Ballistic (28 page)

“Come here Halina,” he ordered me in a hushed voice. Setting my homework down, I entered the kitchen with caution. He hadn’t spoken to me directly in three years. Instead of answering him, I cocked my head to the side to show him I’m listening. “I need you to listen to something and tell me if he’s lying,” he said, handing me his cell phone. I don’t make enough money for a cell phone yet but, I promised myself to have one someday. Listening to the message it’s from his boss and mainly it’s dribble about office politics. Then it got interesting, as a female employee said he sexually harassed her. Huh. His boss goes on to say he’s a valued employee, that he has to follow procedure even though, in the message, he said he believed him.

Liar.

Closing the phone and handing it back to him he leans in and whispers, “Well?”

“He was telling the truth,” I whisper
ed, fighting back my smiled. “He believes you.”

Walking out of the kitchen, I don’t receive a hug or a thank you
. As usual, I get nothing. Well now, that’s not entirely true. Two weeks later, when he was fired, I got my ass beat, but even that couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

Parking in the lot, I reach over into the passenger seat and secure the Kevlar beneath my sweater. Michael Kors would be so disappointed if he knew what I was doing by stretching this out. Seriously, it’s the one designer piece I own that actually flatters me. What I was doing to it was a sin, but it made Anthony happy so if need be, I’d just order another one, or four. Walking into the Mercury, it’s packed as usual. My stomach wants a Faygo Crème Soda and the jalapeño fries, but this is business, not digestional pleasure. Searching for the cop who, judging by his file, looks twelve, I assume he’ll be easy to spot. Only I spot Julian first. Thankfully he’s here with someone and I won’t have to be bothered with him.

“Lina!” he greets when he sees me. Standing up he walks over to give me a hug which I do not return or appreciate. I am not a hugger. Well
, with the exception of Anthony I’m not. He gives excellent hugs. “Right on time,” he says, leading me over to the booth nearest the window facing Michigan Avenue.

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I say
, looking at him, then the cop. “What is this?”

“This is my client covering his ass, Lina,” he says
, sitting down. “If your efforts fail and he sees jail time, he needs protection.”

“Hold up,” I say
, putting my uncasted hand in the air for effect. “He wouldn’t see jail time, Julian, he’d be dead. If he’s approached and declines, he dies. If he agrees, he’s also done, just later rather than sooner. Your client has two choices: choose my side and be my eyes and ears, or transfer out. That’s it.”

“You said if the department saw me as a traitor
, I could see jail time,” says the wide eyed rookie to a very smug Julian.

“That’s what you get for calling an attorney
, rookie. They love to instill fear.  Seriously, that’s what you told him, Julian?” I laugh in disgust. “You aren’t Judas and he isn’t Jesus, trust me. This isn’t world war one. That shit doesn’t happen anymore. Now, it’s me or them. Which pole you swingin’ from?”

“Oh come on
, Lina,” Julian says, putting his arm behind me in the booth. “The department is not having cops murdered for noncompliance. You’re scaring him for no reason.”

Weird he should mention that
, considering I never have. He was keeping something from me. Although he wasn’t lying to me, he
was
lying to the rookie. Why would a criminal defense attorney know anything about this? Why, of all the attorneys in Detroit would he call Julian if he hasn’t committed a crime? And where was the nearest exit?

“Offers expired,” I tell them both
, standing. “If you’re approached and you don’t reach out to me,
I’ll
consider you a traitor. Bringing this guy to the table was a no-no. I don’t know what you two are up to, but I’m not playing along.”

“Wait,” the rookie
says, jumping up. “I don’t wanna die, alright? I ain’t no traitor. I just wanna do my job.”

“Why bring him then
, Carlo?” I ask, nodding to Julian. “How do you even know this guy? This is some next level shit and I don’t’ like it.”

“He handled a few cases and had a rep
. He’s the only name I knew. I called him to make sure you weren’t setting me up and he said he’d come.”

“I’ve been trying to contact you,” he says
. “I’m here to help. If this is what I think it is and the DPD finds out what you’re doing, cops aren’t the only ones that will be branded traitors, Lina. Let me in on this.”

“I don’t trust you,” I tell him
, then look over at the rookie who looks crushed. “I never have. You shouldn’t trust him either, rookie. If you’re serious about staying alive, you come to my side…alone. I’ll be in touch or you know, I won’t.”

Throwing my bag over my shoulder, I walk back out to my truck and send a text to Anthony letting him know I’m dropping by the Masonic to watch the girls practice.  I also need to let them know I’m out for a while, unless I can get my hand on his saw when he isn’t home because he won’t let me within fifty feet of it right now. Not waiting to see if he responds, I pull out onto Michigan Avenue. I make a left onto 14
th
street when I notice I’m being followed closely by a city issued SUV. Glancing up, I notice the cop is staying right on my ass. This tells me he wants in on a game of bumper cars. Turning on my iPhone and synching my playlist, I take my time scrolling through until I find it. When it comes through the speakers, I go with it. Tightening my belt, removing my 9mm and setting in on the counsel, I hit the gas while he follows suit.

Let’s show ‘em some love, welcome to Detroit
bangs out of my speakers and I smile an evil smile.

Let’s play.

Hooking a fast right onto Perry Street, he follows, ass ending me. “Woo! Tricky!” I yell out in tune with his rap. Flying down the street, I make the cruiser chase me, when he hits me again, I slam on the brakes throwing it in reverse. “How does my Hummer taste up in your grill, bitch?” I yell, pushing his vehicle backwards. When he rights himself, I gun it over to Elm hooking another right, heading toward Rosa Parks Boulevard. I’m staying on back streets to keep casualties at a minimum, but when he tries running me off the road, I decide his won’t be one of them.

When my phone rings
, it interrupts my jam so I hit answer. “Kinda busy right now, honey,” I yell into my Bluetooth.

“Lina! What the fuck is that noise?”

“Oh that?” I yell, “I’m sorta being followed and whoever is driving thinks a mom mobile can beat a Hummer. He better ask somebody! Hold on a sec.”

“Lina!”

Screeching onto Martin Luther King Boulevard, he’s still ramming me. I just need to get him to Temple Street where I can turn him into a tin can. “Nice hit, Shirley!” I scream out the window. “You like apples? Jerking my wheel on a hard right, I nail his driver side door causing him to lose control briefly. “How about them apples?”

“Lina
, god dammit! Answer me! Where are you?”

“Exited MLK
, currently fucking shit up on the Lodge. Oh, and I’m a boss with one hand, you’d be proud, coach.”

“I’ll call for help!” he yells
. “Get somewhere safe!”

“I’m the safest one on
.this road,” I tell him. “Heading to the Masonic. I’ll be in touch, and by touch I mean you may want to start calling me
Crusher
.”

“Lina wait,” he says
.

“Anthony, this fuckbag hurt Mrs. Mathers
. You have no idea how that upsets me.”

“We’ll help Mrs. Mathers once you’re secure!”

“No one fucks with Mrs. M and lives to talk about it.”

Disconnecting
, my track picks back up and I’m about a minute from my destination. “Oh, now this guy knows how to party!”

Making a hard turn on to Temple, I haul ass to get to the far side of the parking lot. When I see he’s going to ram me
again, I lock it up. Then there’s the jolt and the seat belt smashes my girls, looks like Kevlar stops bullets, not vehicular mammograms. “You owe me a bumper, mawfucka!” I yell out the window, and I see he’s looking a wee bit pale. Pussy. Crushing the gravel underneath my 22’s I slam on my breaks, leaving a cloud of dust in my wake. Not even bothering to wait for this asshole to get out, I fire a round into the driver’s right tire. When he jumps out with his hands up, my faith in the male species takes another hit. “Seriously?” I ask, rolling my eyes. “Don’t punk out on me now. I’m just getting warmed up. What? No encore?”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he says
, shaking, “but they’ll kill
me
if I don’t!”

“Quite the conundrum
. Who’s they?” I ask, pointing straight at his forehead, but he doesn’t answer. “Cat got your tongue? Where’s your weapon?”

“In the
truck. I’m unarmed.”

“No,” I tell him
, hearing the truth of it. “You’re stupid.”

Firing off another round
, I graze his left knee cap and he goes down screaming. Approaching him, he isn’t trying to barter or hobble off. Instead he’s trying to see if he still has a full knee cap, (which is a negative). Standing over him, I push him over onto his back with my foot. “Were you paid off?”

“Yes,” he whimpers
. “I needed the money.”

“How’s that working out for you?”

“I didn’t want this!”

“What did you think was going to happen?”

“He said to follow you, I followed.”

“Yeah? Following me included roughing up Mrs. Mathers?”

“Who the fuck is Mrs. Mathers?”

“My truck
, you dumb fuck. One last time, who is
he
?

“I don’t know who he is!”

“You do know when whoever he is finds out you failed, you’re as good as dead right?”

“I know,” he cries
. “I know!”

Kneeling down next to him
, I aim my gun at his heart. “No, you don’t know,” I whisper. “Taking that money changed the course of your life, rookie. Now it comes down to you or me. I should mention in this scenario, you lose.”

“Please,” he begs
. “I’ll do whatever you want. I swear to god I didn’t want this to happen.”

Maybe he didn’t
, but he took the money, then spent the last ten minutes trying to run me off the road because he was told to. All for a few extra bucks. Fact: had he been told to kill me he would have. Don’t let his crying shit fool you, he’d off me to save himself in a heartbeat. “This is the end of the road, rookie,” I tell him quietly. “Although it’s a little late to be swearing to god, in my opinion. If there’s an afterlife, I hope you make it there but I wouldn’t hold my breath or anything. Sometimes you do shit you can’t undo, this is one of those times.”

“Just,” he whispers
, “just make it quick.” Nodding, he closes his eyes then opens them again. “Wait! I ain’t the only one watching you. This guy doesn’t want you messing up his plans. He’s got eyes everywhere, especially on you. He wants you bad.”

“Okay
, rookie,” I tell him. “Thanks for the intel. Maybe that’ll get you closer to the pearly gates.”

Closing his eyes again he whispers
, “After everything I’ve done, you’re the closest I’ll ever get to heaven. I hurt a lot of people. Ain’t no forgiveness for that.”

Stepping back and taking a deep breath, I know what the right thing to do is. It’s a fucking shame it had to come to this. But, I remind myself this is a mercy the others weren’t granted. I tell myself to look at this like euthanasia. It’s the humane thing to do. Firing one round
, it’s over before he had a chance to know what happened. There was no need to terrify him further. What was waiting for him was far worse than what I had just done. Turning away and kicking Mrs. Mathers in the back left tire, I scream silently. How in the fuck are we supposed to get ahead when our own cops are against us? Pulling my hair by the roots, I know in my gut what the answer was. You don’t get ahead. You do what it takes to stay alive. Christ, the department isn’t just corrupted. It’s infected. I may be freelance, but my job is to help the department and I thought I was. This is my payment for that? Watching my back from every man in uniform? Bending at the knees to get my composure, I mentally cry out for Anthony.