Read Under Suspicion - The Legend of D.B. Cooper Page 80

Alan looked at Rick from across the room. “Why don’t you start by telling me where you were early yesterday morning,” he said calmly.

  “I was here, asleep in my bed. Why?” Rick said nervously.

  “How did you know Henderson?”

  “We go fishing together. About once a month.” Came the reply.

  “Why don’t you tell me about the smuggling operation you two had going.” Alan asked.

  “What?” Rick asked questioningly. “Smuggling? What are you talking about?”

  “Don’t play me for a fool!” Alan said as he lifted the package of drugs in front of Rick’s face. “I know about your trips out to sea. What do you meet up with out there? An Asian freighter or a fishing trawler?” He asked firmly.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I―” Rick tried to say, but was cut off.

  “I would cooperate if I were you, Schaffer! One mans dead! You knew him, and you don’t have an alibi for the time of the murder!”

  “I was asleep!” Rick defended.

  “Did anyone see you?”

  “Well, no,” Rick replied as he stared at the floor.

  “There! You had the opportunity and a motive!”

  “Mo-motive?” Rick asked as he tried to wipe the sweat from his now shaky palms.

  “Drugs!” Alan said as he pointed to the opium. “You wanted to keep him quiet so you killed him!”

  “N-n-no!” Rick stuttered as his breathing became erratic. “I liked Buck! I wouldn’t hurt him!”

  “That’s not what a court of law will say! When they see this evidence and your past record, they’ll throw you in jail until you rot!” Alan yelled.

  “Jail!” Rick exclaimed. “I can’t go to jail!” He moved nervously and started sweating profusely.

  “Listen. I may be able to believe that you didn’t kill Henderson, but I bet you know who could have,” Alan said calmly.

  “I don’t know anything!” Rick defended.

  Alan went to the mirror and pulled the picture of the two men from it. “Who are the people in your gang?” Alan asked as he lifted the picture in front of Rick. “Who took this picture of you and Henderson? Is he in the gang? How many are there?” He snapped off the questions, but Rick didn’t hear him. His attention was immediately drawn inward.

  From the deep recesses of his mind, an all too familiar sound started to emerge. The laughter started quietly, but slowly grew louder. Rick started to groan, and rock back and forth. “No! Stop it! Go away!” he said as he grabbed the sides of his head with his hands.

  Alan saw how upset Rick was and tried to calm him down. “Listen, I can help you. I believe you weren’t out there yesterday. You’re the drop off man, just a small part of the operation. If you cooperate, I’ll make sure that you don’t spend much time behind bars.” This seemed to calm Rick slightly.

  “I can’t go to jail! I just can’t!” Rick pleaded as he wrapped his arms tightly around himself in an attempt to stop his body from shaking. Suddenly Alan heard a siren in the distance. It wasn’t far away and it was closing fast.

  Damn it, Milhouse! he thought angrily. Alan suddenly grew impatient. “Do you hear that sound, Schaffer?” Rick could hear the siren getting closer. “They’re coming for you! I’ll cut you a deal. Turn State’s evidence and be a witness against the rest of the gang. I’m your only hope! Save yourself!”

  Rick’s eyes grew larger, and he started to cry as he looked at the window where the noise was coming from then back at Alan.

  “What happens to the drugs once Henderson’s done with them? Who is the pick up man? Where does he take it? Who took this picture? Tell me!” Alan yelled as he pounded on the dresser.

  Rick started to hyperventilate, and couldn’t speak as demon laughter filed his mind. Suddenly the siren stopped just outside the building and terror clouded Rick’s thoughts. “I can’t go to jail!” he yelled as he grabbed Alan’s arm. “I’ll say anything you want just don’t take me to jail!” Rick buried his face in his hands and cried.

  Alan quickly pulled a small tape recorder out of his pocket, turned it on and put it in front of Rick’s face. “You and Henderson had a drug smuggling operation going. You picked up the shipments at sea, and delivered them to his house. Hurry! Say it!”

  At that instant the door flew open and Jim rushed into the room. “You don’t have to say anything, Rick!” he said as he pushed past Alan and squatted down in front of Rick. Putting both hands on his shoulders he assured him. “Calm down, everything’s going to be all right.”

  Rick seemed to settle down a little at Jim’s words and he lowered his hands from his face. “I can’t go to jail, Sheriff.” He said in a weary, defeated voice.

  Jim looked at the scared, pale face with blood shot eyes staring back at him and he grew angry. “Don’t worry, you won’t. This has been a big mistake.”

  “Mistake?” Alan said loudly from behind Jim. “What do you think you’re doing? I’m on the verge of breaking this case wide open, and you’re screwing it up!”

  Jim stood and turned around quickly. “You’ve gone too far this time, Bradley!” Jim said angrily. “You can’t come into my county and turn it upside down! I’m calling your superiors and having you removed from this case!”

  Alan stepped closer to Jim. “You just go ahead and try! Before you hang up the phone, your career will be finished!” All the commotion made Rick uneasy, and he began to shake and cry.

  Seeing this, Jim grabbed Alan by the arm. “Let’s go outside.” Alan pulled his arm out of Jim’s grip and walked out of the room. Jim followed, but stopped at the door and turned around. “Everything’s going to be all right, Rick. I promise.” He said then stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Rick slowly stood up, walked to the door, put his ear up to it, and listened nervously.

  “Alright, Bradley, start explaining why you started this fiasco.” Jim ordered firmly.

  “I didn’t start anything, Sheriff! I merely accompanied your Deputy as he conducted a legal search.” Alan replied calmly as Jim looked at Milhouse.

  “What’s he talking about?”

  “It’s true, Sheriff.” Milhouse pulled the report and warrant from his pocket and handed it to Jim. “After learning from Agent Bradley that Schaffer had a previous record for smuggling drugs, I got this warrant.”

  “That’s right. Your own deputy conducted the search and found the same grade of opium that Henderson had. Look, they even knew each other.” Alan handed over the picture and the bag of drugs.

  Jim gave Milhouse a scolding look then glanced at the picture. “When are you going to figure it out, Bradley? This is a small town, everyone knows everyone else. This proves nothing.”

  “Just the same, Sheriff. I’m going back in there and continue questioning the prisoner.” Alan reached for the door.

  “Hold it!” Jim said as he stepped in front of the door blocking Alan. “Let me read this report first.” Jim opened the report and examined it. He was stalling and wanted a moment to think.

  He’d known about Rick’s record for years, but told no one. When Rick had thumbed his way into town all those years ago, Harper checked up on him as he does every drifter. Jim confronted Rick with what he knew and Rick told his story.

  Jim had looked on Rick with compassion. Rick had already proven himself to be a productive member of the community by fighting forest fires, so Jim thought that the past was nobody’s business but Rick’s. They even became friends. In fact, Jim thought as he looked at the photo of Buck and Rick, it was Jim who had taken the picture on one of their first fishing trips. Jim knew all too well about Rick’s frail mental condition, and he wasn’t about to let Bradley interrogate him. Jim just needed a moment to think.