Page 84 of Waging War
“Bruce, what’s going on?” Jackie asks.
“Just the man I wanted to see,” he says before standing with a smile. “I’ve been having such a wonderful chat with our chief, here.”
Mike takes up position beside Barron, his feet spread and arms crossed.
I narrow my gaze. I had a feeling we couldn’t trust the fucker.
“Deputy Thompson had some interesting information to give me earlier this evening. In fact, I was just speaking with Barron here aboutwhythat information was so curious.”
He rolls his shoulders before adjusting the pistol hanging on the inside of his belt. “It seems the officer who arrested my men during the shipment drop is a Mackville police officer.”
Jackie’s voice is surprisingly steady. “How can you be sure?”
Bruce takes a step back to glance at the deputy. “Mike here alerted me that my men were being detained at the precinct with the chief’s knowledge.”
I swallow hard. “Detained by whom?”
Bruce shoves one fat finger in the air, that crazed gleam in his eyes growing brighter. “Ah! Now, that’s the question of the hour.Whowould go against me, andwhywere they allowed to do so?”
Turning to Barron, he sneers before removing his pistol. “Every day, I’m finding more of my men missing or dead. And I want to know which officer you ordered to defy me.”
Losing men every day? Sasha’s a great cop, but she couldn’t possibly have the ability to take that many men down alone.
“Give me the name of the officer you sent for my men, Barron.”
Silently refusing, Barron continues to stare ahead blankly.
Come on, Chief. At least put up a fight.
I grow sicker to my stomach as each minute passes. It wasn’t Barron who told Sasha where to make the arrest, but he did allow her to keep them at the precinct.
So much for his claim of loyalty.
Bruce snaps at Jackie and Mike as he rolls up his sleeves. “Hold him down.”
Something breaks in the man as Barron shoots up out his chair. The deputy grabs his shoulders and shoves him back down.
Jackie’s hesitation stokes Bruce’s anger to the point that his face turns beet red. “Now!”
No. This cannot be happening. I have to do something.
And what will you do?the darkness whispers.He’ll have your head, and your poor, precious family will suffer.
A sudden stroke of despair slices through me.
Jackie takes his time walking toward the chief, never once meeting his eyes.
Speaking for the first time, the chief turns to Mike. “Why?”
Like the arrogant prick he is, Bruce answers for him. “Why else, Barron? There’s power to be had, and I’m the one who deals it out.”
My pulse throbs down my arms and legs as a trickle of sweat gathers at my nape.
A grin splits his mouth. “My men kill whenever they want, loot whenever they want… There are plenty of perks. Isn’t that right, Ben?”
I don’t like that look. The one exposing nerve after nerve, crawling under my skin, ramping adrenaline through my veins.
“That reminds me. How is Samantha? Haven’t seen her in a while, have you?”
