Cop Said “You Two Aren't Welcome Here” To Twins — Both Were Federal Agents Investigating Him
Chapter 11
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"You can't be serious," someone said."Out!" Dempsey shouted. "Or I start arresting people!"Hank came out from behind the bar, his hands shaking, but his voice steady. "There's no fire problem in my bar, Kyle. The fire inspector came out in June. I passed—I've got the paper on the wall right there."Dempsey didn't look at the paper. "You're obstructing an official inspection, Hank.""I'm standing in my own bar.""That's obstructing." Dempsey nodded to one of the other officers. "Cuff him."The officer hesitated, then stepped forward and put handcuffs on Hank's wrists—gently, like he was sorry about it.Lucy screamed, "Grandpa!" and ran around the bar, but Hank shook his head at her. "It's all right, honey," Hank said. "Let him do it. Everybody's watching."Jayda was already filming with her phone, holding it up high so everyone could see what she was doing; Kendra was on her own phone, talking fast and low.Dempsey finally looked at them. "Put that phone away, or you're next.""You don't have the authority to do a fire inspection, Sergeant," Jayda said. "In the state of Missouri, a fire inspection has to be done by a fire marshal or a fire department inspector. Where's yours?"Dempsey's face got red. "I don't need one.""Yes," Kendra said, lowering her phone, "you do. And he's on his way."25 minutes later, the bar was still full; nobody had left. Dempsey stood by the door with his arms folded, looking at his watch; Hank sat in a chair in handcuffs with Lucy holding his shoulder.Then a red pickup truck with a state seal on the door pulled up out front. A tall, gray-haired man in a white shirt got out; his shirt said State Fire Marshal's Office. He walked in and looked around—looked at the exits, looked at the sign on the wall that said the room could hold 120 people, and counted: there were 61."Who called a fire inspection here?" he asked."I did," Dempsey said. "There was a complaint.""From who?"Dempsey didn't answer. The fire marshal walked to the wall and tapped Hank's inspection paper from June with one finger. "This building passed inspection four months ago. The exits are clear; it's at half capacity." He turned and looked at Dempsey. "Sergeant, a police officer cannot shut down a business for a fire violation. You know that—every cop in the state knows that. And you've got a 62-year-old man sitting in handcuffs. For what, exactly?"Dempsey's jaw worked. "Obstruction.""Obstruction of an inspection that wasn't legal in the first place." The fire marshal shook his head slowly. "Take those cuffs off him now, and I'll be writing a letter to your chief tonight."The other two officers looked at Dempsey, then—without waiting for him—one of them walked over and took the cuffs off Hank. The whole room started clapping again. Dempsey stood by the door with his face burning red, looked at the twins, and when Kendra looked right back, he turned and walked out without a word.