Recollection Of Questionable Events

Police And Their Donuts.

(4) Police And Their Donuts:

Lieutenant Riggs

"Man you're getting old, ever consider retirement?" Cesar teased.

"Ha-Ha, just be back in fifteen minutes or I'll arrest you too."

My sour reply took the smile right off the young lawyer's face, and he scurried out of the station. I’d actually worked with Cesar before, and I usually liked his spunk.

But ever since we’d been assigned double and triple shifts, my patience ran lower than usual. I waited until the kid walked out of the precinct for some food, and I ambled over to the break room. The smell of stale donuts and burnt coffee got stronger, and it made my stomach rumble. I sped up, my body cracking with every step, a constant reminder of my upcoming retirement.

"Yo Riggs, over here." My partner waved from across the room.

"Let a man get his coffee first," I replied. I took my time making the perfect cup of coffee and selecting the best pastry. I could hear my partner yelling at me to hurry up, and I tuned him out (important decisions couldn’t be taking lightly).

By the time I reached the table, I found Stan nursing his coffee with closed eyes. Our precinct was unusually overloaded with cases, and it forced everyone to work harder than they had in years.

Our brilliant plan had been to split up and tackle separate cases for the night. The look on Stan's tired face told me that we needed a new plan.

Originally, I thought I’d lucked out with the easy case; the typical "good kid with a bad friend" scenario. The girl would probably get off community service…I just had to get her to confess first.

An easy job that now seemed impossible.

"How is it going with the girl?" Stan asked between soggy sandwich bites.

"Ughh."

"Do I even want to know more?" He interrupted; bits of food landing on the table.

"She keeps mentioning garbage. I can't tell if she's pulling my leg or really has no idea," I said, trying my best to cover up my coffee (already too late for the donut).

"Probably pulling your leg, don't forget the type of people you're dealing with Riggs."

Years of experience in big cities made his advice invaluable, but his assumptions would make this girl an extremely talented actress. My hunch told me she fell more into the “bumbling idiot” category.

"How is your interrogation going?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.

Stan had picked the short end of the stick and had to deal with Ivan, an extremely ambitious and dangerous man. His rap sheet included espionage, theft and murder.  Of course it was hearsay, since nothing had ever been proven.

Recently, we were able to find enough links to bring him in for questioning. Stan now had the impossible job of not only gathering the necessary evidence to charge him with, but to locate the stolen items.

"He keeps denying everything and insists he's just an accountant," Stan answered.

"We both know that's not true."

"I know, I'm going back for round two now," Stan said. He got up slowly, dusting off crumbs from his shirt. "Oh and Riggs....please ask the girl about that garbage."