Academy Murders: Trust

“Last night, Jergensen,” Goro said. He picked his ear with his key.

“You’re getting bigger and bigger. The cable news networks are always showing your face and the case that you solved…as well as the cases that got you in here.”

A pencil against paper made a slight whooshing noise as Kim wrote.

“Yep, you’re going to be facing a judge and a jury of your peers. You’re going to wish you never came to the academy…but, innocent until proven guilty is the law of the land. I don’t know. It just seems like a cop like you would’ve been a lot more smart. I mean if you really knocked off these broads, there would be some animus in you. You would be howling like a banshee. I’m surprised is all.”

Never breaking her focus, Kim jotted down word after word while only a minimum amount of her attention stayed on Goro.

“I’ll be watching. I’ll have my beer and chips and my pug Goro. Isn’t that something? I named my dog after my last name. I wonder if he feels more at home with the name. Anyway, I’m rooting for you in a weird way. I’ve certainly gotten to know you, as best as I could. You’re sharp. You remind me of cop shows from the 70’s. They always got their man. I think you make sense of a lot of your points.

I take you as a woman who could find her way out of any situation.

This particular episode in your life may prove to help develop you.”

Finally, Kim stopped jotting and placed the pencil and paper down on the little block adjacent to her rack. She then got under the covers.

“Aww, c’mon. Lights aren’t out for another two hours. You’ve got to tell me what your thinking,” Goro damn near begged.

Kim laid her head on the pillow.

“Hello in there!” Goro said in a sing songy sort of way.

Like a rocket from a launch pad, Kim shot up. Her face looked placid and her gray brown eyes glistened in the fading light.

“Guard, I’m getting ready to go through an ordeal that could negatively alter the course of my life forever. I appreciate your kind words but I just need to sleep through the night. I know you’re interested in the cases but I just need you to know that whatever happens, I had a guard that challenged me and then became fond of me in the most professional way. If there is ever anyone that has stood in my corner in these four walls, it was you. Thank you.”

Goro felt a tug of affection. His entire demeanor changed once he heard her words he didn’t let a tear fall but he almost got choked up.

“You know that I was just busting your chops. From a CO to detective, it’s important that we continue to establish this trust. We’re the ones that must carry the burden of taming the wolves forever or for just a short stint. That’s the connection. You knock ‘em and we lock ‘em. That’s the best way I can put it. Before all of this, you beat the streets to capture culprits. We just house them. Some people claim that we’re too lenient. They see videos online of inmates making jail spaghetti, you know ramen, ketchup, and cut up hotdogs, well they think it’s a free ride. I guess in some ways it is. You know. You’ve been here in solitary but you can imagine the Internet time, the recreation, the visits by celebrities. All that adds up to the taxpayer paying for an ax-murderer to earn a doctorate to use for his thousand years without parole.