Reversal. Chapter eleven.

After hanging up the phone from Mervyn Wilson, John
Maynard looked again over the retirement proposal Wellbeck had drawn up, and wasn’t any less convinced that Wilson was not going to accept it. He closed the folder and was about to open the other when his desk phone rang.

‘Yel-low, Maynard here … hey, judge, long time no hear. How’s it hangin’ my old pal? … It’s not, why’s that …? Huh uh, yeah, well what about the county sheriff, can’t he handle it …? Humm,’ he voiced, drumming his fingers. ‘Okay, tell you what, leave it with me for a while, I just might have the guy your looking for … Yeah, sure, no problem, no, the pleasure’s all mine … okay, hey, give my best to Beverley won’t you …? Yeah, yeah … see ya soon, judge.’

Smiling for the first time all morning, he hung up the phone, picked up the retirement folder, and went directly upstairs to Wellbeck's office.

He didn’t knock. ‘I might have a better solution than that retirement plan of yours.’

‘Not interested.’

‘It’ll get him out of your hair this afternoon, and off these streets, just like the senator wants.’

Wellbeck rocked in his dark-green leather chair, arms across his chest, plucking at his bottom lip.

‘For how long?’

Maynard shrugged. ‘A week, maybe two.’

Pluck, pluck, sigh. ‘Humm.’

‘Come on, Frank, what have you got to lose?’

‘Who wants him?’

‘Judge Reyner.’

‘Judge Harvey Reyner? Leyton Falls?’

Maynard nodded. ‘Huh uh, he’s got a problem, the county’s been called in, a guy by the name of Spooner, Abraham Spooner, but Reyner doesn’t trust him, reckons he’s a glory-hunter who’ll rail-road his way in there just to get one of his own guys in office as sheriff. Says he wants an outsider to oversee the situation and report personally to him, someone he doesn’t have to trust.’

‘What kind of problem?’

‘Three deaths, two shot in the body and head, the third vic just the head. But get this; one of them was the sheriff’s deputy, and the sheriff also suffered gunshot wounds, plus a severe blow to the left side of the head. Two guns were fired, one of them the sheriff’s. He’s currently in the County General in an induced coma and under armed guard.’

More plucking. ‘Let’s see if Wilson goes for the retirement plan first, if he doesn’t, we’ll tell him Leyton Falls is his only other option. And when he fucks that one up, he’ll have no choice but to accept my terms.’

Maynard turned and walked out, unhappy with Wellbeck’s scheming ways, but he knew Wilson would accept the temporary transfer, especially after seeing the alternative, he only hopes he doesn’t fuck it up.

At ten-fifteen, Mervyn Wilson’s six-foot-six frame stepped into Maynard’s office. Maynard had both folders on his desk, but currently going over Wilson’s report when he raised his head.

‘I’ve had Wellbeck on my back half the God-damn morning,’ he said, leaning back and gesturing to a chair.

‘Really? I’ve had him on mine since I came here.’ Wilson sat. ‘What’s his beef this time?’

‘He ain’t best pleased at what you did yesterday. No, strike that. Not what you did … just how you went about it.’

‘You’ve read my report, it’s all kosher.’

Maynard leaned in. ‘That really the way it went down, Merv?’

‘You think I’d falsify an official document?’

‘No, but-’

‘Wellbeck does, is that it?’

‘Did you know at the time, or perhaps beforehand, that one of them was senator Caine’s nephew?’

‘No. But what’s that got to do with it? Who he is or who he’s related to makes him no less accountable for what he did.’

Maynard leaned back again, nodding and drumming his fingers on the desk.

‘What is it, John?’

He was about to answer when Wilson held up a hand.

‘No, let me guess, senator Caine called, only this time it wasn’t to invite Wellbeck for his usual monthly round of golf.’

More nodding, more drumming. ‘Caine wants you gone, Merv, plain and simple. He wants you suspended as from now, reckons you used excess force on his nephew to get that confession, and with his lawyers on the case, he’ll probably prove it, too!’

‘And Wellbeck’s going along with it is he, only too happy to bend over and take it up the ass like the weasel he is?’

‘Yes and no.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

Maynard tossed him the mauve folder. ‘He’s offering you a way out. If you have any sense, you’ll take it.’

Wilson opened the folder and read the first page in silence before looking up. ‘And Wellbeck thinks I’ll accept this?’

‘It’s either that,’ said Maynard leaning forward. ‘Or take your chances with Caine’s solicitors.’

‘This is all bullshit, John, and you know it.’

‘There is one other option.’

Wilson held up the folder, smiled sarcastically. ‘Is that what this is supposed to be, John … an option? Well I’ll tell you what … I’d rather take my chances with Caine’s bloodhounds than give Wellbeck the satisfaction. And by the way,’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘Thanks for fighting my corner.’

Maynard also stood. ‘For Christ’s sake, Merv, I’m on your fucking side here. I don’t like this any more than you do, but it’s got that way that Wellbeck’s gonna do all he can to shit all over you in order to satisfy the senator. So sit your black-ass back down and at least listen to what I’ve got to say before you go making the wrong decision, okay?’