Case 24 - The Mix-up

Case 24 - The Mix-up(jpater) Inspector Harvey Lucas was taking his lunch break. He stopped and picked up lunch for him and his wife Rebella and then went home to eat. As they were eating, the telephone rang. Harvey answered the phone. The call was for Rebella. When Rebella finished talking on the phone tears started coming to her eyes. “What’s wrong baby?” asked Harvey. Rebella did not answer his question. He knew something was wrong and he got up from the table. “I need to be alone for awhile,” said Rebella getting her purse.

Rebella drove around town thinking about the phone conversation. She was not paying attention to speed limit sign and was speeding. A motorcycle cop pulled her over. “Oh Great! This day can’t get any worse,” said Rebella going through her purse to get her driver’s License. Officer Harrelson got off his motorcycle and went up to the car. Rebella rolled the window down. “I know why you pulled me over, I was just having a bad day and I was not paying attention to the signs, and I was speeding,” said Rebella. Officer Harrelson could see in her face she was upset and had been crying. “I tell you what, I am going to let you off with a warning this time,” said Officer Harrelson. “Thank you, and I promise I will pay attention to the signs,” said Rebella.

Inspector J.P. bullet was at C.V.’s restaurant having lunch. “Where’s your partner?” asked C.V. “Tina has gone to pick up Dowzer. One of the circuits malfunctioned, and they have been waiting for parts to come in,” said J.P. Officer Harrelson walked in and sat down beside J.P. “I stopped Rebella Lucas just before I took my lunch break. She looked horrible and I could tell she had been crying,” said Officer Harrelson. C.V. and J.P. had worried looks on their faces.

Rebella went to the 169th Precinct and went into dispatch. “Harvey is out on a call,” said Ola, thinking she was there to see him. “Actually, I needed to talk to J.P.” said Rebella. Ola could see something was wrong. “Just a second,” said Ola. She got on the radio. “169th Dispatch to 5-George 31,” said Ola. J.P. was still talking to Harrelson and C.V. when the call came over the radio. “5-George 31 go ahead dispatch,” said J.P. “5-George 31, I need you to 10-19 to the precinct to speak with a subject,” said Ola. “5-George 31 received, be advised I am enroute,” said J.P. getting up from the table. “He’s on his way,” said Ola. “Thank you,” said Rebella leaving dispatch.

Inspector Tina Cassidy entered the 169th precinct with Dowzer on a leash. She went into dispatch with Dowzer. “Any calls holding?” asked Tina. “There is a subject here to see J.P. Also, Ms. Dewrell just called needing to speak to an officer about stolen jewelry. I was fixing to give that call to Officer Mallet,” said Ola. “I thought he just checked out for break,” said Tina. “He did but the other two officers that are working the district with him are tied up on an accident,” said Ola. “I could take the call and let him have his lunch break,” said Tina. Ola told her what the address was and logged that Tina was enroute.

Rebella was sitting on the bench outside the detective's office when J.P. came to the precinct. He could see she was upset. “Let’s step outside,” said J.P. They walked outside the precinct. “What’s wrong?” J.P. asked. Rebella hugged him and started crying. “Community General called this morning. There was a mix up at the lab and I am not pregnant,” said Rebella. “I am sorry,” said J.P. “It just seems like since I turned my life around it has been one heartbreak after another and the way I feel right now I would rather be sitting in a jail cell than feeling the way I do right now," cried Rebella. J.P. embraced her while she cried. She cried until she had no tears left. “I guess I need to go tell Harvey and then try to find something to get my mind off what happened,” said Rebella with a sigh. She started to walk back inside to see Harvey. “Another idiotic thing I did,” said Rebella looking up at the 169th Precinct sign. “I gave up my police career, and for what? Nothing!” said Rebella with tears coming to her eyes.

Tina Cassidy and Dowzer arrived at Ms. Dewrell’s residence. “Stay in the car,” said Tina to Dowzer. She went and knocked on the door. “Ms. Dewrell, I am Inspector Tina Cassidy,” said Tina. “Somebody has been stealing my jewelry,” said Ms. Dewrell. Ms. Dewrell told Tina what was missing. Tina looked around for signs of forced entry but there were no signs. “It’s almost like they had a key,” said Tina. “The only person that has a key to my house is Kathleen Diamonds. She lived with me for a while and I gave her a house key,” said Ms. Dewrell. “I am going to go question Kathleen. You might want to think about changing the locks,” said Tina.

Rebella went into the detective's office. “Baby, I need to talk to you outside,” said Rebella to Harvey. They went outside and she told Harvey about the mix-up at the lab. Harvey put his arm around her and consoled her the best he could. He wished that he could make the pain and the heartache go away.

J.P. came out to talk to Rebella. “I have something for you. If you are interested,” said J.P. sticking his hand in the pocket of his jacket. “What is it?” asked Rebella. J.P. pulled out her inspector badge and handed it to her. Rebella looked at the badge. “Does this mean?” asked Rebella. “You are back on the force,” said J.P. “Thank you,” said Rebella hugging J.P. “Now, everybody back to work,” said J.P. “Yes, Sir,” said Harvey and Rebella together.

Tina brought Kathleen down to the Precinct to interrogate her. “Where is Ms. Dewrell’s jewelry?” asked Tina. Kathleen did not answer her question. “If you don’t tell me I am going to charge you with theft,” said Tina. Kathleen hung her head. “I was falling behind in school, so I would let my teacher Franklin Ham into Ms. Dewrell's house and he would take her jewelry in exchange for a passing grade,” said Kathleen. “Is that all he did?” asked Tina. Kathleen shook her head no and told of other things that Franklin made her do to get a passing grade in school. Tina got up and went to the phone on the wall and called Officer Oscar Mallet. She asked him to go to the school and pick up Frank Ham.

The next morning Captain Graves walked into the detective’s office with Officers Oscar Mallet and Conner McMasters. Captain Graves reached in his pocket and took out two detective badges. Mallet and McMaster, you are being promoted to detective and are being assigned to the Special Investigation Division. Everyone in the detective’s office started clapping. “All right everybody stand in attention for roll call”. Everybody stood up and Dowzer went and stood beside Tina wagging his tail. Chief Commanding Officer J.P. Bullet; Inspector Tina Cassidy and Dowzer; Inspectors Rebella and Harvey Lucas; Inspector Susie Young; Detective Oscar Mallet; and Detective Conner McMasters,” said Captain Graves. “All here,” said J.P. After roll call everybody sat down and Captain Graves left the detective’s office.

The stolen jewelry was returned to its rightful owner. Franklin Ham was found guilty of theft and statutory rape and was sentenced to 6 years in jail and required to register. Ms. Dewrell did not press charges against Kathleen Diamonds and she was released from custody.