Not in the Cards Read online

  “Yes, sir. We were simply covering our end of the perimeter.” Leaning back, Captain Henry shook his head. “I can see we’re not going to get anywhere on this. I tried to shake your partner down but he insists that you simply forgot about the radio because you were busy teaching him something. I even threatened to bust his ass outta here if he didn’t come clean about this whole damned mess, yet he maintains your sorry ass story about you both ‘forgetting.’ You have certainly covered your ass this time, Stevens.”

  Delta suppressed a smile. “I only reported things the way they happened, sir.”

  “Of course you did,” he mocked. “And this here, where you say the van drove into a parked car? The suspect who escaped from the van says your vehicle attempted to ram them. Is this true?”

  “No, sir. It isn’t. Both Officer Carducci and I are aware that it is against department regulations to use a patrol vehicle as a barricade. Section nine-twenty three of—”

  “For crying out loud, Stevens, don’t give me that horse shit! I want to know why our suspect believes you tried to run them down?”

  “I wouldn’t know, sir. Perhaps in all of the confusion, he made a mistake. He is, after all, a criminal.” Delta had to choke back the sarcasm.

  Henry scribbled a note and then looked at Delta suspiciously. “A criminal? I see. So, you and Carducci draw on the two guys in the van and decide to take them out before they kill you or the little girl, is that right?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Then tell me something. According to the coroner’s report, the angle of the entry in the suspect you shot is such that it came from practically ground level. Can you explain that to me?”

  “The report is pretty clear about that, sir. I dove to the ground for cover.”

  Captain Henry’s moustache twitched. “For cover? You dove to the ground for cover? Just what kind of cover would the ground have lent you, and what was your partner doing while you were groveling on the ground looking for a place to hide?”

  “As it states in the report—”

  “To hell with this report! I’m asking you to tell me what really happened!”

  “Carducci fired as I dove to the ground.”

  “For cover,” he added sarcastically.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And in less than a blink of the eye, you killed two armed suspects.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Do you realize that I could take this flimsy piece of work to IA and let them have a field day with all of the discrepancies? Who’s going to believe that you dove to the ground for cover? Who would believe that the getaway vehicle just happened to crash? Tell me that. Delta, this whole report is a crock of shit.”

  Delta shrugged. “That’s how it happened, sir, and I’m standing by it.”

  Henry sighed loudly and leaned back in his chair. For a long time, he just studied Delta. “That’s what your partner said.”

  Delta didn’t respond.

  “Do you also realize how impossible it will be for anyone to reprimand you and your partner? Not only did you save another child’s life, but you’ve destroyed a porno ring that has, until now, eluded every major law enforcement agency in this country.”

  Delta knew, but said nothing.

  Leaning across the desk as far as his large frame would let him, Captain Henry lowered his voice. “I’m not going to admit saying this to you, Delta, so if it gets out of this room, I’ll have you for breakfast.”

  Delta nodded. “My lips are sealed, sir.”

  “Personally, I don’t give a rat’s ass how you did what you did. I have a granddaughter the same age as that little girl they took hostage and it doesn’t bother me one bit to know that scum like that won’t waste the taxpayers’ money on a trial. Personally, I’m proud to know that my cops can do anything better than even the most highly trained G-men.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “And professionally, you have made this department, the chief, and me, look exceedingly efficient. The phones have been ringing off the hook with ‘atta boys.’ To the rest of the universe, it was a job well done, even if, in my opinion, you disobeyed my orders. And I’ll go to my death believing this whole report is one huge fabrication.”

  “Does that mean you’re going to let IA know that you don’t believe the report?” Delta held her breath as she waited for the answer.

  “Hell no. The report stands as is. You and Carducci corroborate each other’s report, you caught the scumbags and disposed of them. The media is loving it, the DA is loving it, and the public is eating it up. The only ones sour are the feds and I’ve shipped their asses out of here.”

  “I’m glad it all worked out, sir.”

  “Well, not all of it. Stevens, I’m afraid I misjudged you. I read a bunch of horseshit about you and let it obscure my vision. I apologize for that.”

  “I understand, sir. You have your job to do as well.”

  “Yes, I do. And as of this moment, it is my duty to take you off of TP, and you and your new partner will be on your beat as of day after tomorrow.”

  Delta sat up as if stuck by a pin. “New partner, sir? I was just getting used to Carducci.”

  “Good. Because he’s your new man.” Captain Henry riffled through more papers before closing the report. “As far as I’m concerned, you two deserve each other. But if you’re going to be cutting everything so close, I’d rather not have to explain how a Training Patrol Officer continues to be in the heat of the moment. As of today, Carducci has graduated from TP, and so have you.”

  Delta jumped out of the chair and shook his hand. “Thank you, sir. You won’t regret it.”

  Shaking his head, Captain Henry rose and moved to the door. “I’d better not. You’ll forever be an enigma to me, Delta Stevens. First you hate him, then you fight for him, then you lie for him, and now you want him for your partner.”

  Smiling from ear to ear, Delta shrugged. “He’s grown on me. What can I say?”

  “Say that you’ll try to stay out of trouble for awhile. I’m going to a seminar next week and I’d like to know you’re not going to be in the papers while I’m gone.”

  “I think I can handle that, sir.”

  “Good.” Captain Henry patted Delta on the back as she started through it. “Oh, and there’s one more thing. Sometimes, Officer Stevens, the end does justify the means. This is one of those times.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Walking out of the office, Delta looked across the room at Tony, who was listening intently to one of Connie’s stories. Delta could tell by the way her best friend waved her hands in the air that she was conning him. Stopping for a moment, Delta listened to the sounds of the station as phones rang, papers were shuffled, and filing cabinets squeaked shut. Suspects were being brought in handcuffed, detectives collaborated with cops, and the wheels of justice kept spinning along.

  This was her life. Crazy, dangerous, but also the reason she got up every morning; it was the reason she lived with such passion. It was the one great love that kept her on the razor’s edge of a life that would be dull without it. All she could hope for was that Megan would one day understand the pull of the job and the vitality it gave Delta every single day she wore the badge,

  That’s the way it would always be. Delta Stevens was a cop. And she loved every second of it.

  More from Alex Westmore

  The Plundered Chronicles

  The Pirate’s Booty

  Shiver her Timbers

  Fire in the Hole

  The Timeless Love Saga

  Together in Time

  The Future of Yesterday

  Back to You

  The Delta Stevens Crime Logs

  Miles to Go

  Con Game

  Not in the Cards

  Riders of the Apocalypse

  Ride for Tomorrow

  Burning Rubber

  Eat Asphalt

  The Silver Legacy

  Darkness Descends

  The Demon Within

  B
lood of the Demon

  The Umbra Mortis Saga

  The Death Collector

  The Death Committee

  The Death Continuum

  The Handler

  Dead Again

  About the Author

  Alex Westmore has lived in a haunted house, has a raging empath for a best friend, and eats up paranormal experiences with a huge supernatural spoon. To get closer to the action, she has spent time with Voodun in New Orleans, medicine men in the Southwest, and a Shaman in the Amazon.

  Alex is a five-time award winning author of several series, from zombies to demons to empaths, oh my! When she isn’t writing, she’s thinking about writing and imagining where her next great adventure will take her.

  Spice up your life! Join Alex on her next amazing adventure…you will be so glad you did. The journey begins at www.AlexWestmore.net.

  @AlexWestmore10

  AlexWestmore10

  www.AlexWestmore.net

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