With my badge held high, I sprinted into the street after him.
Jesse was pretty spry. He barreled down the sidewalk, then veered left into an alley.
I rounded the corner after him with Jack right behind me.
Jesse raced through the narrow passage, fluttering pieces of paper that littered the asphalt.
We chased him past the dumpster that smelled like rotten eggs.
He reached the end of the alley and took a right, running across the parking lot.
I caught up with him before he reached the hedgerow and tackled him to the ground, making sure to use him as a cushion. He groaned under my weight as he smacked the hot pavement.
I slapped the cuffs around his wrists and ratcheted them tight. "You are under arrest for failure to report. You have the right to remain silent…"
I yanked him to his feet, and Jack called dispatch for a patrol unit. We moved across the parking lot to the street and waited.
"What have you been up to lately, Jesse?" I asked with a grin.
"I don't have to tell you shit,” he replied with a sour face.
"You haven't checked in for months. That's a felony. You're going back to the pokey.”
His face wrinkled. "You can't throw me in jail. I didn't do nothing.”
"That's exactly the problem. You're supposed to keep up with your probation officer and the sheriff.”
"I ain’t causing no harm.” He forced a toothless smile. "I'm rehabilitated."
"I'm sure you are.”
I patted him down for weapons and searched his pockets for contraband, mindful of needles. I found some pills and a bag of crystal. "Looks like we can add possession of a controlled substance to the charge.” I dangled the bag of meth in front of his face. "Don't tell me you have a prescription for this.”
"That ain't mine. You planted that shit.”
I scoffed.
I asked him where he was the night Sydney was murdered.
"What's it to you?”
"It was a simple question.”
"I was with my girlfriend.”
"Girlfriend?" I said, full of doubt. "Does thisgirlfriendhave a name?”
"Cynthia.”
"You know where I can find Cynthia?”
"I ain’t going to share her with you.”
"You ever been to the Metropolis?”
"I don't know. I’ve been a lot of places.”
"What about the Harbor House?”
