Page 63 of Power & Punishment

“Sort of,” I begin, folding my arms casually. Keith thinks I’m getting us dinner, and instead I’m here risking my career and probably his. “I need a quick look, but it needs to be off the record.”

Her eyes flick back to mine. “Mia, I⁠—”

“I know,” I say quickly. “It showed up in my mailbox last week anonymously, and I think it’s connected to the Russo case we were working on.”

“That’s a little strange, Mia. Shouldn’t you report it to the captain? Also, I thought that case was being passed along?”

“It is,” I say, bile clawing at the end of my esophagus. “And I will report it if I can prove it’s connected. If it is, I might be able to get the captain to give the case back to Keith and I.”

Another lie, but it makes her shoulders relax, which is a promising sign. Even if the bullet has Vince’s DNA on it, I can’t bring it to the captain. The precinct is crawling with rats and the only reason I’m even coming to Katy right now is that I’m desperate.

She chews on her bottom lip, her eyes darting between my face and the evidence bag. “This could get me fired.”

“Not if no one finds out,” I reason.

Her lips pull to one side in deep consideration. My stomach twists with every second of silence. I have to press my hands against the table to keep them from trembling.

“No one will find out, Katy. And if anything happens, I’ll take the blame. I promise this is more of a risk for me.”

Her lips smooth into a solid line as her shoulders sink.

“Fine. Five minutes,” she says, pulling on a fresh pair of latex gloves. “And if anyone asks, you were never here.”

“Already have an alibi.”

Katy rolls her eyes and pulls the bag toward her. She carefully opens the plastic and picks up the bullet with tweezers before dropping it onto a metal tray.

She hums as she pulls the object under a microscope. The metal glints as she rotates it, closely studying each groove and imperfection.

“Looks like a nine-millimeter,” she says after a moment. “I’d have to review my notes, but it’s compatible with the wound hole on your vic.”

“That’s a pretty common weapon. Doesn’t narrow it down much.”

“Right,” she says, adjusting the focus and leaning closer to the eyepiece. “There’s something else. Six lands, right twist.”

My hands slip against the table as my palms dampen with sweat. “What does that mean?”

Katy gently places the object down before pushing back from the table and heading toward her laptop. I follow closely behind, peering over her shoulder.

“It means it was fired from something with a distinct rifling pattern,” she says, hitting keys rapidly and navigating through some internal database. “If we were doing this the right way, I’d have you confirm this with ballistics, but since I’m guessing that’s not an option, my best guess is a Beretta. Most likely a nine-two series.”

My heart rate slows down for what feels like the first time in days. Finally, something I can work off.

“That’s not all,” she says, spinning toward me and lowering her glasses. “There’s dried biological material on the bullet. Probably blood.”

Air rushes into my lungs. “Can you test it?”

“Now that’s going to be tricky to keep off the record.” She frowns.

I nod, shifting back and forth on my feet. My phone buzzes in my pocket. Probably Keith wondering where I am.

“Just a quick comparison,” I say, hoping she can sense the desperation pouring off me. “If you do this, then I’ll guarantee you a date with Keith. I’ll set it up and everything.”

Now that is going to be hard to pull off…and I might piss off my partner in the process.

I’m officially a terrible human being.

“I’m starting to think this is too good to be true,” she murmurs, reaching for another kit. “I can’t do a full analysis without logging it, but I should be able to compare the DNA manually and confirm if it’s a match.”