Page 68 of Damon

“So, you’re happy?” she whispers.

“Very happy. Let’s go home and we can be happy together.”

***

The following morning, I arrive at the office for another day of feeling like we’re getting fucking nowhere. As the years pass, it feels as though as a police officer our hands are tied tighter. Every conviction requires more paperwork, more evidence, and ultimately more time to achieve. It’s infuriating, especially when there’s no doubt that the person being investigated is guilty. These past two years I’ve watched more criminals walk free than ever before—the systems that are meant to help us do our job seem only to make it more difficult.

Working as I do between the force and The Level means I tend to be privy to information people in this office don’t have. I have other sources at my disposal, and often they can be utilized to create scenarios to help me do my job. On more than one occasion Hunter and his men have set up a sting, only for my police team to swoop in and successfully capture the suspect. The tradeoff—I ensure his underground operations go ahead with little to no disturbance from the police. A dangerous but worthwhile agreement for me, since without his information it’s unlikely I would have been promoted as I have been.

Today, we have a briefing with regard to the money laundering case and threats to force members and their families. Our small team of ten assembles in the meeting room as we do every time one of these gatherings are called. The room resembles what you would expect a police office to. It’s a reflection of what you see in crime TV series: a collection of plastic chairs, a coffee machine, and whiteboards with scribbles, photos, and lines connecting information.

We’re standing around talking over the known details of the case when Commissioner White enters the room. He strides in and stands at the front as the door slams closed. His furious gaze lands on me, and an uneasy feeling tickles my chest. “Do we have any new information?” he barks. “Is there anything any of you aren’t sharing with the team?” I stare straight back at him, attempting to keep a blank expression on my face.

“You! Menzies!” he shouts, pointing to the officer beside me. “You have been sitting on important info and not sharing it with the team.” The younger officer opens his mouth to protest, but his jaw merely opens and recloses. He visibly sags and drops his focus to between his feet. “It has come to my attention that you were given data regarding a launderette business which has become one of the main money-washing fronts,” my boss continues. “You decided to keep this to yourself and visit the premises in your own time. The owners have lodged a complaint. Please explain this lapse in judgment and how it would benefit the case in your opinion.”

“I made the best decision based on the information I had,” Menzies replies ambiguously. “There may be people within the team who have a personal interest in this case, which may cloud their judgment.” The younger officer’s eyes come to land on me, and I scowl at him.

“What are you implying?” I ask sharply.

“That I may not be the only person in this room hiding information, sir,” he says smoothly. “It can’t be forgotten that you have personally lost due to this case.”

“That’s not fucking new intelligence,” I growl. “My wife was murdered because of these bastards.” He raises his eyebrows. “I have more interest than anyone in this room to catch them.” He looks completely unruffled with my words.

“My informant has advised that the gang member who pulled the trigger causing your wife’s death has gone missing.”

“You know who killed my wife?”

“Yes,” he replies calmly. “And I believe you do too. My mole advised me that a young man known as Jed Black had been undertaking the steps of initiation into the gang. The final step required the murder of someone perceived as innocent. His target was Connie McKinney.”

“And is this informant also a member of this gang?” the commissioner asks.

“Yes, he had been at the meeting where Jed was given his target and told when the job was to take place.”

“Job, you fucking mean murder,” I snarl, and slam a fist onto the table beside me. The coffee cups stacked on the cheap wood vibrate with the impact, then the top one falls onto the floor and smashes. “He fucking murdered my wife.”

“McKinney,” my boss says quietly. “Calm down or I will need to ask you to leave. Carry on, Menzies.” He gestures with his hand, implying Menzies should continue.

“Jed has gone missing, and my mole has reason to believe he was taken by Hunter Devane.” The room falls silent, all eyes in the room focused on the man beside me. “I have reason to believe that McKinney works with Hunter Devane.”

“Pull the fucking other one.” The Commissioner laughs. “You expect me to believe the head of the Irish mafia in London is a police informant. The man we spend hours trying to convict for anything we can pin on him?” My heart which jumped into my throat lowers back into my chest. “Did your informant tell you this?”

“Yes,” Menzies replies confidently. “And I believe him.”

White’s gaze returns to me, and he smirks. “Any truth in this, McKinney? Are you secretly an accomplice to the mafia?”

I chuckle and shrug my shoulders. “I’ve been called worse,” I say then turn to the man trying to end my career with the truth, all the while wondering how the fuck he knows. “I think you need to better vet your informants, Menzies. You’re lucky I don’t take offense easily.”

He takes a step toward me and looks me directly in the eye. “I know you aren’t what you appear to be,” he says quietly. “And I’ll fucking prove it.”

***

The Level

“You’ll need to make a decision soon,” Harrison says. It is only him and I here so far; we’re waiting for the others to arrive before heading to the launderette. “If someone is talking to the police and linking you to Hunter, it’s only a matter of time before someone follows up on the information.”

“I know,” I mutter, pissed that he’s right.

“What stops you from working with Hunter full-time?” he asks honestly. We’ve had this conversation so many times before. How I can’t continue to work both sides of the law. How I need to pick a side. How it won’t be long before my two worlds collide, and the risks to everyone I’m involved with.

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