Steve Krakowki lived in a nice suburban area just outside of the city limits. The neighborhood was quiet and the spaces between the houses were large enough that a small bit of noise didn’t upset the neighbors. The evening dark had settled in already. Cam sat back in the front seat of Will’s car, hoping and praying that Steve wouldn’t come home. They’d been parked here, waiting, for over an hour. None of them said a word.
Sitting in their car a few doors away, they watched Steve Krakowki drive into his driveway. Shit, thought Cam. Now plan B.
Steve took his time getting out of the car, sorting through some papers or packages that he had on the passenger seat. As soon as he walked onto the porch and unlocked the door and went inside, Will pulled the car into the driveway behind Steve’s car.
Cam opened her door and started to get out.
“Wait here,” she told Will and Ralphie.
“Not on your life.” Will sniffed. “I know this guy, too, and I’m not letting him get away with anything.”
“Just follow my lead then.” warned Cam. “This one’s mine.”
With that, all three walked up to the front door. They looked around the neighborhood while Cam pressed the doorbell. No one was on the street.
“Hold on a minute,” they heard from inside.
The door opened and Steve looked Cam in the face. “Andrews! Long time no see!”
Then he noticed Will and Ralphie behind her. A look of sheer terror flashed quickly across his face before he could hide it.
“I was just getting ready to go meet someone.” He tried to keep them outside.
“They’ll just have to wait, Steve,” Cam said, pushing her way into the house.
The two guys followed her inside. Will scanned the living room and checked to see if anyone was around outside. Ralphie just stood there.
“So, how’ve you been, Cam?” Steve tried to make conversation. “The precinct isn’t the same without you. The captain is getting ready to retire. Russ has been having a lot of problems with his new partner…” The words just seemed to fall out of his mouth.
“Sweating, Steve?” Cam asked, looking him straight in the eye.
“Oh…no…n-no,” he lied. Steve looked around him. Will and Ralphie were just standing there watching him.
“It really surprised me to see your name on our payroll list,” Cam started, looking around the house. “I’d often wondered how some of the dealers seemed to know when the cops were going to make a bust. I guess I should have suspected. You live alone, Steve?”
“Uh…no. My girlfriend should be home anytime,” he tried.
“So, Steve…you seem nervous. That doesn’t go with the Mighty Krakowki I knew. What happened to the cool Mister I-can-do-whatever-I-want-to-whomever-I-want?”
That seemed to rattle him into a more aggressive stance.
“Hey. I wasn’t the one that got caught dealing. I didn’t spend a year in jail.” He was on the offensive now. “Look, you guys gotta get out of here. I’ve got someone to meet for dinner.”
“A dinner date when your girlfriend will be home anytime? Doesn’t make sense, Steve.” Cam looked him in the eye. “Just tell me what happened last night.”
“Last night?” he asked.
“And the night before,” she added.
Steve looked over his shoulder at Will, who had worked his way around behind him.
“I don’t know what you mean,” he started. “I wasn’t in on any of that.”
“Any of what?” Cam asked. She suddenly dropped into her “police” persona, interrogating a perpetrator, taking aim on anything that didn’t quite follow what she’d asked. Charlie’s techniques had sharpened her on this, too.
“Any of whatever you’re referring to.” He nervously looked from one to the other. “Look, you guys have got to leave. I’ve got to get going. I’m late.”
“No way, scumbag,” Will interjected from behind Steve. He sounded threatening. “I happen to know you’re being paid quite well to keep us informed about things and Nick didn’t know a damned thing about Wednesday night.”
“I wasn’t in on that,” Steve tried again, turning to Will. “The feds were in charge. That boat was tracked all the way up the coast. There was nothing I could do.”
“You KNEW that the boat was being watched and you didn’t tell anyone about it?” Cam’s voice was harsher. She could tell there was something wrong. Steve couldn’t be this dumb.
“I didn’t have a chance! The orders came down at five and we just suited up and left. I didn’t have time to call anyone.”
“You went on the bust? And you expect me to believe that you didn’t have a chance to call?” Cam asked. Her face became reddened with anger. “I used to work on those shifts and we always knew hours in advance so we could get into our disguises and get the action lined up.”
“Well, this one came down too fast. It took everyone by surprise,” was Steve’s answer.
“Even though you knew the boat was coming up the coast? Are you playing both sides, Steve?” Cam took the chance.
“Look, I got a chance for a promotion…”
“So you trade your friends for an extra bar on your shoulder?”
“No…no. It isn’t that way. That’s not what I mean…”
“Or were you hoping that Nick would get caught on Wednesday night so you’d be in the clear? But when he wasn’t, you decided to do the dirty work yourself?” Cam wasn’t sure if this was the truth but decided to try it.
“You shot Nick?!?” Will’s fury rose. His hand was on his gun.
“No! No! I didn’t shoot him. You’ve got this all wrong. Nick has been really good to me.”
“But now you’ve got a chance at a promotion and Nick just seems to be in the way. And you could get two birds with one stone by sending me back to prison.”
Steve shook his head violently. “You’ve got this wrong, Cam. I didn’t know you were working for him, too, until I saw you together.”
“Saw us together? Where, Steve? Where did you see us together?”
Steve suddenly realized he was talking too much.
“Look. I really don’t have time to go into this now. I’m late for an appointment.” Steve licked his lips nervously.
“You’re not going to any appointment,” Will warned as he reached for his gun.
“Now wait! Just wait! We can discuss this.” Steve started to backpedal.
“Sit down, Steve. We’ve got a long night to discuss all this if you want. But no one is going anywhere until we all agree on what happened. Will, put your gun away. We wouldn’t want to frighten poor Steve any more than he already is. I think we just need to have a nice little chat.” Cam hoped that this tactic would diffuse the tension in the room. She took a deep breath as she watched Will re-holster his gun. Steve sank down onto the couch but she remained standing. “Ralphie, why don’t you go into the kitchen and get us all something to drink. It’ll calm our nerves. Steve, you got any scotch or whiskey? What are you drinking these days?”
“Yes. There’s some Jack above the refrigerator. I’ll get it.” Steve jumped at the chance.
“No, Ralphie can pour drinks. You just sit here and relax. Believe me, I know what it feels like to have someone find out everything you’ve done wrong. I remember what that night in the interrogation room felt like. I’m not here to pass judgment; I just want to clear up some misunderstandings.” Cam looked up at Will, who was fuming. She saw the same rage in his eyes that she had seen last night in the hospital.
She walked over to the front window and looked out into the street. No one was around. The street was empty and dark, light coming from one streetlight several feet down the street. Further down there were dim lights on in the neighboring houses.
“I’ll go check the rest of the house,” Will grumbled. He pushed past Steve and walked down the hall toward the bedrooms.
“You’ve got a nice house here, Steve. Cost you much?” Cam tried to make pleasant small talk.
“No. It was rather cheap for this area.” Steve was trying to relax.
“Hmm. I’m looking for a house myself. What Realtor did you use?” Cam continued.
“One a few blocks from here on North Ralston. I forget the name.”
“That’s okay. I can check in the phone book.” Cam turned back to him.
“Why’d you bring that big guy here, Cam? You don’t need him.” Steve pleaded. “You’re not going to harm me, are you? We’ve always been friends.”
“I couldn’t keep him away, Steve. The boss told me to bring him,” Cam said softly. “You’d better level with me about what’s going on. I’m not sure I can handle him. I really wish I didn’t have him here.”
“Are you going to kill me?” Steve asked, his eyes wide. Sweat was starting to ooze down his face.
“Not if you tell me what’s really happening, Steve. Work with me, Steve. I’ve got to know the truth.” Cam frowned at him, thinking, Oh please, let him tell me something so I can get Will out of here and have something to bring back to Sonya…and Dickie. I don’t want to hurt him.
Steve sank back into the couch as Ralphie entered with two glasses of amber liquid. Cam took one and watched as Steve took a long gulp from his.
Cam looked into her glass. She hated bourbon but this was “social” drinking. She needed to get Steve into a space where she could ask him more questions. Maybe if she got him drunk enough, she could get the info she wanted. And maybe he’d even pass out and she wouldn’t have to kill him.
Will walked back into the living room and sat on the arm of the couch. Ralphie brought Will and himself each a can of beer. Will immediately pulled the tab on his and gulped a long draw.
Maybe she could even get Will and Ralphie drunk enough so they’d not remember what happened here tonight. She seriously doubted it.
“When did you say your girlfriend would be home?” Cam asked again.
“Any time now,” he answered.
“You’re just as full of crap as I remember when we worked together.” Cam sneered as she walked over to the kitchen door and looked inside. “You live here alone. Have you ever lived with a woman? Show me where her clothes are.”
Steve took a long breath and looked away. Cam knew she was right. Steve was just trying to get out of this.
“There’s not a woman’s thing in either of the bedrooms,” Will growled. He took another swig and frowned at Steve, a violent look in his eyes.
The telephone rang and Steve started to get up to answer it.
“Sit down,” Cam ordered. “Just ignore the phone. There isn’t anyone in the world more important for you to talk to than us.”
“It might be my friends wondering why I’m not there.” Steve looked a little panicked.
“Where were you supposed to meet them?” Cam asked.
“In a restaurant downtown.” was the answer.
“Which restaurant?” she continued. She could see Steve trying to lie his way out of this.
“Uh…Lenny’s.”
“Lenny’s is closed by now.”
Steve’s face flushed. He looked absolutely frightened out of his wits.
“Well, Steve,” Cam said as she leaned back against the door frame, “you should know better than this. You’ve been on the police force much too long to start lying. You know a good interrogator will trap you every time. Now why don’t we start all over again? Why weren’t we told about the bust on Wednesday?”
“I tried, but Nick wasn’t around. I couldn’t get hold of him,” Steve murmured softly.
“Really, Steve? Were we being set up?”
“No! I swear it.”
“We’re being set up now,” Will exploded. “Let’s do what we came here to do, and get out of here!”
“No. Hold on!” Cam stared at Will. “Steve’s gonna tell us all about what happened this week.” Cam turned her attention back to Steve. “Aren’t you?”
Will stood up and stomped into the kitchen and back. Cam could see the veins in his neck pulsing.
“What are you looking for, Steve? Don’t we give you enough money?” Cam asked. Please let me think of the right thing to say.
Steve downed most of his bourbon.
“Are you on someone else’s payroll, too?” Cam tried her last card.
Steve looked up too quickly.
“For a cop you’re a lousy crook, Steve. Didn’t you learn anything about questioning? Never play all your cards at once.” Cam looked at him and shook her head. She hadn’t remembered that he’d been this dumb. Either that or he was playing them for some other reason. Was this part of a set-up?
“I’m not on anyone else’s payroll. I swear it. I just want out. I’m…I’m living scared. I can’t do it anymore.” Steve looked like he was going to cry. “I didn’t call because I’m afraid I’m being watched. Every time someone looks at me, I freeze. They know what I’m doing. I know they know.”
“You’re being investigated?” she exclaimed.
“I don’t know. I’m just afraid.”
Cam watched Mister Macho, as Steve tried to be around the precinct, break down in front of her. She turned and scanned the street again. It was dark out and there was no way to tell exactly who was sitting out there watching.
“Who’s blocking on finding out who shot Nick?” she said abruptly.
“I don’t know!!” Steve was on the verge of tears. The underarms and the front of his shirt were beginning to show sweat stains. “I’d tell you if I knew. I wish to God I’d told you about Wednesday night. If I had known you were going to be there, I’d have told you.”
Will suddenly grabbed Steve by the shirt and whipped him to his feet.
“You scumbag. I should kill you now!” He threw Steve back onto the couch then turned to Cam. “If you can’t do it…”
Cam glared at Will. She was losing control of the situation. The rules Charlie had given her were the last things she was thinking about. She was more angry…and scared, right at that moment than she ever remembered.
“I can’t keep Will at bay for much longer, Steve. You’ve got to give us something to work on.” Cam paced in front of the couch. “Who shot Nick?”
Steve started breathing heavily. Sweat ran down his face.
“It…It…” he began, “It might have been one of Bradford’s men. I know he was really pissed when his nephew got that poisoned coke.”
“Bradford? Councilman Bradford?” Cam exclaimed.
“Yes. He’s been making speeches all around town that we have to crack down on the drug traffic. He’s your worst opponent. He’s got the Commissioner’s ear. I know he has his own army of thugs. I heard him bad-mouthing Nick. He really hates him.”
“We both know that Bradford’s shooting blanks just to get reelected. He’s just as wrapped up in this as we are.”
Suddenly it made sense. If Bradford came out and called for more anti-drug police action while he was selling the stuff on his own he could clear out the competition and have the whole show to himself. Bradford was the one who sent Nick to the warehouse to check out the shipment. He could have had someone waiting to kill him.
“Did you tell Nick about this?” Cam asked.
Steve shook his head. “I didn’t think it would come to this.”
“Did Bradford know about the raid in the harbor?”
Steve nodded.
“What aren’t you telling us?”
“Everyone knows that Bradford deals speed and that designer drug but they’re afraid to bust him. Everything gets covered up.”
Will started pacing again. Ralphie sank onto the other end of the couch.
“Did you know this, Will?” Cam asked.
Will turned suddenly. “This jerk talks too much.” And with that, he drew his gun and fired one bullet into Steve’s ear.
Ralphie sprang to his feet as blood and brain matter splattered on him. Cam quickly drew her gun as Will turned his gun toward her. Two more shots were fired as Cam dove to the side, away from the line of fire. One bullet rammed into the floor.