Chapter 106

I let them lead me away in cuff while they booked my weapons into evidence. I was printed which was a lot less messy than I remember it. I just had my fingers scanned. Then I sat in a holding cell in my own clothes for a few hours. I sure hoped they didn't think that bothered me any.

A plain clothes detective entered the cell. I expected that he was SBI. but I really didn't know for sure. Well I didn't know until he said, "My name is Wade Jordan."

"You are a tall black man named Jordan, I have to ask. Are you any kin to the ball player?" I asked.

"No but I'm pretty good at the pickup games in Capitol City." he said.

"That is very good," I replied.

"Would you like to waive your right to an attorney?' he asked.

"Afraid not," I replied.

"So how about we chat off the record and with nothing you say being used against you?" he asked.

"You do realize how dangerous that is for both of us," I said.

"I hear you are an adrenalin junkie. A little danger should fascinate you," he suggested.

"You know the last time you guys came after me it didn't end well for you," I said.

"Oh we aren't after you this time. Ahmad swore that you assaulted him," Wade said.

"I see. Since this is just a chat, exactly what were his injury claims," I asked.

"It was more of a verbal threat according to Ahmed," Wade suggested.

"And where exactly did this threat happen?" I asked.

"According to his statement, Ahmed went to your office to ask you to be reasonable about his nephew, who you claim is the perpetrator of a hit and run," Wade said.

"And you don't see that is a motive for him to lie," I asked.

"Sylvia those issues are for lawyers, you know?" he asked.

"So we have Ahmed coming to my office to ask me. Asking me to be reasonable about his nephew and for no reason whatsoever I am supposed to have threatened him. Well in my opinion that is a clear cultural misunderstanding. My partner Wilson was there at the time. I think I will wait for Rita, the attorney in my last case against the state, and the justice department for malicious prosecution, to get here."

"Yes we heard. That's why we waited till someone had the courage to file a complaint," he said.

"I see, I wonder what Mr. Ramadamadingdong will say when he is facing a lawsuit for false arrest. Will he say how he was pressured to file those charges.

When the young woman, who almost died, tells how I saved her life. I did it by taking off my tee shirt and stuffing it into her chest wound. I wonder how the jury will react to the uncle of the man, who almost killed her coming to my office to threaten me. Of course they probably will understand, why he would come to my office and try to intimidate me.

When the intimidation didn't work, he cried foul. How could a mere woman dare to get involved. What percentage of jurors are women these days?" I asked. "I think I am through talking till my lawyer get's here."

"He says it is a race thing. I think your time in Afghanistan will come into it," the agent said.

"I have nothing more to say," I said.

I went back to my holding cell and waited for Rita. I figured she would be about three more hours minimum. It was after noon before they took me back to the interview room. That made it twelve plus hours since my arrest.

"Sorry, I had to wait till the bank opened to take care of some things," Rita said.

"Checked my credit did you," I asked with a laugh.

"You know better. They should be dropping the charges about now." she said.

"I don't think so this time," I said.

"I think you are wrong," Rita said with a smile. She put her finger to her mouth the universal signal for silence.

"Breakfast was crap do you think I could at least get a cup of coffee while we wait?" I asked.

We waited another twenty minutes or so, before the SBI agent came in to release me. "Don't leave town," Wade said.

"There is no were else I would rather be," I said.

"What the fuck happened?" I asked Rita when we were on the steps of the courthouse.

"I asked for an immediate arraignment. It seems the state can't find Ahmed. He got a call from the Immigration and Naturalization Service last night. That agency asked him some question and made some statement which led Ahmed, who is here illegally, to decide he needed to relocate quickly. It was hinted that his name was found on a terrorist watch list. The INS would have an agent by his house this afternoon to discuss all this, as well as his nephew's actions during and after the accident," Rita explained.

"You have been hanging around with the wrong people again," I said.

"Or the right ones for a change," she said smiling. "You owe me a thousand dollars, by the way."

"Is that what you are going to charge me for driving down here?" I asked.

"That and working on your real estate acquisition," she said.

"I think I should get a lawyer down here," I said.

"Funny you should mention that. Being your lawyer is a cottage industry. I hardly need any other clients," Rita announced.

"Bullshit, you would be so bored," I suggested.

"Hardly, what is boring is County Seat without you," she said.

"Well since you are here call the owner of the Railroad Hotel and we will take the tour," I suggested. "I don't think he has stewed enough, but you never can tell."