“Hold on you two.” Brown tried to stop things from spiraling further. “You’ve both been working on your case for two solid weeks now. Take four days off. I’ll see you when you’re due back. Now, I have another meeting to attend.”

  Brown left her own office leaving Sloan with her mouth open.

  Her partner put his hand on her shoulder. “When someone of higher rank tells you to do something, you do it.”

  Chapter 88

  “Is that it?”

  Sloan wasn’t sure what was happening. “What do we do now?”

  Cutter said, “If the information is ruled as fruit of the poisonous tree, the evidence will be ruled as illegal and inadmissible. That means we need to go and box up the Murder Room. Then we leave.”

  “That’s it?”

  “Pretty much, ya. The good news is that we are getting four days off with pay.”

  “What do we tell Jill’s parents?”

  “For now, we can’t tell them anything.”

  “But we’ve been working our butts off for two weeks.”

  “We do on every case.”

  Garcia and Lee walked over to where Cutter and Sloan were standing. Garcia said, “We’ll help you box it up. It won’t be the only material sitting in the interrupted case area.”

  Sloan asked, “Where is that?”

  “It’s not a place. Until a court decides if the evidence is admissible or not, the case remains open and unsolved.”

  “Does this happen often?”

  Garcia replied, “Often enough where you can’t let it bother you. It’s one thing to be able to solve a murder case. Especially when it’s become personal like this one has. The real hurdle is being able to take it into court so that a jury will convict. Right now, everything is on hold… I tell you what. Why don’t the four of us go have a drink and dinner?”

  “What about the warrant for Coyne’s email?” Sloan was grasping to hold onto the case.

  “That’ll be a no-go for now.” Cutter wanted to soften the blow for his partner. “The four of us are going for drinks. Can we go to our normal place, or do you need a place that has a salad bar?”

  Sloan felt crushed. “I need a couple of stiff drinks, then I’ll be ready to eat whatever they have.”

  Cutter placed his hand on her shoulder.

  Thirty minutes later, the four had a table at the Four Deuces Bar and Grill. The mainstay is known for being the finest public safety employees' hangout in San Francisco with mainly cops and firefighters as patrons.

  With a quick visual survey Jessica noticed there were only three females, including herself.

  A female server took their drink orders.

  “Since you’re the rookie detective, the first round of drinks is on you, Sloan.”

  She nodded. “I’m only falling for this once.”

  Garcia looked at her. “I don’t know what Cutter has told you, but you’re going to find that detectives are subject to both internal and external politics. On days like today, you may feel as though your job is driven as much by advocates, the media, special interest groups and the direction of the wind as they are by the law and the principles we try to uphold.”

  Sloan wanted to stop thinking about what had happened back at Homicide. “So Garcia, if you were starting over would you become a cop again?”

  “In a heartbeat. Do I want my children to follow in my footsteps? Absolutely not! I would rather my children do something much safer, that’s less likely to ruin their marriage, and don’t put them in daily contact with the ugliness of humanity.”

  Cutter bought the second round.

  As they were getting ready for the third, Garcia stood up and dropped cash on the table for the next round. “I promised my wife that I’d bring home Chinese food for dinner tonight. It’s my kid’s favorite.”

  Lee stood up and said he had to go as well.

  Jessica looked at John. “Shall we go or do you want to stay for dinner?”

  “Let’s order another round then we can ask for menus.”

  Jessica nodded.

  As the server left, Jessica said, “I’d like to ask you something but I don’t want to overstep your trust in me as a partner.”

  “Is it to do with iPoirot or some other technology?”

  “No.”

  “Good, then what would ya like to know?’

  “When you talk you make it sound like you are done with personal relationships.”

  “Because that’s the truth.”

  “Don’t you ever crave being with another human and sharing some intimacy?”

  “Of course I do. If a woman seems interested and I have the time, I’ll spend it with her. When she tells me that she wants more, I’ll tell her that I’m not prepared for commitment. That usually pops any bubble of interest.”

  “I imagine it would. So what happened between you and your wife to make you feel that way?”

  Cutter stared at the table while he bared his secrets. “My wife had mental problems that she didn’t let me see until after I married her. As soon as we were married, she started clinging onto me like I was a crucifix. Every time I had to go into work she tried to guilt me into staying with her.”

  “Really?”

  “She tried to commit suicide twice… just in the first year of our marriage.”

  “Why?”

  “Now that’s a great question. She said I was working too hard as a beat cop and not spending enough time with her. When I told her we needed the overtime pay and that she had to come second to my job, she took an overdose of sleeping pills that very day while I was at work.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, John.”

  The server came over and asked if they were ready to order.

  Cutter held up his palm to Sloan. “I’ll order for both of us. My partner here will have a cheeseburger and fries. I’ll have the same except, put my lettuce and tomato on hers since she likes to eat healthy.”

  Jessica forced a half grin on her face.

  I can do it for one meal.

  Cutter laid down his menu and continued his tale. “Once I became a detective, she started finding other ways to entertain herself. She didn’t even try to keep it a secret. Then when I hit my twenty-five years in the SFPD and I told her that I wouldn’t give up my job, she decided to divorce me.”

  “Not all women are like that. You understand that, right.”

  “Right now I believe that commitment is a four-letter word. It's not worth betting some chick half my net worth that I will love her forever, no matter what I feel about her. I guess you could say that I’m techno and female skeptical right now.”

  “Did you have any children?”

  “Fortunately, not.”

  Jessica had her own skeletons that were better left in the closet with the door firmly shut. “I’m sorry to hear that John.”

  “Why, are you interested?”

  Jessica half expected his response. “Just getting to know my working partner better.”

  Cutter nodded that he was good with that.

  “Can I ask you one more thing?”

  “Sure.”

  “How do you deal with a setback like we had today?”

  “It was only a setback. Don’t let our inability to close the case frustrate and demoralize ya. If this had been a case where you or I had breached protocol, suppressed testimony, or damaged evidence which had allowed them to walk, that would be one thing. But since this is all on the powers that be for making us use a tool that hadn’t been fully approved, it’s not on us.”

  “So in four days, we return to work, get a new case and ignore all the work we just did?”

  “Exactly. Just realize that you and I were set up. The powers that we report to asked us to be interviewed by that reporter, so that we became the face of the change. We’re going to be turned upside down and inside out because we’ll be accused of wrongdoing and we’ll have to go through a cursed court process. Just realize that we’re both going to be riding a roller coaster of emotions.”

  Without iPoirot, will they keep me?

  “Do you think anyone will get fired?”

  “You can bet that there will be at least one or two sacrificial lambs. I just hope it’s someone in the brass and not us. Probably whoever struck the deal with the tech company.”

  “What about our case and the unanswered questions?”

  “For now it’s a cold case that has a do-not-touch label on it. But my gut tells me that we haven’t seen the last of those people. There’s something bigger going on that we haven’t nailed yet… I must admit, Sloan, you’ve got grit.”

  “What do you mean by grit?”

  “Perseverance, passion and self-control. All traits of a first class detective.”

  Chapter 89

  John Cutter had gone home to his bachelor apartment.

  He was too upset from what had happened to close his eyes and hope that sleep might ease the turmoil in his brain.

  John felt dark shadows closing in.

  It was after midnight and he was tired of wallowing in soulful jazz ballads on his headphones.

  In an effort to cheer up, Cutter had gone out to his parking space. He’d removed the car cover and was sitting in his beloved Mustang.

  All the windows were down as he looked out at a moonless night. He let the coolness of the night embrace him.

  Figuring the carbon monoxide / oxygen ratio was safer with less traffic going by, he inhaled deeply.

  Because it usually made him feel more upbeat, he was listening to an oldies station. He had the volume on low so it didn’t wake anyone.

  Cutter had been sued before.

  Fruit of the poisonous tree.

  He opened the bottle of rye he’d brought with him and took a long sip.

  Ratner will argue that since iPoirot didn’t go through all the proper channels before it was implemented all the evidence we got was obtained illegally. Since the evidence is tainted, then everything we have regarding Ben, Carl, Juan and Sonia is tainted as well.

  Even if we ever do find anything about Coyne being involved, it’s already tainted as well.

  Hmm.

  If the Lopez brothers along with Juan González and Sonia have all their charges dropped due to the iPoirot issue, perhaps I can stay a detective for a while longer.

  To make his day even worse, John had received an email from his ex-wife asking him if they could talk.

  Her new husband’s probably discovered how needy she is. I can’t do it.

  She’ll ask me to take her back. I can’t do it.

  She tried to do better and is now settling for me.

  Cutter took another sip of the rye.

  We play by the book they give us and when shit hits the fan, we’re on our own.

  If Ratner wins, I’ll declare bankruptcy and he’ll get jack shit from me.

  But I’ll make sure every cop in San Francisco knows who he is and every time he fails to signal a lane change, or spits on the sidewalk, there’ll be a cop with a ticket book.

  Screw Ratner.

  Because I care about my job, I work long hours. Because I work so hard, I lost my wife and half of everything I own. Now I could lose everything I have left.

  This is why cops have such a high suicide rate, and succumb to alcoholism and drug use.

  The next sip of rye became a gulp.

  Chapter 90

  Jessica was glad that Brad had left as soon as she’d arrived home.

  Brooklyn stayed up trying to comfort Jessica by commiserating about her shitty day. “Have you started a bucket list yet?”

  “That’s for old people, Brook.”

  “It’s for us too. We were texting about bucket lists the other day. We all agreed we should do at least one thing on the list before we get onto the downward slope at thirty.”

  “I’ll think about it then. I don’t know if dad ever told you about how to deal with failures and problems.”

  Brooklyn had a blank stare. “Not that I remember. What’d he say?”

  “He told me that we had to forgive ourselves and move on. He said that kicking yourself over failures won't change what happened; it’ll just leave you sore from being kicked so much.”

  Brooklyn said, “I was right, I don’t remember him saying that at all.”

  After yawning and closing her eyes twice, Jessica told Brook to go to bed. “I’ll be right behind you.”

  They both retired to their bedrooms.

  Even with her head and neck properly aligned on her foam pillow, Jessica’s mind wouldn’t shut down.

  There are still so many questions that aren’t answered yet.

  It must be nice to be iPoirot, where it has no emotions. Where it doesn’t feel lousy after a day like today.

  Was Coyne involved?

  If iPoirot gets back up and running, perhaps I can prove that Coyne was involved.

  Jessica felt like she’d been set up to fail.

  Why tell me I’m leading the future when all the brass did was set me up to get all the arrows from their folly.

  Why didn’t they get iPoirot approved before hand?

  Jessica turned to thinking about Logan.

  I admire and like Logan. If he invites me out on another date, I won’t hesitate. In fact, if he doesn’t ask me out soon, I’ll ask him.

  He seems to be genuine and intelligent.

  If Logan’s right, advocates and bureaucracy can’t stop progress for long. The politicians will work something out soon and I’ll be ready to learn how to make the system work.

  In the meanwhile, I’ll learn what I can from Cutter.

  Chapter 91

  Tuesday

  On Tuesday, Logan telephoned Jessica at home. “I’m sorry that iPoirot has been shut down and your case is now on hold.”

  “How do you know about that?”

  “Did you read the news today?”

  “No, I’ve been vegging out on my sofa trying not to think about the real world.”

  “Then maybe I should hang up and wait until you’re back at work.”

  “No, I’m glad you called. What did you hear?”

  “I’m afraid that everyone knows about the iPoirot situation. And I have more bad news for you. You know how you asked me to find out what emails Coyne had placed in his bogus account? Well, I tried to see if I could find out what was there and I struck out.”

  “Why?”

  “The email server the account was on must have belonged to Coyne and it’s gone.”

  “What do you mean gone?”

  “Like offline. Destroyed. Probably in a landfill somewhere. Since the emails were never sent and since I can’t access the email, I can’t retrieve anything. Sorry.”

  “That’s okay. Thank you for trying. The case has gone up in smoke for now anyway.”

  “Also in the news is that Jill Gillberry Technologies is declaring bankruptcy and is going into Chapter Eleven. I think its demise is a good thing. It was another fraud that gives innovators a bad name.”

  “I just hope people don’t forget about Jill’s murder.”

  “It sounds like you and Cutter were close to solving it. I’m sure once the smoke clears you’ll catch the killer, or killers.”

  “If iPoirot is deemed to have been used illegally, everyone will walk, so I don’t know what’ll happen.”

  “You’re forgetting where we live. I sincerely doubt that anyone will rule against using technology to move the city forward. They might create new rules but I’m sure iPoirot will be up and running again soon. You can’t stop the future.”

  “I sure hope so. If iPoirot is deemed illegal, that’ll keep the Homicide Division in the dark ages for years to come. I might consider transferring to another department or quitting and getting a job in tech.”

  “Don’t make a rash decision… I guess you also haven’t heard that there are protests asking for the Police Chief to resign.”

  “I don’t want to comment on that.”

  “I don’t blame you. By the way, both you and Cutter were also named in that article.”

  “One thing I learned from my field training officer is that the public's not talking to or about me. They're talking to the badge pinned on my chest and the police force that I represent. They don't know me. They’re not judging me. So I don’t take it personally.”

  “That’s good. Now, if you’re up to it, I’d like to take you to dinner tonight to take your mind off all of it. What do you say?”

  “I’d love to.”

  Chapter 92

  Wednesday

  Jessica agreed to drive into the city and meet Logan at a restaurant on Mission Street.

  She’d been thinking about Logan’s optimism all day.

  With cocktails in front of them, Jessica asked, “How do you think San Francisco becomes that shining city on the hill when we’re stuck between leading the world and clinging to the past?”

  Logan chuckled. “You do realize that the term shining city on a hill wasn’t describing San Francisco. It was meant to describe how the rest of the world views the United States as a beacon.”

  “Hmm. Is there a better phrase to describe the most technologically advanced city in the world? The one everyone else is desperately trying to become.”

  “I can’t disagree with you. That’s why I live here.”

  “Me too. I can’t imagine having another city, especially an international one like Beijing or Moscow leading the world. That would be truly scary.”

  “That’s why I like to think of obstacles like what you’re going through as inevitable, but temporary setbacks.” Logan shot her a smile. “Wait and see, in a few short months you’ll be leading the department as it uses iPoirot or another solution to make the job of being a detective more productive.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Jessica sipped on her cocktail.

  “How do you deal with having to work so many hours? Most people our age are concerned with having a work-life balance.”

 

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