Chapter 2

The bust went down just as Roger expected. The vice unit rolled up on most of the gang before the word got out. They were processing the scene using the lab people, who had managed to avoid being tainted by Roger's investigation, so the evidence was solid.

Mark had lied about the timing in order to keep the drug house raid a secret, even from Roger. Roger didn't mind.

"The word is out that you were Vice's secret weapon on that abandoned house," Hillary suggested.

"How did that happen," Roger asked.

"Mark put it in his request for a warrant," Hillary said with disapproval in her voice. "You should have told me of your suspicions."

"I told you something was wrong with the old lady's story, but you didn't want to hear it," Roger snapped. He might be leaving, but he would be damned if he went quietly, he thought

"I suppose it did sound that way to you. When you mentioned it to me, it was just a feeling you had. When you had the drug theory tied together with the house, you should have told me. I would have carried if forward, and I could have kept your name off the warrant. Mark used your past as leverage for the warrant." Hillary said. "And to cover his ass, if it went bad."

"Okay next time I will," Roger said. He most likely meant it. Mark could have left him hanging out to dry.

"Good, have you eaten," Hillary asked.

"Sure," Roger replied.

"What did you eat?" she asked.

"What is this?" Roger asked. "Like a dating profile?"

"You are too thin. You still look like a junkie," she said not all that kindly.

"Hillary it is none of your business, but I have only been out of rehab two weeks," Roger snapped. "I'm sorry, but I'm just tired of being reminded of my past. Some one is always bring it up somehow."

Hillery nodded because she didn't trust herself to speak. She walked back to her desk and began searching the file folders.

Roger obviously made her very uncomfortable. He felt it but didn't have any idea what to do about it. So he sat at the desk across from Hillary and began to read files.

His burner phone rang, "Hello," he said into it.

"Mark here, Everhart I'm sorry word is all over the station that you were the source of my information. I used you for the surveillance and the search warrant. I had to protect myself, since it was you." Mark said.

"Of course you did. God knows you couldn't trust me. Fuck you Mark." Roger knew his reaction was over the top even as he said it.

Hillary didn't raise her eyes even thought she must have heard. She continue to read her files. Suddenly out of the blue she said, "He was right you know. He was covering his ass. Everyone will do that, since you are a snitch and therefore not to be trusted. This whole department is an embarrassment to the whole damn state. You took down 22% of the department in that drug operation. It got so out of hand, not even your handlers will touch you now. You went to the DEA for your deal and didn't allow them the chance to cut their losses."

"I know all that, I was there remember. What's your point?" Roger asked.

"My point is they picked the wrong man for their undercover operations. It was a power struggle inside the department and they all lost. Roger no matter what they all say, you did the right thing." Hillary said with what passed as a smile from her.

"Yeah, I heard that a lot from the feds, but I still have to piss in a cup whenever they ask." Roger found that ironic, but he knew that it would help him stay clean.

The rehab program he had chosen wasn't one of those easy breezy celebrity warm and fussy things. It was one run by the military on a marine boot camp base. They had a drug problem bad enough to need a rehab for those soldiers worth saving. There were also DEA men coming out of deep cover. It was all very hush, hush and pretty damn harsh.

"He was forced to eat real food, even though he threw it up when he started to run. There were twenty of them in a group. Since they didn't exist they had no designation. The physical exercise was brutal on their wasted bodies, but only a couple gave up. Those were transferred to a civilian program based on the warm and fuzzy model.

Roger wanted to quit every time it came time for the run, or an exercise period. They had meetings that were psych evaluations every day as well. He was forced into mandatory counseling sessions. He resisted them at first but in the end he embraced the stress relief of meditation. He was trying to learn a new way of thinking that would require a radical change in his life style. In the end what he was trying to do was just survive the day without the crack pipe.

"You have been staring at the same page of that same file for five minutes, are you okay?" Hillary asked.

"Yes Ma'am. Just meditating," he replied. Roger had a uneasy feeling about Hillary. He didn't get any vibe from her and that was strange. Everyone had and aura, Hillary's was somehow just transparent as if it didn't exist. He had no idea what to make of her.

"If you aren't involved in anything else, let's go for a ride. We need to talk to a college kid," she said.

"That sounds like fun," Roger said. "What is the kid alleging?"

"Her statement suggests she was asked for sexual favors from an officer and when she refused he arrested her for driving while intoxicated. Her blood screen did show a high level of THC," Hillary advised.

"Is this a he said, she said?" Roger asked.

"We won't know till we interview everyone. I'm not sure the officer even knows he is being investigated." Hillary suggested.

Roger managed to get his stiff almost six foot frame from the too low office chair. Once on his feet he walked from the office to the unmarked car parked in the police parking lot. He hadn't been assigned a car because his driver's license had been revoked. It was for a drug arrest as part of building his cover story. He was awaiting a hearing by the department of motor vehicles.

Roger didn't mind all that much since Hillary was a good driver, but overly careful. He had purchased a fifty cc motor scooter to get around town while he waited. It was a mother when it rained, but that's what his taxi fund was for. He couldn't exactly call a fellow officer for a ride.

They found the college student at her family home. Hillary had called to set the interview, so she had her mother seated with her.

"I hope you don't mind my mother being here. She insisted that she be here," Alice informed them.

"Actually, we prefer it," Hillary said. "Let's start with the facts that we all can agree on, shall we. First of all Officer Gomez made a traffic stop on you the night of June 17th of this year, is that correct?" Hillary asked.

"Yes, I was on my way home from my fiends house," Alice volunteered.

"Would you give me her name please for the record," Hillary asked.

"Do I have to," Alice asked.

"I'm afraid so. If this goes to trial the lawyers will ask why we didn't do a thorough investigation," Hillary said.

"Tell her honey," the mother said.

Alice gave Hillary a name and address. She was beginning to look worried. Roger saw her aura go from yellow to red. He couldn't really see if of course but he could feel that she was lying, maybe about the friend.

"You and your friend were smoking pot," Hillary asked.

"It is legal to smoke Marijuana," the mother said.

"Of course it is, but it is also an intoxicant under the law. It's just a matter of how much your daughter smoked. It might be legal to use but it not legal to drive an automobile under the influence of even a legal drug." Hillary said. "So how much weed did you smoke?"

"Yes we shared a joint," Alice said.

"Just one?" Hillary asked the disbelief heavy in her voice.

"Is this about the officer's inappropriate conduct or the DUI charge. If you are investigating my daughter I think she should have a lawyer." The girl's mother said.

"Do you feel you need a lawyer Alice?" Hillary made it sound as though if she got a lawyer she was guilty of the DUI and of lying about the officer. Even though in theory one charge had nothing to do with the other. Except she implied he would not have charged her, if she had gone along.

"Well mom said even innocent people need lawyers," Alice replied and her mother nodded her head.

Before you ask for a lawyer let me ask you one questions. Do you feel that you were under the influence of THC?" Hillary asked.

"Now my daughter does need a lawyer," The woman with Alice suggested.

"You want to stop for a milk shake," Hillary asked.

"No thanks Hillary, I'm trying to stay fit," Roger said. "You know Alice is guilty of the DUI. I'm sure she is trying to work a deal."

"Maybe, but being guilty of DUI does not mean the incident didn't happen just like she said." Hillary answered. "The truth is we don't know what her version is since nobody would admit to drunken flirting in front of her mother."