The councilman corrected. “The catalyst.”
“Look, you know what I mean. I need some money. Now, you gone do that or what? I mean, I could always get paid by telling the other side what really happened. That I got busted by that cop Magnelli on the DEA Task force and flipped and was introduce to you and Cane, and was told to set up Agosto to take him off the case.”
Councilman Ferris refused to give DeMario an ounce of pushback on the matter and he would not let him see him sweat. Pulling a few pills out of his pocket, he cupped them in his hand. “Do you have visitors? I can’t very well bring the money up myself. And there is no way that we want you on the other side of this thing. So we’ll do what we have to do to keep you.”
DeMario’s eyes relaxed. He knew that the man would see things his way once he let them know that he knew how important he was to this entire investigation. “Yeah, my boys come back and forward to see me.”
“Good, we’ll imbed someone who looks like your boys. They will bring up a package for you. Although, I wonder how you’re going to spend it in your position.”
“I’ve got ways,” DeMario said, happy with himself.
“I’m sure that Cane can get you the money, but it may take a day or two.”
“You’ve got two days,” DeMario said with a bit of grit in his haggard voice.
Councilman Ferris. “Fair enough.” He raised his hand and showed the red pills in his hand. “I thought you might be able to help the pain with a few of your little friends.”
DeMario’s eye twitched at the sight of the Molly pills in Councilman Ferris’s hand.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about. I haven’t been able to get high once since I landed in this hell hole.”
The councilman reached over DeMario and dropped them in his open mouth. Like a fish, DeMario swallowed hard without water and licked his cracked lips. “Thanks, man.”
“We do what we can,” the councilman said with a grin. “Don’t forget. The guy you don’t recognize is the guy with the package for you.”
“Don’t think about sending someone in here to pop a cap in my ass. There are cops everywhere,” DeMario said, settling in for the rush that would soon come cascading over his body.
“I wouldn’t think of sending anyone to kill you,” the Councilman said, standing up. “Well, I’ll leave you to enjoy your evening and unlock the door for your mother to come back in.”
“Thanks, man,” DeMario said, looking back up at the television.
“Anytime,” the councilman said in a low soothing voice. “You deserve it.”
***
Johnson hated the fact that Lt. Steele wanted to drive. Although it was a very short drive, he found her sitting behind the wheel a reminder that she was going to try to emasculate him as much as possible during this investigation. With his eyes locked on his cell phone, he texted Gabriel, his code name for Carmen. Evidently, she had gotten some shit for being late back to work also, but like him, she had felt it worth it.
Steele pulled into the hospital parking lot and parked the car. Looking over at him, she pursed her lips to say something that appeared to be kind but then she stopped herself.
“What is it?” Johnson asked with a frown.
“Nothing,” she said, rolling her eyes. Opening the door, she got out of the car and slipped on her shades and suit jacket. “Have you had the opportunity to talk to DeMario at all? Does he know who you are?”
Johnson closed the door behind him and laid his large arms on the top of the dusty car. “He knows what I look like, yeah. I made the scene. But I haven’t interviewed him at all.”
“Well, let me lead this. I know you don’t want to but trust me, it’s for the best,” she said, walking towards the building.
Johnson rounded the car and caught up with her. “Why you?”
“I’m easier on the eyes,” she said with confidence. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“No comment,” Johnson joked.
Johnson and Steele pushed their way through the reporters mulling around downstairs waiting on a chance to talk to Ms. Washington or better yet DeMario. So far, Councilman Ferris had been controlling the interaction the family had with the media in order to ensure that they were only seen with him. Recognizing both officers, a few of the reporters started in trying to get a statement but the two kept their lips shut until they got out of the lobby.
“Fucking parasites,” Johnson bit out. “They’ll do anything for a story.”
“They are just doing their jobs,” Steele said, sure that she still wasn’t out of earshot of the media. Inwardly, she felt the exact same way as Johnson, but she had a show to put on. People passed them in hoards as they waited on the elevator. As soon as they got on it and the door closed, she looked over at him.
“So, are you friends with Agosto?”
“You could say that,” Johnson said with a frown. “Why?”
“Did you know all along that he was married to a black woman and had bi-racial children?” she asked, unable to let the thought go. “I mean, you hear the allegations every day just like I do. They think that he’s a hate monger. Why didn’t you ever say anything or stand up for him?”
“I guess you think that a gag order is something to play with,” Johnson said as the doors to the elevator opened on the fourth floor.
“I would have found a way to get the right information to the right people if he had been my partner,” she said, stepping off the elevator as a nurse ran past her. “What’s going on up here?”
“And what if your partner told you not to, would you still do it?” he asked seriously. He already knew her type. “Or do you know what’s best for everybody even beyond their own wishes.”
Their conversation was quickly cut short. A woman’s voice echoed down the hall as she screamed out for her son. DeMario. As soon as they heard his name, they bolted towards the screams. Following the sound of alarms beeping, they walked up on a team of nurses and doctors trying to resuscitate DeMario in his room. His mother was standing outside of the door where she was being held at bay, crying and screaming. Her eyes were red and covered in mascara that dripped down onto her cheeks in black dots.
Johnson quickly walked up to her. “Ma’am,” he said, getting her attention. “Tell me what is going on? What happened?”
“He just started to convulse,” DeMario’s mother cried. “They said he looked like he was having an overdose, but he has been clean since he got in here. We both have.”
Johnson looked over at Steele who was trying to squeeze her way inside the room to see what was going on, but some of the orderlies were blocking the door and keeping her from getting in. “I’m a cop!” she screamed as if they actually cared.”
Johnson used the opportunity to find out as much as he could before she came to her senses. “Who has been here today that could have gotten him drugs?”
DeMario’s mother sobbed loudly as Johnson held her by the shoulders. “His cousin Mooky came by and Councilman Ferris. That’s it!”
“Mooky have a real name?” Johnson asked.
The sound of DeMario flat lining made Johnson turn around and look towards the door. He walked up slowly, watching the nurses press the defibrillator against his boney chest.
“Clear,” the nurse nearly sitting on his chest said.
The sound of electricity shocking his body was undeniable.
“Overdoes my ass,” Steele said, pushing the chest of one of the larger orderlies as she tried to look inside. “Someone had it out for him.” She stepped back and kicked the wall. “Fuck!”
“What?” DeMario’s mother said enraged.
“Does Mooky have a real name?” Johnson asked, pulling out his note pad.
“DeFarious Washington,” she said, wiping her eyes. “Tell me what is going on,” she demanded.
20
The golden sun had begun to set on the blue horizon by the time that Nicola put on his running shoes. Stepping outside, he checked his back to make sure that hi
s weapon was tucked carefully under his shirt and in his shorts, he slipped his ear plugs in his ears and then hit the pavement hard. Running like he was charging toward someone, he headed down the drive and onto Peabody Avenue like he had done so many times before when he needed to sort things out in his mind.
Quietly, Ivy watched him from the upstairs bedroom window as he disappeared from site. She knew that he was beyond angry and that worried her more than he could ever know. To their surprise, one of the sergeants from the Security Squad had been around just an hour ago to officially serve Nicola with papers for his hearing on the investigation. They had beat on the door like they were going to knock it down and served him with his son in his arms.
Nicola took the paper and closed the door quietly, then sent the children upstairs. They had stood in the foyer for a few minutes in silence before he finally opened the envelope and read the papers. Afterwards, he had passed them to her and told her that he needed to get some air.
He had told her a few nights before that he was out, but up until then she hadn’t realized that he was actually holding out for hope.
His disappointment broke her into pieces. She held back her tears only for him, because inside she was screaming.
For Nicola this hearing meant a finality to his entire life’s work, where for Ivy it meant the beginning of a chance at a life together. No more late nights of worry and wondering if someone would show up at her door apologizing for her loss.
She knew that tomorrow, the powers that be were going to fire her husband. And she knew that the world would be under the assumption that it was because he was a bigot, when in fact he had given everything to the entire Memphis community and he had done it selflessly not for her but for them.
And while she could handle a lot of things - Nicola moving forward with this investigation without the authorization to do so, the constant angst, and losing her job because those ungrateful shits cared more about their image than their employees–she could not handle her husband’s name being dragged through the mud and that’s why she had to do what she had to do just like he did. She only hoped that he understood.
Grabbing her cell phone, when she was sure that he was gone, she dialed a friend at the local television station. Her hands literally shook as she dialed. Nervousness made her nauseated and a bit light headed or maybe that was the baby.
“Terra, hey it’s me,” Ivy said, opening the curtain to look again. Her voice quivered. Suddenly, she was incredibly paranoid and afraid. This sounded like a good idea earlier today and now she was having second thoughts only because she was afraid of how Nicola would react.
The reporter sounded relieved to hear Ivy’s voice. “Oh, shit, girl. I didn’t think you’d call. I’ve got my guy ready. We are just waiting for your signal.” Papers shuffled in the background.
“Look, he won’t be gone that long. You have to get over here right now with the camera if you want an exclusive. Drive something other than that big ass van and park towards the back of the drive.” Hanging up the phone, she took a deep breath. “I can do this,” she said aloud. “I have to do this.”
***
Nicola felt the weight of the world on his shoulders as he ran. Part of him wanted to cry; the other part of him wanted to scream. There was no part of him, however, that felt like giving up and that’s all that mattered to him.
Nearly sprinting, he got just a second of clarity and realized that he was not alone. Someone was running behind him, and they were gaining on him. He turned down a quiet lane off the main thoroughfare and sped up. The other runner did the same.
Turning quickly down an alley, he ducked behind a tree and caught the guy as he passed it. Pulling out his gun, he pointed it at the head of the man wearing a hoodie in the summer heat.
“Stop right there,” Nicola said, walking up closer. “Turn around.”
The man did as he was told, holding his hands up in the air where Nicola could see them. As he turned towards Nicola, took the hood off his head and slipped off his shades, Nicola lowered the gun. “Shit, Amway, you scared the hell out of me.”
“Obviously,” Amway said, looking around.
“What are you doing here?” Nicola tucked the gun back in his shorts.
“I couldn’t call, but I needed to talk to you. Figured you would do the same shit you always do when you get pissed off. Go for a run.”
Nicola wiped the sweat from his brow. “Yeah.”
“Look, I have to make this quick, but I wanted to let you know man to man that the decision was not made lightly.” Amway walked up closer to him. Getting control of his breath, he wiped his mouth with his hand. “In fact, it was one of the hardest decisions that I’ve had to back.”
“I’m no racist,” Nicola said quickly.
“You don’t think I know that?” He put his hands on his hips. “We busted our ass together trying to clean up these streets. You had dinner with my folks, and Cara and I ate your wife’s nasty ass ravioli.”
Nicola smirked. “It is God awful, isn’t it?”
Amway laughed, happy that he still had a sense of humor. “If you had done anything else, I could have found a way…” He took a deep breath. “I’ve got the entire city against me right now, and I’m doing everything that I can to hold the department together. I had to support this. With the video and the facts, there was no other way. But I’m man enough to tell you that I had to weigh in, and I’m man enough to tell you that I’m sorry but it had to be done.”
Nicola shook his head. “Yeah, I know.”
“I know you. Don’t pursue this case. Just…take care of your family,” Amway urged.
“I can accept that I just lost everything because of my own choices, but I can’t accept that whoever is responsible is just going to get away with it.”
“He didn’t get away with it,” Amway said, cutting him off. “DeMario overdosed today at the hospital. I’m surprised that you haven’t seen the news.”
“I’m sick of watching television,” Nicola said, unsure if he was relieved about DeMario’s death or more angered by it. “Johnson didn’t call. That’s not like him.”
“He’s chasing ghosts right now. Steele is the lead on this…”
Nicola bucked his eyes. “Steele?”
“Yeah, Magnelli backed her play,” Amway said with a smirk.
“Is he fucking her?” Nicola asked, shaking his head. Unbelievable.
“Probably,” Amway said, looking at his watch. “But she’s a good cop. No matter what, she’ll do her job.” He glanced around the alleyway again, knowing that he’d been there too long. “Tomorrow, you’re going to lose your job, but that’s it. You won’t lose who you are and you won’t lose all that you have done. If you need anything…”
Nicola scratched his head at the words and growled. “I’ll call you if I do.” He stuck out his hand. “Thanks.”
“Take care of yourself,” Amway said, shaking his hand.
“You too,” Nicola said, watching him as he slipped back on his hoodie and ran back the way that he had come.
Watching his boss and his old friend run away from him was a sign on so many levels for Nicola. It symbolized the end of an era in his life. Everything that he had known would change. Everything had already changed. Before, he was a cop off duty dealing with demons. Now, he was just a guy on a run with a gun on his person. He had no one to call and no one to back his play. Everything that he did would be up to him.
“Alright,” he said aloud. Knowing what he had to do, he put his ear buds on and decided to take a longer run than he had at first planned. He was headed to see an old friend from his past, someone he knew could help him beyond the strict lines of the law.
***
By the time that Nicola arrived at the Medlov compound nestled comfortably in the luxury homes community off of Walnut Grove, he was utterly exhausted. Leaning against the high brick fence that kept the world out of the lives of the world’s most private crime family, he caught his breath and tried to
get his thoughts together. Before he could stand, an armed guard rounded the corner. After speaking into his head piece, he walked up to Nicola.
“Keep moving. You can’t stop here,” the man said with a Russian accent.
“This is the sidewalk,” Nicola said, standing up. “It’s public property, asshole, and it’s paid for by my tax money.”
“Your tax money is about to pay for you to get fucked up,” the man said, stepping closer.
Another guard rounded the corner quickly. “He’s a cop,” he said to the other guard.
The guard stepped back. “What do you want?” he asked Nicola.
“I need to talk to Dmitry.” Nicola looked through the wrought iron fence and saw that a quarter mile up the drive there were five black SUV’s parked in front of the house.
“Mr. Medlov is not available,” the nearest guard said sternly as if Nicola’s mention of his boss’s name was blasphemy.
Nicola forced the point. “Tell him that I’m here. He’ll give me an audience.” He walked in front of the camera on the side of the gate so that the guard watching could see his face.
“I don’t relay messages from pigs,” the guard answered quickly. “Now, take your tax paying ass down the street.”
Nicola bit back his immediate reaction and instead insisted again, this time with a lower voice. “I’m not a pig,” he said, eyes narrowed. “Now do yourself a favor and get on that earpiece and tell him that I’m here.”
The guard watched Nicola’s intense body language and stepped back. Turning his back on him, he spoke in Russian over his earpiece to the person on the other end of the receiver. A few seconds later, he turned back around and sucked his teeth.
“Follow me,” the man said, visibly agitated.
The large, elaborate gate opened and the three men began their trek up the long drive past other guards who were out on the grounds. Nicola watched the men carefully, making sure to mind the gun pressed to his back.
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