He then phoned Chief Oehlert to verify the facts. After a long conversation, he hung up. "I agreed to hold the piece until the chief has a chance to talk with you, Sandy."
Linda frowned. "The downside risk is the additional bad publicity and public outcry against your brother. There's the danger you'll come off as the desperate sister attacking the police in a pathetic grasp at some last straw to free her guilty brother."
That made Sandy think about Moran, all this was perfect for him, exactly what he wanted. And, if Chip was correct then there was no upside. Nothing was going to come of her complaint, no advantage. Then she imagined Bobby Huress in the darkness of his pickup. Watching a teenage couple parked. Waiting for the right moment. Knowing he had a sure thing going with his threats, badge and gun. Succeeding again and again with his slimy routine, because no young girl would know how to stop him. "Tell the chief I'm on my way."
"You shouldn't have argued with him," the chief said when Sandy was settled in his office.
"Saying, 'No' isn't arguing. Saying, 'Let me out you creep' isn't arguing."
"If it goes beyond the first hearing, you'll have to testify."
"That'll be the best part."
"I must tell you, it's not unusual for people to get upset with the police for one reason or another and then try to strike back by making some charge. You know, like a charge of excessive force, or what some hysterical woman believed was inappropriate touching."
She bit her tongue and decided it was best not to open up on this guy.
"If you win, Miss Reid, you could ruin his career."
She remained calm. "He ruined his own career. All I ask is you apply the law. I'm just testifying to the facts of what he did. That's what good citizens do. It's up to the process to determine if he's guilty. The punishment isn't up to me either. Whatever the law calls for, apply it, no more, no less. He ruined his career, when he locked that truck door. That's a criminal charge by itself. He ruined it again, when he pointed to his badge, and again when he flashed his weapon and said he'd make trouble for me, if I didn't put out. Those are all charges. Then he grabbed me, that's a charge. Then he added another when he unzipped. Are you counting?"
The chief frowned and thumbed through the stapled pages in his hand. "In his statement, Sergeant Huress stated that when he drove up you were hanging out in front of the store. It was getting dark, and he didn't like the idea of a young woman being out there alone at night. He was concerned about your safety. Although he was in a hurry to get home and help his kids with some homework before bedtime, he thought he should wait with you."