Chapter 52
Sean entered the sheriff’s office and he noticed Cindy Stevens almost immediately. She was busy with some paper work and so for a moment, she didn’t notice that he was standing there staring at her. When she finally looked up and saw him, a smile came across her face. “Sean welcome back. How is your investigation going into the Higgins case? You look tired.”
"Cindy, it’s good to see you again. We found our suspect Caulder and got a blood sample from him. His DNA matches that of Higgins. We’ll be able to start procedures for charging him with the rape of Maggie Caulder and the murder of her husband, Tom.”
"That’s good news. I’ve never liked him ever since I’ve worked for him. Working with Sgt. Patterson has been much better. He treats me and everyone around him with respect. He never runs people down like Higgins does.”
"Why didn’t you leave if it was so bad here?” O’Reilly asked. He was becoming infatuated with the girl once again.
"I was always afraid that Higgins would spread rumors around about me so that I wouldn’t be able to get a job any where else. One time, I went into his office to deliver some papers that he had me working on. He was out and I placed them on his desk. At that moment, he entered and went straight over to the safe and mentioned that it was open, but that he had not left it that way.
"He accused me of taking some valuables from the safe. I protested that I hadn’t, but he was livid. He insisted that I must have because they were missing. He ordered me to return them at once, but because I hadn’t taken them, I couldn’t. He approached me, and hit me with the back of his hand.
"I ran out of the office and began crying. I didn’t know what to do. He scared me so much that day. It was a side of him I hadn’t seen before. About fifteen minutes later, he came out with something in his hands. It was the very item that he had accused me of stealing. I was dumb founded. He told me that he had made a mistake and that he had removed it from his safe the day before and had put it in his desk drawer.
"He didn’t apologize or any thing. All he said was that if I told anyone that he had hit me, he would press charges for theft and have me thrown in jail for something that I had not done.”
Sean could feel his blood pressure starting to rise. “You mean to tell me that he hit you and then threatened to have you put in jail for something you didn’t do if you told anyone about it.”
"Yes Sean, that’s exactly what I am saying. He struck me on other occasions for no reason. He is one crazy, clever son of a bitch who is not to be trusted.” Cindy warned.
Sean was livid. He tried to contain his anger. “Will you testify against him at his trial as to the way he treated you?”
"I’m afraid of him Sean.”
"You don’t have to worry about him any longer Cindy, I can assure you of that. We’ll put him away for a long time. We’ll add assault and uttering threats towards you. He won’t be able to get to you.” Sean stated.
"Alright Sean, I’ll tell the courts how he treated me.”
"Don’t worry, Cindy, I won’t let him do anything to you, I promise.”
"Thank you, Sean, that makes me feel better already.”
At that moment, Sergeant Patterson came out from his office and walked over to the chief inspector and shook his hand. "Welcome back inspector. How is your investigation going against Kevin, er I mean Sheriff Higgins?”
Sean relayed the same information that he had told Cindy. He didn’t mention what Miss Stevens had told him. It wasn’t necessary to divulge that to him. And with a little luck, she wouldn’t have to testify at the trial either. He didn’t want her opening up old emotional wounds that Higgins had caused her, if at all possible.
Patterson admitted Sean to the holding cells where Higgins was being held. He left the room and left Higgins and O’Reilly alone. When Higgins saw the look on Sean’s face, he became somewhat apprehensive. He kept a wary eye on him.
Sean by this time was seething with anger and contempt for this piece of shit that was there before him. It was bad enough that he had come after Miller and himself, but when he had been abusive towards Cindy, whom he was becoming quite enamored with, he had crossed a line that Sean would not tolerate.
He approached Higgins cell menacingly. The sheriff , who had been leaning nonchalantly against the bars when the inspector came in, backed away from the bars but not fast enough. Sean was as quick as a cobra ready to strike and he grabbed Higgins by the collar and yanked him forward. He crashed into the bars with such force that a welt immediately appeared above his eye which split open and gushed forth a stream of blood.
The gore hit O’Reilly in the face causing him to strike again. He pulled the sheriff forward into the bars once again with enough force that it knocked him out. His body went limp and he crumpled in a heap upon the concrete floor, blood still pouring from the wound.
With all the commotion, Patterson came rushing in, saw Higgins prone on the floor with Sean glaring at him from the outside of the cell. "What the hell?’ Patterson yelled.
Sean stared at the body for another second and then spoke. “He tried to grab me through the bars and I had to defend myself. He’s one crazy mother fucker for sure.” Patterson said nothing but went and got the keys to get to Higgins to stem the flow of blood before he bled to death.
Sean spoke again. “He’s completely nuts. I just wanted to have a chat with him and he tried to get at me through the bars.”
Patterson managed to get the bleeding stopped and then bandaged up his prisoner. He turned towards the chief inspector and spoke. “Whatever you say sir. He is one crazy son of a bitch for sure. It’s unfortunate that he got hurt but shit happens. He’ll be more careful next time I’m sure.”
Sean said nothing for a moment and then spoke again. “Sergeant Patterson, you will make a good sheriff. I’ll go have a couple of words with Miss Stevens for a few moments before I go.” He left and went up to see Cindy again.
Sergeant Patterson leaned down and spoke to Higgins who was just coming to. “Listen you little prick. You got what you deserve. I should have let him continue beating on you, but I want you to go to prison in one piece. Cindy told me how you’ve been treating her. She doesn’t need an asshole like you giving her grief of any kind. I hope you rot in hell, you bag of shit.”
He got up, and just before he left, he kicked Higgins hard in the rib cage. “I also overheard you plotting against Chief Inspector O’Reilly and his sergeant Miller. I’ll testify against you, you little turd. You’re going to become someone’s bitch in the big house; I can assure you of that.”
He got up and slammed the cage shut, locking it tight. He whistled as he left the room. It seems that Patterson’s testimony against Higgins would ensure that he was locked away for a long time to come. Sean would be pleased with that. He would also like the way Patterson treated Higgins. The sergeant’s methods were very similar to Sean’s and Miller’s when it came to dealing with criminals.
Higgins groaned as he rolled on his side and threw up. The pain was agonizing when he did. Patterson most likely broke a couple of ribs. He moaned again, swore under this breath. “Shit,” he muttered. “I’m fucked!” Then he passed out. He lay there, breathing heavily and panting like a dog.
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