Cop Said “You Two Aren't Welcome Here” To Twins — Both Were Federal Agents Investigating Him
Chapter 17
Theme:
Font Size:
24px
Kendra's stomach turned cold. He knew—he had known the search was coming."Webb's phone," Jayda said quietly in the car afterward. "He said Dempsey was checking it. He must have found the pictures."At 12:00 noon, it got worse. Channel 4 went live from the steps of the Hollis County Courthouse: Gordon Pratt stood at the microphones, and beside him, in his police uniform, his face pale and his eyes on the ground, stood Tyler Webb."Officer Webb has something he'd like to say," Pratt said.Webb unfolded a piece of paper, his hands shaking, and read it without once looking up:"Last week, I was pressured by two FBI agents to sign a statement against my sergeant. They told me I would lose my job if I didn't help them. I was scared, and I signed it. The statement is not true. I take it back. Sergeant Dempsey is an honest officer. I'm sorry."He folded the paper and stepped back.Pratt smiled into the cameras:"This is what the FBI has been doing in our county—threatening young officers, making up stories. And it ends today." He held up another paper."I have also filed charges against Hank Delaney, owner of Delaney's Tavern, for filing a false report with a federal agency. Mr. Delaney started this whole mess with a lie to the FBI tip line. He will answer for it."Jayda turned the TV off. Neither of them spoke for a long time.At 3:00, their boss called from St. Louis. "Washington saw it," he said, his voice heavy. "With Webb taking it back and no book in the truck, the federal judge won't sign anything else. The money in Dempsey's pocket was a donation—that's their story, and right now, we can't break it." He paused. "I'm sorry. You're both ordered back to St. Louis. Friday is your last day in Hollis County. After that, there's going to be a review of how this case was handled.""A review of us?" Kendra said."A review of us," he said.That night, the twins walked into Delaney's Tavern. It was almost empty—a police cruiser had been parked outside all evening, and people were afraid to come in. Hank was sitting at the end of the bar alone, a court paper lying on the bar in front of him; he looked ten years older than he had on Saturday night."They're saying I could get a year in jail," he said. "For calling you. For telling the truth." He laughed, and it was a terrible, broken sound. "Lucy's charge is still hanging over her, too. Pratt's lawyer called this afternoon: he says if I plead guilty to the false report, they'll drop the charge against Lucy.""Don't you dare," Lucy said from behind the bar."Hank," Kendra said, "don't sign anything. Not yet.""What else is there?" Hank said. "The book is gone. The boy took it back. You girls are leaving on Friday." He looked down at his glass. "11 years. He's going to win. He always wins."