“What can youtellme?”
Bishop lifted the tattoo machine and wiped away the excess ink with a paper towel, and Rix stretched before settling back intoplace.
“Not much.There’s a rumor going around in the department that there’s still a dirty cop among us.I’m starting to wonder if shit’ll ever be right even after ...”He trailed off, but I knew what he wasn’tsaying.
Even after the department was clear ofHennessys.
“Who?”The question came out with more force than I intended.If there was still a dirty cop on the city’s payroll, that meant there was a chance my dad could have been set up.Slim chance, but achance.
“Hell, Hennessy, if I knew that, I would’ve already arrested his ass so we could finish cleaning house.Everyone’s on edge, looking at each other like their partner could betheone.”
No police department should be running that way.I knew what it was like to have people constantly look sideways at me when I had a badge.Before my dad’s role had been uncovered, my brother had been killed in the line of duty and fingered as a dirty cop working for the cartel.If I’d let that lie—let my brother forever be known as dirty—I never would have found out that it was my dad who was on the take, and that his fuckup had gotten his own sonkilled.
For the first time since I’d pulled up at the scene at my folks’ house, I wondered if my father could have wired the house and pressed the button to blow it all to hell.Maybe he couldn’t live with the guilt of knowing he’d killed his son anylonger.
I didn’t want to believe anyofit.
“What do you think, Rix?You think my daddidit?”
“Wired his own house and planned to blowitup?”
The part about taking out the guys coming to bring him in made my gut twist, but I gave Rix a curt nod anyway, even though I wanted to rage that there was no way in hell my dad could have done it.What stopped me?I remembered the mother of a serial killer screaming that her baby boy could never hurt anyone, despite the fact that he’d been caught with seven bodies in his deepfreezer.
No one ever wanted to believe that someone they loved could do awful things, but the sad reality was that they were wrong.And if my dad did this, what did that say about me?What was Icapableof?
“I don’t know.I didn’t get to see the file, and without that, I’m not gonna speculate.”Rix shifted in the chair as Bishop moved on to another part of his arm, and met my gaze with a serious glint in his.“But knowing how bad the captain needed to close that case, it wouldn’t surprise me if they took shortcuts and found a convenientscapegoat.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time politics outweighed justice,” Bishopadded.
“But then again, your pop wouldn’t have been the first cop wanting to avoid prison bad enough to do something stupid andcrazy.”
I wanted to put my fist through Rix’s face for suggesting it, but I knew he had a point.“Either way, I’m not lettingthisgo.”
“Didn’t figure you were, but you might not like whatyoufind.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, knowing that he was right.“I owe it to my family to find thetruth.”
The creak of a door opening shut me up, but when Con strolled up the back hallway and around the corner, the stiffness in my spinefaded.
“Never thought I’d say this to a cop, but I missed seeing your face around here, Hennessy.Really sorry about your loss.”The sympathy on his face wasgenuine.
I didn’t have to point out that I wasn’t a cop any longer.Everyonehereknew.
“Thanks.Appreciateit.”
“If you need a throwaway to take care of business, I have a guy that could hook you up,”Consaid.
Life without a badge never ceased to amaze me.What had always seemed so black and white before was all sorts of gray now.And how did I know this?Because I already had an unregistered pistol I could toss if Ineededto.
Rix scowled at him.“Why would you say that shit in front of me?I know I was deep cover for a long fucking time, but I’m still a cop.You keep that shit to yourself until I get outofhere.”
Con looked sideways at Rix.“You want that tat finished?Then you’ll shut the hell up and not comment on what I say in my owndamnshop.”
The two men eyed each other, the mutual respectobvious.
“Where’s Delilah when we need her to tell you to just get your dicks out and compare?”Bishop said with alaugh.
Con looked around.“Where the hell isDelilah?”