Frank Zafiro - Waist Deep

I thought about that.“He was deleting files when the cops took the door?”

“Yes.”

That meant he got free of my duct taping.“What’d he say to the S.W.A.T. boys about the duct tape on the dining room chair?”

“I don’t know for sure.I think it was something along the lines that they could go screw themselves.”Harrity’s expression was flat.

I thought some more.“So I can completely ignore the B amp; E at Jackson’s house and he won’t press charges?”

“I believe so,” Harrity said with a nod.“Of course, the State can always decide to pursue the case, anyway, as with all felonies, but — “

“No victim, no crime,” I said, a familiar old mantra that had closed out more than one call for service in my other life.

“Right.And I doubt they could get enough probable cause for a charge without his testimony or a confession from you.”He paused a beat, then added, “Which I strongly discourage, by the way.”

No kidding, I thought.Then I asked, “Why would Jackson do that, though?I mean, he can’t entirely save himself by giving me up but he could probably help himself out.And if he gave up LeMond, too…”

Harrity shrugged.“Not my concern.The fact is that his attorney is good to his word, and if I am to represent you, we will be as well.It is a wash between you and RogerJackson.”

“How much time will he get if he’s convicted?”

“I have no idea.”

“Come on,” I said.“How much?Ballpark.”

Harrity leaned back and looked at the ceiling.“Well, if Kris Sinderling doesn’t testify and if none of the other girls are underage or if they refuse to testify, his attorney could probably make a successful argument as to lack of knowledge and lack of intent.”

“So he’ll say that he didn’t know they were underage?”

“Pretty much.And if it looks like it’s going to go that way, the DA may deal the case.If it pleabargains out, and Jackson is a first-time offender…say seven years or so.”

“Of which he serves three and a half?”

“Maybe.The judge might suspend all but a year and throw him in County for a year.He’ll get a third of that off for good time.”

“Nine months.”

“Best case scenario, yeah.If it pleabargains out.”

“And if it goes to trial?”

Harrity shook his head.“That’s always a crapshoot.”

I nodded my head and took a deep breath.I understood Jackson’s reasoning now.He had something more than a hundred thousand dollars sitting in an offshore account waiting for him when he got out.If he had been smart with setting up the account, the cops would never find it.He’d plead the case, do his little stint in jail and then blow town.

“What about LeMond?” Harrity asked me.

“What about him?”

“Do you still feel bound by any promise to him?”

“I promised Kris,” I said.“That’s the only promise that counts.”

“Well,” Harrity said, “that little girl asked for her dad and a lawyer the minute they got her to the station.She is refusing to say a word about anything to the police.”

“So LeMond gets a walk,” I said.

Harrity shrugged.“From what you told me, he’ll leave town.Even if he doesn’t, his business dealings with RogerJackson are through.And his dealings with students will come to light sooner or later.Things like that always do.”

I thought about what he said.He was probably right.Yvette or some girl just like her would tell the right person at some point. Then it would all come out and LeMond’s goose would be cooked.Or the cops might find something at Jackson’s to link them together.All of that was beyond my control.I promised Kris I wouldn’t say anything about LeMond.That was it.

“Will they charge me, do you think?” I asked Harrity.“After Sinderling tells them he hired me and Jackson tells them to pound sand?”

“I don’t know,” Harrity said.“You did have what is technically child pornography in your pocket when they arrested you.”

“You can’t be serious.Those pictures were tame.”That was true.None of the photos actually showed any nudity.Even so, I felt dirty and ashamed as I made the excuse.

Harrity shrugged. “I should be able to convince them to drop that charge.It’d be weak at best, anyway, and even though you’re not a licensed private investigator, you took them as part of your investigation.But there’s the gun charge to worry about, too.”

I’d forgotten about that.“Misdemeanor?”

“You’re not a convicted felon are you?”

“No.”

“Any domestic violence convictions?”

“No convictions ever.”

“Then yes, it’s a misdemeanor.”

“We won’t beat the rap on that charge,” I observed, tapping my fingers.

Harrity shook his head.“Not a chance.They had a valid search warrant and you were in front of the house.I might have had a decent argument that you were unconnected to the residence, if it weren’t for the fingerprints you left all over inside of the place.”

“So we plead that one?”

“That would be my advice, yes.”

“What’s the sentencing guideline for that charge?”

“You could get up to a year, but the standard range is thirty to ninety days. Most of that can be suspended, though.”

“What’s your best guess?”

“Less than thirty days.”

“How sure are you of all this?” I asked him.

“I am certain of none of it,” Harrity answered.“But I’m pretty confident about all of it.”

I took a deep breath and let it out.“A month in County Jail, huh?”

Harrity nodded.“And count yourself lucky.”

I didn’t feel so lucky, but I told him thanks anyway.

RogerJackson was good to his word.He dummied up and didn’t tell the police anything.They had enough evidence on him without a statement, anyway.They pled his caseright away and Jackson got seven months in County.

I spent my days in jail in a dim rectangular room with an uncomfortable bed, a thin blanket and a toilet with no seat.The food wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be and the days were longer than I ever could have imagined.I stretched out the muscles in my legs and did pushups on the hard floor until my shoulder wouldn’t allow it anymore.

A week into my stay, I got a letter from Matt.

Dear Stef,

I tried to visit you, but the jail said that since you were in pre-trial, you don’t get to have visitors. That seems messed up to me, but I guess rules are rules.

I just wanted to say thanks. You did what I asked you to do. You found my little girl, and you brought her back.

We talked some. I had a lot of questions, but Kris convinced me that most of them couldn’t be answered. And you know what? I’m okay with that. I saw more than I want to know in the newspapers, anyway. She’s back, and that’s what matters.

You can keep the car as a bonus. I hate to think of you walking everywhere .

If you ever need tickets to a hockey game, all you have to do is call.

Thanks again, Stef.

Matthew Sinderling

I thought about that last part.Going to a hockey game again.The Flyers were battling for the final playoff spot. There might still be a few home games left when all of this was finished.I thought about taking Cassie to a game.I didn’t know if she liked hockey or not, but they served ice cream at the Arena, so it could work out.

If she was still interested, after reading in the newspaper about me.

I guess I’d just have to see.

Harrity was right about my case, too.The DA didn’t want anything to do with my burglary case with an uncooperative victim, especially when his own office just prosecuted that same victim for child pornography.