Swiss Cheeks here for drinks, I think she can handle that, and you can tell me the story."
Chris earned the nickname, 'Swiss Cheeks', during a violent confrontation with two armed robbery suspects. A fellow officer accidentally shot her. The bullet left several extra holes in her ass. Not many could call her that; Josh was one of the few exceptions. She flipped Josh the bird and headed into the bar.
Josh turned to Vera, "Tell on, my lady, tell on."
Vera smiled, sat back in the chair, and looked out at the river, "How old are you, Josh?"
Josh's face grimaced, "Old enough to listen to anything you have to say, I hope."
"No, I mean…indulge me. How old are you?"
"Thirty-seven."
"A mere babe…," Vera replied. "Okay, then you wouldn't remember this story so I have to give you some background."
"I am all ears," Josh answered.
Chris returned with the drinks and sat next to Josh.
"I was just about to give him a history lesson so he understands the background," Vera said.
"Talk slow and use small words," Chris answered.
"Nice," Josh added, "this from an old, shriveled up, prune of a former cop."
"Okay listen," Vera began. "About three months ago my niece, Loren, came to me asking for help in finding information about her biological father. Her mother died and she wanted to know more about her dad. Chris and I tracked down some information," taking a sip from her drink. "Does the name Darnell Grey mean anything to you?"
Josh shook his head.
"Providence Police arrested Darnell back in 1972 for a series of rapes and a murder. He never made it to trial. Two inmates beat him to death in the prison."
"So, what do you need me for?" Josh asked.
"How about you speak when we ask you to?" Chris interjected.
"Oops, sorry I'll remain silent your majesty," Josh answered, bowing his head.
"That's a good boy."
"This will take all day if both of you don't shut up," Vera added.
Josh looked at Chris, "I see this one has some teeth to her. I hope she's had all her shots."
Vera laughed and returned to the story. "I remembered her father from way back. Loren isn't my real niece. Her mother Chantel and I were close and I always thought of Loren as a niece. Over the years, we lost touch. I think her husband's arrest for those terrible crimes embarrassed her. She didn't want it to affect her daughter."
Chris picked up the story.
"We contacted the AG's office and the Providence Journal. The AG's said the file was missing. The Journal gave us a ton of information on the cases. There was a lot of fear in the community," putting her drink down.
"The first one occurred in Providence, near Brown. The next two happened in East Providence. The last one started with a kidnapping in Pawtucket," leaning forward in her chair, elbows on the table. "Providence PD got a call for a suspicious car near the Brown University boathouse. When the officers arrived, they spotted the suspect rolling the body into the river. One officer went in the water to get the body; the other chased the guy down and arrested him."
"Okay, so you guys have your niece right?"
Vera nodded.
"And you find out daddy got killed in prison. What do you want from me, to give her the bad family tree lesson?"
"No," Vera answered. "We think there is more to this."
"Oh, of course you do," Josh answered, hands spread out. "You want me to work on a thirty-seven year old case with a dead suspect? Hmm, sounds like fun. It's not even our case, Chris."
"Yes it is," Chris said. "Two of the rapes occurred in East Providence and, since no one was convicted, it is still an open case."
Josh chuckled. "I can hear Chief Brennan now," rising in his seat to attention, hands flat on the table. "So Lieutenant, let me understand. You want to reopen a case from before you were born, with a dead suspect, why?"
"Don't tell him," Chris smiled.
"Oh sure, that's a great idea. I enjoy working midnights. Are you nuts?"
"Look, all we need is for you to pull the old case files so we can go over them.
Chris earned the nickname, 'Swiss Cheeks', during a violent confrontation with two armed robbery suspects. A fellow officer accidentally shot her. The bullet left several extra holes in her ass. Not many could call her that; Josh was one of the few exceptions. She flipped Josh the bird and headed into the bar.
Josh turned to Vera, "Tell on, my lady, tell on."
Vera smiled, sat back in the chair, and looked out at the river, "How old are you, Josh?"
Josh's face grimaced, "Old enough to listen to anything you have to say, I hope."
"No, I mean…indulge me. How old are you?"
"Thirty-seven."
"A mere babe…," Vera replied. "Okay, then you wouldn't remember this story so I have to give you some background."
"I am all ears," Josh answered.
Chris returned with the drinks and sat next to Josh.
"I was just about to give him a history lesson so he understands the background," Vera said.
"Talk slow and use small words," Chris answered.
"Nice," Josh added, "this from an old, shriveled up, prune of a former cop."
"Okay listen," Vera began. "About three months ago my niece, Loren, came to me asking for help in finding information about her biological father. Her mother died and she wanted to know more about her dad. Chris and I tracked down some information," taking a sip from her drink. "Does the name Darnell Grey mean anything to you?"
Josh shook his head.
"Providence Police arrested Darnell back in 1972 for a series of rapes and a murder. He never made it to trial. Two inmates beat him to death in the prison."
"So, what do you need me for?" Josh asked.
"How about you speak when we ask you to?" Chris interjected.
"Oops, sorry I'll remain silent your majesty," Josh answered, bowing his head.
"That's a good boy."
"This will take all day if both of you don't shut up," Vera added.
Josh looked at Chris, "I see this one has some teeth to her. I hope she's had all her shots."
Vera laughed and returned to the story. "I remembered her father from way back. Loren isn't my real niece. Her mother Chantel and I were close and I always thought of Loren as a niece. Over the years, we lost touch. I think her husband's arrest for those terrible crimes embarrassed her. She didn't want it to affect her daughter."
Chris picked up the story.
"We contacted the AG's office and the Providence Journal. The AG's said the file was missing. The Journal gave us a ton of information on the cases. There was a lot of fear in the community," putting her drink down.
"The first one occurred in Providence, near Brown. The next two happened in East Providence. The last one started with a kidnapping in Pawtucket," leaning forward in her chair, elbows on the table. "Providence PD got a call for a suspicious car near the Brown University boathouse. When the officers arrived, they spotted the suspect rolling the body into the river. One officer went in the water to get the body; the other chased the guy down and arrested him."
"Okay, so you guys have your niece right?"
Vera nodded.
"And you find out daddy got killed in prison. What do you want from me, to give her the bad family tree lesson?"
"No," Vera answered. "We think there is more to this."
"Oh, of course you do," Josh answered, hands spread out. "You want me to work on a thirty-seven year old case with a dead suspect? Hmm, sounds like fun. It's not even our case, Chris."
"Yes it is," Chris said. "Two of the rapes occurred in East Providence and, since no one was convicted, it is still an open case."
Josh chuckled. "I can hear Chief Brennan now," rising in his seat to attention, hands flat on the table. "So Lieutenant, let me understand. You want to reopen a case from before you were born, with a dead suspect, why?"
"Don't tell him," Chris smiled.
"Oh sure, that's a great idea. I enjoy working midnights. Are you nuts?"
"Look, all we need is for you to pull the old case files so we can go over them.
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