Chapter 10

Jarrod asked for a particular sergeant when he and Nick shoved the kid into the police station. The officer at the desk looked closely at them all, and then, surprisingly said to the boy, "Sidney Case! Are you in trouble again, Sidney?"

Jarrod and Nick looked at each other. They hadn't even asked the boy his name, but now it wasn't necessary. The police apparently knew him well.

Jarrod said, "Sidney assaulted me and robbed my office in Stockton a couple weeks ago. He assaulted my brother here too, and he's admitted he was hired to do it and gave the files he robbed from me over to the man who hired him."

The officer heaved a sigh, said, "Wait right here," and left, only for a moment. He came back with the sergeant Jarrod knew well.

That sergeant gave Sidney the same look the officer had. "So you're branching out, are you, Sidney? Robbed Mr. Barkley's office, did you, and assaulted him and this other man?"

"This is my brother Nick, Jason," Jarrod said. "I think we all ought to have a sit down with Sidney."

"I'm not saying anything," Sidney said.

"You already did," Jarrod said.

"Follow me," Jason the sergeant said.

Nick brought up the rear as he and Jarrod let the sergeant shove Sidney into a small room toward the back of the building. As soon as they went in and closed the door, the sergeant asked Jarrod to explain. He and Nick proceeded to tell him what had happened in Stockton.

The sergeant shook his head at Sidney. "Sidney, you remember me from the last time you were here, don't you? I'm Sergeant Emerson. I talked Mr. Klima into letting you off easy when you pilfered that liquor from the spirits store down the street. Now, what's the deal here and don't lie to me."

Sidney didn't say anything.

"What these gentlemen are accusing you of is more serious than pilfering some whiskey, Sidney," Sgt. Emerson said, "but they might be willing to ease up on you if you cooperate."

"Maybe," Jarrod said.

When Sidney looked a little interested, Nick said, "Could be I'll forget that you marched me out of my brother's office at gunpoint and whacked me in the head – IF you cooperate and help us get that fella you say paid you to steal the files you stole."

"Has Sidney ever done time, Sergeant?" Jarrod asked, looking straight at Sidney.

"No," the sergeant said. "And Sidney may look like a kid, but he's 22 years old. For assault and robbery we can put him in San Quentin."

Now Sidney looked nervous.

"Or we can recommend a judge let him serve some time on a county work gang," the sergeant said. "Not an easy sentence, but a lot better than San Quentin. You know how much those hard core sons of ****** in there love seeing a new young face."

Now Sidney looked more nervous.

"Who'd you give those stolen files to, Sidney?" the sergeant asked.

"I don't know his name," Sidney said, shaking. "He comes into The Bar now and then."

"He knew you well enough to hire you to rob Mr. Barkley though, didn't he?"

"He knew I'd been in trouble once or twice," Sidney said. "I don't know how he knew. I didn't want my boss to know, and this man threatened to tell him."

"Well, he's gonna know now," the sergeant said, "because I'm gonna have to arrest you. So just forget about him and forget about your job and tell me what this fella looks like whose name you don't know."

"Big," Sidney said, resigned. "Older. Brown hair, short beard, kinda gray."

"Does anybody at The Bar know his name?"

"I don't know. I never heard anybody call him anything."

Sgt. Emerson sighed and looked at Jarrod. "You want to sign a complaint?"

Jarrod nodded, but said, "Tomorrow. I have a meeting with the Board of Conduct at ten in the morning. I gotta get ready for it. They're not happy about my files disappearing."

"They're blaming you?"

"I'll find out for sure tomorrow. You can keep Sidney until I file the complaint, can't you?"

"Sure thing," Sgt. Emerson said. "Sidney's no stranger to my lockup. Come on, Sid. Your old room is empty, I believe."

Sgt. Emerson gave Sidney to another officer with instructions to lock him up. After he left, Jarrod said, "The man he described didn't sound familiar to you?"

Sgt. Emerson shook his head. "No, but I'm going to head over to The Bar and talk to the bartender. I want you to stay out of it for now. I'll talk to him alone and ask around over there. But you have other things to do anyway."

Jarrod nodded, then said very quietly, "Jason, the files he stole were all by the letter D. Jed Dysart tried to hire me not long ago to represent him in a case, and I turned him down. This whole thing sounds like something he'd be at the bottom of, to use for leverage or to get back at me."

"Yeah, it does," Sgt. Emerson said, "but I think I'll nose around the lower levels first. Is there anything about him in this Board of Conduct thing?"

"Yes, he's the one who filed the complaint," Jarrod said. "He's complaining about my lack of security and says something in his file shows I let something confidential out from the time I represented him six years ago. I'll probably know more particulars after I meet with the Board tomorrow."

"What time do you meet with them?"

"Ten o'clock."

The sergeant nodded. "Come back over and talk to me after you do. It won't take but a few hours before word gets to the Board that I've arrested Sidney, and if Dysart's involved, he'll know why."

"Dysart has a friend on the Board of Conduct," Jarrod said. "He might tip his hand tomorrow, or he might just not say a word. But either way, maybe we can put some more things together tomorrow."

Sgt. Emerson looked at Nick. "You can't take your muscle with you."

"No," Jarrod said, "but he can wait outside and look unhappy. I guarantee you he's unhappy."

"This is not my idea of fun," Nick said.

"Brother Nick here would rather be riding herd on cattle than on me," Jarrod said.

"Just look out for each other, and meet me back here after you leave the Board," Sgt. Emerson said. "And in the meantime, if you happen to see somebody who looks like the man Sidney described, let me know."

"You might have a name after you talk to the bartender," Jarrod said.

"I might," Sgt. Emerson agreed. "But do stay out of The Bar until we talk again tomorrow. It'll make things easier for me."

"I have to do some thinking and preparing for tomorrow anyway," Jarrod said. "And Nick – they don't play poker much at The Bar anyway. You want to go over to the Palace – four blocks south."

"I'll stay with you if you want me to," Nick said.

"I'll be all right alone at the hotel," Jarrod said. "Just get back to me by six or so, and we'll have dinner over there. If you've been winning, I'll let you buy."