"Officer Hill, we need you to check out a possible ten-seventy on Wedgewood Drive. What's your status?"
Keeping an eye on me and Bones, he pressed the button on his radio and said, "I'm still at the four-thirty-eight."
Static. Then, "Officer Hill, you are not authorized to proceed with that four-thirty-eight. You have been ordered back to the station by the chief."
He tilted his head to the side, eyes hardening. "Your father could be the devil himself, I don't care. Nobody's above the law."
"I told you, we're just a couple of businessmen trying to get to a meeting."
"Oh yeah? What type of business you into? Drugs? Trafficking?"
"Officer Hill, report. What's your status?"
He didn't even blink.
"You should probably get that." I nodded toward his radio.
"Don't tell me how to do my job." His hand slid to his holstered gun. Sweat glistened across his forehead. "Now, hand over your goddamn license."
I took a resigned breath and slid the ID from my wallet. Righteous anger radiated from the Colorado transfer. He was a good cop who didn't understand how we played the game here, but he was about to get a crash course.
He studied my fake license and chuckled. "John Frank, huh? They're not going to let me run this, are they?"
I didn't reply. Even if they did, he wouldn't find anything.
"You part of one of the families?" he asked.
He knew about us. Hell, he was probably some wannabe savior who thought he could bring us down. Thought the good guys would win or some shit like that. In a last ditch effort I switched tactics and tried honesty. "I'm just a man trying to save another man from making a big mistake. Christmas is coming and you have two kids and one in the oven. Am I right, Roger?"
That surprised him. His eyes widened for a second before hardening again. Maybe he'd come around after all.
"You're in a lot of danger right now, Officer, but not from me."
He pulled his gun. "Don't threaten me, and don't talk about my family."
Bones shifted. I slowly held my hand up, silently begging my friend to trust me.
I tried to pretend the Glock pointed at my face didn't piss me off and opened my wallet again, this time reaching for the bills in the back. I needed this dumbass to stand down and fall in line so he wouldn't create a scene. "You're a good cop, going above and beyond, so why don't you accept this token of our appreciation for your service and get back in your cruiser while you can still drive away."
"Officer Hill, do you read me? You are not authorized to proceed with that four-thirty-eight," the dispatcher said again. "We need you to return to the station. Now."
I slowly withdrew seven hundred dollars, and then added another three. "Last chance. Think of your kids, Roger. Don't you want to see their Halloween costumes? To spend Thanksgiving with them? And Christmas? They need their father. Your wife needs her husband. Nobody has to get hurt. Just take the money and walk away."
His jaw clenched. He didn't even glance at the cash. "I'm an officer of the law and not interested in your chances. Now, hand over your real license and registration before I arrest you both and impound your car."
I sighed. "You have no backup. Nobody's going to impound my car, and there's no way you're taking me in. In a few minutes a group of men will show up and they'll lose their shit over you pulling a gun on me."
Officer Hill's hand began to tremble.
The screen on my dashboard lost its connection. I didn't have to look at my phone to know I had no bars. All electronics in the area were blocked. I was out of time.
"Incoming," Bones whispered.
My rearview mirror showed a black SUV pulling up behind the cop car. Doors opened. Officer Hill turned toward the sound.
Six shots rang out and Mrs. Hill became a widow.
Pockets were rifled through, keys were tossed, and then the police cruiser started up and drove away. Suits blocked the body from the view of freeway drivers as the clean up crew bagged up the officer. Someone handed me back my fake ID.
