The Enforcer - Kelli Callahan Page 0,42
up he stands between us. It will always amaze me how Noah, the shortest man in the room, will be able to command such immediate respect and compliance from his mere personality; the very air around him demands respect and brings even the likes of chief Kenton Traverse to heel. “Okay. There’s no point in fighting about this any longer. Yes, mistakes were made with good intentions… and don’t you dare say the road to hell is paved with good intentions; I swear to god, Kenton, I’ll lay you out.”
“Like it’s tenth grade,” he glowers. Kenton adjusts his stance, ready for a fight.
“If we’re going to get through this, if we’re going to save her, then we need to work together. Obviously, we can’t do this alone. We’ve tried, and it doesn’t work.” Now it seems that I see a flicker in Kenton’s eyes, and I wonder if he’s caught between the irritation of being ordered around by a civilian, or if he is actually listening to Noah and recognizing that what he’s saying makes sense.
“What do you propose, Noah?” Kenton says, turning to face Noah.
“I think that we should do the first thing first; make sure that Dianna is safe and healthy,” he says, looking back to her hospital room. “And, when she’s stable, then we can talk about placing her somewhere safe in the short term. I suggest rotating guards around her hospital room.”
“I thought you said that you couldn’t trust our police officers,” Kenton says. “What is it with you?”
“Because I’ve bought them. And no one outbids me,” Noah says with a slow grin, and I have to smile back at the man who will forever hold my respect.
“What the hell are you saying?” Kenton demands.
“I’m saying, just what you think I am. She will be safe if you use exactly who I tell you to use, and no one else. And, if you have any brains, you will make sure that these police officers stay employed, and you don’t let them go over this. You’ll give them a free pass for helping Diana.”
“I shouldn’t have to give them a free pass,” Kenton says, “because they should automatically do their duties as police officers, sworn protectors, and defenders of the community.”
“Yes, well, that’s not the world we live in; sorry to break it to you. You know it as well.” Kenton shrugs. “After we implement the guards, then I think we need to take a hard look into the man that Jake saw in the hotel room; have sketches drawn up, and if he looks like the guy I have working for me, well, then we have our man and we have a solid lead.”
“The guy you employed,” Kenton demands. “Why do you think it’s him?”
“He’s the only one I haven’t seen around town,” Noah says, “and I’ve had people looking for him for the past twenty-four hours. He didn’t show up for work, and then we’re suddenly attacked at a hotel, states away, after meeting up with him,” then he says slowly, “Kind of suspicious.”
“Again, more information that would have been useful for me to have,” Kenton mutters.
“I’m sure it is,” Noah smarts back. “Now you know. So what do you say you call up one of your sketch artists, have them interview Jake, and I’ll give you the list of names of police officers that I trust.” Kenton stares as if assessing Noah.
“Okay,” he says after a pause. “I’ll do it, but only because it’s something I already would have done by now If I had known exactly what I was dealing with. We don’t keep secrets from the police.” Turning to face the people, he nods his head at random passerbyers in the hall. “If you’d told cops everything from the get-go, we’d already be hours ahead of all this,” he mutters.
“Yes, well, if we are ever in the situation again, I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” I say.
“Literally, there’s nothing I hate more than an arrogant man who is lecturing me in front of a group of people.”
“Chief,” a young woman says from behind him, and he turns to face her. “Diana is conscious now, and she has asked to speak with you.”
“Thank you,” he says with a nod, giving me a final glance then walking back into the hospital room.
“Does he really expect me to wait here?” I demand, turning to Noah.
“Probably,” Noah shrugs, folding his arms and watching me; waiting.
“Fuck that!” I growl, pushing up from the chair and