Restoration
Chapter 61
Grace leans against the wall for a moment attempting to catch her breath. She just treated her sixth overdose of the day, and her shift isn't close to over. She can't fool herself into thinking there's somewhere she can go to get away from the epidemic of opiate addiction. It rears its ugly head in rural areas too. In some of those places, it's even more of a problem because of the shortage of trained personnel.
Still, the rise of opiate-related deaths in L.A. is terrifying. She also dreads the thought that someday, someone might convince Oliver to try drugs. She's seen children younger than him brought in on the brink of death – or past it. Grace has six offers now, from all across the country. She needs to make a decision, and she needs to make it fast. She'd like to talk with John about it, but that would dredge up too many other feelings. If there's anyone who knows about the drug trade, it's Nyla Harper. And Harper will give Grace straight answers, whether Grace likes what she hears or not. She can arrange a get together for the kids to trade art tips while their mothers talk. The sooner she finds out what she needs to know, the better.
Deputy Chief Saget pages through Percy West's file as the commander looks on. Janet sits calmly beside Percy, waiting for an overture from the other side of the table. "I think we all know that no jury would convict Commander West for shooting a known criminal holding a gun," Saget asserts. "Whether the weapon was in his lap or his hand would be irrelevant. The question we have to address here is not the citizenry's view but that of the department. No cop subject to blackmail can be trusted to serve the citizens of this city. However, the commander has given the greater part of his life to the L.A.P.D. Even if Commander West put in many of those years in the department's least popular bureau, ignoring his service would send morale plummeting. With that in mind, the chief has authorized me to offer a proposal."
"We're listening," Janet responds.
"Commander West will retire quietly, with the pension and benefits due for his years of service. However, any commendations will be stripped from his record. If he applies for security work or other positions, he won't receive any department recommendations. He won't be included on any advisory boards or in other activities generally sought by retired officers. He'll have a modest safety net, but other than that, he'll be on his own."
"I'll need time to confer with my client," Janet states, her face revealing no opinion.
"Fine," Saget agrees, "but the chief is requesting a decision by the end of the day. He wants this matter settled."
"It will be settled when it's settled," Janet replies. "Leave me your number. I'll get back to you."
When they're alone in the room, Janet turns to Percy. "It's a good deal. To be frank, it's better than I expected. I suspect you have a lot of friends in the department, Commander. I want to look at the nuts and bolts of the offer, but if they coincide with what Saget said, I'd advise you to take it."
Percy slumps over the table, shaking his head. "You're not a cop, Ms. Jepson. We're a society, a community. The benefits are just numbers in a ledger, but what Saget was saying is that I'll be on the outside. I had more than a taste of that running I.A., but under this deal, I'll be a civilian, essentially disowned by the family. I don't know if I can deal with that."
Janet smacks her battered briefcase, the sound echoing off the walls. "Gee, it sucks to be you, doesn't it, Percy? You let a thug keep you under his thumb for God knows how long. Then you shoot him instead of having him arrested. When was the last time you were out on patrol and saw all the people on the street with no roofs over their heads and no clue where their next meals are coming from? You're being offered more than most of them will ever have, and you're upset because you won't have the secret handshake anymore. Grow up, Commander! Be grateful. There are probably at least a hundred people within two blocks of here who would gladly be in your shoes."
"You're pissed," Nolan notes as he meets up with Janet. Her call was a surprise, but a welcome one.
"You're right," Janet admits.
"But you can't tell me why," John guesses.
"Right again. I was hoping to work it off."
"More darts?"
"Maybe, but I feel more like knocking something around. Do you play pool?"
"I sort of learned my way around a cue at school. And my friend Ben, the one with the guest house, has a pool table in his game room. We've had a few matches, and I didn't entirely embarrass myself. How did you get into it?"
"It was stress relief in law school. Sometimes it still works."
"I'm all for stress relief," John declares. "Ready anytime you are. You want to break?"
Janet rotates her shoulders and flexes her fingers. "Oh yeah!"
"Feeling better?" John asks, returning the cues to a wall rack.
"I am," Janet realizes. "but I think you were hustling me, John. I had to work to beat you."
"I think that's Harper's influence. She's not about to let me ride shotgun if I can't shoot straight. She makes sure I spend enough time on the range to keep my scores up. I guess sighting a target is sighting a target, with a gun or a pool cue."
A smile tweaks the corner of Janet's mouth when John automatically pulls out her chair as they return to their table. "I can't remember the last time anyone did that for me. Your midwestern upbringing?"
"My maternal grandmother. After my father left, she helped keep an eye on me while my mother was working. Grammy was living on Social Security, so she didn't have much money, but she always told me that lack of funds was no excuse for lack of manners. I had to sit up straight, keep my elbows off the table, and pull out chairs for ladies. At the time, that was pretty much her and my mother."
"And the kindness, the drive to help others, where does that come from?"
"I guess from seeing how hurt my mother was when my father left, wanting to help but not knowing how. I always tried my best, but I never really had a real handle on the helping others part until I became a cop. It fills in the holes in my life. You know what I mean?"
"I know exactly what you mean. That's why I became an attorney. I get a lot of junk cases, but I really get a charge out of helping someone avoid a raw deal."
"I take it, that's not what happened today," John guesses.
"No. Just the opposite. Sometimes people are offered a very good thing, but it isn't enough for them. God, I hate entitlement. I have clients who bust their asses their entire lives, but without a bleeding heart like me, would spend years behind bars without a conviction because they can't handle the cash bail. Then there's some drugged-out T.V. star who runs over a single mother with her car and buys her way out of serving a day. Tell me you don't give breaks to jerks just because they are famous or have money, Nolan."
"I don't, Janet. I wouldn't want to. And Harper and Sergeant Grey would kick my ass if I tried."
