Just Talking

For a few years I was stationed part time with the Mid City police station’s night detective team.  I would work Thursday and Friday nights from two to midnight.  I met some remarkable people while working there.  We would follow up on any issues the day time detective teams could not.  We’d go to night clubs to investigate a brawl, or interview witnesses who couldn’t be contacted during the day. Other detective units had specialities: homicide, sex, gangs; we did a little of it all, the jack of all trades.  

There were three of us, John, Nate and I.  Occasionally, Art would join us.  John was a old timer, riding out this assignment until he could retire.  The job was easy for him.  On the surface he looked harmless, a small unassuming man.  You’d never guess the things he’d been though when he was younger. Nate was the opposite, young and on the rise of his career, enthusiastic, and working as a night detective to boost his resume and career.  Art was better than all of us, like a special guest on a TV show, you could tell he was destined for more things but would help us out when needed.  

One night we were following up on a sex offense related case.  At the time there was an app designed for travelers.  If you were in a new town and needed a place to stay for free, you could hop on the app and find someone offering a couch or a spare room.  Not kidding.  I don’t think this app is around anymore. I hope not.  Anyway, because we were in a beach town, there was a lot of traffic for something like that.  Before long there were some reports of sexual misconduct in one of the host’s homes.  We got a search warrant and went to follow up.  

According to the reports, the host had a camera set up in the bathroom, hidden in an alarm clock.  He’d record the girls who would stay with him when showering etc.  Because we had a warrant, the plan was to just get the camera clock and leave.  The day detectives would review the recordings, and go back and arrest him.  It was a quick stop.  That was good news because I was looking forward to dinner, we had a new taco shop to check out and Art was going order in Spanish to get us the good stuff.  

We arrived and Art and I went into the bathroom to collect the clock while Nate and John sat with the suspect. I grabbed the clock and headed out.  When I got to the kitchen John was sitting with the suspect at the table having a quiet conversation.  The overhead light shade was hanging inches over them making deep shadows on their faces.  John’s voice was calm and soothing, I could barely hear him.  Nate made eye contact with me and motioned for me to stay quiet.  He walked over carefully, not to disturb the conversation. 

“Watch the master, he’s going to get the guy to confess,” Nate whispered. 

“Listen, it’s no big deal, we are just talking… So tell me what happened.  Just be honest, its not a big deal at all,” said John steadily, while he set up his own recorder.  

But it was a big deal.  This guy was looking at a significant amount of prison time for each incident he recorded someone and he had been doing it for months.  

I had to admit, I was feeling comfortable listening to John.  The way he spoke; he made you think he was your best friend and you could tell him anything.  It was like he put at the lasso of truth on you.  Suddenly you were in therapy and safe as a kitten.  John had cast his spell on this guy and he was singing like a canary.    

He confessed to multiple recordings and even selling some on the internet.  It was like he couldn’t stop, it was flowing out of him.  At first, Nate, Art, and I were silently laughing, this guy is burying himself.  We were circled around the kitchen table like in a stadium, watching and silently cheering.  With the shadows from the light exaggerating our smiles, like witches around a cauldron.  

After a while I started to feel badly for the guy.

“Stop dude, you’re killing yourself,” I thought, but didn’t say.  John kept going. People show aggression and dominance in different ways.  Instead of using force, John used finesse, and he was just as ruthless.  Like a shark in bloody water.  It started to get ugly and John’s face was looking more scary.  I swore I saw a smile stretch on his face like the Joker getting ready to torture Batman. I remembered why we were there and my concern for our peeping Tom shrank.  

“Okay,” John said casually, “let’s get the handcuffs on you.”

Still under the trance, the guy stood up and put his hands behind his back.  I was the closest so I was supposed to apply the cuffs.  I was a still spaced out from the spell. 

“What?? Oh yeah,” I said half asleep and stumbled though a procedure I’ve done a million times.  Finally the handcuffs were on and we took the guy to the car for jail time.  

By the time the booking was done I was starving and ready for some of the best tacos in the state.  We had a nice meal and a few laughs about how John got the guy to confess everything. I nibbled on my tacos with caution always watching John out of the corner of my eye.  I felt like I was having dinner with Mike Tyson, calm like a bomb.  I never looked at John the same way again. I don’t want to be on his bad side, ever. Who knows what I’d admit to.