Chapter 8: What I Said To Captain Reyes
I called the station at nine that morning and asked if Captain Reyes had time to meet.
His assistant called back within the hour and said he could see me at two.
I drove there alone.
No cake.
No balloons.
The bay doors were open.
A couple of the guys were running equipment checks.
Marcus saw me first.
He looked like he wanted to disappear into the truck.
"Marcus," I said.
He stopped.
"I'm not angry at you," I said.
"You were in an impossible position.
I understand that."
He nodded once, tightly, and looked at the ground.
Captain Reyes met me in his office.
He closed the door and gestured to the chair across from his desk.
He sat down and folded his hands and waited, which told me he already knew this wasn't a casual visit.
"I know about Noah," I said.
"I know about Diane.
I know Tyler called in yesterday because I was coming and someone warned him." I looked at him directly.
"I'm not here to file a complaint or cause problems for Tyler's career.
I'm here because I need you to know that a woman has been using information about Tyler's personal life to extort money from him, and I believe she intends to contact this department if Tyler stops paying her."
Reyes didn't move.
"I wanted you to hear it from me first," I said.
"So that if she does contact you, you'll have context."
He was quiet for a moment.
"How long has this been going on?"
"Three years of payments.
The situation itself goes back further."
"Does Tyler know you're here?"
"Yes."
"And he agreed to this?"
"He didn't stop me."
Reyes looked at the desk.
Then back at me.
"Amanda, I've known Tyler for nine years.
I've known something was wrong for about two of them.
I didn't push because it wasn't my place." He paused.
"I should have said something to you yesterday.
When you walked in with that cake.
I'm sorry I didn't."
"You were protecting him."
"I was," he said.
"That was wrong."
I hadn't expected that.
I sat with it for a second.
"If she contacts the department," I said, "I want you to know that Tyler is addressing the situation.
Legally.
With an attorney."
"Is he?"
"He will be," I said.
"I'm going to make sure of it."
Reyes nodded slowly.
"What do you need from me?"
"Nothing right now," I said.
"I just needed you to know."
I stood up.
He stood too.
"For what it's worth," he said, "the men here respect Tyler.
That doesn't fix anything.
But I thought you should know it."
"It doesn't fix anything," I agreed.
"But thank you."
I walked back through the bay.
Marcus was still at the truck.
He didn't look up, but as I passed, he said quietly, "He talked about you all the time.
I just want you to know that."
May you like
I didn't answer.
But I heard it.
