How could I forget?
"Detective Burnett retrieved Dwayne Travers's effects, including this flash stick. The pictures he found on said flash stick convinced him that you all are not only on the take but you're dealing drugs, too." Jerry let out a rueful laugh. "And the best part, you're dealing drugs for the mob."
Sal narrowed his eyes. "Which one?"
"Guess."
We all groaned.
Sal huffed as he pulled Lany into his arms. "I need to call Carlos and let him know someone is trying to drag him into this shit."
"I already did," Jerry said. "I also called Vinnie and asked them both to join us. They should be here soon."
My jaw dropped a little bit more. "You asked the head of the Gambino Family to come down to a police precinct?"
"I did."
"And he agreed?"
"Once I explained to him what was going on, he did."
Color me surprised.
Maybe shocked.
Yeah, definitely shocked.
"What exactly is going on?" Sal asked.
Jerry pointed to the screen.
"Oh, my god," I whispered as picture after picture flashed across the screen. "How?"
In every single one of them, one of us was pictured with Carlos or Vinnie or even Eddie. They seemed to all be taken in different places—the park, the zoo, a few different restaurants, the sidewalk, and even a few at the estate, although those were taken from a long distance."
"Okay," I said, "if I'd seen those, I might believe we were drug dealers, too."
We looked as guilty as hell.
"The issue at hand is that, yes, you were photographed with people of questionable morals, but none of these men have ever been convicted of a crime." He glared at Sal. "I told you this would come back to bite you in the ass."
Right the whole "alleged" mobster thing.
"You'll also notice in all of them that you are merely talking. None of them show an exchange of drugs or even packages."
Wait... "So, where did Burnett get the idea that we are selling drugs?"
"That's what I want to know," Jerry said. "Granted, it isn't that big of a leap since he has pictures of you associating with mobsters, but there are no wire taps, no eyewitness testimony, and no evidence beyond these pictures, which basically show nothing. How did he go from these pictures to forming a task force—one that was not sanctioned by me or any chief under me—and raiding a decorated SWAT officer's home?"
My eyebrows lifted. "He didn't have his chief's permission to form the task force?"
"Nope." Jerry shook his head. "He formed the task force all on his own."
Oh, Burnett's goose was so cooked.
"I've had IAB go over everything." Jerry glanced at Sal. "They are not real happy with you right now, but you've never hidden your relationship with Vinnie or Carlos, and you've reported every interaction of significance to them. They'd love to wire you up and send you in undercover, but they also know you won't do that."
None of us would, which I was grateful for since Carlos Gambino's adopted son was my cousin Eddie. I'd never met either Carlos or Vinnie until Eddie came into my life during a time when Sal’s and Lany's lives were in danger.
