his receipts, and the business cards I found in his wallet.
Jordan looked up from his notebook. His brow furrowed, “Why wasn’t this assigned to Briar Hill?”
“My exact question to my father not more than an hour ago. He said Briar Hill would be there to support us, but this is our baby. I need more coffee.” They continued to the break room and the coffee pot. He elbowed his way in front of his partner to fill his coffee cup.
“So, the case is ours. If we need assistance from The Hill, Dad suggested we contact Jeremiah or Fisher.” They’d worked with those two detectives before, and it didn’t totally suck.
“So, we hit Treyson’s evidence while I wait for Vice?”
Brock nodded toward the bullpen. “Yeah, and we need to request the Lieutenant put together a task force to shake loose our shooter in The Desert.”
“Gino’s case is a done deal. Let’s see if Kowolski and Edmans will take the drive-by shooting. That way we can focus on Treyson.”
“Exactly my plans.” Lieutenant Davidson’s voice boomed from the break room door, spinning them both.
“Give me the case file on Gino. I’ll meet with Vice when they have their end done. Ski and Edmans are waiting for a brief on the drive-by in The Desert. Whitt, the only case you're working until the Feds get off their asses and send for you is Treyson. What time is your meeting with Mrs. Treyson?” Davidson turned and looked directly at him as he spoke.
“3:30. We’ve got his phone, receipts and business cards that we are going to run down until then.” His Lieutenant was a tough fucker and protective as hell of his people.
“Did you clear the use of the information on the phone?"
“I did, but I’m getting a warrant to cover our asses.”
“Keep me informed. I’m giving you what cover I can, but you’ve got to know, your old man is spread and nailed to a cross on this one. The big boys and the press want blood, the killer’s or your old man’s, it doesn’t matter to them; so, let’s do everyone a favor and not let the Commissioner be the sacrificial lamb.” His Lieutenant’s glower landed on them. Ninety-five percent of the cops in this city loved his old man. The other five percent were crooked motherfuckers who preferred the 'good ole boy' system his father had obliterated. Davidson fell firmly on the ‘I love your old man’ side.
“Will do.” He nodded his affirmation. He and Jordan silently watched Davidson leave the breakroom. “Fuck me.”
“It would seem your old man has literally put his career in your hands.”
His father had alluded as much this morning but hearing it from his Lieutenant and his partner drove the message home with emphasis. A sinking feeling grabbed his gut and held him down as if it was anchored to the weight of the world. “Yeah.”
3
"The man had one hell of a caffeine addiction." Jordan motioned to the coffee shop where one of the many receipts in Samuel's wallet came from.
"Coffee ain't illegal, and seriously, he has just as many dry-cleaning receipts," He grumbled as he put the car into park.
"A clean and pressed caffeine freak," his partner murmured.
"Come on, let's see what they remember." Brock unfolded from the Crown Vic they drove while on duty. He glanced over at the small coffee shop. "What's the time stamp on this one?"
"Ahh… 8:30 a.m."
He flicked his cell phone, waking the home screen, so he could check the time. The morning crew might still be there. They waited for traffic and then crossed the street. The little bell on the door tinkled above them when they opened the door.
Jordan always made first contact with witnesses, so he drifted to the left to look at the pastries as his partner engaged the young woman behind the counter. He listened to the entire conversation, and tried his damnedest not to glower or hover—Jordan’s descriptions, not his.
"I'm sorry, I don't remember the order, but we are always slammed that time of day."
"That's okay, Autumn. Maybe a photo of the guy would help?" Jordan smiled at the young woman, and he could have sworn the girl sighed. His partner produced a photo they'd cropped from an on-line magazine. The picture featured Samuel with a relaxed happy smile.
"Oh, that's Sam. He's in here a couple times a week with Ava. They are regulars. Always together, you don't see one without the other. I must have missed them yesterday, but it was a zoo in