Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“Go ahead, what about my family?” He came farther into the room and ran his hand over his hair. I held steady and waited for the blow, for that sickening feeling that always assailed me whenever mention of them was made.
It was there, but not as sharp, not as debilitating. The night and early morning with my woman, having her back with me had softened the blow.
“The team we have working on it keeps running into walls. They have ideas but each time we tug on a thread there’s another and another and we can’t seem to find the connection.” He looked totally lost and frustrated.
“They’ve gone back five years, scoured all your cases and nothing.” He looked truly perplexed; another reason since this all started that makes me wonder how he ever made captain.
Even the lowest dreg on the street had a pretty good idea who was behind that shit. Either he was being deliberately obtuse, or they were trying to keep me off the scent.
I couldn’t show him my hand though, so I played it cool.
“Okay, and what do you want from me? You won’t let me work the case. I…”
“Sheridan, you know that’s not how it’s done. You know you can’t work the murders of your wife and son. We put the best men on it and I have all the confidence in the world that we’ll get them, it’s just going to take some time.”
I listened to him as though I gave a fuck, but I already knew all I needed to know about who had killed my family and why? I’d had my suspicions all along, but wanting, no needing to be sure had taken some time.
I’d worked back from my first suspect until I found the truth. If I’d had any doubts, the second skell I’d taken down had spilled enough that they were dispelled. Right before I ended his miserable life.
With what I got from him, I was able to connect even more dots until I had what I needed. I wasn’t interested in taking down only the middleman, I wanted from the head on down. That’s why I couldn’t leave it to the law. Not that I would’ve anyway. I’m just not built that way.
He went on and on about what lengths they were going to-to get to the bottom of it. I couldn’t fault them for coming up short. I had a lot of enemies, a lot of men and a handful of women that I’d put away, some for a very long time.
Then they were the family members and loved ones who wanted my head on a platter and hadn’t been too quiet about that shit over the years.
But I didn’t need a laser beam pointing me in the right direction, I knew who it was that had come after me. All they needed to do was look at my case files from the past coupla years to put it together themselves.
I’d been this close to bringing down the biggest cartel in the state when it happened. All the talk was about how much farther I’d gotten than my predecessors in the time I’d taken over.
Unlike them, I wasn’t on the take, and that made me the drug dealers’ biggest threat. They couldn’t buy me off; they had nothing I wanted. The threats had started coming in early on, but as usual I’d brushed them off. I could handle myself, no problem. But I never thought they’d take out my family. I missed a step there.
The captain left my office once he was finished having his say and I got busy getting the boards set up for the day. There was still crime to fight other than my personal shit. Still more messes to clean up.
“Hey Lieutenant, you got a minute?” I looked up to see Rogers, one of my detectives leaning into the room. “Sure come on in.”
“Uh, some of the guys wanted me to come in and you know…” He shrugged and looked back towards the bullpen. “No what?”
“We uh, we just wanted to know if there was anything you needed. We heard the brass was coming down on you about this renegade thing and it hasn’t been that long since your…tragedy. We just wanted to let you know that we’re here if you need anything.”
I would’ve stopped him halfway but let him finish. I wonder why the guys had chosen him to be the messenger, or maybe he’d volunteered. Whatever it was, I didn’t give anything away as I schooled my features.
“You can tell the guys that I’m okay and they don’t need to worry. I’ll be out in a few with your assignments.” I looked him dead on and watched him squirm.
He stalled for a second longer before acknowledging my dismissal with a nod and leaving. I took a few deep breaths, unclenched my fists and let it go. Everything in its time!