“You got it,” Joshua agreed, laughing. “And thank you, David.”
“Tell Colin my vacation time was approved,” David added. “And so was Nate’s. Ireland, here we come.”
“He’ll be in heaven,” Joshua replied. “And, god, so am I!”
“Has this project added a lot of work to your schedule?”
“Well, it’s my baby, in a sense. Or at least I’m the one who pulled the information together. But, no. It wasn’t a lot of work. The work is in convincing law enforcement to do what’s recommended.
“Areanycity police participating?”
“Some precincts are open to it, and some aren’t. But Colin, Esther, and Norm will work on the ones that aren’t. Hopefully, move them along a bit.”
“Colin can be pretty persuasive.”
“And pretty obnoxious to any cop who refuses to read the guidelines. His office prosecutes their cases, and those city copswantthe Charlottesville ACAs to win.It’stheirwin/lose record, too.”
Joshua could hear David’s soft laughter. “I can just hear Colin.”
“Yeah,” Joshua said with a chuckle. “He gives them a snarl and tells them: ‘I can’twait’til one of your arrests lands on my desk’.”
* * *
That night,Joshua sprawled across Colin’s lap, cradled his cheek, and turned his head until their eyes met. “Any luck getting more city precincts to look at my guidelines?”
Colin snorted a cynical laugh, then noting Joshua’s dejected expression, he bent to kiss him. “We’ve gotsomeof the city precincts on board, even if it did take a bit of blackmail to get them there.”
“Blackmail?”
“Well,” Colin drawled out. “That’stheirword for it.Iprefer to call it creative negotiating.”
“Did you threaten to delay their trials?”
Colin barked out a laugh. “No, babe. I can’t delay a trial for personal reasons. The ethics committee would skin me alive and I’d probably be brought up on charges before the state bar.”
“We don’t wantthat.”
“No. But, these cops send us alotof cases.” He turned to Joshua and grinned. “And your husband has alotof power!”
“I’ve always knownthat,” Joshua said, giving a wicked grin as he poked Colin’s ribs.
“Well, thank you, darlin’, but I’m not talking aboutthatkind of power,” Colin chuckled. “However, my power as aprosecutoris incontestable. The arresting officer can suggest what to charge a suspect, but I’m the one who decides the charge. I decide whether or not a case goes to trial. I decide whether to offer a plea deal and what kind of plea deal to extend, and I play a major role in determining sentencing.”
“My god, Colin, I had no idea!”
“Even a judge can’t undo my actions when I charge someone.”
“So, the police officers in question…”
“They want a good closure rate, especially for higher ticket crimes. Police leadershipsaysthat promotions and raises aren’t dependent on case closure statistics but…” Colin arched his eyebrows and smirked. “When they’ve spent a year investigating a first-degree grand larceny case they don’t want me pleading it down to a misdemeanor.”
“But you’d neverdothat!”
“Well, I might if the circumstances warranted it. But I’dcertainlynever base my decision on whether or not the cop used your guidelines.” Colin mugged comically and shrugged. “Buttheydon’t know that! So, when they bug me about what I’m going to charge, I smile and say: Thinking about it.”
“Andthat’screative negotiating?”
“All I know is next time I see them, they’re waving your brochure in my face.”
