C26 Chapter 26

The next morning Terry greeted Zane.

“Good morning Chief. Oh wait, ex-chief,” he joked as he opened Zane’s cell. “Got a visitor for you.”

Zane ignored the comment. It was amazing how people showed their true colors when they thought they held all the power. He walked to the interrogation room and sat down wondering who the visitor could be.

When the door was opened to grant the visitor entry, Zane stood immediately. It was Commissioner Loman.

“Commissioner,” Zane greeted him.

“Good morning Zane,” the Commissioner greeted him. He approached and shook Zane’s cuffed hands. Then he turned and waited until Terry left them alone and closed the door.

“Please be seated Zane,” Commissioner Loman said.

Zane sat down. He had known Commissioner Loman for a long time. He was a big man. Six foot two. Everyone Zane had spoken with always spoke highly of the Commissioner and Zane had never had cause to disagree. He had a kind face and was considered to be fair by everyone Zane had ever spoken to about the Commissioner.

“I did not expect to see you here Commissioner,” Zane said.

“I heard the news last night and got down here as soon as I could.”

“Thank you, sir. It wasn’t necessary.”

“On the contrary Zane. I think it was. I hate to see good men go down and I had to intervene.”

“What do you mean sir?”

“The news about you is on national television. The damage has been done to your career. I did not come to hear you plead innocent or guilty. I am not the judge for your case. But I have negotiated with the people that have the authority and power and I have come to offer you a deal, Zane.”

“What is it, sir?”

The commissioner fidgeted as he wondered how best to present the deal to Zane. Then finally he spoke.

“Plead guilty and we’ll set you free. We’ll let you go. We’ll say you made a deal and gave us valuable information in the case and since you have been a highly respected officer all these years, served the department well, and, seeing as it’s your first offense, we let you go.”

“But that would be lying.”

“The law isn’t always clear cut Zane. You should know that.”

“I do. I guess I just imagined it would never apply to me,” Zane replied. “The problem with that though is, how free am I when I have a criminal record? Who’s going to employ me? What’s the point of being free when I’m faced with being jobless or having to take substandard jobs and pay for the rest of my life?”

“It’s better than nothing Zane.”

“You don’t want to see justice done Commissioner?” Zane asked.

“Of course I do,” Commissioner Loman replied. “But right now, I can’t guarantee that justice will be done. No-one can. We have an election coming up and I can’t even be sure that I am going to be re-elected. If I’m re-elected, all my goals as Commissioner are out the window. It’s the best ticket I can offer you right now. If things change down the line, of course, your record will be expunged.”

Zane sighed and looked out the barred windows of the room. Then he finally looked back at the Commissioner. “Sir?”

“Yes?” Commissioner Loman replied.

“Anyone and everyone I ever spoke to about you, only had great things to say about you. And I’m in the same camp. I have the utmost respect for you. I’ll plead guilty but I want my freedom given before I sign that paper. I’m not signing it sitting in this place. I want it done outside where I can pick up and leave. I want all my benefits paid to me, leave, everything.

Everything sorted and paid, so I can sign on that dotted line and walk away, a free man.”

“Okay, that can be arranged,” Commissioner Loman replied.

“What about my input on this case?” Zane said. “Do you want it?”

“Well, of course, that’s part of the deal,” Commissioner Loman replied.

“Okay, but I’ll give my statement only to you,” Zane said.

“That’s fine. I will be in town until tomorrow. Can you get it done by then?”

“Sure thing Sir,” Zane replied.

“Great. I am glad that we have reached an agreement. For the record Zane...,” the Commissioner paused. “I always thought you were one of the best men the department had.”

“Thank you, sir,” Zane stood and shook the Commissioner’s hand. Then, he watched the door close behind him as Terry escorted him out.

A short while later Terry was back with paper and a pen.

“Here you go,” Terry smiled. “The Commissioner said you’re going to write your confession.”

Zane stared at Terry. “Or I could stick the pen in your eye.”

“Very funny,” Terry said his expression souring as he backed out of the room.

Zane took his time writing his statement about the events that had transpired since he had been arrested starting with when they had first arrested Hope Ryder. He laid out the facts as he recalled them regarding her prior activities in other states, the drive-by shootings, and how they had occurred after he had ordered the boys questioned. He reiterated in his

statement that he had nothing to do with the deaths of the boys or anyone else in the case. He pled guilty to fraternizing with a suspect and aiding and abetting a criminal as well as obstruction of justice but he steered clear of admitting to possession of and dealing in drugs. He believed they wouldn’t press for a full guilty plea as long as they had something on paper that was good enough to oust him from the department.

Finally, he finished and read it through but did not sign it. He was satisfied that it said all he was willing to say and admit to.

As he prepared to add the last bits of information he thought of as he read it through, Donovan entered the room.

Donovan was still young and had not shown any diminished respect for Zane since he had been arrested. Even so, Zane wasn’t sure if he could trust him. Even with corrupt cops, they would play good cop, bad cop in general daily interactions to determine who stood up for who.

“I have a lady here to see you,” Donovan said.

Zane frowned. He had no idea who it could be.

“If it’s that bitch from last night, I don’t want to see her,” Zane stated bluntly.

“I don’t know who you’re referring to Sir,” Donovan replied mildly.

Zane sighed. “Okay. Show them in.”

Donovan turned and motioned to someone to enter.

Zane was speechless. Amanda entered and thanked Donovan. Zane stood up not knowing what to say.

Amanda thanked Donovan and he left closing the door behind him.

She hesitated as she studied Zane. Her eyes searched him for answers and reasons why he would lie to her, betray her. She approached Zane slowly.

Zane ached to take her in his arms but he was shackled to the table. “Mands,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I can explain everything.”

Amanda stepped forward slowly as if wondering if she could trust Zane.

“How could you?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

“I didn’t do anything they say I did I promise,” Zane said.

“Really? The woman they showed on the news. She’s wanted in six states. Your house was full of drugs and she was at your house when you were arrested yesterday. What am I supposed to think?”

“Mands, please. Listen to me. Believe me. She was waiting for me when I arrived home last night. I don’t know how she got in. She got there before me and planted the drugs then held me at gunpoint until the police arrived. It was all planned.”

“Am I supposed to believe this?” Amanda asked. “God you slept with her days before you met me! They had pictures of you and her together at your house. They had you under surveillance for a while if they had cameras in your house. They’ve suspected you for a while. It takes a warrant or whatever to place cameras in a person’s house.”

“Amanda, please. The people I am dealing with are corrupt. Including corrupt individuals in the force. That woman is a criminal and I wanted to bring her to justice. Sure I had a weakness for her but I haven’t seen her or done anything with her since I met you again. And I never agreed to do any drug-related activities.”

“I came here to pay your bail, Zane.”

“Why?” Zane asked.

“Because I believe you deserve a second chance. I care for you despite how my heart is being torn inside. If nothing else it will at least allow you to try and prove your innocence if you are innocent.”

“Thanks, Amanda, but there’s no need for the bail.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I agreed to a plea deal with the Commissioner. I plead guilty, they let me go. My career is finished and I’m off the force but at least I’m free.”

“But you just told me you’re innocent. Why admit guilt if you’re innocent?”

“I don’t have a choice, Mandy. There is corruption in this department and I can’t fight it. They’ve given me the alternative already. If I stay honest and fight them in court, I will go to prison for a long time. What you saw last night was mostly engineered, but to the world, it looks like the real thing. Another corrupt cop brought to justice. I’ve done my best but I’m not going to win. I don’t even know who I can trust. I believe I know who I can’t trust but that’s not enough. I don’t fancy spending the rest of my life in jail. I tried asking for help from a friend in another agency but I haven’t heard a word from him since. That’s already a while ago and I have no idea where else to turn to for help so what choice do I have?”

“So then the world will see you as a criminal?”

“They will, but every storm eventually passes. Thank you anyway for coming to pay my bail but even if I wasn’t pleading guilty, I would have asked you not to pay it.”

“Why?”

“Because just by getting involved in this they will mark you. If I don’t do as they say, they’ll come after you. So I would rather know that you are safe and plead guilty and let it all go away as quietly as possible.”

Amanda hesitated, “I don’t think so. That kind of stuff is just for the movies. Anyway, it doesn’t matter because I’m leaving the day after tomorrow anyway.”

“But what about your mother?”

“She passed last night in her sleep. The funeral is the day after tomorrow and then I’m going straight to the airport. I think it’s best to put this town behind me. Just what I saw with you last night brought back the memories of why I left in the first place. There’s nothing for me in this city. To be honest, I thought of moving back after I met you and we spent time together again. I’ve missed you Zane and I felt like we were picking up where we left off. But maybe....”

“Maybe what?” Zane asked.

“Maybe there’s just been too much water under the bridge.”

“Firstly, I’m sorry to hear about your mother Mandy. I am sure she is in a better place now. I will pray for her.”

“Thanks, Zane,” Amanda said. “And secondly?”

“Secondly, don’t think like that. I was hesitant about pleading guilty but then I thought it through and I thought that if you still wanted to be with me after this, that I would be free to move to New York with you after all. Problem solved. Sometimes the universe works in strange ways.”

Amanda hesitated. “I don’t know if that would work Zane.”

“Why?”

“Because, if I am associated with a known criminal, it won’t be good for my career.”

Zane felt the anger rise in him at the thought that he would lose Mandy too. He wanted to lash out to break something, anything. He wanted to shake her and tell her to forget about the world. They could be together now. They could go and start somewhere new but it was too much to ask. Why on earth would Mandy give up everything for him to start somewhere new? Just because of him. They had been in love a long time ago and even though he felt that they had started to rekindle what they had, it had hardly been long enough to consider what they had as a relationship. And then to expect her to give up what she had for him? No. It wasn’t going to happen.

Zane sighed. “Okay, Amanda. I understand. I really do. I honestly believed that we had a second chance. All those feelings I had for you have come back in the last few days. I’ve replayed in my mind why I haven’t dated anyone since us, and the only reason I can find is that I still love you. I never stopped loving you. Yes, I spent time with that woman but

that was before I even knew you were back in town. I haven’t seen her since, until last night. And I didn’t let her into my house. She was there when I got there. She planted everything.”

“I hear you, Zane,” Mandy replied. She stepped closer until she stood right in front of him looking up into his face. “I truly believed we had a second chance but now? I’ve dated a few times since us. Nothing’s come of any of these relationships either else I wouldn’t be here now. And maybe that’s because of us. I can’t say right now. But I’ve learned to trust my heart through those relationships.”

“Okay. And what is your heart saying?” Zane ventured, desperately hoping to hear something that offered the tiniest glimmer of hope.

Amanda looked up into his eyes as if searching for something. Then she stood on her toes and gave him a soft kiss.

“It’s telling me to run.”