Jared the Paremedic III Chapter 35

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Jared the Paramedic III ~ Redemption

Chapter 35: Questioning

THIS STORY IS COPYRIGHT © 2018-2019 BY SNOWBLIND. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DISTRIBUTION FOR COMMERCIAL GAIN, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, POSTING ON SITES OR NEWSGROUPS, DISTRIBUTION AS PARTS OR IN BOOK FORM (EITHER AS A WHOLE OR PART OF A COMPILATION) WITH OR WITHOUT A FEE, OR DISTRIBUTION ON CD, DVD, OR ANY OTHER ELECTRONIC MEDIA WITH OR WITHOUT A FEE, IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT THE AUTHOR'S WRITTEN CONSENT. YOU MAY DOWNLOAD ONE (1) COPY OF THIS STORY FOR PERSONAL USE; ANY AND ALL COMMERCIAL USE EXCEPTING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS REQUIRES THE AUTHOR'S WRITTEN CONSENT. THE AUTHOR MAY BE CONTACTED AT: snowblind94@yahoo.ca

Tyler had been in the interview room for a couple of minutes when Jesse came in with Jack along with another lawyer from his firm. The other lawyer briefly spoke to Jack as he backed out and closed the door. Jack was in town for some meetings when Patrick had called. Robert, the other lawyer, would be representing Patrick; Jack would be representing Tyler. The Serious Incident Response Team investigators were surprised when Jesse and Jack entered the room with Jack identifying himself as Tyler's lawyer.

Jesse moved towards Tyler, embracing him. Tyler's response was to begin weeping as soon as his brother's arms were wrapped around him. Jack placed his hand on Tyler's shoulder for reassurance.

The Sergeant with the Serious Incident Response team stood, "Excuse me, we have an interview to conduct here."

Jesse looked over Tyler's shoulder and simply said, "He will provide an interview after we've had a chance not only speak to him but to calm him down."

"I know the one man is his lawyer, who are you?" asked the Sergeant.

"His brother, and a member of his legal team. Why don't you give us a few minutes alone?" Jesse replied tersely.

The two investigators left the room.

Tyler pulled himself together and sat at the table with Jack and Jesse. The first concern Tyler had was about Patrick; Jesse reassured him Patrick was fine. Tyler was relieved and went on to explain everything which happened at the school to his two lawyers. Jack made notes of the things he could follow up with.

While the lawyers were with Tyler, the SIRT Investigators were watching the dash cam and body cam. They had watched it a few times when the one investigator, stopped it, slowly moving it backwards frame by frame. Then he found what he was looking for.

"Look at this," the Corporal said as the froze the frame.

"What?" asked one of the other team members.

The Corporal pointed at the monitor screen and advanced the recording. "Did you see it?"

"What was that?"

They played it again. "I don't believe it," exclaimed the Sergeant. "Freeze it on the screen."

The Corporal did it. "Do you see what I see?"

"It has to be an error."

"There is one other option," said the Corporal slowly as he stared at the screen.

"If you say what I think you are going to say, don't."

"I have to say it. There is an old man in the video for just a split second, and it looks like he put a necklace on the boy. It wasn't there one moment, then there he is, and there the necklace is."

"This has to be interference from somewhere."

"Do you believe in guardian angels?" asked the Corporal.

"None of that shit exists, I told you not to say that."

"Blake, I'm a church goer, and I've always wondered about the reality of guardian angels."

"They don't exist."

"This shows otherwise. I mean, if it ever went into a court setting, how would we explain it?"

"Russ, get your fucking head out of your ass. We'll get the lab tech geeks and nerds to look at it. There has to be a reason. Now, let's interview the kid first."

"Ok."

The two men went into the interview room with Patrick and Robert. After introductions, Robert sat next to Patrick but allowed him to speak for himself.

After turning on the tape recorder, the Sergeant went through the usual preamble to identify the date, time, location, people present, and reasons they were present. The Sergeant simply asked Patrick to describe what he saw. Patrick provided a very detailed account from the time he first saw Jett right up to when he confronted the news reporter. The two police officers were impressed by the detail of the story the young man was telling them. The Corporal was thinking that he didn't hear anything to trigger suspicion or deception. The Sergeant didn't look happy, which didn't usually come to a positive encounter with someone.

"Couple of points for clarification please, Patrick," said the Sergeant. Patrick nodded.

"You're in grade 12?"

"Yes."

"I have never met a grade 12 kid like you before Patrick. Your sitting here all cool, calm and collected. You're not scared of this, are you?"

"How do you mean?"

"You're sitting in a police detachment being interviewed by us after witnessing a shooting. Most people would be scared."

"You're assuming I'm not scared. I am. I just don't have any fear of the process. I don't like being involved in it, but I have no fear of the process."

"So basically, you're not scared."

"Not of the process or what I saw, Sergeant."

"Do you have a criminal record? Familiar with the police? Why aren't you scared of this process?"

"No, I do not have any criminal record nor have I ever spoken to a policeman before regarding something like this. I know a few police officers and when a person is telling the truth, there is nothing to fear from anyone."

The Sergeant looked at this young man and locked eyes with him. "So everything you said was the truth?"

"Absolutely, Sergeant. Chief Joseph Brant said, 'It does not require many words to speak the truth.'"

"Who?"

"Doesn't matter who the messenger was, the message was lost."

The Corporal smirked for a second. The Sergeant missed it altogether. The Sergeant gave him a hard stare but was unable to break through whatever image the young man was portraying. "Patrick, you just watched a cop shoot a young man in front of you, and you're acting like it's an everyday occurrence."

"Sergeant, it is not an everyday occurrence, and we both know that. Tyler did what he had to do after Jett forced him into that decision. Both Tyler and Jett will heal, and they will move down the paths they were meant to walk."

Robert spoke up, "This is getting off the investigation track."

The Sergeant nodded his head, "Yes counsellor, you're right. You know Tyler?"

"Yes, I do."

"How do you know Tyler?"

"He's my brother, but has been more like a father to me."

"So you would have no trouble covering for him?"

"No way would I do that."

"Families do it all the time."

"I would not lie, Sergeant. That is not the way for a person to live."

"Are you religious?"

"I am very spiritual."

"What's the difference?"

"That's a discussion for another day, but I'm learning to be better and more in tune with my spirituality."

"Oh," mumbled the Sergeant as he rolled his eyes. "So just to make it clear, everything you said happened, and you're not misleading or lying to me."

"Sergeant, I could say I am telling you the truth until the end of time, but you won't believe me."

The Sergeant Smirked. "Why's that?"

"Number one, because I'm a teenager."

"Why else wouldn't I believe you?"

"Number two, because I'm from the wrong side of town."

"You're entitled to your opinion. Now, let's go back to a couple of points. Weren't you supposed to be in class? Why were you in the yard?"

"The final bell had just rung and I was going to be a couple of minutes late. I passed Jett in the doorway, and as I was going to class, something didn't seem right. He's been having trouble at home."

"You could tell that from walking by him?"

"No. I know he's been having trouble at home."

"How do you know that?"

"We've talked about it."

"So you sensed something? Do you do this often?"

Patrick locked eyes with the Sergeant for a long moment before answering, "Have you never sensed anything yourself? You know, like Spidey sense? I walked by him and something wasn't right."

"Spidey sense? You act on something like that?"

"It's just a name I applied to something that you might easily relate to. I sensed something was wrong with my friend the way he was walking, his facial expression, lack of eye contact, lack of acknowledgment to me... I don't think he even saw me as I held the door open for him."

"So it was more than spidey sense. You're claiming now that he was projecting clear physical signs which indicated he was in crisis."

Robert was about to interject when Patrick asked the Sergeant, "Why do you need to demean me over something so simple?"

"I'm not demeaning you, I'm trying to get the facts. So after all these physical indicators, you were trying to catch up with him to find out what was wrong?"

Patrick simply answered, "Yes".

The Sergeant was staring back at Patrick now, trying to read any clues in the boy's body language. He was getting nothing. "So, how many students are in the school?"

"A few hundred."

"And you are the one who happened to be in the right place to witness someone you think of like your dad shoot a student. What if I was to tell you that I think you ran out of the school and are covering for Tyler."

Patrick didn't react on the outside, but on the inside, he was getting angry. "Well Sergeant, first of all, I don't think of Tyler as my dad. I'm sure you're probably a very impressive dad, but I think of Tyler as a father. That's someone who has helped me grow and reach my potential through support, encouragement and love. Both Tyler and his boyfriend Troy have been father figures for me, someone who never had a father but obviously who did have a dad or what I call a sperm donor."

The Corporal smirked, then looked at the table to hide it. "You're really a sarcastic young man, aren't you?" asked the Sergeant.

"To answer the second part of your previous question, I'm sure you can confirm the sequence of events when you review the CCTV the school has of the yard. You did think to look at that, didn't you?" Patrick smirked, and also noticed the Corporal smirked once again for just a brief second as well.

"I don't need you to be sarcastic or tell me how to get my job done. You're just a high school student."

"That's exactly why I said you would never believe me. Thank you for confirming not only that I was right but that you don't believe me."

Robert spoke up, "Enough, If you have any more real questions, please ask them now Sergeant or it's time for us to leave."

"You'll leave when I say you can leave."

Robert stood, and indicated for Patrick to follow him. "Time for us to leave, Patrick."

"You'll leave when I say."

"On what grounds? Is Patrick under arrest?"

"Not at the moment."

There was a knock at the door, and the Chief Superintendent stepped into the room. Patrick rose and extended his hand to the man.

"Sir, it's always a pleasure to see you," said Patrick.

John gripped the young man's hand and pulled him in for a hug. "How ya doing, Patrick. You ok after seeing all that?"

"I'm doing ok, Chief. I really do appreciate you asking though. Other than Frank, you're the only police officer I've dealt with who was concerned about me being affected in any way by the event, or even asked me how I was doing," Patrick said casually.

The Corporal's and Sergeant's mouths were wide open. The Sergeant reached over and turned off the tape recorder.

"Chief, I would like you meet my lawyer Robert." The two men shook hands.

"Which firm are you with Robert?" asked John.

"McCoy and Associates."

"That doesn't surprise considering the little guy here," said John as he reached out messed Patrick's hair.

"Well Chief, this is good timing," said Robert. "The Sergeant was about to explain that he not only thinks Patrick is lying, but he was arresting us."

John stood up straight and looked at the Sergeant. "Explain," was all he said.

"We're not done yet and they wanted to leave."

"Corporal, were there any more questions to be asked?"

"I didn't have any but I don't know about the Sergeant."

"Patrick, you may go, of course, or you may wait for Tyler. Robert, I apologize for the misunderstanding. If you wish to wait for Tyler, let's go to my office and you can tell me about what happened."

The Sergeant cut in, "It's all on the tape."

"I'm sure it is, and I'm taking the machine to both listen to it and have it transcribed immediately. Got a problem with that, Sergeant?"

"It's evidence."

"Yes, it is, and it may also reveal more than just the shooting incident. Possibly an attitude problem which would get the statement tossed out of court, eh Sergeant?"

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

"We'll discuss it later, after I listen to the machine right up to when you turned it off when I came into the room."

John reached and took the tape machine into his big hands. He turned to Robert and Patrick, "How about we feed the little guy? He's usually hungry."

Robert smiled, "That would be nice, Chief. I've heard Patrick's stomach grumble a few times."

Patrick smiled and said shyly, "I could eat a little something."

"I've seen you eat. The two of you, go across the street to the English Pub and go into the restaurant side. I'll join you in a few minutes."

The two men left the room.

The Chief Superintendent looked directly at his two police officers. "That young man is incapable of lying. He is a member of a very special spiritual group of people who place honour, integrity, and honesty higher than anything except the sanctity of life." He paused, considering. "When I listen to the tape, will I hear any of the bullshit you have been told to stop?" asked the Chief to the Sergeant directly.

"No sir," was his simple answer.

"I'll see then. Until then, I had another team interview Tyler and they will finish the investigation for you."

"But that's my job..."

"I'm sorry... did I phrase that like I asked for your opinion? Was I unclear? Did I say this was a vote for class president like in Jr High? I gave you an order."

"I don't appreciate being spoken to like this, Sir."

The Chief smiled and then said, "Now that I've heard your answer, let me put it this way... If I hear anything against our policy and procedures or is considered unlawful this tape, you will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law."

The Corporal smiled and then straightened out his face. That didn't go unnoticed by the Chief.

The Sergeant was trying to figure out what to say when the Chief spoke again, "You're off duty now. Go home and be back at my office at 1300 hrs tomorrow."

"Do I need the police association rep..."

"I will have them there waiting for you. Get out."

The Sergeant left the room.

The Chief looked at the Corporal, who was very uncomfortable. "Hungry? Let's go for dinner."

The Corporal was shocked. After dropping the equipment off in the Chief's office, and locking the door, the two men went across the street to meet Patrick and Robert. Tyler and Jack joined them shortly after. Jesse dropped in as well. It was then the Corporal realized who Jesse was, and he had been in his courtroom the previous week for a brief appearance with a prisoner to be remanded.

The Jackal news at 6:00 pm had the lead story of the shooting at the high school. The one reporter was showing a clip of Jett being loaded into the ambulance, and another clip of Patrick and Tyler being rushed away from the crowds. The reporter was inferring it had been an overreaction on the part of the officer. Her commentary included the fact it was in front of the school, and in plain view of numerous classrooms. She stated no witnesses she interviewed had heard the police officer tell the young man to stop or drop whatever he was carrying. The reporter had a toy gun still in a package waiving it around when she made it clear the victim wasn't even armed with anything but a toy similar to this. She also made an issue that the police had not provided a comment to the media after they had taken the men away so quickly. By this time, the social media were in a feeding frenzy. The vast majority of comments being posted on Yahoo, Twitter, Facebook along with the rest were convicting Tyler of attempted murder. This was being fed by the commentators on Jackal News along with the usual extreme right wing sources using it for their own agenda. Once again, the anonymous accounts of the armchair warriors were spinning information as quickly as they could. After all, it's called click bait for a reason.

Tyler was now on administrative leave, and at the village. Due to the circumstances, they had actually turned on the electric gate at the front and were monitoring the camera systems Melanie had set up for them. Patrick was staying in one of the apartments until it settled down, although he would be driven to school each day. Grandfather was with Tyler, Troy, Patrick, Jesse and Zane in the ceremonial room in the rec centre. They were smudging and then just hanging out together to support Tyler. Shadow was with Tyler everywhere he went.

End of Chapter Thirty-Five

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