before milling through the paperwork. “ Okay, talk fast. ”
“ We’ve had over a hundred tips on the hotline, ” Cam says. “ Jimenez in robbery and about seven unis are going through them. The lab is rushing all evidence from last night, and should have the majority of it done by the afternoon, including everything from the Spencer bombing. ”
“ What about the injured guard? ” Harry asks.
“ Made it out of surgery, but is still unconscious. They’ll call when he wakes up. Lost his hand. ”
“ Poor guy, ” I say.
“ So, basically, we’re still stuck at square one, ” Harry says.
“ Yeah, and the press is sniffing at our crotch like a dog, ” Cam says.
Harry picks up a few of the message slips. “ Yeah, I can see that. ”
“ Someone even called me at home this morning, ” Cam says.
“ Hope you gave them a piece of your mind, ” I say.
“ About seventy pieces, yes. I would have made you proud. ”
“ So, I’m up to date on the bad news. Any good? ” Harry asks.
“ It looks like we have our own private army out there, ” I point out.
“ Good. We’re going to need them. Have the files from the prison arrived? ”
“ I don’t know, ” Cam says. “ Kowalski would. ”
“ And where is he? ”
“ The nursery. ”
“ Get him in here, now , ” Harry says.
Cam and I exchange a look. With a sigh, Cam stands. “ I’ll wake him. ” He walks out, shutting the door behind himself.
“ You okay? ” I ask.
Harry drops the messages on his desk. “ Overwhelmed. It’ll take me a day just to get through all this crap, let alone all the other crap that will no doubt be shoveled in as the day progresses. ”
“ That’s why you have minions, ” I remind him. “ Let some of the bright, eager young things out there do your scut work. You just boss them around, do the fun stuff, and take all the credit. Why do you think supervillains have them? ”
“ You’re very cute when you’re diabolical, ” Harry says with a smile.
The door opens again before I can retort. Cam and Kowalski step in, Kowalski obviously not getting a wink of sleep. “ Hey, Captain, ” Kowalski says with a yawn. They shut the door.
“ Did the prison files arrive yet? ” Harry asks, all business again.
“ No, boss. They’re holding them for us there. ”
“ Fine, ” he says. “ What about the list of Ryder’s known accomplices? ”
“ The preliminary should be on your desk…somewhere. ”
Harry shuffles the papers around. “ Where, Kowalski? ” Harry snaps.
Kowalski rushes over and helps in the search. Harry’s frustration grows with each passing second until it’s found. “ Here, ” Kowalski says, triumphant.
“ Okay, go make twenty copies and divide the names into groups of three. Then go home. But I want you back here by two. ”
“ Yes, sir. ”
“ Get some sleep, ” Harry says as Kowalski leaves.
We all watch the lucky one go. “ We’re going to need more detectives, ” Cam says.
Harry finds another file and smirks. “ I know. We’ll get them. ” Harry stands up, as do I. “ I’ll try and get Pritchard and Wu from homicide to cover the Mike Spencer angle. Cam, I want you to head up the accomplice interviews. You and Mirabelle can take the real troublemakers. Fallon, you take point at the prison. I’ll give you an officer to assist. ”
“ I want Conover. He’s had some psych training. ”
“ You got it. Help me rally the troops first. Both of you. ”
He adjusts his tie and smoothes his hair. We follow him out into the bullpen, where the men and women continue their conversations, oblivious to us and the mission. Ever the narcissist, the mayor poses for a picture with a female officer. I wonder if he’ll try to grab her ass too.
Harry, with us in tow, walks around the group to the huge whiteboard on the far wall. He stops, and Cam takes his position on his left and me on his right, flanking him like sentinels. We put on our best scowls.
“
“ We’ve had over a hundred tips on the hotline, ” Cam says. “ Jimenez in robbery and about seven unis are going through them. The lab is rushing all evidence from last night, and should have the majority of it done by the afternoon, including everything from the Spencer bombing. ”
“ What about the injured guard? ” Harry asks.
“ Made it out of surgery, but is still unconscious. They’ll call when he wakes up. Lost his hand. ”
“ Poor guy, ” I say.
“ So, basically, we’re still stuck at square one, ” Harry says.
“ Yeah, and the press is sniffing at our crotch like a dog, ” Cam says.
Harry picks up a few of the message slips. “ Yeah, I can see that. ”
“ Someone even called me at home this morning, ” Cam says.
“ Hope you gave them a piece of your mind, ” I say.
“ About seventy pieces, yes. I would have made you proud. ”
“ So, I’m up to date on the bad news. Any good? ” Harry asks.
“ It looks like we have our own private army out there, ” I point out.
“ Good. We’re going to need them. Have the files from the prison arrived? ”
“ I don’t know, ” Cam says. “ Kowalski would. ”
“ And where is he? ”
“ The nursery. ”
“ Get him in here, now , ” Harry says.
Cam and I exchange a look. With a sigh, Cam stands. “ I’ll wake him. ” He walks out, shutting the door behind himself.
“ You okay? ” I ask.
Harry drops the messages on his desk. “ Overwhelmed. It’ll take me a day just to get through all this crap, let alone all the other crap that will no doubt be shoveled in as the day progresses. ”
“ That’s why you have minions, ” I remind him. “ Let some of the bright, eager young things out there do your scut work. You just boss them around, do the fun stuff, and take all the credit. Why do you think supervillains have them? ”
“ You’re very cute when you’re diabolical, ” Harry says with a smile.
The door opens again before I can retort. Cam and Kowalski step in, Kowalski obviously not getting a wink of sleep. “ Hey, Captain, ” Kowalski says with a yawn. They shut the door.
“ Did the prison files arrive yet? ” Harry asks, all business again.
“ No, boss. They’re holding them for us there. ”
“ Fine, ” he says. “ What about the list of Ryder’s known accomplices? ”
“ The preliminary should be on your desk…somewhere. ”
Harry shuffles the papers around. “ Where, Kowalski? ” Harry snaps.
Kowalski rushes over and helps in the search. Harry’s frustration grows with each passing second until it’s found. “ Here, ” Kowalski says, triumphant.
“ Okay, go make twenty copies and divide the names into groups of three. Then go home. But I want you back here by two. ”
“ Yes, sir. ”
“ Get some sleep, ” Harry says as Kowalski leaves.
We all watch the lucky one go. “ We’re going to need more detectives, ” Cam says.
Harry finds another file and smirks. “ I know. We’ll get them. ” Harry stands up, as do I. “ I’ll try and get Pritchard and Wu from homicide to cover the Mike Spencer angle. Cam, I want you to head up the accomplice interviews. You and Mirabelle can take the real troublemakers. Fallon, you take point at the prison. I’ll give you an officer to assist. ”
“ I want Conover. He’s had some psych training. ”
“ You got it. Help me rally the troops first. Both of you. ”
He adjusts his tie and smoothes his hair. We follow him out into the bullpen, where the men and women continue their conversations, oblivious to us and the mission. Ever the narcissist, the mayor poses for a picture with a female officer. I wonder if he’ll try to grab her ass too.
Harry, with us in tow, walks around the group to the huge whiteboard on the far wall. He stops, and Cam takes his position on his left and me on his right, flanking him like sentinels. We put on our best scowls.
“
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