Page 66 of Rules of Engagement

Garrett held up his hand, pointing to his fingers as he counted, "One, your gun. Two, you stink of gasoline. Three, your wallet was found near the burned out motorcycle. Four, I have a tape of you leaving the scene in a car registered to your brother. Five... do I really need a number five? I think there's already enough evidence against you to warrant a long sentence without the possibility of parole."

The door to the interview room opened and Garrett held up a hand, pausing Mikey from whatever inane excuse he was about to give. "Got it, Lieutenant," said the detective at the door. He stepped inside and handed a sealed manila envelope to my brother before he turned and left, shutting the door behind him.

"This is your last chance," said Garrett. "When I open this envelope, I will find exactly what I expect to find, and there will be no more talk of plea bargains or any deals. I will nail you for the maximum punishment I can get. I will present all the evidence to the DA and dig through every single day of your miserable life to find every microscopic, nasty, little wart on you and I will show it all to the jury. When they put me on the stand, I will tell them how uncooperative and remorseless you are. Your choice, Mikey. I suggest you start talking and do it fast."

Mikey glanced at the envelope and gulped. "I was paid two thousand bucks to shoot the guy. Jack Solomon," he said.

"John Solomon," corrected Garrett.

"Whatever. A man comes up to me in a bar..."

"This better have a damn good punchline that doesn't involve a rabbi and a priest," said Garrett.

"No rabbis and priests go to that bar," said Mikey, barely pausing, "This dude comes up to me. He's a big shot. Not the kingpin but as good as. They have an empire, you know? Money, girls, everything. They’re the main suppliers who run all the drugs in and outta Montgomery. I was a probate, see? So he says it's a way for me to get in on the gang. I pop this Solomon guy and I get two thousand bucks and a lifetime membership, but it wasn't no hit, I swear."

"If it wasn't a hit, what was it?"

Mikey looked up. "It was s’posed to be a clear warning."

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