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“Do you want to hear my story first, or his?” I asked.
Moorhead used his thumb to direct me toward his cruiser. I went and stood next to the driver’s door while he lifted Baumbach to his feet and uncuffed his hands. Baumbach was talking earnestly. I couldn’t hear what he had to say, and quite frankly, my dear, I didn’t give a damn. Instead, I was debating which lawyer to call and wondering how much it would cost me—no way I was going back to jail. Not for thirty-six hours. Not for thirty-six minutes.
The conversation lasted over five minutes. At no time did either officer raise his voice or look at me. It ended with Sergeant Moorhead putting his arm around Baumbach and leading him to the door of his car. He slapped his officer on the back. Baumbach slipped inside and started up the cruiser. He said something through the window, and Moorhead smiled. A moment later, Baumbach drove off. Moorhead watched him go. He didn’t turn toward me until Baumbach was out of sight.
“Say something funny, McKenzie. Any smart-ass remark will do.”
“I’m innocent?”
“Fuck you.”
“So I take it we’re not going out for coffee and donuts.”
“You mess with one of my officers, you’re lucky I don’t kick your ass up and down this parking lot and throw you in jail for a thousand years.”
“Why don’t you?”
“I owe you a favor.”
“Not that big a favor.”
“Then let’s say I’m doing it for Baumbach. Believe it or not, the kid has a chance to be a decent cop. The only blemish on his record was when he screwed up at the Davies’s residence. If I had known about it at the time I would have fallen on him and that would have been the end of it, but he lied to me. That’s two strikes against him, and he knows it. Ever since he’s been trying to prove that he was justified for what he did. That’s what this was all about. You resist a dis-con, he has to use his light—it makes his story that you got rough with him before sound more plausible. Question is, now what?”
“That’s a good question,” I told him.
“If we forget the whole thing, pretend it’s a foul ball instead of strike three, I can extend his probation, give him a chance to grow into his badge. If I arrest your sorry ass—man, that’ll give me a lot of personal pleasure, but Baumbach will probably lose his career.”
“He deserves to lose his career.”
“Yeah? You deserve to spend a year in the county workhouse. I don’t give a damn about your time on the job. I don’t care about your money. You are way out of line, McKenzie. I should take a club to you myself.”
“I was—”
“You were what? Trying to show a kid how smart you are? Give him the benefit of your years of experience? You’re not a cop anymore. It wasn’t your place.”
He had me there.
“So, what’s it going to be?” Moorhead asked.
“Why the hell are you protecting this kid? He’s a bad cop and you’re not. You should flush his ass.”
“He’s my nephew.”
“So what?”
“So, so . . . so maybe I owe him something. He always looked up to me when he was a kid. He wanted to be like me. And I encouraged him. I helped him get his law enforcement degree. I helped him get through the academy. I picked his field training officers, made sure they nursed him along. If he’s not ready, if he doesn’t know how to behave yet, that’s on me.”
“Be that as it may . . .”
“Boyd just needs another chance.”
“Sarge, what if he screws up again?” I asked. “Next time it could be serious. Do you know what I mean by serious?”
“He’ll be all right. I’ll take care of him.”
“Sure you will.”
“So, what’s it going to be, McKenzie?”
“I don’t have a problem if you don’t have a problem,” I said.
“Let’s keep it that way, shall we?”
“Am I free to go?”
“Yes. Please go. Go as far away as possible.”
“I can’t go too far. I’m kind of involved in this Merodie Davies thing.”
“So I’ve heard. I hate kibitzers, McKenzie.”
“I don’t blame you. Listen, do I have any credit with you at all?”
“Are you serious?”
“About a year ago, you used to make a regular run to Merodie Davies’s house because of noise complaints, I don’t know what else, involving her and her boyfriend Richard something. What’s Richard’s last name? How can I find him?”
“You just don’t know when to quit, do you? Look, McKenzie, this is way bigger than Merodie Davies. Way bigger. Let it go. Walk away while you still can.”
“I can’t. I gave my word.”
“You think this is a fucking game? There’s no place for playground honor out here. People are going to get hurt.”
“What people? What do you mean by way bigger?”
Moorhead shook his head as if he felt sorry for me. “I got nothing more to say to you.”