Guilty Till Proven Innocent
**A glimpse into the future…Jamie has recently been promoted to detective. His first solo case is a homicide investigation. But as he tries to put the pieces together…the evidence is telling him one thing, his gut is telling him another. Which will prove right?**
**Jamie and Anna have been married almost three years. They have two children, Mary Elizabeth, who is not quite 2, and Joseph Conner (Joey), 14 months…and they've just found out Anna is pregnant again. They have not told the family yet…**
Scene: Major Case Squad
Jamie sat at his desk in the bull pen at Major Case contemplating his third cup of coffee.
His mind was reeling…everything was happening so fast. In the past two months he'd been promoted to Detective…and assigned a plumb position at Major Case. He knew everyone was whispering that he'd only gotten the job because his father was the Commissioner…and that made him even more determined to do everything right. He didn't want anybody saying he rode in on his old man's coat tails…or his older brother's for that matter.
But all of that paled compared to what he'd just learned last night.
Anna was pregnant…again. They would be married three years in June…next month. And they were expecting their third child.
Danny was gonna have a field day when they announced it to the family.
His phone rang.
"Reagan…I'm on my way."
He'd just caught a case…a homicide.
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Scene: Central Park
He pulled up on the scene…a remote corner of Central Park.
He walked up to the officer on the perimeter.
"Detective Jamison Reagan." He introduced himself.
It still sounded weird to his ears…Detective…not Officer…Jamison Reagan.
"Officer Brent Hathaway."
"What do we know so far?" Jamie asked.
"Not much…a couple of kids found the vic." Hathaway said as he pointed to two teenagers corralled by two nearby radio cars. "ME thinks she's been dead about eight to ten hours."
"Thanks…" Jamie said as he signed the log and crossed the tape.
He approached the ME…someone he'd known for years.
"Hi, Laura."
She looked up…and she tried to place the young man addressing her. Then she remembered.
"Officer Reagan?"
"It's Detective Reagan now." He said with a wry grin. "I'm gonna be running point on this one."
"Well…congratulations…Detective."
"Thanks." Jamie said. "Anything you can tell me?"
The ME pulled back the tarp protecting the victim from further damage by the elements.
Jamie took a deep breath.
The victim was a young girl…she couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen.
And he could see the livid purple bruises around her neck…he could even count the points where the perp's fingers had gripped her.
Even he'd be willing to take a guess at COD.
"Hyoid's been fractured." Dr. Laura told him. "And she's been sexually assaulted. Hopefully the DNA evidence is there…hopefully it wasn't compromised by her being out here all night."
"Well, let's keep our fingers crossed." He said. "Thanks…"
He moved over to another officer. It was someone he knew…Stan Copley…from the 3-4.
"Hey, Stan…"
"Well, well, well…look who's here with his shiny new gold shield…"
Jamie rolled his eyes. Now he remembered why he didn't like this guy. He was a total prick…
"Anything come up on the initial canvas? A purse or anything?" he asked tersely.
"Nope…nada. We fanned out about fifty yards in every direction." Copley said.
"Widen it a hundred yards…go a hundred and fifty."
"Yes sir, Detective."
Jamie walked away…slowly counting to ten under his breath…trying to reign in his Irish temper.
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Scene: Major Case Squad
Jamie hung up the phone.
They had an ID.
The victim was Molly Dowd…and she was fourteen…an eighth grade student at St. Catherine's. Her parents had reported her missing after she had failed to come home from the movies the night before.
"Well, well, well…my baby brother's playin' with the big boys now."
Jamie looked up to see his brother Danny's smirking face.
"What do you want, Danny?"
"Just came to see how you were doin'…I heard you caught your first homicide."
"Yeah…and it's a real gem. Fourteen year old girl…raped and strangled. Dumped in the park."
"Wonderful…" Danny said sarcastically. "No originality with these knuckleheads…"
"Well…we ID'd her at least. Her parents did one of the Kid Safe kits. I'm on my way over there now." Jamie said with a heavy sigh. He was not looking forward to this part of the job…
"You want me to go with you?"
"I can handle it, Danny." He snapped.
Danny reached out and laid his hand on Jamie's arm.
"I know you can. This is the part every cop hates…I'm just offerin' a little company…and a little moral support. It's your case, Kid."
Jamie looked at his brother gratefully. He really did want the company.
"Don't go spreadin' this around, Kid." Danny whispered conspiratorially as they walked out of the squad room. "But I took Dad with me the first time I had to go make a notification."
"Don't worry. My lips are sealed."
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Scene: Jamie and Anna's house
Jamie let himself in the back door…and found his whole family in the kitchen.
Anna had both kids in their high chairs…and she was spooning something green into Joey's mouth.
Joey didn't like it one bit.
Mary Elizabeth was picking up bits of turkey…and squishing peas onto her tray.
Jamie bit back a laugh…and shook his head.
When would Anna learn that Reagan kids hated to eat their vegetables?
"Hey…" he said.
The kids both turned at the sound of his voice…and Joey nearly wound up with an ear full of green goop.
"Da-da!" Joey chirped happily.
"Daddy!" Mary Elizabeth squealed.
He smiled…that just made his day.
As soon as he closed his door, all the ugliness and the horrible, sadistic things people could inflict on one another was gone…from his mind at least.
He leaned down and kissed his daughter on top of her head…then his son.
Then he kissed his wife.
"You're home early…" she said with a smile. "I haven't even started our dinner yet."
"So why don't I take over here…and you can work your magic. I'm starving. Lunch was a candy bar and a can of soda."
"Good to know you're getting a balanced diet…" she commented.
And Anna kissed him back and got up to go start dinner for the two of them.
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Scene: Jamie and Anna's house, later that night.
"More wine, Honey?" Anna asked.
"Sure…"
She refilled his glass. As soon as she set the bottle down, Jamie reached for her hand.
"What's wrong, Jamie?"
He sighed.
"I caught my first homicide today…a teenage girl…and I had to go make the notification this afternoon. It was rough."
"Oh…Baby…"
She squeezed her husband's hand.
"I don't want to talk about it…I just want to relax…and hold my wife."
She pushed her chair back and stood up from the table…and walked around behind Jamie's chair. She slowly, gently…began to massage his shoulders. And Jamie leaned back and sighed as all the tension drained out of him.
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Scene: Major Case Squad
Jamie set down his phone.
They had a positive DNA match.
Everything was falling right into place. It didn't get any neater than this.
He pulled it up on his computer.
"Hey…whaddaya got, Kid?"
He glanced over his shoulder to see his brother perch on the side of the desk.
"I got my perp…positive DNA match…99.2% match."
Danny whistled under his breath.
"Don't get much prettier than that…"
"That's just what I was thinkin'." Jamie said as he opened up the attachment.
"And the winner is…." Danny said under his breath.
They both stared at the picture that came up.
"This can't be right…" Jamie said.
They were staring at a military record…of a United States Marine.
Jamie and Danny were both in shock. Danny, because he didn't want to believe a brother Marine would perpetrate such a heinous crime…Jamie because his gut was telling him this wasn't right.
As he skimmed the service record…Bronze Star…two Purple Hearts…Legion of Merit…this was not a rapist and murderer.
He looked up at his brother…Danny looked at him.
What could they do though? DNA was a match.
"Let's go scoop him up…" Danny said, his voice heavy with regret.
Jamie reached into his drawer and grabbed his weapon.
He wasn't even gonna argue that he could do this by himself. He was glad his brother was there to back him up.
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Scene: a construction site
They got out of the car.
This was where their perp worked.
They followed the foreman to the third level…and he pointed out their man.
"Colby Wainsworth?" Jamie asked as he approached the man.
Wainsworth turned around.
Again…something just didn't feel right.
The guy was clean shaven, wearing a 'high and tight'…his t-shirt even looked like it had been ironed.
"Detective Jamison Reagan…" Jamie introduced himself. "And this is Detective Danny Reagan."
"What can I do for you, Sirs?" Wainsworth asked.
"We need you to come with us. We have some questions for you." Jamie replied.
"I'm in the middle of a job…"
The guy sounded truly puzzled. Why would two detectives want to ask him questions?
"Will you come with us, please?" Jamie said.
He really didn't want to walk this guy out in cuffs.
"All right…" Wainsworth said hesitantly. "But can you tell me what this is about?"
He followed the two detectives to the lift.
"Let's do this down at the station…" Jamie told him.
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Scene: an interrogation room
"Do you know a 'Molly Dowd'?" Jamie asked.
Wainsworth thought for a moment.
"I know a Nathan Dowd. He's on the basketball team I coach down at the community center. I think he has an older sister named Molly."
"Can you tell us where you were Tuesday night between ten p.m. and midnight?" Danny asked.
"I was home…in bed. I have to get up at five." Wainsworth answered.
"Can anyone verify that?"
"My wife…but she was asleep too. Please…what's this about?"
Jamie took a photo out of the manila folder he was holding. He laid it face up on the table in front of Wainsworth.
"Molly Dowd was found in Central Park Wednesday morning around eight. She was raped…and then strangled…and the ME found your DNA on her."
Wainsworth shook his head as he looked at the picture.
Then he looked up at the Reagan brothers.
"There must be some mistake, Detectives. That's just not possible."
"It was a 99% match." Danny said.
"Then there's a mistake…" Wainsworth said again. "There's gotta be. I didn't do this to that poor girl…"
"That's not how it works…" Danny told him.
Reluctantly…Jamie reached for his cuffs.
"Colby Wainsworth…you're under arrest for the rape and murder of Molly Dowd. You have the right to remain silent…"
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Scene: The Reagan house
Jamie lifted Joey out of his car seat and grabbed the diaper bag off the floor in front of him. He swung his son into his arms and caught up to Anna and Mary Elizabeth as they headed for the house.
Joey pointed to house and said
"Gam-pa."
"That's right, Joey. This is Grandpa's house…" Jamie told him.
Anna looked over at her husband.
"Are we gonna tell everyone today, Jamie?"
They had yet to announce her pregnancy to the family…and she was already starting to show.
That's what happened when you had three kids in three years…
"Yeah…sure." Jamie replied.
Anna frowned…Jamie had been so distracted these past few days. Ever since he had arrested Colby Wainsworth for the murder of that teenage girl in the park. Something wasn't sitting right with him…she could tell. And she wished she could help him.
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Scene: The Reagan house—the dinner table
"So, Jamie…" Henry said. "Closed your first homicide…I'm proud of you."
"Don't congratulate me yet, Grandpa…something's just not sitting right on this. I'm not convinced we've got the right man."
"Whaddaya mean, 'you don't have the right man'? You've got a DNA match…a 99% match. How much more do you need?" Henry asked incredulously.
"I don't know…just talkin' to this guy…I can't believe he did it. He just doesn't seem like the type."
"Newsflash, Kid…perps can be very convincing liars."
"And sometimes innocent men are accused of crimes they didn't commit!"
"You sound like the guy's lawyer!" Henry scoffed.
"I gotta say, I'm with Jamie on this, Pops…" Danny said.
"Now there's something you don't hear every day…" Erin said.
Danny pointedly ignored his sister.
"The guy looks like a Marine recruiting poster…" Danny went on. "I'm having serious trouble picturing him raping and murdering a fourteen year old girl!"
Linda put her fork down.
"Okay…not at the table Danny!" she said.
"What? We're all adults here…"
"Joey and Mary Elizabeth aren't." Sean pointed out.
"And if it didn't happen on Sesame Street they don't care…" Danny said.
"All right…enough." Frank said from the head of the table. "Everybody's made valid points here."
He turned to Jamie.
"You've got good instincts, Jamie. If your gut's telling you there's more to this case than meets the eye…then dig deeper. Don't stop till you're satisfied. And if Sergeant Gromley's got a problem with that…tell him to call the Commissioner."
Before anyone could say anything else Jamie's phone rang.
He pushed his chair back as he answered it.
"Reagan."
He listened to the voice on the other end…
"What?! When?! I'm on my way…"
He ended the call.
"Wainsworth got jumped in the mess hall…"
Danny pushed back his chair and stood up.
"I'm goin' with you. We'll take my car."
Danny leaned over and kissed his wife…and Jamie kissed Anna.
And the Reagan brothers ran out the door.
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Scene: St. Victor's Hospital
Jamie and Danny marched down the corridor to Colby Wainsworth's room.
They'd gotten a little information…Wainsworth had been jumped by four men in line for chow…and more piled on until there was practically a full blown riot. When the guards had peeled everyone apart and sorted everything out…their guy had a concussion, a dislocated shoulder, three broken ribs, and bruises over every inch of his body.
Jamie tapped the door with his knuckles.
The woman standing by the bedside turned around.
Jamie guessed she must be Wainsworth's wife.
And he stared at her obviously pregnant belly.
"Mrs. Wainsworth? I'm Detective Jamie Reagan…and this is my brother Detective Danny Reagan."
The woman glared at them.
"Why are you here? What do you want?"
"We just wanted to see how your husband was doing ma'am." Danny said.
She stepped back so Jamie and Danny could see her husband.
He was asleep…and he looked terrible. It was worse than Jamie had imagined. It was worse than the time Johnny Tesla and his goons had worked him over.
"Now you've seen him. So please leave…"
"Mrs. Wainsworth…" Jamie started.
The woman drew a ragged breath.
"You've got it all wrong, Detectives. My husband's a good man. He's a Marine…he served his country with honor and distinction. He works with disadvantaged kids…he's active in our church. He didn't do what you're accusing him of. There's a mistake in your DNA testing. You've got the wrong man…the real murderer is still out there."
"Believe me, ma'am…" Jamie said. "We're looking at every angle."
Mrs. Wainsworth turned back to them…tears running down her cheeks.
"Please…just go. Leave us alone."
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Scene: Jamie and Anna's house
Jamie wearily climbed the stairs.
He stopped to look in Mary Elizabeth's room…and pick up her dolly off the floor. He tucked it in next to his sleeping daughter and smoothed back little brown curls that were just like Anna's.
Then he stopped in Joey's room…and covered the little boy up with his blanket. He laid his hand lightly on Joey's back and felt the baby breathing.
In his own room he quickly stripped down to his shorts and crawled into bed beside his wife. He pulled Anna close to his chest. She stirred slightly.
"Shhh…." He whispered. "It's just me…"
Anna sighed in her sleep and Jamie pulled her even closer.
He didn't know what he was going to do. Wainsworth was innocent. He could feel it in his gut. But somewhere out there was another man with the exact same DNA profile. Now all he had to do was find him.
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Scene: Major Case Squad
After a sleepless night Jamie sat at his desk looking over his file on the Dowd case for the millionth time. He could repeat every word by heart. Unfortunately it wasn't doing him a damn bit of good.
The phone ringing beside him scared the crap out of him.
"Reagan…" he answered.
He listened for a minute…then stood up.
"I'll be right there."
He slammed the receiver down and grabbed his weapon from the drawer.
He passed Danny on his way out.
"Hey…where's the fire, Kid?"
"I'm on my way to the ME's office. They found another girl last night…in a different section of the park . Raped and strangled…same as Molly Dowd. And the DNA came back to Colby Wainsworth."
Danny's heart sank.
But Jamie hadn't told him the real news…
"Danny…TOD is between eleven and one…last night. Wainsworth was in the hospital with a police guard right outside his door. Unless he's some kind of magician…there's no way…"
Danny followed his brother out the door.
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Jamie put Colby Wainsworth's life under a microscope. He dug up every piece of information he could find on the man…even his high school football stats.
And suddenly…he found the answer.
Colby Wainsworth was adopted as an infant. Catholic Charities had placed him with Dennis and Karen Wainsworth when he was three weeks old. But they could only afford to take one baby…so Colby was separated from his twin brother.
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Scene: Major Case Squad-three days later.
Eight million people in New York…and the Reagan brothers only needed to find one. And they finally caught a break.
Jamie slammed down the phone.
They had another body…but this time they had a witness.
"Let's go, Danny…" he said. "We've got a potential witness to Audrey Hunter's disappearance."
Danny grabbed his things and they headed for the door.
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Jamie watched as a face came to life…
Their witness…a woman by the name of Helena Verne…swore she had seen the latest victim, sixteen year old Audrey Hunter walking down the street with a seedy looking man several hours before her body had been discovered in an alley way tossed in a dumpster. She was describing the man to a composite artist.
Their new suspect had Wainsworth's face, only skinnier…but he had long, stringy hair and a patchy growth of beard on his face.
The composite went out on all the news stations immediately…and the tips started coming in.
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Jamie pulled up the surveillance footage TARU had just sent over…it was from a corner bodega not terribly far from where Audrey's body was found. It wasn't the greatest picture…no Academy Awards for best cinematography on this one…but it was good enough to spot their guy buying beer and cigarettes.
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Scene: A seedy motel
They had the building surrounded.
Jamie wasn't about to take any chances that this scumbag would slip through their fingers.
He stood at the door of a room at a less than five-star motel in Queens. He looked up and down the hall...there were a dozen cops just waiting for his signal.
He nodded and ESU hit the door.
And Jamie went in with Danny right behind him.
"NYPD! Don't move! Get your hands where I can see 'em!"
The perp stood like a deer in the headlights…then he bolted for the window…
But he wasn't fast enough.
Jamie grabbed the guy's arm and yanked it behind his back.
The perp spun around and took a wide swing at Jamie…missing by a country mile.
Jamie shoved him roughly face first against a wall and twisted the man's arm high behind his back.
"You're breakin' my arm, you sonofabitch!" the guy screamed.
"Quit your whining!" Jamie ordered as he pulled out his cuffs.
As he slapped them on…
"Trevor Collins…you're under arrest for the murder of Audrey Hunter…you have the right to remain silent…"
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Scene: A courtroom
"Bail is denied…" the judge said as he brought his gavel down.
Jamie was there with Colby Wainsworth and his wife.
This was the first time Colby had seen his twin brother…and the resemblance was uncanny…but on the other hand the two men couldn't look more different.
Collins was gaunt and pale…after years of living on cheap booze and cigarettes…and whatever else he could get his hands on. He was slightly stooped over and his filthy clothes hung loosely on his frame. He had long, stringy, greasy hair and his face obviously hadn't made the acquaintance of a razor in a while. It was a total contrast to the clean-cut Marine sitting beside Jamie.
Colby Wainsworth still bore the scars of his recent beating…his eyes were black and blue and his right arm was folded in a sling across his chest. As his pregnant wife helped him to his feet he grimaced from the pain in his ribs…
The two brothers looked at one another. Colby took a breath…like he was about to say something…but Collins turned his back indifferently.
And the guards led him away…back to the holding cell…where he'd wait to go back to the Tombs.
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Scene: The Reagan house
"I'd like to propose a toast…" Frank said as he held up his wine glass. "To the Reagan brothers…you make one hell of a team."
"Amen…" Henry said.
Then he turned to Jamie.
"You were right…your instincts were spot on… you put a serial killer behind bars…and vindicated an innocent man. I'm proud of you!"
"Thanks, Grandpa."
Everyone took a drink…except Anna.
She squeezed her husband's hand under the table.
Jamie looked over to his wife and smiled.
"Hey everyone…we have an announcement." He said.
The Reagans looked up…knowing what was coming next.
"Anna's pregnant…we're having another baby!"
There were congratulations…and…
"You do know why this keeps happening, don't you?" Danny asked his brother.
"No, Danny. I have no idea. Why don't you explain it to me?"