Honorable Death

by Linda S. Prather

  He headed to the shower while I flipped through the notes we’d put together the night before. Our hits today were based on Dave’s CI information of shipments being stored in three warehouses. All three were run by different gangs, and Commander Park would get warrants for the arrest of the head guys first thing this morning. Interviews of those three would take us into the afternoon and evening.

  A key turned in the front door, and I rose to refill my cup as Officer Stevens called out, ‘It’s me.”

  “In the kitchen. Do you want a cup of coffee?”

  “Coffee sounds great. Black.”

  “Good, because I’m out of milk.” I turned, suppressing a gasp just in time. Damn, he looks good in a suit.

  “I hope you don’t mind. The commander said I could dress like you guys for the time being.”

  “No problem. I hope you’ve got your vest on under that shirt.” I placed his coffee on the table. “You might want to go over our notes while we’re waiting on Dave.”

  Stevens picked up the notes and scanned them. “Looks pretty straightforward to me.”

  I wished I had his confidence. The plans were good, but there was a lot of room for error. We’d lost one officer already, and I didn’t want to lose another. I breathed a sigh of relief when Dave appeared a few minutes later. “Let me change Dave’s bandage, and we’ll be ready to go.”

  The station was hopping by the time we got there, and Commander Park had thirty officers in full riot gear split into three groups. “Detective Lang will give you your orders this morning.”

  I hated speaking in public, and Dave gave me one of those sloppy grins as I headed to the podium to join Park. “Good morning. We have three warehouses that we have reason to believe house recent drug shipments.” A city map had been placed on the whiteboard. “One on La Costa, run by the Night Merchants. The head of that gang is Gio Russo. The second warehouse is on Forrester, run by the Dragon Kings. The head of that gang is Julio Lenglases. The third warehouse is on Cooper and run by the Brave Hearts. The head of that gang is Breverton Foster.”

  I took a deep breath and stared over their heads without looking directly at anyone. “It’s important to coordinate all three raids to go down at the same time. Once word hits the street, things will disappear, including the leaders. We have warrants for their arrests, and you’ll be carrying a copy with you. If they’re not at the warehouse as soon as you’ve secured the sites, we’ll arrest them.” I turned to Park. “Thank you, sir. I’ll turn it back to you.”

  “Thank you, Detective Lang. Team one will hit La Costa, team two Forrester, and team three Cooper. This early in the morning, we don’t expect a lot of resistance. Confiscate the drugs, secure the crime scenes, and call it in. As soon as your jobs are done, Detective Lang and her group will serve the arrest warrants on Russo, Lenglases, and Foster.” He paused for a moment. “Be careful out there, and don’t forget we’re looking for a cop killer.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  We’d surprised the gangs by hitting early in the morning. Most raids happened at night. By noon, we’d confiscated over five million dollars in drugs and secured the crime scenes. We had three unhappy gang bosses waiting in separate interrogation rooms. I’d decided to start with Gio Russo. He was the first one I remembered Kyle working with. Foster had lawyered up, as had Lenglases. For my purposes, that didn’t matter. I was looking for reactions.

  “You ready, kid?” Dave passed me a cup of coffee as I fingered the file containing Kyle’s pictures.

  “Let’s do this.” I opened the door to the interrogation room and waited until Dave took a seat, using the time to study Gio.

  He didn’t look like a gang leader. His black hair was close-cropped, and he lacked the facial jewelry most of them adorned themselves with. His teeth were white and well taken care of. His nails were clean and recently manicured. The drug business paid well, and Gio was enjoying all the benefits. I plopped my files on the desk and took my seat. Gio glanced at the files, the first inkling of fear widening his eyes. He’d been here before, but the files were new. Files meant evidence.

  “Would you like something to drink, Gio?”

  “This is bullshit, bitch, and you know it.”

  Dave slapped a hand on the table. “Watch your mouth, Gio. I’d hate to mess up that pretty smile.”

  “You’ve been read your Miranda rights, and you’ve chosen not to have a lawyer present.” I opened one of the files, took out a sheet of paper, placed a pen on it, and pushed it across the table. “If you’ll sign that, we can talk.”

  “I ain’t got nothing to hide.” Gio scribbled his name and tossed the paper and pen across the table.

  “We raided your warehouse this morning and confiscated roughly two million in drugs.”

  A tick started below his left eye. “You got the wrong guy. I don’t know nothing about no warehouse.”

  I smiled softly and shuffled the files. “I hope you’re right, Gio. Suppliers like to be paid, and the loss of two million dollars in merchandise makes a lot of people angry.”

  The tick picked up in speed, and I opened Kyle’s file. “Tell me about this.” I placed a picture in front of him. “What did he do that was worth all that torture?”

  Gio glanced at the picture, swallowed hard, and looked away. “I don’t know that guy.”

  “Look again, Gio!” Anger flushed my face, and I placed another picture in front of him. “He worked for you.”

  “What is this shit? I told you—I don’t know that guy.”

  “Kyle Lang.”

  Gio glanced at the pictures again, his hands trembling as he touched the first one. “I ain’t seen Lang in years. I heard he went to work for someone else.”

  “Who?”

  “Some corporate group into a lot of heavy shit.” Gio pushed the pictures across the table. “I’ll take that lawyer now.”

  “You waived your right to a lawyer.” Dave tapped the paper Gio had signed. “Best to come clean while you can.”

  “That was before you tried to pin that shit on me. I ain’t saying nothing else.”

  I placed the pictures back in the file, stood, and tossed a business card on the table. “Kyle was my twin brother. He was into drugs the last I knew, with scum like you. Until we find his killer, we’re not leaving any stone unturned. And if that isn’t enough, we have a fallen brother, and you can trust me when I say cop killers get our blood boiling.” I leaned across the table and glared into his eyes. “You lost two million dollars this morning, and I’ve only begun. If I were you, I’d be searching my memory on who that corporate group was and hoping I’d find out who killed Officer Moore.” I opened the door and nodded to the officer standing guard. “Lock his ass up until his lawyer gets here.”

  Dave came up beside me. “Do you need to count? That wasn’t real smart telling him Kyle was your brother.”

  Instead of the scathing comment he was expecting, I gave him a quick hug and a smile. “You’re taking all this too serious, partner. The people we’re after already know Kyle was my brother, and the drug lords know if they come after a cop, instead of stopping the raids, it will have the reverse effect and triple them.” I walked to the coffee station and refilled my cup. “Breathing deep and counting is for wimps. Let’s go have some fun.”

  “‘Fun,’ she calls it.” Dave followed me to the second interrogation room. “Have you seen his lawyer?”

  “Once a year, at my parents’ Christmas party. I was counting on that.” I opened the door to the interrogation room and smiled at Cameron Hazelwood, one of the best, and most expensive, criminal lawyers in Chicago. “Nice to see you again, Cameron.” I dropped the files on the table, took my seat and waved to Dave. “This is my partner, Detective Capello.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Dave shook Cameron’s hand and plopped down in his seat.

  “I’ve reviewed your warrant, and the charges against my client are ludicrous. There’s no indication in any paperwork that he has an interest in the warehous
e you raided this morning. Provide your evidence or release him immediately.”

  I wanted to slap the smile off Breverton Foster’s face. Unlike Russo, he played the gang leader to the hilt, with nose rings, earrings, and lots of gold jewelry draped around his neck. Oily blond hair surrounded a pockmarked face that only a mother could love. He had the ego too. “I’m glad to hear that, Mr. Hazelwood. We confiscated a little under a million dollars in drugs this morning from that warehouse.” I smiled at Foster and pulled Kyle’s picture from the folder. “I’d sure hate to see Mr. Foster wind up like this.”

  Cameron gagged. Foster paled, and his voice quivered. “Who the hell is that?”

  “Don’t say a word, Breverton. Detective Lang is fishing.”

  “Lang?” The color drained from Foster’s face as he glanced at the picture again. The public might not have known Kyle was dead, but rumors had hit the drug circuit.

  Dave kicked my foot under the table, but I had it under control. “That’s right, Breverton. Kacy Lang, Kyle Lang’s sister. I know he worked for you, and until I find his killer, I’ll raid every damn place you have any connection to. I’ll have surveillance on your lieutenants and your runners. Before I’m finished, you’ll be out of business.” I tapped the picture. “Or your suppliers will decide to do this to you.”

  Cameron stood. “We’re leaving.”

  “Shit!” Foster shook his head. “I didn’t have nothing to do with that.”

  “Shut up, Foster.” Cameron’s blood pressure was rising, and his face was turning beet red.

  “You shut up, man. I ain’t going down for no murder. Lang wasn’t doing drugs no more. He was—”

  Cameron grabbed Foster’s arm and jerked him from the seat. “Not another damn word. We’re leaving.”

  I glanced at Dave, and he nodded. Retrieving my picture, I stood up and placed it in the file. “Whoever killed Kyle also killed a young officer at the hospital. I’m sure you’re aware of how much heat that puts on you and your business.” I handed Foster a business card and nodded to Cameron. “I’ll be more than happy to talk with you, Breverton, but first, you’ll have to fire your lawyer.”

  Cameron dragged his client from the room, and I nodded to the same guard who’d followed us from Russo’s room. “Let them go.”

  Dave chuckled. “I think you hit a nerve.”

  “A big one. Let’s go see if we can hit another one.”

  I’d saved Lenglases until last for a reason. I wanted him to have plenty of time to think. He’d lost the most in our raid, and rumor had it, he was part of a huge Colombian cartel. A legitimate businessman with several franchises in women’s clothing, he ran with the big dogs, and his lawyer wouldn’t be a local. He was also the last person I had evidence that Kyle was running drugs for.

  Unlike Cameron, Julio’s attorney was older, and the suit he was wearing cost more than my monthly salary. He stood as we entered the room, smiled, and stuck out his hand. “Fabian Marcone. I’ll be representing Mr. Lenglases.”

  I ignored the hand and took my seat. There was something vaguely familiar about Marcone. I was positive we’d never met, and I shrugged it off as a result of him being seasoned and smart. Most big-time lawyers were. He wasn’t about to deny his client owned the warehouse, but we were about to hear a line of bullshit. “Detective Kacy Lang.”

  Dave shook Marcone’s hand. “Detective Dave Capello.”

  Marcone’s lips thinned slightly at my obvious snub, but he recovered quickly and took his seat. “My client owns the warehouse you raided this morning, but he had no idea someone was storing drugs there.”

  I glanced at my paperwork. “A little over three million dollars in cocaine was confiscated from that warehouse.” I raised my eyes to Lenglases. “That’s a lot of inventory space taken up. If you didn’t have knowledge of it, then one of your employees must have put it there.”

  Marcone cleared his throat. “Mr. Lenglases will cooperate with your investigation. We’ll deliver a list of all employees that had access to the warehouse and the names of all companies that delivered there.”

  I continued to stare at Lenglases, and he shifted in his seat, his hands moving from the table to his lap and back. Marcone was a professional, and Lenglases had been well schooled before we came in. It was time to shake up that calm expression on his face. “When is the last time you saw Kyle Lang?”

  I caught Marcone’s frown out of my peripheral vision, and Lenglases shrugged. “It’s been years.”

  “Wait a minute.” Marcone held up a hand. “Who is Kyle Lang, and what does he have to do with my client?”

  I took out the three most graphic pictures we had and placed them in front of Julio. “That’s Kyle Lang. He was my twin brother and a former employee of Mr. Lenglases.”

  The interview was being videotaped, and there would be times in the future that I would want to go back and watch this portion. Lenglases turned a shade of green before twisting to the side and vomiting all over Marcone’s expensive suit. I wasn’t sure what Lenglases had eaten for breakfast and lunch, but it had long since rotted.

  “Jesus.” Dave leapt out of his chair and headed for the door. “I’ll get some towels.”

  To give Marcone his due, he took it all in stride. That made him a dangerous man and what I was looking for. His voice gave no clue to what he was feeling or thinking. He spoke in a polite, quiet, even tone. “I’d like to speak to my client alone for a moment please, Detective Lang.”

  I left the pictures on the table and rose. “Let the officer outside know when you’re ready.”

  Dave was rushing my way with several rolls of paper towels and bottled water. “They asked for a conference.”

  “You don’t think he wants these?”

  “I don’t think water will save that suit.” I knocked on the door and opened it a crack. “We have some towels and water for you.” I pushed the door open, and Dave placed the items on the table and came out. I closed the door again and stepped away. “We might need to move them to a new room.”

  “I’ll say. Too much of that smell, and I’ll be vomiting.” He rubbed his head. “Hugging a commode wouldn’t be good for me right now. I got a question for you.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “I can’t remember when you didn’t have questions for me.”

  “You were watching Lenglases. I was watching Marcone. Did you notice the look on his face when you said Kyle was your twin brother?”

  “No, but if he had a reaction, he recovered fast.”

  Dave nodded. “Oh, he had a reaction. He went from pale to flushed to dangerous in sixty seconds. He’s up to something.”

  Now I really wanted to watch that tape. “I’ll look at the tape later.”

  Marcone kept us waiting a half hour before finally opening the door. “My client is ready to make a statement.”

  His suit was wet and sticking to his skin. “If you’d like to change, Mr. Marcone, we can move Mr. Lenglases to another room and wait for you.”

  “Another room will be nice, but I’ve had worse. I don’t believe this will take long.”

  “Grab your client and follow me.”

  He motioned for Lenglases, and we moved to the second interrogation room. The smell of vomit still lingered in the air, and Dave was looking a little sick.

  Once seated, I passed a legal pad and pen across the table. “You said your client wanted to confess.”

  “I believe I said he’s ready to make a statement. There are some conditions.”

  “Of course there are.” I glanced at Dave. “Whoever killed my brother also killed one of our officers. We don’t make deals with cop killers, Mr. Marcone.”

  He clicked the pen and smiled. “I believe you’ll be interested in this one. My client has certain information concerning Mr. Lang which may be useful to you. However, he will admit nothing concerning dealings with Mr. Lang, and he will receive full immunity for any charges related to any drug deals Mr. Lang may have been involved in.”

  “Give us
a minute.” I pushed back my chair and nodded for Dave to follow.

  He set in the moment the door closed behind us. “What are we waiting for?”

  Stevens walked our way with a file. “Here’s the purchase information on the warehouse. We have Lenglases dead to rights.”

  “Thanks, Greg.” I bit my lower lip.

  “Make the deal, Kacy. This is what we’ve been looking for. If we don’t get him on the warehouse, we’ll get him down the line.”

  “I needed a minute to think. Let’s go back in.” I opened the door and placed the file among the others. “We have conditions of our own.”

  “I’m listening.” Marcone pulled the legal pad in front of him.

  “We’ll give Mr. Lenglases immunity on any former deals he may have been involved in with Kyle Lang as long he wasn’t involved with Mr. Lang’s murder or the murder of Officer Moore.”

  Marcone glanced at his client and nodded. “We’re agreeable to that.” He met my gaze. “My client has no knowledge of your brother’s murder or the murder of Officer Moore. However, should we come into possession of information related to the murderer, you have my assurance you will be notified.”

  “We also want a list of employees and companies delivering to his warehouse. The immunity doesn’t extend to that charge, and he will be prosecuted unless we find evidence to clear him.”

  “And we’re agreeable to that.” Marcone slid the legal pad across the table. “If you’ll sign, you can ask my client whatever you want to know within those boundaries.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  “When was the last time you saw Kyle?”

  “Four years ago. He paid me for a shipment of goods he lost.”

  The information had the ring of truth, and now I knew why Kyle had gone to the loan shark. “Where was he delivering that shipment?”

  “Tokyo.”

  “Did he tell you how he lost the shipment?”

  “I didn’t ask.”