Today’s
excerpt is from How ‘bout Both, Book #3 of the Bader Trilogy. The names of the witnesses are made public
and a scramble to protect them is underway.
Enjoy and have a great day.
m.j.
While Ali
plotted, Rush and Bonnie were talking on the phone, planning on Thanksgiving
together. Neither had family in the area
so both were looking forward to getting together. Their Thanksgiving planning was in addition
to the night out together they had already planned for later in the day. Neither had any idea their plans were to
change, with the release of their names to the media. Their names were soon to be broadcast by
every outlet…except Helen’s station.
A very
unscrupulous reporter for one of the other television stations had wormed the
identity of the witnesses to the murder who had given statements from an
unsuspecting uniformed officer, who had helped Sergeant Raymond Clayton gather
them prior to Elmer’s arrival at the scene.
When the first
report of the names of the witnesses was broadcast, Reggie was promptly made
aware of it. After he hit the roof in
anger, he called Raymond Clayton. He
asked him to find out how the information had reached the media. After the call, he waited for the call from
the Chief of Police. It was soon
coming. He explained he was sure no one
in Homicide had leaked the information, and also told him he had just finished
checking with Raymond, asking him to see if he could find out where it had come
from. He told the Chief his next move
was to get protection for the witnesses.
The Chief told
him to get right on it, then hung up in a very unfriendly manner. Reggie just sighed, but got to work. As he was doing so, Helen called Elmer, who
had just reached where he was going. She
told him about several news outlets putting out the identity of the
witnesses—including one television station with video footage of Raymond
Clayton speaking to Bonnie and Rush.
Elmer thanked
her, then thanked her again for keeping the information off the air at her
station, as she had told him they were doing.
He immediately called Alan. He
told his brother-in-law to get to Rush and Bonnie and bring them to
Homicide—not to ask them to come in, but go and get them. As an
afterthought, he added, “Let Reggie know what you’re doing…he may have already
arranged protection for both of them.”
Off the
call—even as Alan was hurrying to do as told—Elmer called the Chief of
Police. He asked if the Chief had heard
of the news releases about the witnesses.
The Chief told him he had, then added, “One of the idiot stations is
even showing them on television, but only named your two prime witnesses. Reggie first, then you, are seen talking to
your two main ones. Those two will need
ongoing protection. Well, they all will, but those two need protective
custody.”
“All ready
thought it out, Chief. Got Alan Evans on
the way to pick ‘em up. They can stay
with me, or at Red’s ranch. I’ll call
Red…right after I get finished here with the plans for tomorrow, with Hector
Garcia and our SWAT people.”
“I’ll call Red
for you. We both know what he’ll
say. I’ll get back to you. Do a good job with tomorrow’s planning—I’m
not interested in an early grave.”
“Yes, sir. Neither am I.”
·
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