“Dan,” Jessup said, pointing at a heavy set, balding man standing in front of the contingent of police officers. “This is Detective Mobry.
Detective, this is Lieutenant Dan Righter.”
Dan shook hands with the Detective. “Glad to meet you, Sir.”
“This is Detective Lewiston,” Mobry said, nodding his acknowledgement as he scanned the Seals, who were standing at attention.
The six foot tall Lewiston was nearly a head taller than Mobry. His face, nearly ebony in color, was cast in a grim expression. He merely nodded at Dan, who looked at Commander Jessup questioningly.
“Dan, we need to speak to Petty Officer Peacenik,” Jessup said quietly.
Dan turned slightly back towards the Seal Team. “Peace, front and center.”
Peace moved instantly to Dan’s right, and slightly back, snapping to attention as he halted.
“Dismiss your team, and bring Petty Officer Peacenik along, Dan,” Jessup said.
“Yes Sir,” Righter answered, spinning around to face his team.
“Chief, take over.”
“Aye, aye, Sir,” Jenkins acknowledged, with a puzzled look.
The police fell in around Dan and Peace as they followed Jessup to his office.
“What the hell’s that all about, Chief?” Robards asked Jenkins, as the team walked up abreast of where Bull stood.
“Must have to do with the shit from the other night; but damned if I know why they brought half the San Diego Police Department with them,” Bull mused.
“Did you see how the brother was eyeballing Peace?” Jameson asked. “He looked like he was fitting our boy up for a ball and chain.”
Jenkins shook his head. “Peace took his girl back to LA last night, and everything was okay before he left. It must be that dirtbag, Dink, trying to make Peace into the bad guy; but the Lieutenant already has JAG in on this. Jessup wouldn’t let them railroad Peace. Hell, I was there. They ain’t going to get away with any sucker plays.”
“I hope you’re right,” Chin said, as the others nodded.
__
“Petty Officer Peacenik, at ease,” Jessup said formally, as he sat down behind his desk. “Please cooperate completely with these gentlemen.”
“Aye, aye, Sir,” Peace responded, as he assumed a formal at ease posture. He turned to face the two Detectives. The rest of the uniformed officers stood outside of Jessup’s office. Dan waited next to Peace.
“Where were you between 2AM and 6AM early this morning, Peacenik?” Mobry asked.
“At a motel about half an hour away, Sir,” Peace replied. “I drove my girlfriend back to the UCLA campus last night. I was falling asleep at the wheel on the way back, so I decided to stop and get some rest.”
“A Navy Seal, like you?” Lewiston commented gruffly. “Couldn’t you have just stopped, and grabbed a cup of coffee to drive the last half an hour home?”
Peace looked at the taller Detective with a puzzled expression. “Do you mind if I ask what this is all about, Sir?”
“We’ll get to that in a moment,” Mobry said abruptly. “What about it, why didn’t you just drive the last half hour?”
“Have you ever had one of those moments where you’re driving, and suddenly you hear a horn blow?” Peace answered earnestly. “You look up, and find yourself cutting across lanes of traffic on the freeway. I decided a cup of coffee was not going to make any difference, and by the time I found a place to get a cup at, it would be an hour less sleep I’d have before training started again this morning.”
Lewiston glanced at Mobry with a disgusted look on his face, and rolled his eyes. “Of course. I suppose you have a receipt for your little stay.”
“Well, I did pay with a credit card, and I have the receipts for the Comfort Inn, and the card, in my locker,” Peace replied, allowing consternation to creep into his voice.
“We’ll need those,” Mobry stated. “Did you talk to anyone at the motel this morning before heading here?”
“Yes Sir, I talked a little with the desk clerk when I gave up the room keys at about six thirty.”
“We need you to come with us,” Lewiston said. “We’ll have to get a look in your locker, your car, and gather up these receipts you have.”
“Now wait a minute,” Dan broke in, completely confused by the direction of the conversation. “What is this all about?”
“Please stay out of this, Lieutenant, I…” Mobry began.
“Gentlemen,” Jessup said, standing up. “Inform my men as to what this investigation is all about, or I will have a JAG lawyer here in this office in five minutes, and you won’t be taking Peacenik anywhere.”
“Listen…” Lewiston started angrily, as Mobry grabbed his arm, pulling him back.
“We’d prefer not to go into the details as yet, Commander,” Mobry answered Jessup.
“Are you placing Peacenik under arrest?” Jessup asked. “If so, I would have to council him to stay here until he has proper legal representation.”
“You wouldn’t need a lawyer, now would you, Peacenik?” Lewiston asked with a tight grin. “After all, what could you have to hide?”
“Hide from what?” Peace asked, with complete confusion on his face.
“The two officers you claimed handled the altercation between Derrick Batiste and yourself, were found dead in their squad car this morning,” Mobry replied, deciding to give up trying to hustle Peace out without giving up any information. He could tell Jessup was close to calling for legal assistance.
“And you think Peace had something to…” Dan started to retort angrily.
“Lieutenant,” Jessup broke in. “Let’s hear them out.” “Yes Sir,” Dan answered doubtfully.
“It’s possible we can clear this all up quickly at the station,” Mobry continued, looking directly into Peace’s face. “It just seems more than a coincidence you picked out the names of two police officers as having been somewhere they claim not to have been near, and then they wind up dead under mysterious circumstances.”
“I will cooperate fully, Sir,” Peace replied. “If you like, I’ll open up my locker, and give you the keys to my Buick. While you’re searching, you can put a couple of guys to watch me while I get a shower, if that’s okay?”
Mobry looked over at Lewiston, who nodded grudgingly.
“Alright then,” Mobry said, turning back to Jessup. “Can you spare your Lieutenant here as an escort until we finish checking your man’s locker and car? I have a forensics team waiting outside for an initial check; but we will have to impound his car for a while.”
Jessup nodded at Dan, before turning to Peace. “Are you sure you wish to do this without legal help, Peacenik?”
“Yes Sir, I would prefer to clear myself as quickly as possible,” Peace replied seriously.
“Very well,” Jessup acknowledged. “You may proceed, gentlemen.
Stay with them Lieutenant while they search.” “Every moment, Sir,” Dan confirmed.
“Now, wait a second,” Lewiston argued, frustration apparent in his voice. “It’ll take twice as…”
“That will be fine, Commander,” Mobry broke in, shaking his head at Lewiston, who quieted reluctantly. “We’ll do your locker first, Peacenik. Lead the way.”
The rest of the Seal Team were in various stages of dress inside the locker room when the now large group of police and forensic officers accompanied Dan and Peace to Peace’s locker. Bull stood up, dwarfing the policemen escorting Peace. They looked up at the huge Seal uneasily.
“What’s up, Peace?”
The uniformed policeman leading the group, with the Detectives and Lieutenant Righter bringing up the rear, put out a hand to ward Bull off. The hand was engulfed in Bull’s instantly, held tightly, but not hurtfully. Bull glanced at the shaken police officer with disdain.
“Please, officer,” Bull said politely, “if you wish to keep this attached to your wrist, kindly refrain from extending it towards me.”
“It’s okay, Chief,”
Peace assured him, as Bull released the man’s hand. “The Lieutenant will fill you in on what’s going on.”
Jenkins nodded, and reluctantly backed up to allow Peace to unlock his locker, as the rest of the Seals gathered to watch the proceedings. Peace opened it, and stepped aside, after grabbing up a clean change of clothes. He turned and allowed the police to look through the clothes he planned to wear after showering. They allowed Peace to take the clothes with him to shower, shadowed by two police officers. The forensics team finished their inspection of Peace’s locker quickly, with Dan watching their every movement. Peace then returned, fully dressed, with his soiled fatigues folded neatly under his arm.
“There’s nothing here,” one of the forensics officers commented to Mobry, as they put away their gear.
“Get started on his car. We’ll take Peacenik with us now while you complete the search,” Mobry replied, as he turned to Peace. “Store your stuff, and turn around, Peacenik. We’ll have to cuff you for transport.”
Peace nodded, as the rest of the Seals waited for some sign from Dan. Lieutenant Righter’s expression did not change. Peace stuffed his fatigues and boots inside the locker, closing it up before turning to put his hands behind his back. One of the police officers put handcuffs on him, and then they turned him towards the Detectives.
“He has a huge black and blue spot on his stomach, Sir,” the officer who had escorted Peace to the shower, and who had just cuffed him, informed Mobry.
Mobry walked over and pulled up the front of Peace’s black teeshirt, revealing the spreading bruise. “This looks bad, Peacenik, and very new. Want to tell us how you got it?”
“It’s embarrassing, Sir,” Peace said reluctantly, having already formed a plausible explanation for the injury. “I ran full into one of those parking posts last night after leaving my girlfriend’s dorm. If I was any taller, I’d be a soprano this morning.”
Dan and the rest of the Seals laughed in appreciation of Peace’s humor, and even a few of the police grinned. Mobry and Lewiston were not amused.
“Yea, I’ll bet,” Lewiston commented. “Let’s get this guy downtown. I want to interview his girlfriend before anyone tips her off.”
__
Seven hours later, Peace sat calmly in a now empty interview room. Mobry and Lewiston watched him from beyond the two-way glass, frustration and anger evident in both of their faces.
“He did it, damn it!” Lewiston stated angrily.
“He passed the polygraph test, which he volunteered to take,” Mobry sighed. “His girlfriend, and the motel clerk from the Comfort Inn, back up his story. He ain’t even broken a sweat, and we’ve been grilling him for hours. His locker and car were clean. What do you want to do?”
“You know as well as I do, no one could have killed McCray and Miguel without special training. Hell, all they can tell from the autopsy is they suffocated while sitting straight up in their squad car. No neighbors in the area saw anything. One minute, they’re talking to the liquor store owner, and the next, they’re sitting in their car, stone cold dead. A pro did those guys.”
“I agree,” Mobry nodded, still staring through the glass at Peace, “but the only other two guys capable of it have air tight alibis. Hell, that broad the big Seal was with all night actually sounded disappointed he hadn’t killed the cops.”
“The restaurant owner laughed when we told him about McCray and Miguel,” Lewiston added. “We should have cuffed the jerk, and sweated him too.”
“He was home all night with his wife,” Mobry replied. “We’re in this deep enough without bringing down more heat. We’ll have to cut Peacenik loose.”
“Bullshit, Mick!”
“Hey, if you’ve got a better idea,” Mobry said, “spit it out, because we’ll have the military in here in the morning. That Commander ain’t going to let us keep him without some proof of Peacenik’s guilt, we can show him.”
“I say we cuff him again, and talk a little rougher with him,” Lewiston replied. “I’ll get a confession out of him. He ain’t getting away with murdering cops.”
“You’re nuts, Dave,” Mobry cautioned his partner. “For one thing, I saw the guy’s sheet. They held him for months in an Iraqi prison. You couldn’t possibly do anything to him they didn’t do over there. We tried tripping him up every way we know how.”
“So, he gets away with murder,” Lewiston whispered.
“Maybe he really didn’t do it,” Mobry shrugged. “Hell, he hasn’t even asked for food or a piss break.”
“I think he was right about McCray and Miguel being in on that supposed bust of Batiste the other night,” Lewiston said suddenly, causing Mobry to turn towards his partner questioningly. “I did some checking, and they were on duty. They covered up for Batiste. I’ll bet that hothead McCray decided to give Peacenik an attitude adjustment for naming them as the officers on the scene. That’s how Peacenik got the injury to his stomach.”
“Interesting theory,” Mobry allowed. “What brought you in on that angle?”
“I talked to Internal Affairs. They’ve had McCray and Miguel under observation for some time; but they’ve always covered their tracks, until now.”
“So, they smacked around the wrong boy, huh?”
“It doesn’t mean they deserved to die,” Lewiston retorted.
“I’d sure like to know how he did it,” Mobry replied, turning back to the window. “That was some spooky stuff. Hell, McCray still had his hands on the wheel. If not for their lights still going, the neighbors would have probably not even reported it.”
Lewiston nodded, staring at Peace again. “Spooky is right. Peacenik’s a Seal sniper. He’s a cold blooded killer, and he killed McCray and Miguel. I don’t know how he did it, Mick, but I know he did.”
“Well, we’ll have to cut him loose and hope something else ties him to it later.”
Lewiston shook his head, and followed Mobry out of the observation room. When they entered the interview room, Peace looked up at them amiably. Lewiston pointed a finger at him threateningly.
“I know you killed McCray and Miguel. McCray hit you with a billy, and you took them out. Why don’t you ease your conscience and come clean. I’m sure a jury would understand. They might even consider it self defense.”
“I didn’t kill anyone, Sir,” Peace stated, “and unless the parking post in the UCLA parking lot is named McCray, McCray didn’t do anything to me.”
“Maybe we’ll just have to talk to your little girlfriend a bit more,” Lewiston offered. “I’ll bet she was with you when McCray and Miguel stopped you.”
“I believe Jill’s Father owns his own law firm, so you probably should ask nicely when you interrogate her. She’s been through a lot, including time as a hostage in Chile,” Peace advised, not taking the bait. “Her Dad won’t take kindly to the San Diego Police Department harassing his daughter.”
Before Mobry could stop him, Lewiston was around the table, and yanking an unresisting Peace up out of his chair by the neck. He slammed Peace against the interview room wall. Lewiston tried squeezing Peace’s neck; but it was like trying to make an indentation in an iron pipe.
“You’ve got all the answers, don’t you, you little prick?” Lewiston spat at Peace angrily, as Mobry tried to pull him back.
“There’s no need for this, Sir,” Peace replied. “I believe it’s time for you to let me go home. I really can’t help you any further.”
Lewiston lost control, and punched Peace in the face. Blood spurted out of Peace’s nose, as Mobry forcefully pried his partner away.
Peace returned to his seat without even touching his face. Blood streamed down the front of him, and still he made no move.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Mobry screamed at Lewiston. “He made you do exactly what he wanted you to do, dumb ass! You’ll be lucky if you ain’t in jail by morning. Get out!”
Lewiston slammed the door on his way out, as Mobry turned with his own handkerchief in his hand, extending it to Peace. P
eace took the cloth and held it tightly around his nose, shutting off the blood flow.
“Can I take you to a hospital?” Mobry asked.
Peace shook his head negatively, and stood up. “Can I go now?”
“Will you press charges?”
Peace again shook his head in the negative.
“Come on then, and I’ll walk you out. Can I give you a lift back to your house? I can’t get your Buick back to you yet.”
“Sure,” Peace said nasally. “T’anks.”
Chapter Fourteen
Tangled Webs
Ed and Nancy met Peace at the door, even though it was one o’clock in the morning. Peace had cleaned up his face, but had to keep on the same bloody clothes. His nose, swollen and discolored, rivaled the painful way his eyes were starting to share the purple bruising spreading out over the upper part of Peace’s face. Ed looked at his face professionally as Nancy had grabbed Peace’s hand, pulling him inside.
“Hi, folks,” Peace waved comically.
“I hope you killed the asshole who did this too,” Polasky said hopefully, as he tilted Peace’s face one way and then the other.
“Ed!” Nancy cautioned. “Keep your mouth shut.”
“I didn’t kill anyone,” Peace said with a straight face.
“That’s my boy,” Polasky said, drawing him in past his wife, who waved a warning finger at him. “Sit down here, and I’ll get the ice. You’re too late to keep from looking like Rocky Raccoon, but we may be able to keep the swelling down so you don’t get Bullwinkle’s nose.”
Peace laughed in appreciation, his eyes tearing from the facial movement. Nancy sat next to him, still holding his hand.
“Can I get you a drink, Pauley?”
“No, t’ank you,” Peace replied nasally, as Nancy smiled in commiseration. “I still have to go to the base in the morning.”
“Who did it to you, son?” Polasky asked, handing Peace an ice pack, which Peace took gratefully, and held against the upper part of his face, as he leaned his head back.
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