Page 32 of Dead Drunk
“Not everyone was doing it. I wasn’t!” Cisco charged back.
“That’s right, partner, youweren’tdoing it. You were still in the closet, hiding who you really were. Didn’t want anything to fuck up your precious chance to be chief.”
Fitzgibbon stopped when they reached the front of the house. He crouched by the stairs and seemed to be listening intently.
“We’re in position, Cap,” Ronan’s voice came through the earpiece. “I can see Oliveri and Cisco in the kitchen.”
“Stay put, wait for Cisco’s safe word,” Fitz whispered.
“Is that what this is all about?” Cisco asked, sounding incredulous. “Being chief of police? Is that why you started this exhortation scheme, because I’d been fast tracked and you hadn’t?”
“Fuck off, Cisco! You were Alcott’s pet from day one. His heir apparent. I was stuck watching you kiss his ass to get what you wanted.”
“Is that why you killed him?” Cisco asked.
“What did you just say?” Oliveri’s tone turned darker. Threatening.
“You heard me, loud and clear. You killed Alcott in his hospital bed with an overdose of insulin.”
Oliveri laughed. “Yeah, Cisco, you’re right. I did kill Alcott, and those assholes who wouldn’t pay extortion money, and so many more. Somany,manymore.”
“Oliveri’s gonna shoot Cisco!” Ten said, feeling panic well up inside him.
“Jesus Christ, Ronan, move in now!” Fitz bolted for the front door.
Ten knew what was going to happen. Oliveri was going to pull a gun from the silverware drawer and was going to gun down Cisco in cold blood. One shot to the heart.
“Damn, it feels so good to tell you all of this. I actually feel lighter.” Oliveri let out a big sigh.
“Let me take you into custody,” Cisco said calmly. “I’ll make sure you have the best attorney money can buy.”
“I’mnotgoing to need an attorney.” Oliveri laughed. “There’s no way the Salem Police are going to arrest a decorated detective for killing a murder suspect in self-defense.”
“Self-defense?” Cisco asked. A beat later he screamed, “Bob! NO!”
A single shot rang out. Tennyson hit the ground, while Fitzgibbon burst through the front door. “Put the gun down, Bob!” Fitzgibbon commanded.
“Fuck you, Fitz!” Two more gunshots broke the near-silence of the neighborhood.
Pained screams came through the earpiece. Ten couldn’t tell who was injured.
Several police cruisers pulled up to the front of Oliveri’s house. Men got out of their cars and crouched behind them, waiting.
“All clear!” Fitzgibbon’s voice came over the comms. “Two officers down! Send in the medics now!”
Ten picked himself off the ground in time to see two ambulances, with their red and white lights on, park in front of the house. The paramedics jumped out. Several ran for the house, while others yanked open the back doors and grabbed gear, along with a stretcher.
With the whirl of activity and the gunshots still ringing in Ten’s ears, his gift was useless. He didn’t know who was shot or what condition they were in. He stood by, helplessly watching.
After what felt like an hour, but was probably more like ten minutes, the paramedics rushed a stretcher out of the house. It was Cisco. Ronan was right behind him. Both of his hands were covered in blood.
“Call Luca,” Ronan shouted. “Tell him to meet us at Salem Mercy.”
Cisco was loaded into the ambulance. Ronan climbed in after him. Sirens wailed. The ambulance sped away.
Jude came out of the house and ran to Ten. “Cisco was shot in the left shoulder. Fitz fired twice at Oliveri, both shots struck him.”
“Ronan was covered in blood, is he okay?” Ten asked.
