Chapter 3
Lieutenant Crook opened the locker and started to search the contents. He systematically removed everything, checking for anything hidden. Checking the empty locker, he noticed the floor looked strange. Rapping his knuckles against the metal, it sounded hollow. After a closer look, he lifted the disguised false bottom.
" My god!" He gasped seeing the small collection of items
"Bag these up and take them into evidence. We need to check each item off against the list of stolen items from the precinct," he asked, not believing what he had found hidden.
"Yes, Sir,"
The news that Captain McNichols had detained Eddie had spread around the 29th like wildfire. Fellow platoon mates who were still in the precinct mulled around. The female locker room had been placed out of bounds while they conducted a locker search. Her fellow platoon mates couldn't believe the rumours about Eddie Reagan (Nee Janko). Her character was beyond reproach. Each platoon member had her back, and she had theirs.
"That's my gold chain!" Announced a shocked voice
Lieutenant Crook walked out of the female's locker room with five evidence bags. Stunned gasps were heard as they realised each evidence bag contained stolen property stolen from their lockers.
"Officer Lockheart, come with me and identify your stolen property. Sergeant Davies check these items against the list of stolen property from the precinct." Instructed Lieutenant Crook. "Everyone back to work,"
BB
Jamie had to sit down as he watched his wife snorting cocaine on the camera footage.
"No, that's not my wife; she wouldn't…." Jamie was at a loss for words as he watched these unbelievable scenes.
"This must be a prank, that can't be… my wife does not snort illicit substances," Jamie uttered his mind in turmoil.
Captain McNichols watched as his denial evaporated away, the realisation enveloping him. His shoulders slumped, and his head dropped. Reading the message she had just received from Lieutenant Crook broke her heart.
" We have just recovered stolen property from Officer Reagan's locker. She had them hidden under a false bottom. Her drug swab has come back positive for cocaine. I have no option but to hand her over to internal affairs." She sighed
"Can I see her?" Whispered a shocked voice
"No, You know I can't, Sergeant. It's against the rules, you know that,"
Jamie nodded his head in acknowledgement. For the first time in his life, Jameson Reagan felt betrayed. Edit: Marie Reagan, his soul mate, had betrayed him, his heart shattered, and there was no forgiveness after this.
"Go home, Sergeant Reagan." Ordered his CO
"IAB is here, captain," Announced Lieutenant Crook from the door.
BB
Sid burst into the commissioner's office without even knocking. Frank looked up in irritation at the unannounced interruption.
"Come in, by all means, Lieutenant Gormly."
Garrett and Baker walked in, needing clarification and wondering about the urgency.
" Sir, an officer at the 29th Precinct was caught on camera snorting cocaine. The CO detained her, and her locker was searched. They found stolen items hidden under a false floor. All items had been reported stolen from the precinct lockers." Sid paused to catch his breath.
"Why the urgency, Lieutenant? We have procedures to deal with this," Asked an annoyed commissioner.
" Officer Edit Marie Reagan, Caught on camera snorting cocaine in the precinct and possession of stolen property," Sid dropped his bombshell.
Baker gasped at the revelation that she liked the commissioner's daughter-in-law; Garrett instantly started in damage control mode, the daughter-in-law of the police commissioner on film doing drugs and found with stolen property of fellow officers. This was a P.R. nightmare. There was no way this could be contained within the NYPD. News this sensational was like gold dust.
"Where is Officer Reagan?" Asked the commissioner
"On the way here to be questioned by IAB. They arrested her at the precinct." Sid answered, "Sergeant Reagan is aware of the situation,"
" Frank, we need to get ahead of this; you need to make a statement. I know you like to separate yourself from family, but this requires your immediate response. The daughter-in-law of the commissioner snorting cocaine in uniform while at work and also stealing from fellow police officers," Garrett paused as his mind made a shocking connection. "Do we know how long she has been using?" He asked, hoping his assumption was wrong
Sid shook his head. " No, IAB will take a sample of her hair for testing. The lab will be able to provide a detailed report of her drug usage over six months. I have asked the lab to make it a priority. The report will take two days," Answered Sid
Frank looked calm to his inner circle; inside, he had been stunned. He was in shock. He recalled the last time he had seen Eddie, three weeks, and she had missed the previous few family dinners. He tried to recollect the reason she had given.
'Not feeling well' or 'extra shift'
He had treated her to lunch at Salducci's, and it had been a pleasant few hours of talking. He couldn't recall any sign that Eddie was acting strangely.
'Nope, nothing to indicate she was in trouble or using drugs'
"Frank?" Asked his DCPI, trying to get his attention.
"Sorry, Garrett, write a press release for me with the basics. I don't want to confirm anything until we have all the facts. Sid tell Chief Taylor at Internal Affairs I want this done by the book. She gets no favouritism because she is my daughter-in-law." He answered
"Do you want to…" Sid is interrupted by Frank raising his hand
"No, I can't be seen interfering. I have to distance myself from this." Sighed Frank
"Copy That,"
BB
Eddie didn't like the interrogation room. The internal affairs bureau room was so clinical, different from what she was used to at the 29th. It was so modern, with no two-way mirror; high-definition cameras had replaced it.
"Officer Reagan, I am Captain Paula Myers, and this is Sargeant David Peckman. We will be conducting your interview. Can you confirm you have been read your rights?" Asked Captain Myers
Eddie nodded her head to confirm she had. "I need you to answer my question verbally, Officer Reagan," Warned Sargeant Peckman.
"Yes! Sargeant, I have been advised of my rights." She replied
"Do you consent to provide a sample of your hair for us to conduct a hair follicle drug test?" Captain Myers asked
Eddie sighed as she answered, "You already have a warrant. Why don't you cut the crap? I don't have a choice, do I?"
"No,"
The crime scene technician entered the room quickly, taking two long strands of Eddie's hair and sealing them in separate bags. The technician was far from gentle when extracting her samples. Her departure from the 29th had been contentious. Her platoon mates had made their opinions of her very clear.
"We searched your Porsche Boxster that you parked outside the 29th precinct. We found these items hidden behind the lining of your trunk." Five evidence bags were placed on the table in front of her. " All these items have been reported stolen from the lockers of your fellow officers at the 29th. Did you take these items from your colleague's lockers?" Asked the Captain
While choosing to stay silent, Eddie fixed her eyes on her two interrogators.
"Oh, I see. If you didn't take them, it must be Sargeant Jameson Reagan. It looks like we will have to bring him in for questioning. No one else has access to your car besides your husband.?" Smiled Sargeant Peckman, having backed her into a corner
"I took them," Eddie answered quietly.
"I am sorry, Officer Reagan. Can you speak up?"
"I took the items hidden in my locker and car from the lockers at the 29th, Jamie. Sorry, Sargeant Reagan did not know what I was doing," she repeated louder.
"Are you responsible for taking all these reported stolen from the 29th precinct?" Captain Myers asked, handing over a list of stolen items from the precinct
"Yes," she answered, not needing to read the list.
"What did you do with the other items you stole?" Asked Sargeant Peckman, already having an idea
" I sold them for the money," she answered,
"You needed the cash to keep your drug habit from your husband. You couldn't always have access to confiscated drugs. Things have been tightened up too much since the Blue Templar debacle. From what I know about your husband, being a Harvard graduate, he is very hands-on with your finances. He even has an app on your phone with available funds. " Smirked Sargeant Peckman, sliding over her bagged cell phone. He had heard on the rumour mill how anally retentive the man could be. "Must be hard having such a controlling husband and living a double life?" He asked, trying to get a rise out of her
"How long have you been using Officer Reagan? You might as well tell us that we will know everything in two days when we get the results from your hair sample. Six months of what you have been taking, you know how accurate these tests are, and we will know everything.
Eddie knew they already had her on petit larceny, a misdemeanour with an attached jail time. Her standing as a police officer and daughter-in-law of the commissioner made it more likely they would try to charge her with Grand Larceny.
" Around ten months," She admitted; her hair sample would confirm this fact.
BB
Sitting at his desk in his anti-office, Commissioner Frank Reagan gasped; he was watching the interrogation room feed on his wall-mounted plasma.
' Around ten months,'
"Jamie," sighed Frank.
He loved Eddie, and She had been welcomed into the family. He didn't recognise the woman he was watching being interviewed by his officers. She had betrayed everything the Reagan family stood for. He turned off the plasma, having witnessed enough.
'Family meeting tonight at 18:00 mandatory attendance, no exceptions.'
He sent the text message, tossing his phone onto his desk. He had to think how he was going to help his youngest son.
BB
"Did you steal confiscated drugs from the evidence locker?"
"No, I made sure I always bagged any drugs we found during our arrests. I allowed my partner, Officer Badillo, to take the collar; I miscounted the quantity, so when Badillo double-checked, he thought everything was present and correct. He was oblivious to what I was doing under his nose. I had to buy it when I couldn't get it from confiscating it." Eddie explained
"Officer Badillo, yes, he has been modified while we look into him; I find it hard to believe a seasoned officer could be so easily duped." Smirked Captain Myers
"Badillo knew nothing, and I played on his hate of form-filling," answered Eddie. Both officers noticed the slight tremor in her voice.
"Excuse us, Officer Reagan, if we don't believe you." She answered.
"Officer Reagan, we have you on 20 counts of petit larceny, Tampering with Evidence and misconduct in public office so far. We are in discussion with the district attorney about the drugs, and she is pondering a conspiracy to supply charge. You are looking at some serious time behind bars, Officer Reagan." Captain Myers smugly explained
"I think I would like to call my attorney now," Eddie asked.