Read Online The Jake Helman Files Personal Demons by Gregory Lamberson - Free Book Online
Authors: Gregory Lamberson
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Special Homicide Task Force, Case Number Four-Seven-Seven-Five. Detective Helman, are you aware of your rights in this matter?”
“Yes,” Jake said, drawing out the word.
Hammerman opened a folder and scanned its contents. “I see that you’re a Ten.”
My file
, Jake thought. “That’s right. I’m halfway there.” He had put ten years into the Job, with ten more to go before he could collect his pension.
“And you’re second generation.”
“Yeah, my father was a sergeant at the One-Seven-Five.” He steeled his nerves, expecting Hammerman to ask about his father’s suicide.
“How long have you been chasing the Cipher?”
“Five months. We consulted on the second murder, then took over the investigation after Number Three.”
Hammerman set down his pen. “Okay, describe this morning’s events in as much detail as you’re able to recall.”
Because he had used the same tactic in numerous interviews, the sudden shift in conversation did not disarm Jake. Sitting forward, he cleared his throat and recounted his morning from his arrival at the Special Homicide Task Force squad room to the gunfight at Kearny’s—leaving out a few key details. Careful to adhere to his earlier description, he spoke as he had been coached to address courtroom juries: in clear, concise sentences, just the facts, ma’am.
Six minutes later, Hammerman consulted his notes. “You say you stopped at Kearny’s to use the bathroom?”
“That’s right. CSU would have thrown a fit if I’d contaminated the one in the vic’s apartment.”
“Did you have anything to drink while you were there?”
Jake shook his head. “Nope.”
Hammerman made a check mark next to one of his notes. “Did you go anywhere between leaving the Reynolds homicide site and going to the bar?”
Jake’s heart skipped a beat. “No.”
“Did you tell anyone you were leaving the scene?”
“Sure. A PO stationed outside the building.”
“Officer Delgatto?”
“Yeah, I guess. I didn’t notice his name.”
“Officer Delgatto says you told him that you had an errand to run.”
Jake hesitated. Hammerman had done his homework in record time. He and Klein must have visited Shannon’s building right after leaving Kearny’s. No wonder they had kept him waiting. “No errand. I just didn’t feel like telling a uniform that I needed to take a leak, is all.”
Klein said, “Did you identify yourself as a police officer before you opened fire on the perps?”
This time, the sudden shift in questioning did cause Jake to blink. “There wasn’t time. The guy with the dreadlocks popped off a round from his .32 before I could say anything, and Baldy trained his shotgun on me. I had to take immediate action to defend myself.”
“You’re lucky to be alive,” Klein said. The gloss in his eyes and the tone in his voice suggested he thought otherwise.
Hammerman opened a second folder. “Both perps were repeat offenders.” He showed Jake a mug shot of Baldy, clipped inside the folder’s cover. When the picture had been taken, fine brown hair had circled the lower half of Baldy’s head. The steely eyes glared at Jake, who could not help but shudder.
“Oscar Soot served time upstate for armed robbery, narcotics possession, and attempted rape. Before that, he was arrested for spousal abuse, petty theft, and intent to distribute narcotics.” Opening a third folder, Hammerman showed Jake a mug shot of Dread smirking at the prospect of prison time. “Kevin Creed was just released from Ryker’s yesterday, if you can believe it. Served one year on an aggravated assault charge, pleaded down from attempted rape. Couple of real sweethearts. They both had crack pipes on them, so you can imagine what they were up to. I don’t see the public crying over their deaths. Not only were these losers dumb enough to rob a bar that had just opened, but they chose a cop joint.”
Jake nodded but thought,
Not that you two would ever be welcome there
. “If
“Yes,” Jake said, drawing out the word.
Hammerman opened a folder and scanned its contents. “I see that you’re a Ten.”
My file
, Jake thought. “That’s right. I’m halfway there.” He had put ten years into the Job, with ten more to go before he could collect his pension.
“And you’re second generation.”
“Yeah, my father was a sergeant at the One-Seven-Five.” He steeled his nerves, expecting Hammerman to ask about his father’s suicide.
“How long have you been chasing the Cipher?”
“Five months. We consulted on the second murder, then took over the investigation after Number Three.”
Hammerman set down his pen. “Okay, describe this morning’s events in as much detail as you’re able to recall.”
Because he had used the same tactic in numerous interviews, the sudden shift in conversation did not disarm Jake. Sitting forward, he cleared his throat and recounted his morning from his arrival at the Special Homicide Task Force squad room to the gunfight at Kearny’s—leaving out a few key details. Careful to adhere to his earlier description, he spoke as he had been coached to address courtroom juries: in clear, concise sentences, just the facts, ma’am.
Six minutes later, Hammerman consulted his notes. “You say you stopped at Kearny’s to use the bathroom?”
“That’s right. CSU would have thrown a fit if I’d contaminated the one in the vic’s apartment.”
“Did you have anything to drink while you were there?”
Jake shook his head. “Nope.”
Hammerman made a check mark next to one of his notes. “Did you go anywhere between leaving the Reynolds homicide site and going to the bar?”
Jake’s heart skipped a beat. “No.”
“Did you tell anyone you were leaving the scene?”
“Sure. A PO stationed outside the building.”
“Officer Delgatto?”
“Yeah, I guess. I didn’t notice his name.”
“Officer Delgatto says you told him that you had an errand to run.”
Jake hesitated. Hammerman had done his homework in record time. He and Klein must have visited Shannon’s building right after leaving Kearny’s. No wonder they had kept him waiting. “No errand. I just didn’t feel like telling a uniform that I needed to take a leak, is all.”
Klein said, “Did you identify yourself as a police officer before you opened fire on the perps?”
This time, the sudden shift in questioning did cause Jake to blink. “There wasn’t time. The guy with the dreadlocks popped off a round from his .32 before I could say anything, and Baldy trained his shotgun on me. I had to take immediate action to defend myself.”
“You’re lucky to be alive,” Klein said. The gloss in his eyes and the tone in his voice suggested he thought otherwise.
Hammerman opened a second folder. “Both perps were repeat offenders.” He showed Jake a mug shot of Baldy, clipped inside the folder’s cover. When the picture had been taken, fine brown hair had circled the lower half of Baldy’s head. The steely eyes glared at Jake, who could not help but shudder.
“Oscar Soot served time upstate for armed robbery, narcotics possession, and attempted rape. Before that, he was arrested for spousal abuse, petty theft, and intent to distribute narcotics.” Opening a third folder, Hammerman showed Jake a mug shot of Dread smirking at the prospect of prison time. “Kevin Creed was just released from Ryker’s yesterday, if you can believe it. Served one year on an aggravated assault charge, pleaded down from attempted rape. Couple of real sweethearts. They both had crack pipes on them, so you can imagine what they were up to. I don’t see the public crying over their deaths. Not only were these losers dumb enough to rob a bar that had just opened, but they chose a cop joint.”
Jake nodded but thought,
Not that you two would ever be welcome there
. “If
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