*Right to Remain Silent

Intro: Today is the third anniversary of me starting this blog. I never thought it would get as far as it did. This story is not flash, but closer to 2,000 words. The idea started from a conversation I had with Moose. I just added my own tweak.

"There's an 11-44 at the corner of Lexington and 23rd."

"On our way," Leigh said into the radio as Nate did a u-turn and headed in the other direction.

Another body? Could this be more gang activity? Except they didn't say. The thought came from Nate. Everyone's thought voices, as Leigh called them, were a caricature to their speaking voices. Most women's voices were higher, most men's voices lower. Nate's speaking voice resonated, which wasn't surprising since Nate was 6'4" and still built as if he played football. His thought voice sounded like his own if he were eating gravel.

Leigh tried to avoid listening in on his friends' thoughts. He could always hear the thoughts around him, but most of the time he managed to tune out specific people. Every thought was clear, if it were loud enough. It wasn't proximity that increased the "volume" but emotional levels. The fact that Nate's got through made Leigh blink. He forced his mind to avoid the string of expletives that came next.

The body was a young man, in his early twenties. The coroner was already onsite with the forensic team. They glanced up when Leigh and Nate approached.

And here comes the crazy.

They better not touch anything.

Maybe if they did their jobs this wouldn't be happening.

The kid died the same way the others have. This has got to be related to the gang murders. "What can you tell us?" Nate asked.

Leigh and Nate had been partners for nineteen months. That was sixteen months longer than Leigh's seven previous partners. The only reasons the nine partners before that had lasted longer was they couldn't transfer sooner than a year. Though Leigh had time seniority, being on the force fifteen years, he was still a low rank. Nate outranked him even though he'd only been on the force eight years.

"Execution style to the forehead. The victim had his hands tied in front of him." The medical examiner said. "Large caliber. There is a chance this is related to the other murders."

Cops can't even keep the streets safe anymore. "This is your fault." Leigh looked up and examined the women yelling at them across the street. She was a white woman, her clothes worn and dirty.

They won't figure it out. Too stupid to even see the evidence in front of them. Javier even left his calling card. No one messes with him and his drugs and gets away with it. That was another woman's voice, but it was pitched low. Unusual for a female thought. Leigh looked around. A woman dressed in black with chains connected to various hardware elements on her face watched from a window. She ducked out of sight when they made eye contact.

I think he saw me. Sh—!

What is Crazy looking at now?

"Send us the full report after you're done," Nate told the ME. "Leigh, come on. Let's knock on doors and see if anyone saw anything that would be of any use."

Leigh pulled his attention away from the window and followed Nate to the house on the corner. The doorbell was muffled.

We're not here. We're not here. We didn't see anything.

"Next house," Nate said.

Leigh cast one last glance at the door and followed Nate. The next two houses were empty, or the people just weren't thinking, at all. They crossed the street. When they reached the door of the woman in black, Leigh flinched.

I'll die before I let them in. Where's my – gun.

They heard someone scrambling around and things clattering to the floor.

"Police, open up." Nate pounded the door.

Found it!

Leigh placed his hand on his gun, but since Nate was in front of him, his partner didn't see.

"Hold your —"

"Leigh, draw your gun."

Leigh's ability to read minds was a secret to everyone but Leigh's younger sister. His parents thought him delusional, his younger brother thought him insane. Then again, no one liked having their innermost thoughts known. And since people were most passionate and emotional when it came to their deepest secrets, that was what Leigh always heard the loudest. Nate was slightly paranoid, and overly cautious, so Leigh never had to try and explain his odd tendencies to know trouble before it happened. This was why their partnership had lasted as long as it did.

Leigh unclipped his holster and drew his gun.

Now it ends.

Nate motioned for Leigh to stand back. "One last time, open up. We only want to talk with you."

A gunshot cracked.

—!

Nate kicked the door at the deadbolt and the wood splintered. With Leigh bringing up the rear they entered the house. The woman lay on the floor in a pool of blood. Her face was gone.

Nate turned on his radio. "We need another body bag."

###

"Any luck on either victim?" Nate asked.

Leigh looked away from his monitor and glanced down at his notes.

"Bradly Thomas, twenty-three, dropped out of the local tech school where he was studying to become a welder. His father is still living, but serving in the state pen. Last known address is his father's house." Leigh turned the page. "Grace Porter, thirty-five. Worked at a comic shop part-time. Her address is not the house we found her in but rather lists her out of state in Texas."

"So no leads."

"No connection that I can see."

"Who owns the house we found her in?"

Leigh turned back to his monitor. "That's what I was checking up on. In the past ten years it has changed ownership seven times. Supposedly it was vacant."

Why do they get the case? I could have it solved in under an hour.

Crazy should be fired. I'm surprised Nate-dawg's still working with him.

"But whose name is it under now?" Nate asked.

Poor Nate. He should just put in for another partner already.

Leigh pointed to the screen and moved back. The other officers were already at their own desks, but Leigh was tired of talking.

Nate peered at the screen. "Jorge Espinoza?"

"That person doesn't exist." Leigh said. "None of the people who have owned the house seem to exist."

"The house is a front, but for what?" Nate moved back around to his side of the desk and sat down. He leaned back with his hands behind his head. "Drugs, sex, money. Which of the three? What do you think?"

"I'll keep looking, but maybe we should send some K-9s over there to see what they can find."

"Good idea." Nate raised an eyebrow. "Have you already sent them?"

Leigh paused for a second and then nodded. "Half an hour ago."

"Anything else you want to tell me?" Stop hiding.

Leigh shook his head. "I'll let you know as soon as I find out."

You'd better. I’m getting tired of this.

###

Leigh rested his head on glass and looked at the man in the interrogation room. Nate walked around the tattooed man like a thunderhead.

“Javier,” Nate drawled the word. “It seems that you are in an odd business. There aren’t many people who think they can make money by selling a house, to themselves.”

“I’m not losing money,” the man replied. This — pig doesn’t have anything on me. He’s just poking.

Nate leaned against the wall, his muscles bulging under his shirt. “But it is a drug house. Our dogs went crazy in there.”

“Nuttin’ to do with me.” Still poking. This is going to be fun.

“But it’s your house.”

“But I’m not the one living there. Why are you holding me?” Fun’s over. I’ve got work to do. Where’s my lawyer. I’m done stalling.

Nate’s gaze flicked to the glass. If Leigh is wasting my time, again.

Leigh moved away from the window but the thoughts of the two men continued to bombard him. Nate planning a transfer. Though Leigh couldn’t see why. Something had changed from the week before. Had it been him sending out the K-9 unit before asking Nate, but Leigh had done stuff like that before, if only on occasion. Javier’s thoughts brought Leigh’s head up with a snap.

The evidence is now gone, and the bodies hidden. They’ve got nothing on me. This cop’s family is next. How should I do it? Drive by shooting? Or just a hit on the street? Maybe I’ll kidnap them first then lead him on a wild goose chase to find the remains.

Captain was right. Leigh’s just holding me back. He doesn’t offer anything to our partnership. I thought he was just useless, but he’s holding me back. No one takes me seriously because of him. And this Javier is a dead end. I’ll go to the captain, as soon as I release him.

Leigh rubbed his hands across his face.

“Sorry for detaining you. You can leave, but the house is condemned.”

“Accidents happen.” And now your family dies. I’ll take away your house as well.

Leigh watched Javier leave the police station. Nate walked past and directly into the captain’s office. Three minutes later, Leigh was called in.

The conversation was like all of the others. There has been a complaint. Nate is requesting a new partnership. You need to get your act together.

It would be better if you quit.

Leigh closed his eyes as the thoughts got worse. The more the two men thought, the more their anger rose.

“I understand. It seems that this isn’t working for me. I’ll turn in my badge.” Leigh placed his gun and badge on the desk and turned.

“By the way, Nate. Your family is in danger.”

“Is this your attempt at a threat?” Give me a break. This guy is a freak.

Leigh glanced over his shoulder. “I’m sorry I wasted your time.”

Wasted doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Leigh reached out and picked up the gun. Nate and Captain drew their own.

“Don’t do this.” What the —!

Leigh looked down the barrel. “It was easy at first. Leading people to the crime scenes. I was the lucky one. And then people started to question my motives. They thought I was part of it all. I was stuck. How do I help without condemning myself. So I drifted to the shadows, trying to help without causing problems. Only that labeled me as lazy. To go from the cop with the most solved cases to a sidekick freak. Did I even make a difference when people didn’t believe me when I spoke.” Leigh raised the gun pointing between the two men. “The right to remain silent? The biggest joke of them all.”

Freak!

Insane!

Leigh stared down the barrel and pulled the trigger.

—!