He said loudly, “The People versus Jeremy Kyle Lincoln. Possession of an illegal substance with the intent to distribute.”
I sort of tuned out the proceedings as a police officer led a man with a clean shaved head into the courtroom from the doors to the right of the stand. A lawyer stood and moved to the long table opposite the prosecuting attorney's table.
I glanced back when I heard something at the back of the courtroom, and froze as O'Brien slipped into the courtroom, closing the door silently and then leaned against the back wall, her eyes searching. I closed my eyes tight and swallowed my sense of betrayal and thought about what Nala had said.
Was I fucking up my own life because of Johnny? I missed Dani so much, but I couldn't determine if the ache in my heart was for her or for what I imagined she had done?
I opened my eyes and saw those pale green eyes locked on me. I looked away and started wiping at my hands.
We sat through three arraignments. I kept glancing back at Danielle in her immaculately pressed uniform, her hat tucked neatly under her arm.
There was the one drug possession charge, where bail was set. One aggravated assault charge where the charges were dropped. And one embezzlement charge where the man pleaded guilty, a fine was assessed and a sentencing date set.
Nala grinned at me and whispered, “That'll be me in two days in the municipal court for disturbing the peace unless Niles can get it dropped... again.” I had to smile at the woman, she didn't seem to care that she had been arrested, apparently multiple times. Hell, it would probably make great hype on her video blog. Oh, to be so confident and sure of yourself.
Then I sat straighter when the bailiff called out, “The People versus Johnathan Colby Stone. Grand larceny, conspiracy, disturbing the peace,”
I watched as a police officer led Johnny in in cuffs like the others. He was wearing the same navy blue jumpsuit the others defendants as well. His eyes scanned the room and stopped first on Danielle, then on me. He looked pained.
Mr. Johansson joined him, standing at the table and Johnny leaned in to whisper something into his ear as the judge asked, “Mr. Stone, how do you plead to the charges?”
Our lawyer had an unreadable look on his face as he glanced over at the prosecuting attorney then the judge as he asked, “Your honor, may we approach the bench?” He indicated the prosecutor as well.
She took a moment to squint at him, not amused at the apparent breach of protocol. She nodded and said, “You may approach the bench.”
What was going on? I slid forward on my seat straining to hear all the whispering going on. Johnny kept looking back at Danielle as he stood at the table alone with an officer standing behind him. My heart was thudding. Then the Prosecutor nodded and went back to his satchel and grabbed a stack of papers and returned.
The judge looked over the paperwork then said, “Mr. Stone, please join us.” The officer lead him to the bench, and there were more whisperings as Johnny nodded. Then they had had him sign something, and then the judge flicked her fingers, and everyone returned to their seats.
The judge asked, “Mr. Stone, do you understand your actions today and their repercussions?”
My heart was filling with hope.
He said clearly, “I do, your honor.”
She scolded him, “You do realize how lucky you are today that I'll even allow this plea bargain?”
He said in earnest, “I do, your honor.”
Then she narrowed her eyes dangerously. “And you do realize that if you do not fulfill your end of the bargain, you will be right back here in front of me?”
He nodded again. “I do, your honor.”
She looked satisfied, then turned to the court and said, “The charges in the case of the People versus Johnathan Colby Stone have been vacated.” She tapped her gavel on the block, and I started blinking back tears.
She said to the bailiff, “Please have Mr. Stone placed on the docket of the municipal court for petty theft and disturbing the peace.” The man nodded and started writing on his pad as Mr. Johansson shook Johnny's hand.
I stood but watched as the officer led Johnny away. Our lawyer joined us and squatted by me. I asked, “Where are they taking him? Didn't they vacate the charges?”
He patted my arm and explained, “The criminal charges. He took the plea deal. Now they are going to reprocess him for the misdemeanor charges. He'll be re-arraigned later today in municipal court after he speaks with the prosecuting attorney about Bradley's enterprise.”
I swallowed, and he assured me. “This is a good thing, Miss Stone. He won't do time in prison and won’t have a felony record. I'll argue for the lightest sentence, though he may have to do a few weeks in jail.”
I just nodded, trying not to cry though tears were flowing. I asked in a shaky voice, “What made him change his mind?”
He shrugged and said, “Honestly, I don't have a clue. I was sure he was going down with the ship. He had such conviction about not snitching.”
I narrowed my eyes and glanced back at the wall, and Danielle wasn't there. I looked all around but didn't see her.
I felt as if I could breathe again, Johnny fucked up but wasn't ruining his entire life. I let out a cross between a sob, and a laugh and Nala hugged me to her.
Mr. J... no, that sounds too Harley... Mr. Johansson said, “I've got to go and meet with your brother and the prosecuting attorney. I'll keep you informed.”
I nodded and before he left I whispered, “Thank you. For everything.” I looked at him and Nala. He nodded and winked, and he was off.
Then the punk girl said to me, “Come on, let's get out of here. Niles will call when he needs you.” I nodded again, and we stood, the huge weight that had ben so crushing, so suffocating, was gone now and I felt like I could breathe again. Only the residual worry for my brother and what was to come next was dragging behind me as we went.
I glanced at the wall where Dani had been standing and thought long and hard about Nala's words to me. When was I going to live for myself?
Chapter 13 – It Was All Her
Later that night I sat at our table with Johnny. His sentencing would be on Monday. They agreed to accept a four-week sentence and three years of probation. Mandatory counseling, and two hundred hours of community service. I almost snorted because he would be on the cleanup crew at Pike Place. Sort of fitting.
He was out now because someone anonymously posted the seven hundred dollar bail I couldn't afford. I sensed a mohawk somewhere in the mix and wondered why the famous woman had befriended me.
I rubbed my hands nervously over my bald head and prompted my wayward brother, “I'm still so very mad at you, Boxcar. I don't know how you could have been so stupid, but I'm glad that the worst didn't happen. What made you change your mind about turning on Bradley?”
He looked at his hands on the table, properly shamed and offered without looking at me, “Not what. Who.”
Then he met my eyes. “It was her, it was all her. I'm pretty sure she's fallen hard for you sis. O'Brien. For a cop, she's ok. She's only thinking about you.”
My mouth went dry as his words washed over my conflicted feelings. He shrugged. “I'm no snitch. You know that.” I nodded, and he continued, “She met me in the holding room at the courthouse. The woman pleaded with me, not as a cop, but as someone who cared about you. She actually begged me to take the plea bargain for you, not for me.”
He looked sheepish as he cocked his head at me as I fidgeted, “She told me to stop being selfish and open my eyes. That you had been living for me, thinking it was your responsibility to take care of me. And that my looming convictions were dragging you down as if they were your own.”
He chuckled. “I called her a stupid bitch, that she didn't know what she was talking about.”
He looked down at his hands and rubbed his wrists where there were still marks from the cuffs he had worn. “She left me in there with the other criminals, asking me 'Just to think about why you and Maddie moved to
Seattle. Was it something she wanted? Or was it to give you a better chance of straightening your life out?' She didn't even look back as she left the room.”
It was the same thing Nala had been telling me, Dani had tried to get him to take the plea... for me? I wasn't even speaking with her anymore. Had I screwed everything up while she was still fighting for me?
I was pulled out of my thoughts by Johnny saying, “I'm a grown man, Mads, you know that don't you? I make my own decisions, right or wrong and you don't have to suffer for my actions.”
I was crying again, I would have thought I was out of tears by then. I whispered, “You're all I have left.”
He chuckled. “No. As much as I hate to say it about a cop, you have her too, whether you realize it or not... That woman is yours for the taking.”
I wanted that to be true. God, I was such a contradictory clusterfuck. One minute I want nothing to do with her, then next she's all I want. I said as I tried to rub the dyes off my hands, “I've pushed her away.”
He shook his head and said as he stood. “Whatever Magoo. You better damn well fix things with her if I gotta do time. I need a shower.”
He paused at the bathroom door and asked, “Just think about it?”
I nodded and just stared at my cell.
Chapter 14 – Takedown
I had a fitful sleep, again. I had screwed up so badly when I arrested Johnny. I knew she'd hate me for it, but I felt it was better I do it than some complete stranger who would have had no qualms letting him run off at the mouth and dig his hole deeper and deeper. I protected him the best I could for her.
I heard yesterday after I slipped out of the courtroom when he took the plea bargain, that the municipal court will be doing the sentencing on Monday. I sat by my phone again last night, hoping against hope that she'd call. Of course, she didn't, I had messed things up worse than a group of otters with finger paints.
I finally gave up at nine and threw the cell into the kitchen trash in a juvenile tantrum. How can she make me lose all the self-control I took years to build. She got through every one of my defenses like they weren't even there. I was a police officer. I was supposed to be calm and detached, but she had a way of roiling up all my emotions in the most delightful way. But now she won't even speak to me.
I fell asleep on the couch, and now I ached everywhere. I looked at the clock on the wall then sat bolt upright. I had to be on the beat in less than an hour!
Why hadn't my cell's alarm...? Shit. I ran over to the kitchen. She had really gotten to me, and I knew I was falling for the imp. I dug in the trash and pulled out my cell, the battery was dead. I religiously put my phone on my charger next to my bed.
“Raaaaa!” I ran to my room and tore off my wrinkled, slept in uniform, and pulled one of the other two from my closet. I hissed at myself for being so emotional. Because of it, I wouldn't have time to re-press the creases like I always did, for a crisp appearance. The public deserved for us to look professional and show pride in our job. The three-day-old press would have to do.
I wiped myself down quickly with a wet rag, it would have to do as well. Then put my hair into a ponytail and dressed in my uniform as I ran to the door. Damn it, I've never been late a day in my life! I dove into Courtney and headed to the Market.
As I drove, I fumbled blindly with one hand to connect my cell to the car charger. I'd only get like five percent by the time I got there, but it was better than a poke with a sharp stick.
I pulled into my reserved slot at the lowest level of the parking garage and was on my radio at the same time I was slamming the truck into park. “Officer O'Brien, 919 Pike Place Market.”
I got the “Officer O'Brien, foot beat at Pike Place, roger.” in response and I sighed out in relief as I glanced at the clock on my dash. It was seven fifty-nine. My streak remains unbroken. I did a victory lap and fist pump in my head as I slid my cell into my pocket. I read six percent before I unplugged it, so I'd just keep it off until and if I needed it for any reason this dreary Saturday.
I glanced out of the parking garage and noted the morning for the first time. Dreary was right. It was overcast with familiar low dark clouds. It was going to be a drizzly one. I sighed and checked the pack on my belt that had the little clear rain poncho that was currently folded up into a tiny cube, I was going to need it soon.
I glanced at my laptop, I'd have to check the daily briefings on one of my breaks.
I got out and made my way toward the stairs, and up to the main level. I glanced around and saw Ives already walking the Main Arcade, so I opted for the Post Street Alley buildings. Besides, I hadn't had time for breakfast, and I didn't eat anything most of yesterday with all the excitement in court. So a coffee and croissant from the Pike would tide me over as I walked my beat.
I made my way into the dark building, the corridor was empty except a customer walking away from the bakery at the end of the hall with a little brown bag that had nothing but “The Pike” printed on it.
The rest of the building would wake up at nine at the market's opening bell. The Pike bakery always opened at six in the morning, six days a week, for all the people rushing to get to their jobs or the people who lived above the street level businesses in the rustic condos of most of the buildings lining the Market.
I tucked my cover under my arm and stepped in, the little bell over the door jingling, and I blinked in surprise. Sparky was there, she was usually only in the market on weekdays. The retired firefighter was sitting with a little Filipino girl who was relaying something that Sparky found quite fascinating.
I slowed by the table where they were sitting, and I offered a “Sparky.”
She grinned. “Hey, O'Brien, how's tricks?”
She had been at Station 5 before the accident which crippled her leg over a year ago, so I've had many dealings with her. She was tall and muscular and sort of a really hot firefighter, pardon the pun. I had entertained asking her out a time or two back then, but the woman was so strong and intense she probably would have broken me in two, but it would have been a happy way to die.
I shrugged and said, “Same old, same old. You?”
The other girl was staring intently, here eyes flicking around me like she was categorizing every little facet of me and my appearance.
Sparky said, “Well, pretty friggin' fantastic. I'm takin' my girl to a movie, Heartsong Warriors Four, Dark Encore.” Then she said with a smirk, “It's a social experiment.”
I blinked as the smaller woman stated, “Allison says that it is social protocol to engage in community events such as cinematic entertainment in a public venue... a courting ritual called a matinee. And some unquantifiable assertion that popcorn inherently tastes better when consumed in front of the big screen instead of a much smaller television screen. I attempted to explain to her that the taste of any organic...”
Sparky started chuckling and looking at the woman with such adoration in her eyes that the girl blushed and stopped talking. I cocked a brow at Sparky, who's name was apparently Allison, and she said with a huge smile on her face, “Officer O'Brien, this is my girlfriend, Ligaya Imelda Hannigan. Imme, this is Officer O'Brien of the Seattle Police Department.”
I was grinning as I offered a hand to the diminutive woman, my brow slightly furrowed. She didn't look like a Hannigan, and that wasn't an extremely common last name. “Pleased to meet you Ligaya...” I hoped I hadn't butchered her name. Then asked in curiosity, “Hannigan? Any relation to Missy Hannigan of the Downtown Gallery?”
She shook my hand then almost hid behind the muscular arm of Sparky and said, “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance as well Officer O'Brien.” Then a sunny smile crossed her face as she nodded, “Yes, Missy is my cousin.”
Small world.
I smiled back and offered, “Just O'Brien please, or Dani if you must.”
She responded, “Liya.”
I nodded and puzzled at the look on her face which appeared as though she were storing the information a
way and categorizing our interaction as a deal struck. I had the impression that she was a little beyond intelligent and her bizarre manner of speaking was her best attempt at dealing with 'normal' people like me who probably couldn't comprehend the things going through her mind.
I had to smile at Sparky, the two of them were almost polar opposites, but the adoration I saw in Sparky's eyes was mirrored in Liya's. A match computed in heaven?
I said to them, “Well ladies, I leave it to you then. I'm on duty and need some joe and a croissant to fuel me.”
I gave them a wave, and Liya cutely waved back. Sparky certainly found herself an adorable one. The girl called out in her odd phrasing, “I would recommend the onion bagels here, as they are both satisfying and filling, providing plenty of fuel to keep your cognitive functions operating at optimal levels.”
I nodded thanks to her. “I just may do that. Thank you.”
She beamed back. “You are welcome, Dani.”
I stepped up to counter as a woman left with a thermal cup and a bag. A grinning Eve sang to herself, “Un-i-form.” as she hopped one step to the side to stand in front of me. “Well hello there Officer O'Brien, what can I get for you today?”
These sisters were always happy, I wondered idly what was in the water they were drinking. I said, “Hi, Eve. Just a coffee and...” I glanced back. “And an onion bagel to go please.”
She nodded and then furrowed her brow. “Sure thing. Why the cloud of gloom and doom hovering over you?”
I blinked, was I that obvious? I sighed then smiled sadly, “Oh nothing. Just girl troubles.”
Her eyes widened, and she quickly blurted, “Things are going ok with Madelyn, aren't they? I see you two flirting in the Market all the time.”
I shook my head. “No, things aren't anything with her now that I've arrested her brother.”
She winced and said, “Ouch. That sort of breaks the mood a bit doesn't it?”
I grinned and chuckled, saying, “Yes, it certainly does,” before blinking when a flash went off in front of my eyes.
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