Page 146 of State of Bliss

She’d never once called him by his first name.

He turned back to her.

“Something’s happening. I don’t know what it is, but it feels… bad.”

“How so?”

“I don’t know. A vibe. I’ve never seen Joe so stressed. All this stuff with Stahl… I worry he’s going to drop dead. His wife is worried, too.”

That was more than she’d said to him in the more than twelve years he’d known her combined. Helen didn’t tell tales out of school. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Thank you.”

Jake knocked, walked into Joe’s office and took a closer look than usual at his old friend. Helen was right. He looked rough.

“If you’re here about the Bryant kid, I told Gonzo to spring him.”

“Why?”

“Because Forrester said it was important.”

“And that was enough to spring a kid we’ve got nailed on murder for hire?”

“In all these years, Forrester has never asked me for anything. He wanted the kid sprung. We sprung the kid.”

“Joe… Are you serious? Our case against Tori Stevens isn’t anywhere near as strong without Randy Bryant. Are you going to be the one to tell Rachel Fortier’s parents that we let her murderers walk?”

“I…” He looked up at Jake. “The whole world is coming for me right now. Tom Forrester has always had my back. He said this was urgent, so you’ll have to take it up with him.”

“Don’t mind if I do. Our Homicide detectives are upset, and with good reason. They’ve busted their asses to build this case, and now you’re telling them to let it go? How do they live with themselves if they do that?”

“How do any of us live with ourselves after the things that’ve already happened?”

In the thirty years they’d been friends and colleagues, Joe Farnsworth had never yelled at Jake Malone. The outburst left Jake shocked and concerned.

“Joe…”

“Leave me alone, Jake. I gave an order. I expect it to be followed. That’s it.”

Jake left the office, slamming the door behind him to let his friend know his true feelings about his bullshit order.

“Is everything all right?” Helen asked as he walked by.

“No, Helen, it isn’t all right.”

He went straight to his office, grabbed his keys and left the building without a word to anyone. On the way to Forrester’s D Street Northwest office, Malone called Sam.

The phone rang five times before she picked up, sounding winded. “Hey, Cap. What’s up?”

“You won’t believe me if I tell you.”

“Okay…”

“The chief ordered Gonzales to release the guy who did the Fortier murder for hire.”

“Oh my God. Why?”

“He said Forrester asked him to. I’m on my way as we speak to ask Forrester what the fuck is going on. We have much less of a case against Tori Stevens, who orchestrated this whole thing, without the guy who did the deed.”

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