A Fresh Start
Chapter One Hundred Forty Five
Ralph drives over to the south side of Springfield. When the city started to clean up 5th street, the hookers and pimps moved to the south side of Springfield. The Springfield Police Department has been trying to clean the area up since then. Ralph cruises down the street looking for a lady he can used to work off the adrenaline from his meeting with Jeffrey. About halfway down the street, he spots a woman, leaning against a post. He slows down and then pulls over and rolls his window down. They woman stands up and walks over to him. Leaning in she says. "Hey baby, you looking for a good time."
"Maybe, how much?"
"What you got?"
"How much for the night?"
"Three hundred."
Ralph nods, opening the door. The woman gets in. Closing the door she turns to Ralph and says. "I need the money up front?"
Ralph pulls out his wallet and pulls out three hundred in cash, handing it to the woman. She takes the money and reaches around to her back pocket. Putting the money away, she pulls out a pair of handcuffs out, snapping them around his wrists. "What the hell?"
"You're under arrest for solicitation." The woman says, pulling out her badge.
"You bitch." Ralph says.
"No, that's Detective Bitch to you." She says, reaching over and turning the car off after putting it in park. She gets out of the car as a man walks up.
"You've got another one, Detective Martin." The man says.
"Yes, and charge this one with disturbing the peace as well."
"Disturbing the peace?" The man asks.
"He called me a bitch, that's disturbs my peace of mind." Detective Martin says, walking away as the other detective chuckles.
He walks around the car and opens the door. "Come on." The man says, helping Ralph from the care. "You have the right…."
"…that bitch trapped me." Ralph says, jerking his arm out of the man's hold.
"…anything you say can and will…." The man says, reaching for his arm and holding it tighter.
"…you can't do this, it's…."
"…be used against you. You have the right…."
"…this is entrapment…."
"…to have an attorney present during questioning…."
"…I'll have all of your asses, let me…." Ralph says, pulling his arm free again.
"…if you can not afford…."
"…you've both fucked up…." Ralph says, as the man leads him away from his car.
"…an attorney, one will be…."
"…you can't arrest me, I ain't…."
"…appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as I have explained them?" Detective Persell asks, turning Ralph to where he can see him.
"Come on man, I ain't done anything. She flagged me down and asked me for a good time."
"Do you understand…?"
"Come on man, she asked me for a…."
"Do you understand these rights as I've explained them?" Detective Persell asks opening the squad car door as Detective Martin walks up.
"Did you read him his rights?" She asks.
"Yes, but he won't answer."
She walks up to Ralph. "Do you understand your rights as they were explained?"
"Fuck you, bitch?" Ralph says, looking at Detective Martin.
"See, that was the wrong answer because it just added more charges. Disturbing the peace and verbal abuse towards an officer of the law, so answer the question and answer it respectfully, because if you don't I'll find other charges to put against you."
"Fine, yes, I understand the rights." Ralph says, still looking defiant.
"Good." Turning to Detective Persell, she asks. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, the words out and every one's gone inside. We're not going to get anymore today." He says, putting Ralph in the backseat and opening the car door and getting in as Detective Martin walks around the car and opens the door, getting in.
Jeffrey and Sam both fell asleep and slept for about two hours before Sam woke up to someone ringing the doorbell. Jeffrey didn't wake up until she pulls away from him and he reaches to stop her. "What's wrong?" He mumbles.
"Someone is downstairs." Sam says, getting out of bed as Jeffrey moves to sit up. "Stay here and I'll see who it is." She says, walking out of the room as he lays back. She's walking towards the door when the doorbell rings again. "I'm coming." She calls. A few moments later, she opens the door. "Hi, Frank." She says when she sees who's on the other side.
"I'm sorry. I got here as soon as I could."
"It's okay. We were sleeping, but come in."
"I woke you up, I'm sorry." He says walking in as Jeffrey comes down the stairs. "Hello, Jeffrey." He says, as Sam looks back over her shoulder as she closes the door.
"You're not supposed to be moving around. Your ribs are broken and if one…."
"I'm fine." Jeffrey says, walking slowly over to the couch.
"And movement could cause a punctured lung, or worse."
"Frank, thank you for coming by." Jeffrey says, sitting down on the couch and ignoring Sam's comment.
""You're welcome, I'm sorry it took so long for me to get here."
"It's okay. Did you speak to the boys parents?"
"Yes."
"They understand that no charges will come from the accident."
"Yes."
"Good." Jeffrey says, as Frank sits down.
"So, you wanted to talk to me about something." Franks says, as Jeffrey settles back and Sam sits down beside him.
"Yes." Jeffrey says. "I need you to pick someone up for questioning.
"Why?"
"I suspect that he might have had something to do with a break in, in DC."
"I don't understand. Why would you think this person had something to do with a break in, in DC and how would you know about a break in that happened there."
"A couple weeks before Sam moved to Springfield. Her apartment was broken into and ransacked. The Reston police was called along with our agency. I flew out the night it happened with Reva. The next morning she was able to give us a brief description of the man responsible for the break in. That description matches this person and he's here in Springfield."
"What was the description?"
"She told us that the man was short, blonde and had a scar along his right cheek." Sam says.
"That description can match several people in Springfield."
"I realize that, but the man is here and Sam saw him in DC as well around the time that the break in happened." Jeffrey says.
"I saw a man's profile. I don't know that it was the man that came to see you today."
"He came to see you today?" Frank asks, looking at Jeffrey.
"Yes, he's the ex husband of my assistant Stacey. He wanted me to help him get her back, at least that's what he told me this afternoon. I've seen him a few times around town beside today. He was at City hall one evening after we left work and I ran into in the park one evening when I was running."
"So, he came to you to ask you to help him get her back?"
"Yes."
"Why would he want you to help him get her back?"
"I don't know. I'm not even sure if that is the truth. But I want to find out if he was in DC and if he was, what he was doing there because Stacey implied that evening that he was waiting for her that he has been in some sort of trouble and he maybe on parole."
"Is there any other reason beside the fact that he matches the description that Reva gave you that believe he may be tied to the break in? And what is this mans name?"
"When the agency went through Sam's apartment after the break in they recovered two pieces of glass with blood on them. Reva also said that the maintenance man was coerced into opening apartment for the suspect. Agents questioned him and he confirmed that story and assured us that he would be able to identify the man that approached him."
"What's this man's name?"
"It's Ralph Schultz. Can you question him about DC?"
"I can ask him some questions, but I can't bring him in."
"Okay." Jeffrey says, as Frank gets up."
Jeffrey starts to get up and Sam says, getting up. "I'll walk you out."
"I look into this and I'll call you."
"Thank you." Jeffrey says. Frank walks toward the door with Sam following him. She opens the door and steps back so that Frank can leave. As he walks out, Ava walks up.
"Hello, Frank." She says, as he walks out."
"Hi, Ava." He says, walking past her.
Ava walks in with Jeffrey's guitar and Sam closes the door behind her. "I brought the guitar. How's he doing?" She asks, walking towards the living room.
"He's doing fine." Jeffrey says.
"He says, he's fine, but he hasn't had any medication since this morning and he won't lie down and be still."
"I did to lay down. And I just took some of the pain medication when Frank left. I can't help if someone came to the door and I had to answer the door and then I laid down with you."
"After you climbed the stairs to our room." Sam says, looking at him while Ava watches them.
"Is this what he was line when he was in DC after Belfast?" Ava asks.
"Worse, he complained all the time."
"I wasn't that bad then or now." Jeffrey says, looking at Sam.
"You didn't have to live with you." Sam says, leaning over to kiss him.
"You loved me then and you love me now."
"Yes, I do." Sam says, smiling at him.
"Okay, I'm going to go before you forget I'm here and do something I don't want to see." Ava says, teasing them.
"I doubt that. Was Billy okay about you being late." Jeffrey asks.
"He was fine. He has me looking at projects that he thinks would want Lewis to help with the interior design on their projects."
"So he was serious about that."
"It would appear so."
"Good, you did a great job on my office." Sam says.
"Thank you."
"It's hard to believe you finished that in two weeks."
"Umm, the decorating was done over this past weekend." Ava says.
"You decorated my whole office in one weekend."
"Yes, with help from a few people, one of them being Rick."
"Rick Bauer, I don't understand."
"He helped get the medical supplies for us Friday afternoon. Have you thought about the upstairs? How you're going to decorate it?"
"Not today, but I've been going through magazines and picking out some stuff. Would Billy let you finish the house with me?" Sam asks,
"I'm sure he would. I can get started for you while you take care of him."
"I don't need to be taken care of." Jeffrey says.
"You won't stay still now." Sam says, looking at him as she gets up. She goes over to one of the bookshelves. Pulling out a folder she walks back to the couch. "Here are some of the things I pulled out of the magazines. I want the upstairs to be warm and inviting."
"We're not doing country." Jeffrey says.
"You can have warm and inviting without being country and you married a country girl." Sam says, opening the folder and then closing it. "Why don't we look at this at the table so he can lay down?"
"I'm fine." Jeffrey says.
"You're tired and you're hurting and don't try to tell me different." Sam says, getting up with Ava laughing as she follows.
"You're not funny." Jeffrey says, looking at her. "Can you turn the TV on?" He asks, Ava picks up the remote and hands it to him, kissing the top of his head. He turns the TV on as they walk over to the table
Frank walks into the police station about ten minutes later. He notices several of the vice officers are in the station as he walks in. "Detective Martin." He says, walking up to her''
"Yes sir." She says, turning to him.
"Did you have another sting?"
"Yes sir."
"How many did you pick up this time?"
"Around a hundred and fifty between the two stings." She says, handing him the list.
"That many and it's not even after sundown yet."
"It would have been more if both stings were done at night." She says, as Frank looks over the list.
When he gets to the end of the list he recognizes on of the names. "You arrested a Ralph Schultz?" Frank asks.
"Yes sir, he was our last arrest."
"He's charged with more than solicitation." Frank says, looking over the charges.
"Yes, he's been talking out his … since we picked him up."
"Can you point him out to me?"
"Sure." Detective Martin says, as Frank hands her the list. She leads him back to one of the holding cells. "He's the one over in the corner." She says, nodding towards the right corner of the cell.
"Could you bring him up to interrogation? I want to question him."
"Yes sir."
Frank walks way as Detective Martin turns to the cell. "Schultz, come here." She says, taking out her cuffs.
"What for?" Ralph asks, walking towards her.
"Put your hands though the hole." She orders. He puts his hands though and she puts the cuffs on him. "Step back." She orders. He steps back and she unlocks the cell. "Come out and wait there." She says, pointing beside her. She locks the cell and then takes his arm as she puts her keys in her pocket.
"Where are you taking me?" Ralph asks.
'Upstairs."
"You're releasing…."
"No." She says, leading him upstairs.
"This is harassment and entrapment." Ralph says, as Detective Martin leads him into one of the interrogation rooms.
"Wait here." She says, closing the door after she helps him sit down.
Ten minutes alter, Frank opens the door and Ralph looks up. "What do you want? Are you going to let me go or not?"
"No, you're not getting released I have some questions I want to ask you." Frank says, sitting down across from him.
"You going to ask me how you office entrapped me."
"No, I've listen to the audio tape of you arrest, very classic stuff Mr. Schultz. I've got question about another matter."
"What do you want to question me about, this is a case of entrapment plain…."
"I told you this has nothing to do with your arrest. You went to see Mayor O'Neill this afternoon, is that correct?"
"Is that a crime?"
"Just answer the question yes or no."
"Yes, I went to see the mayor."
"At his home?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I wanted to talk to him."
"And you couldn't talk to him at City hall?"
"No."
"Why?"
"It's personal."
"Does this matter have to do with his assistant and your ex-wife?"
Ralph stares at Frank for a few moments. "It was a personal matter, but yes I did want to speak to him about my ex wife."
"Why?"
"You've already spoken to him so I'm sure he's already told you about our conversation."
"Moving on, since you were releases have you been out of the state."
"No."
"You haven't been anywhere out of the state since your release."
"No."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes, why?"
"As you know, Mrs. O'Neill saw you leave their building this afternoon."
"I wasn't trying to hide it."
"She also states that she believes she also saw you in DC early this summer, shortly after her apartment was broken into."
"I don't know anything about that."
"So you've never been to DC?"
"No."
"Okay." Frank says, getting up.
"You'll be arraigned tomorrow morning." Frank says, opening the door and walks out. He closes the door. He stands outside the room, thinking. From the body language that Ralph had given him when he asked about the visit this afternoon and then about DC, he was inclined to believe there was more to what was going on.
Frank walks over to his desk. Sitting down, he picks up the phone and dials Jeffrey's number. Jeffrey reaches for the phone. Sam and Ava are still at the table going over the options for the house as Jeffrey answers the call on the third ring. "Hello." He says, turning the volume down on the TV.
"Jeffrey, its Frank."
"What's going on?"
"I just spoke with Mr. Schultz."
"So soon." Jeffrey says, sitting up.
"He was at the station when I got back. He was arrested on different charges."
"Did you question him?"
"Yes, that's why I'm calling. I think you're right about today's visit being about something else and that's why I want to talk to Sam."
"Umm, okay." Jeffrey says, turning towards Sam and Ava. "Beca, Frank wants to talk to you."
"Okay." She says, putting the page down and walking over to Jeffrey She takes the phone. "Hello, Frank."
"Sam, I'm sorry to bother you."
"It's okay. What's going on?" She asks, sitting down beside Jeffrey.
"When I came back to the station from speaking to you and Jeffrey, Mr. Schultz was at the station. He was under arrest for another offense. I was able to question him about being in DC when your apartment was broken into."
"What did he say?" Sam asks, as Jeffrey gets up and goes into the bathroom.
"He denied being there but his body language says that's he's lying. That's why I'm calling I want you to come down to the station and do a line up."
"A line up, I only saw his profile."
"I understand that, but would you recognize what you saw if you saw it again?"
"Probably."
"If you're able to identify him then we'll have reason to continue to investigate since he is a convicted felon on parole. He's not supposed to leave the state without his parole officer's permission. And if he was in DC, I doubt he had it."
"If you think it will help I can come down."
"Good, could you come down tonight?"
"Yes, I'll be down in a few minutes."
"Thank you." Sam hangs up as Jeffrey comes back.
"What did he want?"
"He wants me to come down to the station for a line up."
"A line up, why?"
"He wants to see if I can recognize Mr. Schultz from what I saw that night in DC. If I can then he will continue to investigate," Sam says, standing up.
"Okay." Jeffrey says, as Sam turns to Ava.
"Can we finish going over this stuff when I get back?" Sam asks.
"Sure." Ava says, as Sam walks towards the table by the door.
"Where are you going?" Jeffrey asks
"To the police station."
"He wants you to come down now?"
"Yes." She says, picking up purse as he walks towards her. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going with you?"
"No, you're not." Sam says, walking over to him.
"You're not doing this alone."
"I'll be fine…." Jeffrey starts to interrupt her. "…and you're not supposed to be moving around, why do I have to keep reminding you of that?"
"You don't need do this by yourself."
She takes his hand. "If you were healed I would want you to go with me, but you're not so I can handle this. He won't be able to see me. Frank will be right there and I'm a Federal agent. I can handle this."
"Can't you do this when I can go with you?"
"They have him in custody now on other charges. If we wait he'll be released and if he was in DC…."
"Alright, I don't like you going by yourself, but alright, go." He says, as she leans in, kissing him.
"I'll be fine." She says, stepping back.
"And I'll stay until you get back." Ava says, walking over to them."
"I don't need a babysitter." Jeffrey says.
"Obviously you do, because you haven't laid down for more than a few hours since we got home. And while I'm out, I'll pick up some pizza if you will lay down on the couch and stay there." Sam says.
"Pizza makes you sick."
"If I can handle lasagna, I can handle pizza." Sam says, turning for the door.
Jeffrey reaches for her hand, stopping her. "Call me when you leave the station."
"I will." She says, kissing him quickly before leaving with him watching her.
When Frank hangs up from talking to Sam, he goes back into the interrogation room. "What's going on?"
"I have more questions for you. And I have a witness coming in to do a line up.
"A line up, why are you having a line up? I haven't done anything?"
"I have a witness that says they saw you in DC. If she's identifies you then we will have to speak to your parole officer and look further into why were there, Mr. Schultz." Frank says, watching him, noticing his breathing increase as he looks away. "Is there a problem, Mr. Schultz?"
"No, but I would like to speak to my attorney."
"Of course, but if you were never in DC, why do you need an attorney?"
"I'm not saying anything else until I have my attorney present." Frank gets up to leave. Opening the door, he stops one of the officers. "Let him make a phone call and then take him back into interrogation." Frank says to the officer.
"Yes sir."
Frank walks away as the officer leads Ralph over to a phone. When he's finished with the call the officer leads him back to the interrogation room, closing the door as he leaves."
Ten minutes later, Sam walks into the police station. She walks up to the desk Sergeants desk and is about to ask for Frank when he walks up. "Sam." He says, as she turns around. "Thank you for coming down."
"You're welcome."
"I now you would rather be home with Jeffrey, especially right now."
"It's okay, but can we get this done."
"We'll be able to proceed as soon as Mr. Schultz's attorney arrives."
"Okay."
"If you want to wait in my office."
"Thank you." Sam says, as Franks turns away and Sam follows him. "Did he say anything when you questioned him?"
"No, except that he denies being in DC."
"So why is he requesting an attorney?"
"Because I told him that we were going to do a line up to see what his reaction would be and he reacted as I expected him to." Frank says, walking into his office. "Please have a seat."
"Thank you."
"I'm surprised that Jeffrey didn't insist on coming with you."
"He wanted to, but I insisted that he stay home."
"He loves you a lot. I wish I could find someone."
"You never know when you'll find love. I thought I lost Jeffrey and that we would never be together again."
"I tell myself that everyday, but then I see you and Jeffrey, Gus and Harley and Richard and Cassie and I'll be honest I'm just a little bit jealous."
"You've got to have faith."
"It's hard to have faith when you go home to an empty house, empty bed and a pillow."
"I can understand that." Sam says, as one of the officers knocks on his door.
"Yes."
"Sir, Mr. Schultz's lawyer is here."
"Alright, show him to the viewing room and we'll be there in a moment. Also take Mr. Schultz and several prisoners similar to him into the holding room next to the viewing room."
"Yes sir."
The officer leaves as Frank turns to Sam. "I'll take you into the viewing room. The mirror is one way so none of the prisoners will be able to see you."
"Okay."
"I want you to take your time when you're in there. There's no pressure so relax and if you recognize the man in DC, then let me know." Frank says, as Sam nods. He opens the door, holding it for her. They walk out and he closes his office door behind them. They walk through the station and when they reach the viewing room. Frank opens the door, holding it open for her as well. There is a man, standing close to the window when they walk in. "Mr. Miller." Frank says, going over to him.
"Why are we here?" Mr. Miller asks, glancing at Sam.
"As you know you're client is currently on parole."
"Has he broken his parole?"
"I don't know."
"So, my client called me down here for what reason, since I was not able to speak to him."
"I have reason to believe that your client left the jurisdiction and if this witness can identify him, then he's in violation of his parole and we have cause to hold him for more than the solicitation charge he was brought in on and we will have to notify his parole officer of said violation and investigate why he left the jurisdiction and thus breaking his parole."
"So, you're doing this because you believe my client left the state without permission and that assumption is based on this witness's statement."
"Yes." Frank says, walking over to the intercom by the window, holding down the button, he says. "You can bring them in." He releases the button and steps back.
A door opens and the officer leads in eight men, one of them resemble some aspect of Mr. Schultz. Sam steps up to the mirror. After a few moments, she asks. "Can you have them turn to their right?"
Frank reaches for the intercom, pushing the button, he says. "Please turn to your right." All of the men turn to their right, showing Sam their left profile.
Sam takes a few more seconds, looking at each man until she reaches Mr. Schultz. "It's number four. That's the man I saw in DC." She says, looking at Frank.
"You're sure?" Frank asks, stepping up to her.
"Yes, I'm positive. He's the man I saw in DC."
"Thank you." Frank turns to Mr. Miller "You need to speak to your client." He says, reaching for the intercom. "You can take them out." He releases the button and then turns to Sam. "We'll wait here for a few minutes."
"Okay."
Mr. Miller leaves, followed by Frank and Sam about five minutes later. Frank walks her out and then turns to her. "Thank you for coming down."
"You're welcome, what happens now?"
"We do some more investigating. Tell Jeffrey that I'll contact him when I've learned more. Do you know the name of the Detective investigating the break in?"
"No, but if you will call Noah Chase, he would be able to give you that information."
"Do you know his number?"
"It's 489-894-0434. That's his desk line."
"Okay, thank you."
"You're welcome." Sam says, shaking his hand
"Go home and take care of him."
"I will." Sam says, smiling. She leaves as Frank goes back inside.