"Officer Decker," Chief Keller's voice was as cold as liquid nitrogen. "Is the individual secured in your vehicle physically unharmed?"
"Yes, sir. He's unharmed. He was resisting. So I"
"Officer Decker, shut your mouth," Keller barked, the sheer force of his voice rattling the dashboard speaker. "Do not speak another word to him. Do not touch him. I am approximately 2 minutes from your location. Stay exactly where you are."
The radio went dead. Decker stared at the black plastic of the communications unit, his heart suddenly hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. The smugness evaporated, replaced by a cold, creeping dread that began in his stomach and spread rapidly to his extremities.
He slowly turned his head and looked through the plexiglass partition. Agrippa Graham sat quietly in the shadows, his eyes open, staring right back at Decker. The older man's face held no anger, no triumph. It was the face of a man waiting for the inevitable consequences to arrive.
Decker swallowed hard. "Who the hell are you?" he whispered to himself.
He didn't have to wait long for the answer. Less than 2 minutes later, the dark street was illuminated by the headlights of not one, but two large black SUVs hurtling around the corner. They didn't have sirens blaring, but the silent, aggressive speed at which they approached spoke volumes. They slammed on their brakes, boxing Decker's cruiser in, one in front, one behind.
Decker scrambled out of his vehicle. The rain instantly plastered his hair to his forehead. The door of the lead SUV flew open, outstepped Chief Thomas Keller, still wearing his formal dress uniform from a charity gala he had attended earlier that evening. His face was a mask of sheer, unadulterated fury.
But it was the man who stepped out of the passenger side of the SUV that made Decker's blood run entirely cold. Mayor Richard Gable. Mayor Gable was a towering figure in local politics, a former district attorney known for his ruthless efficiency and his deep, unwavering loyalty to his mentors. He was in a tuxedo, the bow tie untied and hanging loose around his neck. He ignawed the rain, his eyes locking onto Decker with a predatory intensity.
Decker stood frozen, his hand instinctively hovering near his radio. "Mayor Gable. Chief, I uh I have a combative suspect."
Chief Keller closed the distance between them in three massive strides. He didn't yell. He didn't scream. He got mere inches from Decker's face, his voice a low, terrifying whisper. "Where is he, Decker?"
"In in the back, sir." Decker pointed a trembling finger toward the cruiser.
Mayor Gable didn't even look at Decker. He strode directly to the rear door of the patrol car. He grabbed the handle and yanked it open. The dome light flickered on, illuminating the back seat.
Gable stared into the cage. He saw the soaked charcoal suit. He saw the awkward, painful angle of the man's shoulders. He saw the heavy steel handcuffs biting into the wrists. The mayor of Oakridge visibly paled.
He reached into the car, his hands gently grasping Agrippa's arm, an expression of profound horror and deep respect washing over his face. "Your honor," Mayor Gable said, his voice thick with emotion, echoing clearly in the quiet, rainy street. "My god, Agrippa, are you all right?"
Decker felt the ground open up beneath him. The world tilted on its axis. The rain seemed to freeze in midair.
Your honor. The words echoed in Decker's skull like a gunshot. He looked from the mayor to the man in the back seat, the pieces finally snapping together in a horrifying career-ending realization.
Agrippa Graham shifted slightly in the hard plastic seat, looking up at the mayor. "I have had better evenings, Richard," he said quietly.
"Get these off him," Gable roared, spinning around, his face turning purple with rage. He glared at Chief Keller. "Get these handcuffs off the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court this instant or I will have your badge, Tom."
Chief Keller lunged forward, grabbing Decker by the collar of his uniform. "The keys. Now."