Promises 2 (32 page)

Quick

Augh! I have to know what’s going on with Brian.
Quick was in an interrogation room no bigger than his downstairs bathroom. He assumed Duke was in another just like it somewhere else in the building. He was slowly going out of his mind in the tight confinement, especially when there was so much more Quick needed to be doing. He needed to talk to Cayson and Vaughan. Let them know everything was going to work itself out. Right now, no one knew anything about where they were. And Brian. Was he okay? Quick massaged his temples, groaning at his ever-growing to-do list. They had bond calls that were probably going unanswered. People still got arrested on Sundays. Magistrate recognizance bonds were the easiest. He had a feeling Duke hated to miss those.

They hadn’t officially been charged with anything, but it was clear they weren’t free to go. They could be held for questioning up to thirty-six hours, ninety-six if they were suspected of a serious crime. Murder was quite serious. He hoped the APD checked their facts quickly, because he was ready to go. 

They’d taken all his possessions: his cell, his wallet, his goddamn watch. Everything. He hadn’t been able to contact Cayson and let him know to stay at his house with all the doors locked. He huffed again in frustration. At least he wasn’t chained like an animal anymore. They’d removed the wrist and ankle cuffs an hour after he got there. He tried to do his breathing exercises to keep his anger at bay, but the more he thought of needing to hear from Cayson that he was safe, the less effective the techniques were. It wouldn’t be long before he was up and putting his fist through that one-way mirror. He’d punched through way thicker objects.

Quick figured it had to be at least one or two p.m. by now. His stomach was growling loudly, having missed breakfast and lunch. If there was anyone on the other side of that mirror, he was sure they were getting a good laugh at his discomfort. He leaned back in the chair, was trying to pop a few kinks out of his neck when he heard a commotion and loud voices just outside the one door to the room. They were male and it sounded like the argument was escalating, because it wasn’t long before Quick could hear exactly what was being said.

“He’s my suspect, Lieutenant. A brutal murder has been committed.” Quick recognized the voice of the smug rookie who had kicked them out of their office. Had he been watching Quick for hours?

“Looks like self-defense to me.” A deep voice responded casually. He sounded important and he sounded in charge.

“A man’s head was blown wide open from a distance by an expert marksman.”

“Well I gotta meet this guy. Step aside.” The third guy’s voice was not as deep, and his comments were not as serious as his partner’s. Everything this guy said sounded laced with humor.

“With all due respect, Lieutenant Godfrey, this isn’t your department. I don’t need your assistance. We’re more than capable of building a case without the dynamic duo intervening.”

“While I’m flattered you find us so dynamite… fuckin’ move out of my way.”

“Lieutenant Day! Do not speak to my suspect” The rookie was yelling at their backs as the door was forced open so hard Quick thought it’d been kicked, and a  huge, hulking figure appeared in the doorway.

Well, it didn’t take rocket scientist to know the sarcastic, witty son of a bitch was the partner. He realized it was the notorious God and Day who Judge raved – well, more like bitched about, all the time. Supposedly, their team was off the charts crazy. But, because their team was so successful and made the mayor look good, they got away with a lot of borderline ethical crap. They weren’t only partners on the police force, they were also lovers, and it was no secret. That in itself was badass, because couples were prohibited to work together in the same department in most any government job.

“And you are?” The man who stepped from behind his taller partner said by way of greeting. They both had on street clothes, accessorized by bright gold badges with Lieutenant etched in black across the top.

“You first.” Quick stood to his full height, only to realize that the big motherfucker glaring at him with intelligent green eyes, packing two of the largest handguns he’d seen, was an inch or two taller. Damn.

“I think you know who we are.”

“I think you know who I am,” Quick said right back, tilting his head down at the file now in Day’s hands. Day nodded once, a disturbing smirk on his – good fucking lord he was fine – handsome face.

“We don’t have all day. Judge is in our office. You can walk over with us,” God said with finality.

“Then can I leave? Or can I make a one-minute phone call? Is Duke still here? Did he call our lawyer?” he asked either one of them, rapid-fire.

“I don’t answer questions, so stop asking. Let’s go.” God crossed his arms over his chest and moved a couple inches to the side so Quick could get out the door. There was no way in hell they’d both fit.

“Just a goddamn minute. You can’t take my suspects!” The rookie yelled at their backs as Quick left the room with God and Day behind him.

“Take a right at the end of the hall and you’re gonna take it all the way down to the double doors marked Homicide Division,” Day said, keeping pace behind them. “As soon as you walk through them, I want you to yell that everyone there is under arrest for being a fucking idiot and wasting taxpayers’ money, under authority of Lieutenant Leonidis Day.” Quick frowned and stopped to face the two men. He couldn’t be serious.

God was shaking his head, looking as if he was not amused. “Ignore him. Never do anything Day tells you to do. It’ll either get you cursed out or laughed at.”

Quick didn’t speak, simply turned around and followed his two saviors’ directions. They did have to walk through a few other departments, including homicide to get to the Narcotics Unit. It was interesting that they got a lot of curious, and more than a few unpleasant looks, but Day had no qualms flicking off other cops if they stared to long. He unnecessarily shoulder checked officers who walked by them in the hall instead of giving them room to pass. He swiped another cop’s lunch bag off the end of his desk and rifled through it, all while not missing a step. He took out the apple, tossing the bag back to him. “Next time bring an orange. And stop eating PB&J, what are you, five? Did you come to work or day camp?!” Day yelled with his mouth full of a Red Delicious. He continued to tease his coworkers by plucking papers off their desks when he walked by. Anything to rile up the other officers. Quick hoped they didn’t get jumped before they could get to their destination.

Judge had been right. Day was an annoying, gorgeous pain in the ass, whose sole purpose was to get drugs off the streets of Atlanta and make everyone else within its borders miserable. 

He had to hide his smile by the time they got to the other side of the huge precinct. Day was one funny motherfucker. It helped to keep him thinking about something other than Cayson or Vaughan. That were both without protection as long as he and Duke were being held. Quick immediately noticed Judge and Duke standing around with several other men, who he assumed were members of God and Day’s task force. The older gentlemen in suits stood out like a sore thumb amongst the casually dressed men.

Duke spotted him walking up and held the door that read “Special Task Force – Narcotics – Lieutenant Cashel Godfrey, Lieutenant Leonidis Day, Sergeant Corbin Sydney” open for him. It was an impressive set up. They gave each other a fast one armed hug, Judge stepping up to do the same.

“What the hell took you so long?” Quick grumbled, holding Judge’s hand longer.

“Hey. Those guys aren’t easy to track down.” Judge flicked his long beard in God and Day’s direction.

“I’m sure they’re in real high demand,” Quick said under his breath.

“Hey. If you’re dissatisfied, I’m more than happy to let wonder-rookie, here, hold you for a few more hours until he figures out he doesn’t have a goddamn case,” Day said sarcastically, pointing his finger at the rookie cop who had followed them the entire way and was now standing in their department.

“Captain. I’m glad you’re here.” The rookie sneered, still looking at Day.

“Rome, sit down. Hopefully, this will be over soon.” Judge motioned to the chairs positioned around a huge white board and conference table. “Captain Murphy is God and Day’s boss. Captain Jones is from homicide. Technically, because this falls under his jurisdiction, he’s the only one who can release you.”

Quick got it. Day and God were good. But their authority was limited. They didn’t have the power to just let Duke and Quick walk out of there, but at least they were able to get them in front of the right people, so they didn’t have to be there all night.

Captain Murphy was standing back, observing. Captain Jones unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat down at the table, fingering through the file. “I usually let my cops handle their own cases, but God asked me to come over and speak to you personally, as a favor.” Everyone was quiet while he read a statement Quick had written when he first got there. When he moved that paper aside, he saw another exactly like his, which he suspected was Duke’s.

“Where is Dana Montgomery?”

“He’s still at the hospital with the guy who was beaten,” Judge answered.

“He was the shooter, sir. I’m sending a car to his house and the hospital. I want to charge him with first degree murder until—”

“Have you lost your mind? I ordered him to shoot. So if you wanna charge someone, charge me,” Duke said angrily, struggling to keep from yelling. “That man had a gun trained on one of my guys, and after he’d beaten him half to death, he was definitely getting ready to kill him.”

The captain put his hand up, a gesture everyone recognized as telling them to be quiet, while he flipped a few more pages.

“Missing quite a few reports, Officer Cambridge.” The captain frowned, looking back at his officer. “Ballistics, forensics, do you have any more evidence that points to malice?”

The rookie didn’t look so confident anymore. His eyes darted around to all the men standing around, listening. All of them were in some form of law enforcement, so this guy couldn’t BS his way through his reasoning for holding them.

“I’m waiting on those reports, sir.”

“And you were making them wait in interrogation rooms?” The captain was looking quite angry, and then he started to look a little embarrassed. “Cambridge, go and follow up on those reports, ASAP.”

Day smiled politely and turned to open the door for the fuming rookie. Quick had a feeling Day wasn’t willing to let the guy off so easy. When he was almost out the door, Day whispered not so quietly. “And make sure you stop by the bathroom and take a good dump before you get those reports, because you’re full of shit.” Day slammed the door hard enough to rattle the glass and draw the rest of the bullpen’s attention.

Several of the guys hid their laugh under loud coughs while the captain wagged his finger at his Lieutenant. “That was unnecessary, Day.”

“I don’t like cops who abuse their authority.”

The captain scoffed at Day. “Kettle, make sure I introduce you to pot when he gets back.”

“Can we stay focused, please?” A man who’d introduced himself as Syn spoke through the noise with authority, calming most of the men… and Day. Quick was surprised. The man had been sitting in the corner, listening with a sharp ear and watching carefully. He only spoke in his grave, raspy voice when he had to.

“Fine.” Captain Jones stood, taking the file with him. “I have your written statements. I need Mr. Montgomery to get down here within the next couple of hours to write his own, and he’ll need to comply with a ballistic swabbing. I understand Brian King is currently receiving medical attention. I can send an officer who can translate to get his statement.”

“I’m sure they’ll both comply,” Duke answered.

“I’ll need a report from Dr. Cayson Chauncey as well.”

Quick’s head perked up at the sound of his lover’s name, but the distinguished man wasn’t looking at him as he kept speaking. “Once the forensics reports come back, I’ll hand this off to one of my lead detectives. Make sure none of you leaves town. As long as your story checks out, I don’t know of a DA who’ll prosecute. From what I’ve read.” The captain looked up at them with a surprising amount of sorrow. “I hate it had to happen this way, and I’m sorry your man was hurt. I strongly suggest you get restraining orders while my officers locate and question the man whom you allege hired the attackers.”

“I can let Dana know to get down here now.” Duke sounded about as ready to leave as Quick was. “I have all his paperwork, but it was taken along with all the other stuff from my office.”

“Yeah. Can I get my phone back now?” Quick looked back and forth at God and Day. He really needed to speak to Cayson.

“We’re not your fuckin’ errand boys, Marlboro Man. You can get your shit on the way out, like anyone else,” Day snapped back at Quick.

Who did he think he was talking to? This was not the time to get on Quick’s nerves. He’d been thrown in a tiny room and cut off from his loved ones for hours. He was struggling keeping his ire under control. When he looked at Day’s smug smile, he felt an overwhelming desire to slap it off his face. Quick sizzled in his seat while Day watched him to see if he’d make a move.