anything that may physically harm someone. What kind of damage do you think a prisoner can do with a disc full of text."
"That's DETECTIVE," Baxter corrected, his cold voice distracting Cook long enough for Trueheart to let a ghost of a pleased smile pass over his face. "Mr. Cook, these data discs could have contained all kinds of dangerous information. How were you to know there weren't others working with Hadley, maybe using this data to creative explosives or something that may destroy or injure the property or others?"
"We didn't," Cook snapped, "But Hadley was under constant surveillance. We would know if he were doing more than accepting his mail and meals and doing everyday things. His comp was set for text only, no connection to anyone or anything, so we had no concern if we're just giving him some data he wanted to read."
"What did you think he was doing with the data?" Trueheart asked him.
Cook shrugged, "Brooding over it, I suppose. He was kind of a crazy guy. Thought he was some elite government spy or something. Figured the information being passed to him was something that tied in with that. He couldn't do anything but read it, so that's what we let him do. His informants paid us well and we'd have been stupid not to take it."
"You're admitting to accepting bribes?" Trueheart kept his face sober as he looked up at Cook, "Am I correct in that understanding?"
He sighed, "Yeah, detective, I accepted bribes. Stephens and me both."
"How did these informants know when to drop off the data?" Baxter wanted to know. "What happened if another guard were at the front gate?"
"We passed them our schedules. They would only come when one of us was working. It's simple."
"Yeah, real simple. You helped a man who killed four women escape from prison. Good to know that it was a simple process for you."
"I think I want my lawyer."
"Fine," Baxter stood, "I think I want a beer." He turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Trueheart alone with Cook.
"Mr. Cook, I just want to confirm that you'd like to have your lawyer present for the remainder of the interrogation process."
"That's what I said," Cook spat at Trueheart. The brand new detective nodded soberly as two uniforms came into the room to take Cook back to holding.
"On screen," Feeney stood in front of the team and nodded at the scrolling names, "the records of every delivery signed by Stephens or Cook in the last 5 and a half years. There are several dozen delivery companies that have delivered to the prison. Of these deliveries, we have over 80 that were addressed to Mr. Pearson Hadley. Detective McNab has another list of every delivery ever signed off on for Hadley, specifically not by Cook or Stephens. We are working on discovering which companies are legit and which are not and in turn, running every delivery man or woman whose name appears on this run that doesn't come from a legitimate company."
While Feeney and McNab worked to divide the runs, Eve poured over her notes. What did Hadley want with her personal information? What other information had been given to him? Where was the creep at, anyway?
When her communicator beeped, she stepped outside of the conference room so as to not disturb Feeney. "Dallas."
"DS Blair, Lieutenant." the woman on screen had bright blue eyes and her light brown hair pulled back, "We're in house. Where can we meet you?"
Momentarily confused, she frowned. Then, understanding, nodded, "Homicide division. I'll meet you in my office." Grabbing Peabody, she headed down.
Kimberly Blair was a pretty woman. She stood about 5'7", a few inches shorter than Eve, with a curvy build, wearing dark jeans and a solid blue t shirt under a gray jacket. Kellison was tall, close to 6'2" or 6'3" with short curly black hair, dark brown eyes and a boyish face. He stepped into Eve's office in front of Blair and offered his hand. Then did the same with Peabody as Blair stepped forward to shake Eve's hand.
"Thank you for allowing us to come work on this," Blair told Eve. When Eve gave her a hard look, she raised an eyebrow, "Or not."
"I agreed to have Cook and Stephens transported here. I didn't ask for more men. I have my own squad here. I don't need cops from Virginia."
"That bastard killed my sister!" Kellison retorted, stepping forward and crowding Eve's tiny office.
"Andrew," Blair grabbed his arm, "Don't be stupid."
"I want to help catch him," he pulled his arm away and snarled at his partner, "I don't understand why my help isn't welcomed."
"I said I had my own squad-" Eve started to say, but was shocked when he cut her off.
"I don't care if you have a million cops in your squad, I'm working this case. I got clearance from our city's chief and he's clearing it with yours."
"You couldn't have waited until it was cleared with my chief before taking your little trip up here to New York?"
"Dallas." Peabody bravely stepped between them at the same time as Blair stepped forward.
"Let's back up," Blair said, easing Kellison into the ratty visitor's chair.
Eve stared at Blair and Kellison a moment, then sat casually on her desk. "Listen. I'm going to give you a break, Kellison, because yes, this bastard did kill your sister. And because, like me, you have a partner who will help you keep a cool head through this. You both know that personal cases like this get messy, but you also know it sucks to be on the outside when something hits home. So yes, we can add you to the team. You're both drones. You take orders from me. If I'm not around, you take them from Peabody."
"She's only third grade." Kellison pointed out, "Blair and I both outrank her."
"Not here," Eve told him. "Everyone here outranks you. You do as your told, when you're told to do it and there's no backtalk. Understood."
"Yes Lieutenant." Blair nodded, then punched Kellison in the shoulder. "Detective?"
With a sigh, and a small hesitant smile, Kellison gave Eve a nod, "Yes sir, Lieutenant. Thank you."
He'd sounded mildly disappointed that he hadn't gotten to read more of the file when his supervisor had come into the security office. Somehow, Eve refrained from hitting him.
"Did Mr. Stephens share any confidential information with you at any time?" Baxter asked Cook.
"No sir."
"Were you made aware at any time what information was being passed to the Hadley?"
"No sir. We discussed reading the files, and Stephens opened one during one of his shifts. He never told me what was in it."
"Did you have any part in the escape of Mr. Pearson Hadley?"
"No sir. Neither Stephens nor I were on during that time."
"Did you take part in any disruption of security, passing security codes or any other tools that would have helped the prisoner escape?"
"No I did not. Detective, Kirk and I were paid to accept and pass information without screening. All data discs are screened before going to prisoners, so we just signed off on their screenings and got them to Hadley."
"Pretty stupid, don't you think?" Baxter asked with a sneer.
"I've worked in that sector for eight years. I've seen all kinds of things get passed to prisoners that shouldn't have passed screening. Data discs are hardly a security issue."
"But if you weren't even screening these discs, you don't know if there may be something dangerous on one of them." Trueheart pointed out.
"They're data discs, Officer," Cook rolled his eyes, "They're pre-screened for anything that may physically harm someone. What kind of damage do you think a prisoner can do with a disc full of text."
"That's DETECTIVE," Baxter corrected, his cold voice distracting Cook long enough for Trueheart to let a ghost of a pleased smile pass over his face. "Mr. Cook, these data discs could have contained all kinds of dangerous information. How were you to know there weren't others working with Hadley, maybe using this data to creative explosives or something that may destroy or injure the property or others?"
"We didn't," Cook snapped, "But Hadley was under constant surveillance. We would know if he were doing more than accepting his mail and meals and doing everyday things. His comp was set for text only, no connection to anyone or anything, so we had no concern if we're just giving him some data he wanted to read."
"What did you think he was doing with the data?" Trueheart asked him.
Cook shrugged, "Brooding over it, I suppose. He was kind of a crazy guy. Thought he was some elite government spy or something. Figured the information being passed to him was something that tied in with that. He couldn't do anything but read it, so that's what we let him do. His informants paid us well and we'd have been stupid not to take it."
"You're admitting to accepting bribes?" Trueheart kept his face sober as he looked up at Cook, "Am I correct in that understanding?"
He sighed, "Yeah, detective, I accepted bribes. Stephens and me both."
"How did these informants know when to drop off the data?" Baxter wanted to know. "What happened if another guard were at the front gate?"
"We passed them our schedules. They would only come when one of us was working. It's simple."
"Yeah, real simple. You helped a man who killed four women escape from prison. Good to know that it was a simple process for you."
"I think I want my lawyer."
"Fine," Baxter stood, "I think I want a beer." He turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Trueheart alone with Cook.
"Mr. Cook, I just want to confirm that you'd like to have your lawyer present for the remainder of the interrogation process."
"That's what I said," Cook spat at Trueheart. The brand new detective nodded soberly as two uniforms came into the room to take Cook back to holding.
"On screen," Feeney stood in front of the team and nodded at the scrolling names, "the records of every delivery signed by Stephens or Cook in the last 5 and a half years. There are several dozen delivery companies that have delivered to the prison. Of these deliveries, we have over 80 that were addressed to Mr. Pearson Hadley. Detective McNab has another list of every delivery ever signed off on for Hadley, specifically not by Cook or Stephens. We are working on discovering which companies are legit and which are not and in turn, running every delivery man or woman whose name appears on this run that doesn't come from a legitimate company."
While Feeney and McNab worked to divide the runs, Eve poured over her notes. What did Hadley want with her personal information? What other information had been given to him? Where was the creep at, anyway?
When her communicator beeped, she stepped outside of the conference room so as to not disturb Feeney. "Dallas."
"DS Blair, Lieutenant." the woman on screen had bright blue eyes and her light brown hair pulled back, "We're in house. Where can we meet you?"
Momentarily confused, she frowned. Then, understanding, nodded, "Homicide division. I'll meet you in my office." Grabbing Peabody, she headed down.
Kimberly Blair was a pretty woman. She stood about 5'7", a few inches shorter than Eve, with a curvy build, wearing dark jeans and a solid blue t shirt under a gray jacket. Kellison was tall, close to 6'2" or 6'3" with short curly black hair, dark brown eyes and a boyish face. He stepped into Eve's office in front of Blair and offered his hand. Then did the same with Peabody as Blair stepped forward to shake Eve's hand.
"Thank you for allowing us to come work on this," Blair told Eve. When Eve gave her a hard look, she raised an eyebrow, "Or not."
"I agreed to have Cook and Stephens transported here. I didn't ask for more men. I have my own squad here. I don't need cops from Virginia."
"That bastard killed my sister!" Kellison retorted, stepping forward and crowding Eve's tiny office.
"Andrew," Blair grabbed his arm, "Don't be stupid."
"I want to help catch him," he pulled his arm away and snarled at his partner, "I don't understand why my help isn't welcomed."
"I said I had my own squad-" Eve started to say, but was shocked when he cut her off.
"I don't care if you have a million cops in your squad, I'm working this case. I got clearance from our city's chief and he's clearing it with yours."
"You couldn't have waited until it was cleared with my chief before taking your little trip up here to New York?"
"Dallas." Peabody bravely stepped between them at the same time as Blair stepped forward.
"Let's back up," Blair said, easing Kellison into the ratty visitor's chair.
Eve stared at Blair and Kellison a moment, then sat casually on her desk. "Listen. I'm going to give you a break, Kellison, because yes, this bastard did kill your sister. And because, like me, you have a partner who will help you keep a cool head through this. You both know that personal cases like this get messy, but you also know it sucks to be on the outside when something hits home. So yes, we can add you to the team. You're both drones. You take orders from me. If I'm not around, you take them from Peabody."
"She's only third grade." Kellison pointed out, "Blair and I both outrank her."
"Not here," Eve told him. "Everyone here outranks you. You do as your told, when you're told to do it and there's no backtalk. Understood."
"Yes Lieutenant." Blair nodded, then punched Kellison in the shoulder. "Detective?"
With a sigh, and a small hesitant smile, Kellison gave Eve a nod, "Yes sir, Lieutenant. Thank you."
