The next day, Levi looked up from his desk and frowned as Storm came skulking into the detective’s bullpen, followed closely by Lieutenant Brad Andre.
“Well, that was a disaster.”
Storm ran a hand through his short blond hair in a very frustrated gesture as he addressed no one in particular.
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far, Kelly,” Andre replied, attempting to sound confident.
Storm glanced over at him with a scowl. “Disaster.” He repeated the word slowly, being careful to enunciate each syllable as he looked his Lieutenant in the eyes. How a press conference to announce that they had finally caught the other two suspects involved in the string of violent home invasions could go so horribly wrong, Storm didn’t know. He only knew that it had, and right in the middle of the Lieutenant’s statement that suspended officer, Ethan Kelly, had unwittingly played a vital role in the closing of this case that had terrorized the Cotton Park neighborhood for over two months. The announcement had been intended to try and swing public opinion back Ethan’s way a little bit. But there was no way they could have anticipated what happened next.
“Hey, how did it go?” Levi asked.
“Jimmy Ortiz’s parents, and their lawyer, just ambushed the Lieutenant’s press conference with a small mob of their supporters. They started shouting for Ethan’s arrest. They want to know why it’s taking so long for him to be charged.” Storm’s ice-blue eyes seemed to frost over in anger as he explained what happened.
“Charged?” Levi sounded surprised. “What, even after Lopez and Murphy’s arrests? After all we’ve learned about the invasions?”
“Yeah. Their lawyer says they’re going to push for second degree murder!” Storm’s voice was tight with tension.
“You’ve got to be shitting me.”
“They even tried playing the race card, if you can believe that.” Storm glanced at their Lieutenant, taking in the man’s rich dark chocolate skin tone.
“Which, I’m sure you’ll understand, did not go over well with me,” Andre muttered with a disgusted smirk on his face.
“No, sir. I don’t imagine it did,” Levi replied.
“They want Ethan fired and charged immediately.” Storm spoke through clenched teeth as he fought to get his anger under control.
“Yeah, well, what they want and what’s actually going to happen are two very different things.” Andre placed his hands on his hips as he looked at them. “As I tried to explain to the Ortizes down there, Ethan is not going to be charged with a damn thing until the Sheriff’s Office closes their investigation.”
“And how close are they to doing that, if I can ask?” Storm eyed him closely, and he could see the small debate play out in his Lieutenant’s eyes. Andre still didn’t want to tell him anything, but Storm could see the instant the man’s resolve broke.
“Last I heard, they were close,” Andre admitted, looking Storm in the eye. “I spoke to Tom Fletcher yesterday. They’re basically done, but he’s purposely been stalling things. They feel like Ethan is one of their own, you know? And not just because of the two Kellys on the Sheriff’s Department roster, but because of the badge. But he’s had his men go over that site again and again in search of the gun. They got nothing.”
“Fuck!”
The expletive dropped from Storm’s lips like a tiny bomb, and he ran both hands through his hair as he turned and paced a few steps away from them. Even with the bullet the ECSD had found in the utility pole, exactly where Ethan had indicated it should be, they desperately needed the gun the kid had used that night to make this all go away for good and ensure that Ethan wouldn’t be charged with anything. This is not how this thing was supposed to play out. This is not how it was supposed to go, and Storm felt so fucking useless. And there was nothing he could do from here.
“Lieu, you have got to give me access to that site.” Storm said as he turned around and walked toward Andre again.
“Kelly …”
“At least let me look at the fucking crime scene photos. Something. That gun is out there somewhere. Let me find it!”
“Detective Kelly, get a hold of yourself!” Andre’s words were sharp as he looked Storm in the eye. Then he slowly shook his head. “I’m sorry, Storm, but there is nothing I can do. The ECSD has done a thorough job. If there had been a gun out there, Fletcher and his men would have found it.”
“Oh, I see. So now you don’t believe Ethan either, is that it?”
“Storm …” Levi started.
“Kelly, I did not say that,” Andre snapped. “Your search of Lopez’s and Murphy’s bedrooms in their parent’s houses turned up enough evidence to place the two of them at each one of the home invasions. And their arrests gave us enough leverage with the District Attorney to get a warrant to search the Ortiz’s home as well. So, yes! I absolutely believe that kid had a gun, and I believe he shot at your brother that night. But the fact is, we can’t find that gun. Now obviously Ortiz stashed it somewhere between where Ethan returned fire and where Ortiz finally fell to the ground. But Fletcher and his men have scoured that corner for days. My best guess is that maybe Lopez or Murphy got to that gun before we could.”
“And I thought of that! We turned both those boys homes upside down for that very reason,” Storm bellowed. “That gun is still at the site somewhere. I can feel it!”
“Fletcher and his men have turned over every rock and speck of dust on that corner, Kelly!”
“I understand that. But they have obviously missed something!” Storm’s voice carried around the bullpen, drawing stares from everyone in the room, but he didn’t give a shit. “Give me a crack at it!”
“You know I can’t do that! If the Ortiz family succeeds in suing over the death of their son and you were anywhere near the shooting investigation, their lawyer would make mincemeat out of this department and the ECSD. Ethan would be convicted faster than you can say the word ‘prison.’ The answer is no, and if you can’t respect that, I will suspend your ass right now!”
Storm met Andre’s fierce expression with a bitter gaze as he stared the man down. He knew there was no way he was going to change Andre’s mind, and he felt all hope slipping away. Suddenly, Andre’s expression softened, and he gave Storm an almost apologetic frown before he turned and walked into his office, leaving Storm and Levi standing out in the bullpen.
“What am I supposed to tell him?” Storm stared straight ahead as he asked the question, talking more to himself than to Levi. “What the hell am I supposed to tell him? I promised him.”
“Storm, all of this has been out of your control from day one, man. There was nothing you could have done. Ethan will understand that,” Levi said, trying to reassure him.
“Really? Will he understand when he’s standing trial for murder? For the unforgivable crime of putting a stop to a string of violent home invasions in our city? For his part in getting three dangerous criminals off our streets? Will he understand when he loses his career and possibly his freedom?” Storm asked the question as he slowly turned and looked Levi in the eyes. “I made him a promise, Hawks. I promised my kid brother that I would find that gun. I promised him that I had his back, and now I’ve failed him.”
“Storm …”
“I’ve got to get out of here.”
Without another word, he turned and left the bullpen, striding down the hall toward the back of the building. He needed some air.
***
It was getting so Ethan hated this time of night – the lull between eight and eleven o’clock when the apartment was at its quietest. Heather was still at work, where he should be, and he had all this pent-up energy to contend with and nowhere to put it. He supposed he could turn on the TV, but he really didn’t want to see another clip of that damned press conference. The Ortiz family and their supporters were not going to stop until he was fired and behind bars, and Ethan didn’t want to hear it anymore. He knew that he was basically living on borrowed time now, and that any day Tom Fletcher of the Eastwood County Sheriff’s Department would close the investigation into the shooting, and then a Grand Jury would most likely be convened to determine whether or not he should be charged with a crime. Right now … Ethan wasn’t very hopeful. He knew that the sheriff’s investigators still hadn’t located the gun Jimmy Ortiz had used, and he knew the kid’s parents were using that information to try and paint him as some overzealous, racist, badge-heavy cop who ruthlessly gunned down their innocent, law-abiding, teenaged son.
He took in a deep breath and exhaled loudly. He was beginning to really hate this couch. The striped fabric of it, the shape, the color. The way the cushions felt. But he hated the blinds on the windows too, and the bland beige color of the paint made him feel as though the walls were closing in on him. He wanted to scream.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he hissed under his breath. He glanced at the clock on the wall. Eight-thirty at night. Who in the world could that be?
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Open up, E. We know you’re in there!”
Ethan frowned as he got to his feet. We? The loud voice belonged to his cousin, Spencer, but what the heck would he be doing there at this hour? Spencer worked the power shift, the dreaded seven at night to three in the morning that Storm used to work before he became a detective. Ethan swung the door open and frowned at his uniformed-clad cousin.
“Spence, what are you doing here, man? Didn’t your shift just start an hour ago?”
“Yes, it did. But I got hungry.” The cryptic words and the goofy grin on Spencer’s face made Ethan smile in spite of himself. “In fact, we all got hungry, and we thought you might want some pizza.”
“We?” Ethan questioned. But just as the word left his mouth he suddenly heard all the chatter, and he looked past his cousin to the front lawn where he saw them. All of them. The Kelly men out in full force, carrying stacks of pizza boxes and cases of beer. Payne, Nate, and Ryan all smiled at him as they pushed their way past him and into the apartment. He spied their brother, Colin, getting out of a sheriff’s cruiser as he carried a case of Verners Ginger Ale toward the door.
“On duty,” Colin shrugged, glancing down at his black and gray uniform before stepping into the apartment.
“Yeah, well I’m not on duty yet, but I will be in a few hours so …” John Myles smiled as he held up a case of Pepsi and stepped inside.
“I’m off duty, and I can’t wait for a cold one. How about you?” Levi Hawks gave Ethan’s arm a good-natured slap as he stepped inside. Ethan smiled at him, feeling somewhat bewildered as they all filed in. What the heck was going on? That feeling of confusion only intensified when he turned back toward the door and spotted his dad.
Mike seemed to walk with unsure steps as he made his way to the door. Storm approached from the opposite direction, and the three of them stood in the doorway looking at one another with wary expressions.
“Dad.” Ethan’s voice sounded shocked, even to him.
“Are you two sure you want me here?” Mike quietly asked, looking from one of his sons to the other and back again.
Storm took a deep, cautious breath as he looked the man in the eyes and wondered if this was a mistake. “Dad, if we didn’t want you here for this, I wouldn’t have called to tell you about it.”
“Um … what exactly is … this?” Ethan gave Storm a slightly puzzled grin, and watched the corner of his brother’s mouth twitch in a small smile.
“It’s just pizza and beer with the Kelly men.” He shrugged his shoulders as he explained. “I’m sure you probably saw footage of that press conference today. I just thought you could use a little guy time, to try and lift your spirits some. To try and lift all of our spirits, I guess.”
“Well, thanks for including me.” Mike stared at Storm with an uncertain gaze.
Storm’s lips twisted into a tired grimace. “Look, Dad, this is not some TV show or a novel or something, okay? I think we all know that our issues are not going to be solved by this one gesture of good will. But you’re our father, and believe it or not, that does mean something to Ethan and me. To the girls too. And with Uncle Mitch so far away, you are the patriarch of this family. Well, right now, this family is in trouble. I just thought we could all use this. Blow off steam, or commiserate or whatever.”
Mike didn’t say anything, just gave a slow nod of his head, and Storm wondered what the man was thinking. He didn’t know what had possessed him to invite their dad here, but when he decided on the spur of the moment to throw this little gathering, and he was busy texting his cousins and his sister’s boyfriends, something just made him place a call to his dad as well. Maybe it was the guilt he still felt about their blow-up at the station a few days ago.
“Well, get in here before Spence eats all the pizza!” Ethan smirked at the two of them, stepping aside as they entered his apartment.
For the next thirty minutes or so, Ethan didn’t have time to feel sorry for himself as he listened to all the different conversations going on around the room. Kelly family gatherings were notoriously loud and full of laughter, and tonight was no exception, despite the dark cloud of gloom that loomed in the atmosphere around them. He picked at a piece of sausage and pepperoni pizza as he stood in the kitchen, elbows perched on the island as he faced the open living room area and watched the goings on around him. They were a lively bunch, but Ethan noticed that Storm sat in a corner of the living room, beer in hand and a brooding frown on his face while everyone else seemed animated and vibrant around him. Ethan frowned, wondering what was up with his brother, and he jumped slightly when he felt the light slap on his shoulder. He looked up to see his cousin Ryan saddle up next to him with a half-eaten slice of pizza. Ryan leaned on the island himself, mirroring Ethan’s stance.
Ryan took a bite of his pizza and gestured toward Storm with his chin, then looked back at Ethan. “Might sound strange, but … this whole thing has been almost as hard on Stormy as it has on you.”
Ethan huffed out a small breath. “Yeah, I don’t think so, Ryan.” His tone was biting, and he almost wondered if Ryan was joking. After all, he was the one with his butt in a sling here. He was the one whose career and very freedom was on the line, not Storm.
“It’s true. It’s all anyone at the station is talking about.” Ryan studied the pizza in his hand for a second and then set it down on a napkin, turning to look Ethan in the eyes. “Everyone can see how troubled Storm has been these last couple of weeks, and how hard he’s been working to try and clear your name, E. I know that Storm probably doesn’t say it much. He is so much like Uncle Mike, it’s funny. But as the big brother to those four knuckleheads,” he said as he gestured toward his brothers, “I know perfectly well that Storm would do just about anything for his kid brother. Hell, he always has. Don’t tell me you can’t remember that!”
Ethan was silent as he looked at Ryan for a minute, then he frowned slightly and looked back across the room at Storm.
“All those times during high school when we would get into some stupid skirmish or another,” Ryan continued, smiling at the memories. “Remember starting shit with rival teams, just to make the night more interesting? The Kelly clan vs. the world?”
“Good times.” Ethan’s voice was sarcastic, but his smile told Ryan that he remembered those days fondly too.
“Well, then you remember all those times Storm had your back. He was always proud of how well you handled yourself in a fight, talking smack about how he had taught you everything you knew. But let some poor sucker get the upper hand against you, and look out. Storm was going to make them pay. No one got the best of his kid brother without living to regret it.”
Ethan actually smiled as he listened to Ryan’s words and the memories of countless high school brawls came back to him. “Yeah. I remember.”
“I think that’s why this has been so difficult for him,” Ryan said, glancing over at Storm and then looking back at Ethan. “Because he can’t fix it with his fists, first of all. But also because he feels like he’s letting you down. You know how Stormy is, Ethan. In his mind, it’s kind of his job to rescue everybody. That’s just who he is. And right now, he feels like he’s failing you. You … of all people.”
A deep frown etched across Ethan’s forehead as he dragged his eyes away from Ryan and over to where Storm still sat brooding in the corner. It’s funny, the things you remember from childhood. The memories that stick with you and why. In his mind’s eye, the memories that were always standing front and center were the ones where he and Storm were at each other’s throats. The ones where he had weighed himself against his brother’s achievements and never measured up. The ones where their father had seemingly judged him and found him lacking when compared to Storm. And yet, the memories Ryan had just spoken about — the ones where Storm had looked out for him, the ones where Storm had blasted anyone who attempted to do him harm — those memories had been pushed to the shadows, buried beneath the surface of his psyche.
The noise around him seemed to fade into the background as Ethan gazed at Storm across the room. Whenever he thought about their childhood, all he remembered was that Storm never seemed to want to be bothered with his kid brother back then. And maybe that was true when they were younger, like elementary school age. But that started to change as they became teenagers, and as Ethan studied Storm now, his mind was suddenly flooded with long forgotten memories of fun times when their sisters and their cousins weren’t around, and it was just the two of them. Like the time Storm had swiped a couple of their dad’s Playboy magazines and they flipped through them together. His brother had been much more experienced than he was back then, and Ethan remembered looking at those magazines and listening to Storm talk about the girls he had gone all the way with. Storm had given Ethan a lecture about using condoms that night.
Ethan smiled at that memory now. And he remembered Storm giving him pointers on how to fight. He remembered the semester Storm helped him with his Chemistry homework. He wouldn’t have passed Chem without his brother’s help. He even remembered Storm giving him advice on how to get to third base with Katie Hirsh, his date for the senior prom. The advice more than worked. Not only did he get to third base that night, he actually hit a home run, so … in a very strange way, his big brother had helped him pop his cherry!
“You’re lucky to have him in your corner, you know?” Ryan said, finally finishing his slice of pizza.
Ethan chuckled as he thought about Katie Hirsh and prom night, and about how genuinely happy for him Storm had been when he confided in him the next day.
“Are you shitting me? You really had sex with Katie Hirsh?” Storm eyes were wide with shock.
“Yes. Last night after the prom!” Ethan beamed at him. A big, nervous, goofy grin, and Storm laughed. Then he grew serious and pulled him in close.
“Did you remember to use a condom?” The question was urgent and Storm’s ice-blue eyes were fierce.
“Yes. I used the condoms you gave me,” Ethan whispered.
A slow grin spread across Storm’s lips. “More than one?” he questioned with a raised eyebrow and an appraising tone of voice. Ethan blushed and shrugged his shoulders, looking away in embarrassment. But his huge smile had answered Storm’s question.
“Yeah, I know,” Ethan mumbled in answer to Ryan’s statement. Then he reached out as he straightened up and gave his cousin a pat on the back before making his way into the living room where most of the action was.
“Well, it’s true. Everyone does love a fireman,” Mike was saying as Ethan sat down on the arm of the couch. “But we all know the reason for that. In the public’s eyes, firefighters are heroes … and rightfully so. Don’t get me wrong. But that’s all they do, all day long. They rescue people. They rescue people from burning buildings, they rescue people when they’re hurt, or when they’ve been in some kind of serious freak accident or whatever. They should be wearing fucking capes and a mask when they climb off that engine. The fireman is your buddy. The fireman is your friend.
“Cops? We don’t get the same respect because we don’t have that kind of rapport with the public. Yeah, we come to the rescue too, but we don’t come to your burning house and pull out your sleeping children and your beloved pets. People don’t call us for the sweet jobs, they call us for the dirty shit. We come to the rescue when some dirtbag has just stuck a gun in your face, taken your wallet and your wife’s jewelry, and then jacked your car. We come to the rescue when some piece of shit has just assaulted you or raped his date. But the real reason people hate cops? Because we enforce the laws of the land, plain and simple. People hate to be told what they can and cannot do. We didn’t make the laws, we just signed up to help make sure everyone follows them, and for that we are the scum of the earth in the public’s eyes. That will never change.”
“I really hate to say it, Uncle Mike, but I think you’re probably right, man,” Colin said.
“Sad, but true, Captain Kelly,” John chimed in, taking a swig of his soda.
“But someone has to do what we do. Someone has to be responsible for keeping the law and order in a society, because otherwise what do you have? Anarchy and lawlessness. And with the way things are going right now … we are just a few short steps away from that very thing.” Mike was quiet for a moment before he continued. “I think the firefighters are right when they call us nuts. Yeah, it’s crazy to want to run into a burning building, but a man would have to be completely insane to want to be a cop nowadays.”
“Says the man who just retired after thirty-seven years on the job,” Ethan smirked.
Mike looked at Ethan for a moment and then nodded his head as he glanced around at his sons and his nephews. What had he just been telling himself about saying the words? About telling his kids how he felt? Maybe he could start with baby steps, right here and now.
He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly as he looked around and met each of their gazes. “Mitch and I have talked many, many times about how proud we are that all of you boys, and Francine, all felt the call to serve. And we hope that we have instilled in each of you the belief that this is a career, not just a job to pay your bills. Your fellow cops are not your co-workers, they are your family. They’re your brothers and sisters in arms. That term is normally reserved for those who have served in the military together. Those who have trained and fought together, those who have learned to rely on one another in the trenches. But that definition also applies to what we do. It’s an honor to serve one’s country. No one in the public would ever dispute that. But I want you all to remember … even in times like this when nothing seems quite fair … that it is also an honor to serve your city. It is an honor to serve the community you come from. There are very few people out there who have the courage, the will, or the balls quite frankly, to do what you men do each and every day with very little thanks. And I repeat … I am so fucking proud of each and every one of you.”
That last sentence had been aimed at his own two sons, and his eyes locked with each of them in turn as he said the words. Then he quickly looked away and took a swig of his beer.
The air in the room had grown still, like the calming of the storm. The only sounds were the faint mumbles coming over Spencer’s and Colin’s police radios. All eyes were on Mike Kelly as each man seemed to hang on his every word. It took a lot to quiet a room full of Kellys, but at that moment, a feather could probably be heard crashing to the floor.
Storm nursed his beer, shocked at his father’s near demonstrative display of public affection. He stared at Mike and wondered if that had really just happened? He frowned as he glanced from his dad over to Ethan, but the surprised look on his brother’s face confirmed that everyone else had heard it too, and Storm wondered what the hell had gotten into his dad.
He thought about everything else the man had said too, about the thankless job and what an honor it was to do it. He had to admit, they were pretty words, and very eloquently spoken. But Storm had always known that his dad had lived for the job. He put that uniform on thirty-seven years ago and fell in love. To say that Mike Kelly bled blue would not be an understatement. Not that Storm saw anything wrong with that. He understood his father’s devotion to the job because he shared it. In fact, glancing around the room at these men, Storm knew without a doubt that they all did. And he was suddenly grateful that he had listened to his gut and invited Mike here tonight.
He jumped slightly when a hand slapped his thigh, and he looked up to see Payne taking a seat in the chair next to him.
“What’s going on, Ice Man? For the ring leader of this little shindig, you are awfully quiet tonight.”
Storm gave Payne a tired smile as he noticed all eyes turn their way. He sighed before he responded.
“I’m just preoccupied, man. I managed to close the home invasion case. We got Lopez and Murphy dead to rights. Got their statements that Jimmy Ortiz was definitely their third man. But without that gun … without being able to prove that he fired at Ethan … Ethan still stands a good chance of being brought up on charges when the ECSD finally closes the shooting investigation. And according to Lieutenant Andre, that could be anytime now.”
He set his half empty bottle of beer down on the floor beside his feet, then clasped his hands together, leaning forward on his knees. “I just wish that they and Andre would give me a crack at that scene, you know? Ortiz had a gun. We know that. The victims saw it. Lopez and Murphy admitted it. Ethan saw it when the kid fired at him! So there is no way in hell that Ortiz managed to hide that gun so thoroughly in the short amount of time that it took Ethan to round that corner. That gun is still in that alley somewhere!”
They were all quiet for a moment as they looked at him, and Storm suddenly felt a bit put on display. He took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face before leaning back in the chair again. He needed to let it go. He knew that he needed to just let it go already, but he couldn’t.
“Are you sure that there isn’t something that you or Colin could do or find out?” he asked in a moment of desperation.
“Whoa, I did not hear you ask that question, Stormy.” Colin slowly shook his head as he looked down at the floor.
“Man, they have been very careful to keep Colin and me out of the loop on this one,” Payne answered.
“Come on, man, that’s bullshit,” Storm snapped. “You are the one who told me about them finding the slug in the utility pole!”
Payne flashed an angry set of ice-blue eyes Storm’s way — a physical feature they shared. “Man, don’t you think I would be honest with you if I knew anything more?”
Storm closed his eyes and sighed.
“We know you would, Payne.” Ethan frowned at Storm as he assured Payne that they believed him.
“I’m sorry.” Storm looked down at his hands as he mumbled an apology.
“Don’t worry about it,” Payne said.
They were all quiet for a moment as Storm’s mind continued to swirl around the problem. The gun was hidden, and very well it would seem. For days, he had been running ideas through his head — imagining the things he would try in order to get a better handle on the situation, to come at it from a different point of view.
“I wonder if anyone has even thought to get an aerial view of that corner of the alley.” He was thinking out loud, oblivious to the fact that he had actually spoken the words.
“An aerial view?” Nate questioned, frowning at Storm.
Storm’s eyes met Nate’s and he realized that he had done more than just thought those words. “Um, well, yeah. I’ve been thinking about it. An aerial view would give a fresh perspective on the whole landscape of the shooting scene. You know, it’s much easier to spot areas you might have overlooked when you’re looking down on a topography.”
“You know what?” A small smile graced John Myles’ lips as he pointed a finger Storm’s direction. “That’s actually a really smart idea, man. A fresh perspective and a new set of eyes are always helpful.”
“Yeah. If it were possible,” Storm muttered, and everyone’s answering mumbles echoed his own.
“But it is possible.” Levi frowned as he spoke up after a brief pause, and everyone turned to look at him. “Okay, well … maybe we can’t get a true aerial view of things, like from a helicopter. But we could do the next best thing.”
There were a few puzzled frowns in the room as everyone traded glances and wondered what Levi meant. But Storm picked up on the direction Levi was going right away. He smiled and gave a snap of his fingers before he pointed at him. “You’re brilliant, you know that, right?”
Levi smiled at him. “Well, it was your idea. I’m just trying to think of ways to make it happen.”
“Make what happen, exactly?” Ethan shot a puzzled glance back and forth between the two men, as did everyone else.
Storm turned to their dad and smiled. “What were you just saying earlier about capes and masks?”
Mike frowned at him. “Firefighters to the rescue again?”
“Exactly. Yes! Firefighters to the rescue again. We need a fire truck ladder,” Storm said, flashing a bright hopeful smile as he and Levi exchanged a look of triumph. Surprised smiles went around the room as everyone ruminated on the idea. Finally Payne smiled and pulled out his cellphone.
“What are you doing?” Storm’s ever-present scowl creeped over his face as he asked the question.
“I’m calling Tom Fletcher to make the suggestion.” Payne dialed the number and then looked up at Storm as he held the phone to his ear. “Hell, at this point, it can’t hurt. Fletch! Payne Kelly … Yeah, yeah, I know. And I’m not looking for any information, I swear. I just want to ask you a question.”
Everyone held their collective breath as they listened to Payne speaking with the lead investigator on the shooting case, and Storm sent a hopeful glance Ethan’s way. He knew it was a long shot. And he knew that even if Fletcher agreed to do it, the new angle might not turn up a damn thing. But at least it was a forward movement. At least he felt like he was doing something, and they weren’t completely dead in the water anymore.
“Hey, thanks a lot, Fletch … No, I understand that. But you never know, it might actually help … Yeah, let me know. Bye.”
Payne hung up the phone and looked around the room at the expectant faces. “He’s going to call the EFD and speak to Lieutenant Wilcox about getting a truck out there first thing in the morning.”
“Yes!” Storm actually fist-pumped the air at the news, and a current of relief and excitement crackled around the room.
“Fletch was quick to point out that this new view may not turn up anything at all.” Payne gave them all a look of caution as he silently warned them not to get their hopes up.
“Yeah, I know. But it also just might,” Storm replied.
“Storm’s right. And at least Fletcher is open to trying,” Ethan added.
“Car 433, proceed to 3471 Kimber Drive. Business alarm going off.”
“433, acknowledged.” Spencer put down his Pepsi as he spoke softly into his radio and got to his feet. “Well, that’s me. Dispatch gave me as much time as they could.”
“Yeah, say thanks to the girls up there for me, will you?” Storm said.
“Sure thing, Stormy. Ethan, keep your chin up, man.”
“Thanks, Spence. You be safe, man,” Ethan replied as he pounded fists with his cousin.
Spencer left the apartment amid a chorus of “Be safe” wishes, and when he was gone Storm shook his head and looked around at the others.
“I wish I could be there tomorrow when they get the fire truck out there. Hell, they probably won’t even let me see the pictures they take.” A deep scowl crossed Storm’s face at the thought.
“My name’s not Kelly.” John shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Storm.
“Yeah, neither is mine,” Levi chimed in. “John and I could make our way out to the scene, be there to watch.”
Storm shot them both an amused smirk. “Yeah, your names may not be Kelly, but you’re both practically married into the family, and everybody knows it.”
“Hey … Frankie and I haven’t said ‘I do’ yet,” John smiled. “Levi and I will go down. If they tell us to leave, we’ll leave.”