Linda Kay Silva - Delta Stevens 3 - Weathering the Storm (39 page)

“We’re going to be fine, Carducci. Just fine.”

“How do you know?”

“Just watch. Henry is going to look pretty sweet when he stands in front of the press with the chief and explains how
his
department caught and killed child killers.
His
officers saved the life of another child. His officers are looking pretty damn good right about now, compared to the feds. His officers did what the big, bad boys in their suits and ties could-n’t do. Imagine how that’s going to look. You’ll see. Everything is going to be just fine. Politics is at work here and we’ve made a lot of the right people look good. That goes a long way in this city.”

“I hope you’re right. Right now, I just feel like sleeping and hoping that when I wake up, it’s all over.”

“Trust me on this one. By morning, we’ll be heroes. There’s not a cop in this world, captain or otherwise, who’s going to reprimand us for what we’ve done here. You can rest easy knowing that there will be a tomorrow for us and we’ll still be wearing our badges.”

Tony sat in the passenger seat and rubbed his face with both hands. For a long time, he just sat and said nothing. Finally, when he did speak, his voice was low and barely above a whisper. “Delta, would you think less of me if I told you I feel like crying?”

Patting Tony’s shoulder, Delta leaned over and hugged him. “Quite the contrary, partner. Quite the contrary.”

“Let me get this straight. After you and I spoke on channel one-eight, you
forgot
to switch back to open air?”

“That’s right.” As was the custom in their department on cases involving the death of a suspect, the captain was interviewing Tony and Delta separately before sending them both to Internal Affairs. Both interviews were intended to ascertain whether the shoot had been a righteous shooting or a tactical error on the part of the cops involved. And while there was no doubt that it was a righteous shooting, the fact that Delta had already killed one man made this investigation a bit more complicated.

“Why do I find that hard to believe?” The captain folded his hands and stared over the desk at Delta.

Delta shrugged innocently. “I don’t know, sir. If I had heard your order, you can be sure we would not have tried to apprehend the suspect or endanger the life of that little girl.”

Leaning across the desk, the captain’s eyes narrowed. “I find that even harder to believe than this bullshit you’re handing me about not turning your radio back. You knew there was a little girl in that van, yet you continued to pursue it.”

“Yes, sir. We were simply covering our end of the perimeter.”

Leaning back, Captain Henry shook his head. “I can see we’re not going to get anywhere on this. I tried to shake your partner down but he insists that you simply forgot about the radio because you were busy teaching him something. I even threatened to bust his ass outta here if he didn’t come clean about this whole damned mess, yet he maintains your sorry ass story about you both `forgetting.’ You have certainly covered your ass this time, Stevens.”

Delta suppressed a smile. “I only reported things the way they happened, sir.”

“Of course you did,” he mocked. “And this here, where you say the van drove into a parked car? The suspect who escaped from the van says your vehicle attempted to ram them. Is this true?”

“No, sir. It isn’t. Both Officer Carducci and I are aware that it is against department regulations to use a patrol vehicle as a barricade. Section nine-twenty three of—”

“For crying out loud, Stevens, don’t give me that horeshit! I want to know why our suspect believes you tried to run them down?”

“I wouldn’t know, sir. Perhaps in all of the confusion, he made a mistake. He is, after all, a criminal.” Delta had to choke back the sarcasm.

Henry scribbled a note and then looked at Delta suspiciously. “A criminal? I see. So, you and Carducci draw on the two guys in the van and decide to take them out before they kill you or the little girl, is that right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then tell me something. According to the coroner’s report, the angle of the entry in the suspect you shot is such that it came from practically ground level. Can you explain that to me?”

“The report is pretty clear about that, sir. I dove to the ground for cover.”

Captain Henry’s moustache twitched. “For cover? You dove to the ground for cover? Just what kind of cover would the ground have lent you, and what was your partner doing while you were grovelling on the ground looking for a place to hide?”

“As it states in the report—”

“To hell with this report! I’m asking you to tell me what really happened!”

“Carducci fired as I dove to the ground.”

“For cover,” he added sarcastically. “Yes, sir.”

“And in less than a blink of the eye, you killed two armed suspects.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you realize that I could take this flimsy piece of work to IA and let them have a field day with all of the discrepancies? Who’s going to believe that you dove to the ground for cover? Who would believe that the getaway vehicle just happened to crash? Tell me that. Delta, this whole report is a crock of shit.”

Delta shrugged. “That’s how it happened, sir, and I’m standing by it.”

Henry sighed loudly and leaned back in his chair. For a long time, he just studied Delta. “That’s what your partner said.”

Delta didn’t respond.

“Do you also realize how impossible it will be for anyone to reprimand you and your partner? Not only did you save another child’s life, but you’ve destroyed a porno ring that has, until now, eluded every major law enforcement agency in this country.”

Delta knew, but said nothing.

Leaning across the desk as far as his large frame would let him, Captain Henry lowered his voice. “I’m not going to admit saying this to you, Delta, so if it gets out of this room, I’ll have you for breakfast.”

Delta nodded. “My lips are sealed, sir.”

“Personally, I don’t give a rat’s ass how you did what you did. I have a granddaughter the same age as that little girl they took hostage and it doesn’t bother me one bit to know that scum like that won’t waste the taxpayers’ money on a trial. Personally, I’m proud to know that my cops can do anything better than even the most highly trained G-men.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“And professionally, you have made this department, the chief, and me, look exceedingly efficient. The phones have been ringing off the hook with `atta boys.’To the rest of the universe, it was a job well done, even if, in my opinion, you disobeyed my orders. And I’ll go to my death believing this whole report is one huge fabrication.”

“Does that mean you’re going to let IA know that you don’t believe the report?” Delta held her breath as she waited for the answer.

“Hell no. The report stands as is. You and Carducci corroborate each other’s report, you caught the scumbags and disposed of them. The media is loving it, the DAis loving it, and the public is eating it up. The only ones sour are the feds and I’ve shipped their asses out of here.”

“I’m glad it all worked out, sir.”

“Well, not all of it. Stevens, I’m afraid I misjudged you. I read a bunch of horseshit about you and let it obscure my vision. I apologize for that.”

“I understand, sir. You have your job to do as well.”

“Yes, I do. And as of this moment, it is my duty to take you off of TP duty, and you and your new partner will be on your beat as of day after tomorrow.”

Delta sat up as if stuck by a pin. “New partner, sir? I was just getting used to Carducci.”

“Good. Because he’s your new man.” Captain Henry rifled through more papers before closing the report. “As far as I’m concerned, you two deserve each other. But if you’re going to be cutting everything so close, I’d rather not have to explain how a Training Patrol Officer continues to be in the heat of the moment. As of today, Carducci has graduated from TP, and so have you.”

Delta jumped out of the chair and shook his hand. “Thank you, sir. You won’t regret it.”

Shaking his head, Captain Henry rose and moved to the door. “I’d better not. You’ll forever be an enigma to me, Delta Stevens. First you hate him, then you fight for him, then you lie for him, and now you want him for your partner.”

Smiling from ear to ear, Delta shrugged. “He’s grown on me. What can I say?”

“Say that you’ll try to stay out of trouble for awhile. I’m going to a seminar next week and I’d like to know you’re not going to be in the papers while I’m gone.”

“I think I can handle that, sir.”

“Good.” Opening the door, Captain Henry patted Delta on the back as she started through it. “Oh, and there’s one more thing.”

“Yes?”

“Sometimes, Officer Stevens, the end does justify the means. This is one of those times.”

“Thank you, sir.” Walking out of the office, Delta looked across the room at Tony, who was listening intently to one of Connie’s stories. Delta could tell by the way Connie was waving her hands in the air that she was conning him. Stopping for a moment, Delta listened to the sounds of the station as phones rang, papers were shovelled, and filing cabinets squeaked shut. Suspects were being brought in handcuffed, detectives collaborated with cops, and the wheels of justice kept spinning along.

This was her life. It might be crazy, it might be dangerous, but it was the reason she got up every morning; it was the reason she lived with such passion. It was the one great love that kept her on the edge. Maybe Megan would never understand that, but that’s the way it was.

That’s the way it would always be. Delta Stevens was a cop. And she loved every second of it.

Taken By Storm
- The first in the Delta Stevens series. Delta’s partner is brutally murdered while on patrol and Delta must solve the mystery and bring his killers to justice...without getting herself killed.

Storm Shelter
- In this sequel to
Taken By Storm
, Delta’s best friend, Connie, is embroiled in a life-and-death challenge with a deranged genius. Delta and Connie combine their wit and intelligence to outsmart the killer.

Storm Front
- In this 4th installment, Officer Delta Stevens must discover who is trying to assassinate District Attorney Alexandria Pendleton before it’s too late. If that wasn’t enough she must also catch a brazen international jewel thief, a woman, who is not only stealing jewels, but trying to steal Delta’s heart, too!