by Dan Decker
I didn’t have time to think through all the ramifications and possibilities, but I decided to run with that.
As I approached the door, I held the gun by the butt with a couple fingers, making it obvious to the officer that I was not a threat. When I opened the door, the officer was already wary.
“What are you doing with that?” He asked me, his hand on his own pistol.
“I just got him to give it to me.”
“Put that down on the ground.”
“Hang on a second,” I said.
“No, you hang on, you can’t just walk out here with a weapon and expect me to be calm about it.
“That is what you have to do.” I stared at the officer and waited. “I just convinced an armed man to give me a gun, a gun that could have done a lot of harm.”
I could see on the cop’s face that it was anything but okay. I held the gun out. “You can take this.”
“Just put it down on the ground, like I first asked.”
“Perfect.” I put it down on the front step of the office and stepped back. He made as if he were going to go past me to arrest my client, but I put out a hand.
“I’m sorry, you can’t go in there. This is private property, you need permission to enter and you don’t have it yet.”
“Are you kidding me?” The officer licked his lips. “I have probable cause.”
“I don’t know that you do,” I took a step back, pushing into the doorway as I did. If he were to try to get past me now, he would have to forcibly remove me, something that was not a good idea. The optics of the situation would not look good when he was called to account for this to his commanding officer.
“Sheesh, what is it with you guys?” The cop ran his fingers through his hair.
“My client will surrender when he knows his sister is okay. Do you have a problem sending cops over to his sister’s place?”
“Are you kidding me?”
“If I were to call in and report that his sister was afraid for her life, wouldn’t they send a car to check it out?”
I could tell that I had gotten through to the police officer.
“Just a moment,” he said pulling up his radio as he walked away.
I looked down at the gun on the ground and shook my head. I was surprised he hadn’t picked that up and put it into an evidence bag first thing, but I had already rattled the guy enough, I was not going to try to tell him how to do his job any more than I already had. It was bad enough that he probably already felt like I was scrutinizing his every last move. A moment later the officer walked back. “I have spoken with dispatch, they are sending somebody over to check out the situation.”
“Perfect. I will report this back to my client. Please remember, you do not have an invite to enter this office.”
“But I have probable cause—”
“You don’t and you also don’t have permission.”
“That man in there—”
“Has surrendered his weapon,” I said cutting him off. “I imagine you would like this situation to look good for you. Is this correct?” I didn’t wait I just barreled on. “If you go now, you are going to end up forcing a man from my office who is willing to come along peacefully. I will have a field day with that. Trust me, you don’t want to go there.”
The officer folded his arms. “I will not wait forever.”
“I will tell him that you are checking on his sister, my client will surrender when he knows she is okay.”
“You really think he’s gonna do that?” The cop did not try to hide his skepticism.
“I guarantee it.” I shut and locked the door before he had a chance to respond.
7
“Good news,” I said as I walked into my office, staying by the door so I could see the cop through the window. “They are checking on your sister now. We should have word soon enough.”
“At last,” the man sat in one of my guest chairs and looked more relaxed, but still on edge.
“Let’s talk about what we’re going to do next.”
“What do you mean?”
“After your sister is okay, you’re going to surrender to the police.”
“No way.”
“Yes, you are. You have created a fine situation and the only way you’re going to make progress is to willingly surrender.”
“No, I’m not gonna do that.”
“Yes, you are.”
The man gave me a challenging look, and was reaching towards his pocket as if he had something in there. By the size and shape of the bulge I figured he might have a knife. I suppressed a sigh and shook my head as I continued to speak.
“Let’s think this through, shall we? If you don’t surrender, what’s going to happen?”
“I’ll go through your window and run away.”
“And how far are you gonna get?”
“I can escape.”
“The cop has already called in backup. They’re gonna be here shortly. Your only choice is to surrender.”
“I’m just gonna run.”
“Why wait?” I pointed towards the waiting police officer. “There’s the door.”
The man did not get up and he stared at me for several long moments, fingering whatever was in his pocket. “Tell me why I should surrender?”
“I thought you would never ask.” I took a deep breath. “We will tell the court you had temporary insanity because you were so concerned about your sister.”
“Temporary insanity?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not insane.”
“No rational man would do the things you’re doing. It will be an easy sell, because it’s true.”
“You think I’m crazy?” The man rose from his seat.
“I think you’re worried about your sister.” I looked at him. “You walked into my office, you hired me, you made this my problem, now I’m going to help you resolve this in the best way I can as your zealous representative.”
I took a step towards him for emphasis, but not so far that I could not look out the door towards the cop. I wanted to know what he was doing at all times. “If you try to run, what could happen? For one, they could shoot you.”
“They are not gonna do that. I’m unarmed.”
I gave him a skeptical look. “You don’t have any other weapon?”
I stared at his hand where it hovered over his pocket.
He moved it. “I have nothing else. I swear it.”
I gave him a skeptical look, and he repeated himself. “Seriously, I’m unarmed.”
“I can see the knife in your pocket.”
He frowned. “You got me. As long as I don’t take it out and threaten anybody, they can’t shoot me.”
Because you’re doing an outstanding job of not threatening people.
“Have you ever watched the news? The police make mistakes.” I shook my head. “Now the stupidest thing you could possibly do is to walk out that door with a weapon, or try to slip through the window, thinking that you’re gonna do anything other than surrender.”
“I could get away.”
“You can’t. Let’s say that they don’t kill you, they just capture and arrest you. You know what you’ve done?” You just made it that much more difficult for me to plead your case.
“I want to tell the judge a good story. The picture I want to paint is that you were temporarily insane because you were so worried about your sister, but the moment you knew things were better, you saw the error of your ways.”
“But I don’t realize nothing.”
“No, you don’t,” I rubbed the side of my head, “that’s why I’m educating you. You’re going to realize your mistake once we are done here.”
“I don’t know, I don’t like what you’re saying.”
“I will present a great case but only if you’re gonna walk out that door with your hands held high.”
“I don’t think I can do that.”
“Think about it. I am going to check on your sister.” I took a step toward
s the door. “Don’t even think about trying to go through those windows. You won’t get far and I will bill you for the damage.”
8
The officer’s demeanor had not improved in my absence, and it appeared that he was ready to lay into me. I figured he had probably spent the whole time I had been gone thinking of what he was going to say when I returned. As I stepped outside he opened his mouth, but I cut him short.
“He will put on handcuffs.” The cop stopped mid-word and looked flabbergasted.
“Really?”
“Only on the condition he knows his sister is okay. Have you had a report yet back on his sister?”
He shook his head.
“I suggest you check on it.”
“Hang on.”
I waited while the cop walked away, speaking into his radio. I tried to pay attention to what he was saying, keen to see if he was just playing with me or if he had actually done what he said he was going to do.
I could overhear him and the response, but I could not make out individual words.
Several moments later the police officer returned.
“The sister’s okay. Police are on-site, and they have the ex-husband in custody.”
“Perfect. Just get the sister on the phone, I’m going to have them talk, and then he’s gonna come out, and turn himself in.”
“We’re not going to do that until after he is secured.”
“Yes, you are. I want to know for sure that his sister’s okay. I don’t want this to be some sort of game.”
The officer about blew a gasket. “I’ve been really patient and, as I’ve already explained, I am well within my rights to walk-in and arrest that man, regardless of whose property he’s on.”
“I’ve already informed you of his intent to turn himself in, he’s planning to do so, all he needs is a conversation with his sister. Such a small thing to have him peacefully surrender.”
“I have been patient long enough—”
“And I am afraid you’re feeding me a lie. I need to know firsthand that she is fine, so you’re going to get her on the phone.”
“You are just wasting our time.”
“No, you are wasting my time.” I resisted telling the police officer that I had a motion I needed to file before the end of the day, because I figured that would make him do everything he could to keep me from getting it done. Not that I didn’t think that he wasn’t a good person, but sometimes people did irrational things in the heat of the moment.
“You just get his sister on the phone—I don’t care how you do it—you get her on the phone and have her tell him that she’s all right. After that, my client will surrender to you, easy peasy.”
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do here—”
“I don’t think you do. I’ve taken on a client in the middle of a hectic day, and you are making my job more difficult than it has to be. If what you’ve already said is true, we just need a single phone call. This seems like one plus one plus one equals three in your favor. Am I missing something?”
The officer swallowed. “Just a minute. It might take a couple minutes to get her on the phone.” It looked like he had added this last bit because he wanted to give himself some room.
I opened my mouth to give him a warning, but then restrained myself after looking at my watch. I had some time, I could be a little patient.
I went back into my office.
9
“I have good news,” I said standing in the doorway like I had before so I could keep an eye on the police officer. He was having a heated conversation on his phone and I wished I could overhear what he was saying, but I’d already done what I could.
“What is it?” The man asked when I did not give him the news right away because I was studying the cop.
“Your sister is going to be okay. I’m arranging to have you talk with her now.” I leaned forward. “But there’s a catch.” I waited, for him to ask the inevitable question.
“What is it?”
“You have to be in handcuffs to talk to her. Now—”
“No way.”
“I’m sorry, this is a condition for this to move forward. You have to be prepared to turn yourself in the moment you know she’s okay. All I have to do is get her on the phone, the officer is working on it now and then we can move onto the next phase of this.”
And I can go back to finishing my motion.
“Look—”
“No, you look. You came into my office unannounced. You held me at gunpoint, something that I have neglected to mention to the police officer. I will happily bring this up with him if you don’t comply.”
“But here’s the thing—”
“No, here’s the thing,” I said, speaking over him once again. “Your sister is just fine. The police got to her. Everything is just fine and as I’ve already explained, the best choice you can make is to turn yourself in. There’s no need for this to get ugly or complicated.”
“But—”
“No buts. This is how it is going to be.” I nodded to the police officer, who was approaching the door. “I’m coming back with the handcuffs, you’re going to put them on, and then you will have a pleasant conversation with your sister.”
10
I eased the door shut behind me as I looked into the face of the police officer.
“What is it?” I asked.
“There has been a complication.”
I just waited.
The officer swallowed. “Turns out, that his sister...” He trailed off.
“Spit it out man.”
“His sister has also been arrested.”
“Why?”
“The responding officers found her in a fight with the ex-husband. The only way they were able to restrain them was to arrest them both.”
“Are they going to file charges against her?”
“No, they’re not. The ex-husband is a different matter.”
“You lied to me when you said that everything was fine.”
“I didn’t have all the facts, there is a difference.” The officer spoke with such a righteous look on his face, that I knew the truth.
It had been a lie.
“How long until she’s in position to talk?”
“Here’s the other thing,” the officer licked his lips. “She might be a little unconscious right now.”
I struggled to maintain my composure. “Unconscious?”
“There was an accident and she tripped.”
I rubbed my hand on the back of my head and growled. “I have just convinced my client to put on handcuffs before he has a conversation with his sister. He is all but prepared to get in that car and go with you.”
I looked the police officer direct in the eye. “Do you know how difficult that was to bring about? It took a lot of convincing.” I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You are going to have somebody wake the sister. You’re going to put her in a comfortable place. You are going to make sure she is no longer handcuffed. And you’re going to have her call my cell phone.”
I gave the cop a stern look. “You got this?”
“I think we can handle it.” He handed me a pair of handcuffs. I told him my cell phone number and went back inside.
11
“I have an update on your sister’s situation,” I said as I showed him the handcuffs, “but I’m not gonna give it to you until the handcuffs are around both your wrists and I have checked that they are secure.”
“No.” The man leaned forward. “Information first.”
“Handcuffs first. Information second. Phone conversation with your sister third.” With my other hand, I pulled out my phone and waved it in the air. “She is going to call any minute now. I’m not going to answer unless you are cuffed.”
“I’m sorry about earlier,” he said, “I was heated, I was angry.”
“I understand.”
“I’m sorry about everything. This is just a big mess.”
I didn’t buy the man’s
contrition and figured that he was about to make a break for it. He kept looking at my window and the statue I had on my back table, it didn’t take a genius to figure out what he was planning.
“The ex-husband has been arrested. They are going to press charges.”
The man looked as if he didn’t believe that. “That’s happened before and here we are again. He was beating her up, wasn’t he?”
“I understand that this is an ongoing situation, I get it. It can be hard when you see somebody you love in difficult circumstances. However, the last thing she’s going want you to do is to get into more trouble yourself.” I motioned at my statue. “And taking that to break the window is not going to make things any better. I have negotiated—and it was not easy, I should add—with the police officer for you to get a phone call from your sister. I have negotiated, for you to surrender yourself, instead of having him busting down the door and coming for you with his gun drawn. I’ve already told you how we’re going to present this whole matter in court. I can’t promise you no jail time, but I can certainly promise you far less jail time, if you surrender now then if you don’t.” The man gave me a steely glare as I slipped my phone back in my pocket and held the handcuffs out with both hands.
I took a step forward. “All you have to do is put this on.”
“No. I want to know he is gonna go away for life.”
I growled. “That was not part of the deal and there’s no way I can negotiate that. Deal stands as it stands.”
I took another step towards the man and softened my tone. “It’ll be easy. I will be with you every step of the way. Like I said, you’re in a bad situation, I get it, this is what I do. I help people in bad situations. Your only way forward is to surrender. It is your only option. If you don’t do this, I don’t know how else I’m going to help you.”
“No.”
My phone rang.
“That’s your sister.” If you want to talk to her, you have to put these on. Now.”
The phone rang again.
“Give them to me,” the man said.