Garret never liked the Federal Building. The conference rooms always had
that smell of split coffee and dry erase markers. Those scents always
equated to valuable time being wasted listening to a speaker who didn't
even like to hear themselves talk.
He sat down at the chair closest to the door and left his coat on.
He could only recognize one face in the room. Walcott. She was the one who told him to be there and to not ask questions. The badges on the rest of the seven people in room made it obvious that they were government. FBI and Marshal by the looks of it. But he never paid that much attention to badges.
He looked at his watch. He still had a few hours of work and he didn't want to cancel his dinner with Abby if he could help it.
The door in the back of the room opened. Detective Hoyt walked in followed by a federal officer that would only come to Garret's shoulder. While Hoyt's eyes were downcast the officer scanned the room like he was making a mental note of everyone there. Garret was even more confused by this impromptu meeting.
Woody took the seat opposite from Garret, as his companion introduced himself as Deputy Bernard with the US Marshal's office. Garret sat up straighter.
"Ms Walcott ...Dr Macy... I'm glad you could both join us on such short notice. Before I begin I must make it clear that any discussions that take place in this room can not leave...under any circumstances."
Garret tried to catch Renee's eye to see if she knew what was going on but she was busy drumming her fingernails on the table top. It was then he noticed that nobody was taking any kind of notes. Usually these government twits are busy making notes on paper so they can generate more paper.
"A little more than four hours ago Detective Hoyt witnessed the homicide of a police officer. The victim and perpetrator were both under investigation by the federal government in connection with a known crime boss."
Garret looked over at Woody who has looking at Bernard but Garret could tell he really wasn't seeing him.
"To bring everyone up to speed, Detective Hoyt has been working with the FBI to gain access to criminal activities here at the local level. Unfortunately, the events of the day have left Detective Hoyt's life in jeopardy. That why we've been called in."
Garret raised his hand "I don't understand what this has to do with me. Why am I even here?"
"Ms Walcott has assured us that you can be trusted and frankly having access to the chief medical examiner will make this operation much more secure.
"Operation?"
"Yes, to provide Detective Hoyt a safe margin security and those around him until such time as a conviction can be reached on Kevin Cahill, we have decided to make appear that Detective Hoyt has been killed in an explosion."
"You're joking right?"
"I don't joke Dr. Macy. In the matter of a few hours Kevin Cahill and a few of his operatives are going to be round up. I believe I safely speak for Ms Walcott when I say the case is pretty damning with Detective Hoyt's testimony."
"I still don't understand why I'm here."
Bernard looked at his watch. "In exactly two hours a medical cadaver is arriving at Logan. We need someone local to sign the body out from the airline."
Garret realized that they planned to use this body as a decoy. As CME, Garret could also make sure that an autopsy was fixed. He stood and turned toward the door.
"This is absurd. No.... no, this absurd and unethical. I'm sorry but you're going to have to find someone else."
Woody spoke up for the first time. "Dr. Macy. If it were just me I'd say, screw it and take my chances. In a few hours they are going to know I was the plant anyway....But...but, I can't take the chance..."
"What he's trying to say Garret," Renee said from across the room, "is if Cahill knows Hoyt is alive and going to testify against him, the odds are he'll use threats against his friends and family to influence his testimony."
Garret read between the lines looking at the faces in the room. If Hoyt didn't "die" people could get hurt. The kid was bound to have family somewhere...then there was Jordan. Garret scrubbed a hand down his face. When everyone had written Hoyt off as a loss Jordan kept a thread of hope alive that he wasn't involved in this mess because he wanted to be. Garret would never forgive himself if she got mixed up in something that he could help prevent.
He was between a rock and the preverbal hard place. He had a feeling Abby would be eating alone that night.
"I'm going to need some help once this...this ...person is on the ground. And as for the autopsy..."
"All we need from you is to claim the body and show up at the scene as the local medical examiner. We've handled operations like this before Dr. Macy. Now if we can all take our seats again I would like to spell out the plan so that everyone is on the same page....Timing is going to be key...."
Garret listened to Deputy Bernard with half an ear. He felt like he just signed his soul over to the devil. Lines had been crossed and the only way to redraw them was to cross and few more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woody parked his car on the darkened street and let out a sigh of relief. The idea of driving around with a bomb under his car scared the shit of him. But Bernard assured him that it was fine. The only reason Woody even turned the key to start the car as that Bernard was sitting in the passenger seat.
Although.... he told himself...... he was a dead man anyway.
After Worthington's driver dropped him off at his office he made a quick dash out the door and drove directly to the Federal Building. Once there Tillman told him about Bernard. By the time Woody was debriefed, a chartered plane brought Bernard and his team to Boston.
Bernard didn't mix words. If Woody testified against Cahill as an eye witness to a murder he would have a price on his head. Even after trial he would be a target. He would be given a new name and set up in some... purgatory as far away from Boston as Uncle Sam could get him...He wouldn't be able to contact his family, his friends, or retain anything from his old life.
He had always thought about the witness protection program as some abstract thing. In a million years he never thought he would ever even have contact with the department let alone be the one placed in the system.
Bernard opened the car door to get out. He needed Hoyt to make a public appearance. He was not thrilled about Woody's choice of places but it would meet his requirements. Tillman had filled him in the bar named Pogue and its owner.
"I need you to go inside...make an appearance...talk to as many people as you can. The timeline needs to be set. I'm going to give you exactly fifteen minutes."
Woody couldn't make his feet move. Bernard shut the car door. He has been with the program for too many years to count. He could see the signs.
"Detective Hoyt, if it's any consolation I agree with you."
"About what? That it sucks that I have to give up everything that I've worked for...everything that meaning anything to me, just for doing my job....or that Cahill is only looking at sitting around with three squares, and that's IF he's convicted."
"I have placed dozens of ...people in the system, most of them would sell out their own mothers to stay alive. But there are the ones like yourself, which the program was intentionally developed for. Yes, it's unfortunate that eventually have to give up your career and your name, but because of your sacrifice a dangerous man will be incarcerated for a very long time."
Woody let out a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. Ignoring the outburst, Bernard opened the car door again and stepped out on the street talking into a walkie-talkie. He walked across the street and stood in a doorway.
Fifteen minutes. Woody had fifteen minutes to say goodbye to his old life. With a heavy heart Woody made his way inside the pub.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garret opened the manifest and compared with the body in the coffin that was wheeled into the airport cargo area.
"Your plan isn't going to work." he said to the two deputies flanking him. "This body is female."
"There won't be enough of it to determine the sex after the explosion. We just need the rescue team to verify that there was a fatality. You're job is to answer the call with your ME and stand back as we come in a sweep-up the scene."
"I didn't think that was the Marshal's office jurisdiction."
"It's not. For the sake of the operation the team will be identified as FBI. Deputy Bernard briefed you on this earlier Dr. Macy."
"I guess I missed that part when I was trying to figure out how I'm going to sleep at night until this whole thing is over."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max was close to closing but a few patrons still mingled around. He looked up from wiping down the bar. A shadow fell over his face.
"You can turn around and walk straight out from where you came from. I'm closed."
"You still look open to me." Woody took a seat at the bar. "I've had a shitty day. Would it be too much to ask for a drink?"
Max pointed a finger at Woody's face and opened his mouth. Before he could say anything a voice from the back of the room spoke.
"Just give him a drink Dad. The sooner he drinks up the sooner he'll be gone."
Woody jumped when he heard Jordan's voice. He didn't see her parked out front and assumed she wasn't there. He stared at the bar top in front of him. He really didn't want to see her, not like this. Max slammed a glass down in front of him and splashed some liquor in the bottom of it. Woody noticed it was barely enough to cover the bottom of the glass. He looked at his watch he had thirteen minutes...
"Drink up and get your sorry ass out of here."
Woody took a deep breath. Jordan slipped into the seat next to him. He felt her more than saw her.
"Dad could you?" she asked never looking away from Woody's profile.
Max told her he would be around if she needed him. Woody lifted the drink to his mouth and threw it back. The next thirteen minutes were either going to be the longest or the shortest of his life.
Jordan reached out and touched his shelve. Her hand was warm. He could feel the heat on his cold skin through the layers of his clothes. When he turned to her it was all he could do to not beg her forgiveness for the cruel words, for the professional stresses, the risks his relationship with her and her father had placed them in. He wanted to apologize for ever having tried to make a home in Boston...
"This was a mistake." he said more to himself then to her.
She misunderstood his words and a slight smile crossed her face. "Yes, it was a mistake...it's not too late to get out Woody...I'll help you. We'll figure out a way to get out of this together."
He wanted to scream that it was too late. He wanted to take her hand and squeeze it telling it was all a lie He wanted to hold her close and bury his face in her hair forgetting the horrors of the day. He wanted to hear her tell him that the last few months were only a bad dream. He wanted to spend the rest of his life watching her smile....He wanted to cry but he didn't know if he could remember how.
Jordan watched the myriad of emotions cross his haggard face. Then his expressions died. The light in his eyes was gone. She let go of his arm.
"I'm sorry Jordan, but it's pointless." He stood and tossed some money on the bar. "Good bye."
Jordan watched him walk away his shoulders slumped like the weight of the world were on them. The finality of his words struck a cord in her. She jumped off the stool and followed him outside to confront him one more time. Max saw her leave and tagged on her heals. She had to get through to him. She ran to the top of the stairs only to see the tail lights of his car pull away. When she looked like she was going to go after him Max put an arm around her and led her back inside.
"Jordan honey, let him go. He's not worth it."
That was the problem, she thought. She was beginning to think maybe he was worth it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I kind of liked that car"
Bernard didn't look away from the blaze in front of him.
"You won't need it anymore Detective Hoyt. We need to be going."
Bernard waited until him had Hoyt safely tucked away in the vehicle that would take him to the safe house to call in the rest of his team. The bomb malfunctioned. They needed to be on top of the scene earlier than planned. He would still have to wait for Macy and his people to arrive and then they would clear the scene before the press could arrive. He hoped that Macy had a handle on his people. Tillman warned him about Hoyt's ties to the ME's office. Bernard knew it was going to be sloppy and he hated sloppy.
===============================================================
I know I'm pushing the envelope of believability...but it was fun to write!
He sat down at the chair closest to the door and left his coat on.
He could only recognize one face in the room. Walcott. She was the one who told him to be there and to not ask questions. The badges on the rest of the seven people in room made it obvious that they were government. FBI and Marshal by the looks of it. But he never paid that much attention to badges.
He looked at his watch. He still had a few hours of work and he didn't want to cancel his dinner with Abby if he could help it.
The door in the back of the room opened. Detective Hoyt walked in followed by a federal officer that would only come to Garret's shoulder. While Hoyt's eyes were downcast the officer scanned the room like he was making a mental note of everyone there. Garret was even more confused by this impromptu meeting.
Woody took the seat opposite from Garret, as his companion introduced himself as Deputy Bernard with the US Marshal's office. Garret sat up straighter.
"Ms Walcott ...Dr Macy... I'm glad you could both join us on such short notice. Before I begin I must make it clear that any discussions that take place in this room can not leave...under any circumstances."
Garret tried to catch Renee's eye to see if she knew what was going on but she was busy drumming her fingernails on the table top. It was then he noticed that nobody was taking any kind of notes. Usually these government twits are busy making notes on paper so they can generate more paper.
"A little more than four hours ago Detective Hoyt witnessed the homicide of a police officer. The victim and perpetrator were both under investigation by the federal government in connection with a known crime boss."
Garret looked over at Woody who has looking at Bernard but Garret could tell he really wasn't seeing him.
"To bring everyone up to speed, Detective Hoyt has been working with the FBI to gain access to criminal activities here at the local level. Unfortunately, the events of the day have left Detective Hoyt's life in jeopardy. That why we've been called in."
Garret raised his hand "I don't understand what this has to do with me. Why am I even here?"
"Ms Walcott has assured us that you can be trusted and frankly having access to the chief medical examiner will make this operation much more secure.
"Operation?"
"Yes, to provide Detective Hoyt a safe margin security and those around him until such time as a conviction can be reached on Kevin Cahill, we have decided to make appear that Detective Hoyt has been killed in an explosion."
"You're joking right?"
"I don't joke Dr. Macy. In the matter of a few hours Kevin Cahill and a few of his operatives are going to be round up. I believe I safely speak for Ms Walcott when I say the case is pretty damning with Detective Hoyt's testimony."
"I still don't understand why I'm here."
Bernard looked at his watch. "In exactly two hours a medical cadaver is arriving at Logan. We need someone local to sign the body out from the airline."
Garret realized that they planned to use this body as a decoy. As CME, Garret could also make sure that an autopsy was fixed. He stood and turned toward the door.
"This is absurd. No.... no, this absurd and unethical. I'm sorry but you're going to have to find someone else."
Woody spoke up for the first time. "Dr. Macy. If it were just me I'd say, screw it and take my chances. In a few hours they are going to know I was the plant anyway....But...but, I can't take the chance..."
"What he's trying to say Garret," Renee said from across the room, "is if Cahill knows Hoyt is alive and going to testify against him, the odds are he'll use threats against his friends and family to influence his testimony."
Garret read between the lines looking at the faces in the room. If Hoyt didn't "die" people could get hurt. The kid was bound to have family somewhere...then there was Jordan. Garret scrubbed a hand down his face. When everyone had written Hoyt off as a loss Jordan kept a thread of hope alive that he wasn't involved in this mess because he wanted to be. Garret would never forgive himself if she got mixed up in something that he could help prevent.
He was between a rock and the preverbal hard place. He had a feeling Abby would be eating alone that night.
"I'm going to need some help once this...this ...person is on the ground. And as for the autopsy..."
"All we need from you is to claim the body and show up at the scene as the local medical examiner. We've handled operations like this before Dr. Macy. Now if we can all take our seats again I would like to spell out the plan so that everyone is on the same page....Timing is going to be key...."
Garret listened to Deputy Bernard with half an ear. He felt like he just signed his soul over to the devil. Lines had been crossed and the only way to redraw them was to cross and few more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woody parked his car on the darkened street and let out a sigh of relief. The idea of driving around with a bomb under his car scared the shit of him. But Bernard assured him that it was fine. The only reason Woody even turned the key to start the car as that Bernard was sitting in the passenger seat.
Although.... he told himself...... he was a dead man anyway.
After Worthington's driver dropped him off at his office he made a quick dash out the door and drove directly to the Federal Building. Once there Tillman told him about Bernard. By the time Woody was debriefed, a chartered plane brought Bernard and his team to Boston.
Bernard didn't mix words. If Woody testified against Cahill as an eye witness to a murder he would have a price on his head. Even after trial he would be a target. He would be given a new name and set up in some... purgatory as far away from Boston as Uncle Sam could get him...He wouldn't be able to contact his family, his friends, or retain anything from his old life.
He had always thought about the witness protection program as some abstract thing. In a million years he never thought he would ever even have contact with the department let alone be the one placed in the system.
Bernard opened the car door to get out. He needed Hoyt to make a public appearance. He was not thrilled about Woody's choice of places but it would meet his requirements. Tillman had filled him in the bar named Pogue and its owner.
"I need you to go inside...make an appearance...talk to as many people as you can. The timeline needs to be set. I'm going to give you exactly fifteen minutes."
Woody couldn't make his feet move. Bernard shut the car door. He has been with the program for too many years to count. He could see the signs.
"Detective Hoyt, if it's any consolation I agree with you."
"About what? That it sucks that I have to give up everything that I've worked for...everything that meaning anything to me, just for doing my job....or that Cahill is only looking at sitting around with three squares, and that's IF he's convicted."
"I have placed dozens of ...people in the system, most of them would sell out their own mothers to stay alive. But there are the ones like yourself, which the program was intentionally developed for. Yes, it's unfortunate that eventually have to give up your career and your name, but because of your sacrifice a dangerous man will be incarcerated for a very long time."
Woody let out a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. Ignoring the outburst, Bernard opened the car door again and stepped out on the street talking into a walkie-talkie. He walked across the street and stood in a doorway.
Fifteen minutes. Woody had fifteen minutes to say goodbye to his old life. With a heavy heart Woody made his way inside the pub.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garret opened the manifest and compared with the body in the coffin that was wheeled into the airport cargo area.
"Your plan isn't going to work." he said to the two deputies flanking him. "This body is female."
"There won't be enough of it to determine the sex after the explosion. We just need the rescue team to verify that there was a fatality. You're job is to answer the call with your ME and stand back as we come in a sweep-up the scene."
"I didn't think that was the Marshal's office jurisdiction."
"It's not. For the sake of the operation the team will be identified as FBI. Deputy Bernard briefed you on this earlier Dr. Macy."
"I guess I missed that part when I was trying to figure out how I'm going to sleep at night until this whole thing is over."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Max was close to closing but a few patrons still mingled around. He looked up from wiping down the bar. A shadow fell over his face.
"You can turn around and walk straight out from where you came from. I'm closed."
"You still look open to me." Woody took a seat at the bar. "I've had a shitty day. Would it be too much to ask for a drink?"
Max pointed a finger at Woody's face and opened his mouth. Before he could say anything a voice from the back of the room spoke.
"Just give him a drink Dad. The sooner he drinks up the sooner he'll be gone."
Woody jumped when he heard Jordan's voice. He didn't see her parked out front and assumed she wasn't there. He stared at the bar top in front of him. He really didn't want to see her, not like this. Max slammed a glass down in front of him and splashed some liquor in the bottom of it. Woody noticed it was barely enough to cover the bottom of the glass. He looked at his watch he had thirteen minutes...
"Drink up and get your sorry ass out of here."
Woody took a deep breath. Jordan slipped into the seat next to him. He felt her more than saw her.
"Dad could you?" she asked never looking away from Woody's profile.
Max told her he would be around if she needed him. Woody lifted the drink to his mouth and threw it back. The next thirteen minutes were either going to be the longest or the shortest of his life.
Jordan reached out and touched his shelve. Her hand was warm. He could feel the heat on his cold skin through the layers of his clothes. When he turned to her it was all he could do to not beg her forgiveness for the cruel words, for the professional stresses, the risks his relationship with her and her father had placed them in. He wanted to apologize for ever having tried to make a home in Boston...
"This was a mistake." he said more to himself then to her.
She misunderstood his words and a slight smile crossed her face. "Yes, it was a mistake...it's not too late to get out Woody...I'll help you. We'll figure out a way to get out of this together."
He wanted to scream that it was too late. He wanted to take her hand and squeeze it telling it was all a lie He wanted to hold her close and bury his face in her hair forgetting the horrors of the day. He wanted to hear her tell him that the last few months were only a bad dream. He wanted to spend the rest of his life watching her smile....He wanted to cry but he didn't know if he could remember how.
Jordan watched the myriad of emotions cross his haggard face. Then his expressions died. The light in his eyes was gone. She let go of his arm.
"I'm sorry Jordan, but it's pointless." He stood and tossed some money on the bar. "Good bye."
Jordan watched him walk away his shoulders slumped like the weight of the world were on them. The finality of his words struck a cord in her. She jumped off the stool and followed him outside to confront him one more time. Max saw her leave and tagged on her heals. She had to get through to him. She ran to the top of the stairs only to see the tail lights of his car pull away. When she looked like she was going to go after him Max put an arm around her and led her back inside.
"Jordan honey, let him go. He's not worth it."
That was the problem, she thought. She was beginning to think maybe he was worth it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I kind of liked that car"
Bernard didn't look away from the blaze in front of him.
"You won't need it anymore Detective Hoyt. We need to be going."
Bernard waited until him had Hoyt safely tucked away in the vehicle that would take him to the safe house to call in the rest of his team. The bomb malfunctioned. They needed to be on top of the scene earlier than planned. He would still have to wait for Macy and his people to arrive and then they would clear the scene before the press could arrive. He hoped that Macy had a handle on his people. Tillman warned him about Hoyt's ties to the ME's office. Bernard knew it was going to be sloppy and he hated sloppy.
===============================================================
I know I'm pushing the envelope of believability...but it was fun to write!