Cop Said “You Two Aren't Welcome Here” To Twins — Both Were Federal Agents Investigating Him
Chapter 14
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"Sergeant," Pratt said, "tell the court what happened last Friday night at Delaney's Tavern.""I was doing a routine check of the bar," Dempsey said. "I saw two women acting suspicious. I asked them some questions; they got angry. When I asked them to leave, this one"—he pointed at Kendra—"stood up and shoved me in the chest with both hands, hard. I almost went down.""Did that frighten you?""Yes, sir. I feared for my safety."Someone in the crowd laughed out loud; the judge banged his gavel."Thank you, Sergeant. Nothing further," Pratt said, and sat down.Kendra's lawyer stood up. "Your Honor, we have a video. It was recorded by Special Agent Jayda Holloway that night on an FBI camera. It shows the entire event from start to finish—no cuts, sound included. We'd like to play it."Pratt jumped to his feet. "Objection! That video was recorded without the knowledge of the Cold Creek Police Department!""It was recorded in a public bar, Mr. Pratt," the judge said. "Overruled. Play it."Jayda opened her laptop; the lawyer turned the screen toward the judge and toward the crowd.On the screen, Dempsey walked into Delaney's Tavern:"You two aren't welcome here." The whole courtroom watched in silence. They watched him call the twins a matching set; they watched him say,"Y'all look the same to me anyway"; they watched him knock over Jayda's soda—"Oops. Clumsy me"; they watched him hold out his hand to Hank—"Rent's due, Hank. Same as every Friday"; they watched him take the envelope and pat it into his pocket.Pratt's face had gone stiff.They watched Dempsey pull out his handcuffs; they watched him threaten to drag the sisters out by their hair; they watched the twins stand up together slowly with their hands at their sides, and they watched them raise their badges. Kendra never touched him—not once, not with one finger; at the closest point, there were three feet of empty air between them.The video ended. Nobody in the courtroom made a sound.The judge took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Then he looked at Dempsey, still sitting in the witness chair. "Sergeant Dempsey," he said, "would you like to tell me again about the shove?"Dempsey's mouth opened; nothing came out."I didn't think so." The judge turned to Pratt. "Mr. Pratt, you brought an assault charge against a federal agent based on a story that a video proves is false. You had her arrested and paraded on a sidewalk in front of a newspaper camera. In 31 years on this bench, I have never seen anything like it. This charge is dismissed. Agent Holloway is free to go—and I will be sending a copy of this video to the State Bar."The crowd jumped to its feet. Hank threw both arms in the air; Lucy hugged the man next to her, whom she had never met. Pratt picked up his papers and walked out the side door without looking at anyone. Dempsey sat frozen in the witness chair, his face white, while the whole room cheered around him.Outside the courthouse, in the sunshine, the twins finally hugged."Told you," Jayda said into her sister's shoulder.