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Chapter Fourteen:
A tall hat, jeans, and a plaid shirt helped Reid go incognito. So far, to his knowledge, no one aside from the Dallas detectives knew he was in town. That was about to change by one.
He knocked on the door of a surprising modest ranch for a district court judge.
The door opened slowly and revealed a woman with short, mousy brown hair.
Reid raised his hat so she could look into his eyes.
"May I come in?"
"I guess," she said.
They went into her formal living room and sat down.
"I assume the detectives gave you my name," she said.
"Yes," he said.
"I won't step forward," she said. "I'm sorry. I won't let my life—"
"Be destroyed like mine," he said. "These people can't get away with it and they are on the verge of doing so."
"I'm sorry, but I have to think of my children and the legacy of my late husband," she said. "It will all be tarnished.
"It doesn't have to be," he said. "There was a leak in the SVU office. That leak is under control. An attorney is willing to stand by you if you make a statement."
"I just want to put the whole experience behind me," she said shaking her head.
"You and I both know that's not possible," he said. "You react differently to the smallest things. You can't stand living in your own skin at times. The nightmares become less frequent, but they're still there and when you wake up, you feel breathless and desperate for eternal sleep."
"How will admitting to what happened bring me peace?"
"It won't bring you peace," he said. "It's about ensuring that other people aren't hurt in the same way you and I have. It's about justice. Is that what you swore to bring?"
She looked at the floor.
"Judge Greer," he said putting a hand on hers. "I wouldn't be asking you to do this if it wasn't absolutely necessary. The federal prosecutor called me today. They're thinking about agreeing to a plead deal where the Malia Henderson, Tom Krieg, and Max Andrews get a suspended sentence for prostitution."
"What?" she said looking him in the eye. "After what those monsters did to you and your career? The prosecutor doesn't think they deserve a day in jail?"
"I'm afraid not," he said.
"I swore an oath to deliver justice equally and fairly," she said looking at the wall. "I really can't let them get away with this can I?"
"I wouldn't be asking if I didn't think it was vital to building my case."
"Give me the details of when and where to show up, and I'll be there."
"You're doing the right thing Judge Greer."
She held on firmly to his hand.
"I hope so."
…
Reid walked into the bar in a pair cowboy boots with as much confidence as he could muster. This would not be easy. He just hoped he wouldn't make a fool of himself.
"Bourbon on the rocks," he said to the bartender and took a seat next to Ted Kurts.
He paid the bartender and took a slow, deliberate sip.
"How can I help you Agent Reid?" the ranger said.
"It's not agent anymore," he said taking another sip. "They fired me."
"Sorry to hear that," he said. "One law enforcement agent to another."
"Former," he said, taking another sip.
There was a beat of silence and Kurts examined his whiskey.
"I don't care what sob story you have about how your life will be in shambles if those thugs don't go to jail. You're young and you still have a lot of life ahead of you."
"You're not much older than me," Reid said.
"It doesn't matter," he said. "I'm not helping you."
"I thought Texas Rangers were tough," he said, the bourbon galvanizing him. "Are you afraid of some reporters parked on your lawn? I bet you could mow them over with your giant pickup truck if you wanted to."
"I don't want my life ruined like yours," he said angrily.
"You don't have faith in Texas Rangers having your back?"
"Your friends didn't."
"My friends still have my back," he said taking another drink. "They care about me even without a badge."
Reid's head was going foggy. Drinking probably wasn't the best idea.
"You sir are a coward," he said. "You hide behind your badge and trust it to protect you. You're just bad as the perps if you let them get away with it."
Kurts turned around and pulled the bar stool out from underneath Reid. He landed hard on his stitches. He let out a yelp of pain.
"How big a man do you feel now?" he said. "Hurting a sexual assault victim?"
The bartender appeared.
"Kurts what is wrong with you?" he asked angrily.
"This man is trying to get me to talk about something I don't want to talk about."
"It's sounds important to me," he said.
"You don't know what you're talking about Walt."
"What I do know is this man comes in doing his best cowboy impression to talk to you and you treat him like dirt."
"I don't want to talk about it!" he yelled. "He wants me to talk and I don't want to."
"It sounds like you need to," Walt said.
Reid was still on the floor. He was trying to get up without touch hay or something worse.
"For crying out loud Kurts," he said. "Give the man a hand."
Kurt grudgingly offered him a hand. Reid had other plans. He grabbed it with both hands and pulled him to the floor.
He painfully climbed on top of him and started hitting.
"I am sick of people like you!" he yelled. "People who don't want to risk their reputations because they saw what a trio of cowards did to mine. I'm sick of people don't want to help me because they're cowards!"
Kurts stared at him.
"You really are drunk after a single glass bourbon."
"I don't care anymore," Reid said getting off him and landed on all fours on the dirty floor.
The bartender walked over and helped Reid to his feet.
"You drive here?" he asked.
"A friend dropped me off," he said. "I'll call him and tell him I just wasted my time and made a fool of myself."
Reid stepped outside to make the call. The fresh air seemed to sober him up slightly. It didn't go well, but he wasn't expecting much from the ranger.
"Mr. Reid."
He turned around to see Kurts.
"Walt said I couldn't drink here anymore if I didn't agree to talk. I'll talk."
"That your real reason?" Reid asked.
"It's the best I could come up with for why I'm risking everything. Just don't thank me."
"I won't," Reid said.
"Good," he said. "Now tell me what I need to do."