Page 10 of The Consequences of Love and Vengeance

Mike hunches over me from behind.

“That’s Brandon Marino on the left,” he states, even though I already know it is.

“Yeah, and Acerbi is the one on the right.” At least that’s what Miss Carlisle claimed. I haven’t verified it yet, but Mike nods, making me think he knows it is, in fact, Drago Acerbi.

“We know what’s in the package?”

“No. And this is the only photograph. I have no way of knowing which one is receiving or which is giving the package.”

He lets out a heavy sigh. “It’s weak at best. Your girl claims Acerbi is smuggling drugs, yet she won’t testify. The photo has a small chance of creating probable cause since we know Marino is a known associate of Sebastian Diaz. If we can get the deputy chief’s buy-in to start an investigation...” Mike pauses, and I glance behind me. He’s scrutinizing the photo.

“What are you thinking?” I can’t help but ask him.

“Well, if you’re able to find evidence that points toward drug trafficking, then we can probably get a judge to issue a warrant for her testimony.”

“When does Tom return from Tahoe?”

Thomas Ramirez is the deputy chief of investigations in charge of the detectives. With budget cuts, we’re down a sergeant, so we all report directly to Tom. Mike is in charge ofour day-to-day duties, which is another reason I see him more as my boss than not.

“Sunday night. He’ll be back in on Monday. I’ll get Sally to schedule a meeting first thing but fuck...”

He lets out a breath of air that reaches my face; the smell of strong coffee mixed with something else is evident on his breath. I didn’t take Mike for one to drink on the job. And who am I to call him on it? Not when he’s done so much for me. I don’t get a chance anyway when he continues.

“If Judy is refusing to help place that kid in a foster home, then I don’t know what we’re going to do until Tom returns.” He shakes his head. “I’m not coming down on you, but you should have kept your mouth shut on the details of the case in this circumstance.”

I look at him as if to say, ‘really,’ but I hold my tongue.

“Look, Bri, you’ll learn; it just takes time. Sometimes, like this one, for instance, you don’t disclose every detail, even if it’s with folks on your own team. Now we have to find an officer that’ll take the baby until Monday.”

“I’ll do it,” I stress. He thinks I screwed up, so I’ll deal with my mess.

“You?” He half-laughs as he belts out the question. “What do you know about kids?”

“I have two nieces and a nephew. I’m not as foreign to babies as youmight think.”

Jeez, what does he take me for? I’m twenty-nine years old. Even if Ihadn’t been around ababy or two, I’d like to think I would be able to figure it out.It’s only two days.

“You sure, Andrews?”

“Yeah, it’s nothing,” I promise.

“Okay then. You call it a night. I’ll cover the rest of your shift. Get on out of here,” he shoos.

“What? No. I’m not putting that on you.”

“Bri, that baby can’t stay here all night. If you know about babies, then you realize that.”

I take his words in, absorbing them. He’s right. Mike usually is. Dammit, I don’t like not pulling my own weight, and that’s exactly what this feels like by having him cover for me.

“Fine,” I concede. “I’ll go, but I’ll make this up to you.”

“There’s no need, kiddo. You’re one of the few that makes me proud as is. Just don’t change doing that, and we’re good.”

Damn. Where did that come from?

* * *

I easethe door to my condo shut as softly as possible, not wanting to make too much noise that could wake Gabriel. Once it’s closed, I flip the deadbolt into place.

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