“Then why date her?” Mitchell asked.
Scottie shrugged. “We clicked. We never intended for it to happen, but it did.”
“Okay,” Mitchell conceded. “We better not keep them waiting. Let’s go.”
They walked down the hallway and took the elevator up to the next floor getting off and turning left before they came to Commander Burns office. The door was open, and Scottie sawBrand walking out as they approached. He gave him a nod as they passed, and Mitchell knocked on the open door.
“Come on in,” Commander Burns said. “Close the door.”
Scottie and Mitchell entered, closing the door behind them.
“Take a seat, gentlemen,” Commander Burns said. He pointed at the man seated beside him. “This is Internal Affairs officer Robert Trainor. He’s here to investigate what happened to Officer Reilly Flynn. Even though the incident happened while he was off duty, it was during a police force sponsored event.”
“Good afternoon,” Trainor said. “You don’t look like you got much sleep last night, Officer Dugan.”
“I didn’t. I was help in an interrogation room all night,” Scottie replied.
Trainor directed his gaze at Burns. “Why was that, Commander? Did you feel he was a threat? Or a flight risk?”
“It wasn’t the Commanders call,” Simpson said. “It was mine. I was talking with him most of the night about what happened.”
“And you chose to treat him like a suspect?” Trainor said.
“It seemed like the most private place to speak,” Mitchell said. “Besides, any officer that wasn’t on patrol was already at the hospital showing their support to Flynn’s sister.”
“And what about Clint Rogers? Why wasn’t he held for questioning?” Trainor asked. “He was in the scuffle too.”
“In hindsight…maybe I should have brought him in,” Mitchell said. “But it was Dugan’s skate that cut Flynn’s neck guard and subsequently cut his neck which caused him to bleed, putting his life at risk. That is what I was concerned about the most as the union rep.”
“Got it,” Trainor said. “Just getting the big picture officer. But I want to speak with Rogers so can you go get him down here.”
“Sure,” Mitchell said. “But shouldn’t I be here for this meeting?”
“I’m here, Officer Simpson,” Commander Burns said. “Officer Dugan will be fine.”
“Okay then,” Mitchell rose and left.
After he closed the door, Scottie turned to the IA officer, “He told me that Flynn arrived at the hospital dead. I don’t know how a scuffle over something Rogers said could turn deadly.”
“So Rogers started it?” Trainor said.
“He made a comment about how good an officer my old partner Monte Adams had been,” Scottie explained. “This didn’t set well with Reilly Flynn because he’d found the evidence that Internal Affairs needed for their investigation. The evidence that later got Adams kicked off the force.”
“Shit,” Commander Burns said.
“Is Rogers an egg head?” Trainor asked. “He had to have known that was a dumbass move?”
Scottie shrugged. “Flynn came at me demanding I keep my partner in line and of course Rogers joined in because he had my back as my new partner. I don’t know why Flynn went down, but I’m sure that must have been when my skate cut his neck guard and his neck got cut as well.”
“It all sounds like an accident,” Commander Burns said.
“I want to hear Rogers side of things before I make my ruling,” Trainor said. “In the meantime, Dugan, you should go home and get some sleep. Don’t talk to anyone. Not even your girlfriend if you have one. I’ll reach out to follow up after I talk to Rogers.”
Scottie nodded and rose to leave. “Thank you. Officer Simpson thought I needed an attorney. Are we at that point yet?”
Commander Burns came around and opened the door for him. “No, we aren’t. I believe Simpson is being overly cautious as your union representative.”
“Thanks, commander,” Scottie said and walked out into the hallway where he met Brand again. “Have you been waiting for me?”
