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  The Cold Case

  Dorothy Devine

  Copyright 2016byDorothy Devine

  All Right Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval Systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  …Synopsis…

  Agent Mary James wasn’t going to just sit there and see her uncle getting turned down for something that she didn’t do. He was the reason as to why she had joined the force and she believed that he had been framed and for that matter, was willing to do just about anything to make sure that he had been freed. And even though the judge or her superiors hadn’t given her the greenlight, she decided to go forward with her investigations regardless.

  Table of Content

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  The Cold Case

  Chapter 1 :

  The parole hearing

  Former major Alfred Harold James had just finished serving his ten years in prison for wrong shooting and he was up for parole hearing. It had been a very hard time for his family who knew him to be a very good person who wouldn’t dare get his hands dirty and getting off the hook that easily. He loved life and people and always got to see nothing but the best in people and that explained why his family found it very hard to believe that he had shot a reporter while out drinking with friends.

  But then again, Mr. James didn’t really have anything that he was going to use in order to prove his innocence at any given moment. And that said, the only other thing that would have given him an upper hand was to serve his time and prove to everyone else that he was a good person altogether.

  It was also an added advantage for him to always get the chance to teach other young inmates the importance of the law despite always being in looming danger since there was nothing as bad as being a police officer inside a prison since you will always get to have reunions with people whom you put in there and needless to say, they wouldn’t be very happy to see you.

  And just like that, the former police officer managed to stay in there for ages and needless to say, he did all in his power to stay away from fights and hoped that everything was most definitely going to end up in the best way possible which would have been an added advantage altogether as he wouldn’t really have to worry about a damn thing in the end.

  His parole hearing was coming out soon and so the former agent James did his best to be on his best behavior. Getting to kill people as a cop, even if it was wrongful, made sure that your career was dead and buried. But the good thing was that he didn’t do it and once he was out and having been reunited with his family, former agent James would have wanted to take his time and found out those people who had played him and made sure that he was caught up for something that he hadn’t been able to do himself.

  He had been played by his friends and at that moment, he didn’t know why. But after spending a little time in jail, it did appear as though he had managed to come up with a couple of case scenarios that will go a very long way in making sure that he had investigated the whole thing, which would be in a bid to unravel all the rot that was happening in that police station. But either way, the only other thing that would have made some sense at any given moment would have been for him to survive.

  Mr. James did have a couple of people who were getting to work on his issues from the outside, including his very smart lawyer. But since they couldn’t get to the evidence section, all was in vain. And over the years, he also head that his little niece had joined the force and that made a little bit worried since from the look of things, it did appear as though she was going to get entangled in all of these things but either way, the only thing that would have kept her from trying was him keeping her away from all that was happening.

  But still, he knew that it was all going to end up with him unravelling his former mates, who were now retired and taking vacations in islands far away which was more or less an added advantage to them since they had their pensions.

  “Hello sir, it’s about time. We ought to get going.”

  One of the prison wardens called in through the jail bars.

  “Ok sir. I am ready.”

  That said it had marked about fifteen years ever since he got incarcerated and he was eligible for parole. Thankfully, Mr. Jacob had done such an amazing job when it did come to making things work out. He didn’t fight and always kept out of trouble which was an amazing feeling since he had to restrain himself a lot. And if at all he was going to get that parole sorted out, then he was going to be free.

  And as he was getting escorted in chains, Mr. James couldn’t help but let tears of joy to roll down his face freely. There was nothing as painful as being put behind bars for a wrongful murder and to make his situation much worse, it was a conspiracy by his friends.

  Finally, they got to the offices where the hearing was supposed to be held and once there, he decided to make sure that he was staying as focused as possible. But as soon as he got inside, what Mr. James saw made his jaws to literally hit the floorboards and for a moment or two, he just couldn’t get to move for a second.

  All of his friends weren’t on vacation or having a good time, instead, they were in a position to just kick back and make sure that they were in the parole hearing board just to make sure that Mr. James, their former agent was rotting in jail. And judging from the way they were looking at him, the former agent knew that there was no way that his friends were going to leave him free just like that.

  They were clearly going to do all in their power to ensure that they were having such an added advantage in the parole board position to cover their asses by making him look guilty. And as they were continuing with their hearing, the next thing to happen was that they came up with incidences that even never happened and made it look as though Mr. James wasn’t eligible for parole and send him away.

  “We are sorry James, but we just can’t let you out .Not just yet.”

  Chapter 2:

  Waking the proverbial sleeping dog

  Agent James was angry especially how every police officer, especially those old ones who pledged to be friends with her uncle said nothing but good things about him but weren’t in a position to stand up for him. It was funny how they all of a sudden thought that the good man was able to lose his cool over a reporter who was doing his job in reporting on something that didn’t even concern them.

  most of them who were present refused to testify and more often than not, agent marry would only get told off whenever she decided to bring the matter up and that was just too darn unfortunate at the end of the day since it made her to start putting doubt on the system that she once trusted very much. All they did was to tell her to let the sleeping dogs lie.

  But that was most definitely not going to work and that said, she decided to use her quality time to do what she was born and bred to do – investigate. The good news was that she had gone to school with a couple of kick ass agents, who were still rookies and happened to work for justice and nothing short of that. And that said, agent James knew that she could get that golden opportunity of getting to talk to them and in the end, get all the ideas that she needed in order to get ahead of the game at the end of it all.

  And so one time at lunch, she decided to take her best friend and partner at the force, agent Howard, and get to talk to him about all she was up to. She had been with him in the force for a very long time and needless to say, graduated with him and got posted to the same station as rookies. And that said, she knew that everything was most definitely going to work out in their advantage and all that they needed to do was make sure
that she was in a position to get virtually everything all sorted out perfectly.

  At first, she was starting to have a little issue here and there since the case was a little bit personal as far as she was concerned. But either way, she decided that maybe it would have been an added advantage for her to spill the beans since two heads have always been better than one. And to make matters even better, she knew that she could trust agent Howard.

  “You look like you have something bothering you ever since we got posted here. Can you just get to spill the beans and tell me whatever the heck that is going on? You know I always have your back at all times.” agent Howard finally said.

  And from the look of things, it did appear as though it was something that he had been trying to tell her for a while but didn’t even want to let loose, but just happened to tell her altogether. And just like that, agent James decided that maybe it wasn’t going to be such a bad idea for her to open up a little and get straight to the point.

  “I got to the force for one reason, to get the people who were responsible for putting my uncle away for years on something that he didn’t do. I guess you already heard the story.”

  Agent Howard nodded, but then again, he had that kind of facial expression that said that he didn’t think it was a good idea. But knowing agent James as good as he did, then he just kept quiet because there was absolutely nothing that could get him to stop whatever it is that he was doing. At the end of the day, all that he wanted to do was getting to help in any way that he could since he was already in it and therefore, there was no way of going about it without losing out.

  “I think he was framed. But then again, all that I wanted was to make sure that I am in a position that will allow for me to get ahead of the game at all times and present all the evidence that I need. That is what is giving me such a hard time. Do you have any advice for me?”

  Of course agent Howard had a lot of advice for her. and the first thing that he would have told him would have been to stop whatever it was that he was doing and getting to forget all about it as it was against the law.

  “I know it’s against the law, but then again, if there is even the slightest chance that your uncle is innocent, then the best thing for you to be doing would be to do all in your power to help.”

  “So, does this mean that I can count on you for anything?”

  “I don’t know, but I can see what I can do as long as it’s by the book. I don’t want to go to jail you know.”

  “I understand. And that is all that I need. Thank you.”

  Chapter 3:

  Back to the drawing board

  And just like that, the most important thing for her to be doing was to get back to the drawing board. The case had been closed even though there were some things that just weren’t getting to add up no matter how hard she tried to make some sense on it. And even though she didn’t say it at first, there were plenty of things that just didn’t make some sense at the time and for that matter, the most important thing would have been to check out why her uncle was taken away without any explanations.

  That said, the first thing that she had to do was to get into the evidence locker and get those old files and look at them. The good thing was that she was really good especially when it did come to finding inconsistencies here and there. And so she decided to go ahead and check it out once she had the opportunity to.

  Thankfully, the police officer in charge of the evidence area also happened to be her friend and so for that matter, the only thing that agent James needed to do was to make sure that she had presented herself just in time for the case to get sorted out and once she would have found her way into the place, she would veer her way into the place where all of the cold cases had been stashed away and without a doubt, get to find the truth.

  It was such a big risk for her, but then again, there was nothing that she was going to do. It was the only way especially if she wanted to get on top of her game and end up freeing her uncle. And just like that, the lunch bell sounded and every cope took to their heels, but not agent James. All that she wanted to do was to make sure that she was getting to do all in her power to get to the evidence locker and get to know the truth.

  “Hey, I am wondering why you aren’t really getting to rush across the street for the new opening of the hole in the wall. You know they are offering free burgers in there.”

  “Well, I didn’t know anything about that. That explains why all of the cops are running as fast as possible towards that place.” Agent James replied as she tried to look for a proper excuse to get into the evidence area.

  “So, what brings you here?” agent Miller asked

  “The chief asked me to bring in some of the evidence and put it in there. And I better hurry up so that I can be in a position to check out the new place right before the free burgers run out.”

  That seemed like one shitty excuse, but it wasn’t as though agent miller was paying any attention at any given moment and so he opened the place up and then went ahead and continued watching some movie on his laptop, giving agent James all the time that she needed in order to finish whatever it was that she had been put to task to.

  Agent James heard a couple of things about her uncle, but since she didn’t want to be suspected as though she was making a follow up, she didn’t go around asking too many questions. But judging from what she heard around, there was some deep covering up that happened on the night that her uncle was sent away a couple of years back. Some of the police officers knew that the poor man was out drinking with his friends and they got into a fight and shot someone and pinned it on him after he was drunk and was out.

  But agent James was raised by his uncle during that time when he was in the force and needless to say, her uncle knew a thing or two about holding his liquor and that said, there was no way in hell that he was going to get overwhelmed just by a little liquor.

  And just like she had suspected, she couldn’t find the medical files that were supposed to tell just where the bloodwork was. As it was mandatory, there was supposed to be a medical report that was supposed to show that her uncle was under the influence of a lot of liquor that he didn’t even know what he was doing that time. And just like that, it did appear just too darn queer.

  Agent James didn’t really have the time to get on to think and marinate about her new findings since the lunch break was almost over and done with and so as soon as she was done with making the copies, the next thing that was to happen was for her to get on top of her game, make sure that she had put the evidence back and make a run for it. And as soon as she got out of the place, the police in charge of that evidence area made a point of coming back from lunch.

  “Damn James, you missed out. Those burgers were the truth!!!”

  “Oh crap, but I am sure that there is a next time, right?”

  “I wish there was another time but then again, it was a once in a life time opportunity. They are starting to charge as from tomorrow. Did you finish up with putting the evidence?”

  “Yeah, and that was what made me to miss out on the whole thing. I feel like crap you know.”

  The two agents chuckled right before the good agent decided that she was going to study all of the evidence and see if those who had been mentioned were most definitely going to give her a very difficult time in the process.

  But first, agent James wanted to do all in her power to ensure that she was in a position to carrying out all of the important policing duties first and so never to get to lose direction in the quest for helping to find her uncle free. Thankfully, she also happened to be very good especially when it did come to multitasking.

  Chapter 4:

  The final court case

  As soon as agent miller had discovered that there was some major inconsistency in the case, the first thing that she did was to make sure that she had given her uncle’s lawyer a call and told her everything.

  And thankfully, counsel Moore was too hungry to prove how skilled she is, and at that point,
agent James was more than ready to make sure that she was getting to use that to her advantage as she was the only other person who would go a very long way in making sure that she was getting virtually everything sorted out.

  And just like she had anticipated, it appeared as though everything was most definitely going to work out in the most perfect of ways. Counsel Moore decided to arrange a meet with agent James in a couple of hours’ time since she too had a case to take care of and that said, the only other thing that would have made some sense would have been to stay on top of her game and win both cases since it would go a very long way in making sure that she had cemented her place as one of the best defense lawyers in new York.

  And that explained the reason as to why she decided to take up that cold case even though it did appear as though it was just kicks of a dying horse and for that matter, not such a big deal. And agent James decided that maybe it would be a good idea for her to make copies of the statements and return the cold case files right before they got to find out what she had been up to. This took just a couple of minutes and eventually, made a way with it.

  This was a damn court cold case that sparked a lot of controversy back in the day. And so for that matter, it seemed as though there was a lot of media attention around it. And both agent James as well as her lawyer were hoping that they were going to win since it would finally expose all the rot that was eating away the law enforcement and that said, it would also go a very long way in making sure that everything ran smoothly and fairly.

  Even the governor had done such a fine job in making sure that he was in a position to follow through and see to it that he had his people following the case. It was an election year and he wanted to be on the winning side, or at least be seen to be working too darn hard to get the people, especially the underdogs some justice which was more or less an added advantage altogether.