Jimmy looked at the dashboard in stunned silence.
Furious Jimmy had been the catalyst to let memories of Danny Holtz creep into his mind, Coop continued to glare hard at Jimmy as he bellowed, "I swear to God that if you ever call me a fairy again I will beat the shit out of you, Jimmy!"
"I never said you were a fairy!" said Jimmy, giving Coop a hard stare. "It was only a joke! Don't get so hot and bothered!"
"Fine." Coop sighed as they neared the street they planned to stake out for drug dealing, his fury sinking as quickly as it had risen. "Just forget it," said Coop in a low voice.
What the hell is he doing backing down? "You sure we're cool, man?"
Coop turned to Jimmy and grinned. "Course we are." The words felt hollow. Joke or not, what Jimmy had said still stung. "Anyways, let's park here. There's always drug dealing happening by that warehouse. We got us some bad guys to catch." Coop almost laughed. He had once been unable to even lie about stealing sweets from his grandmother's candy dish. Now it came to him easier than wanting to smash scumbags across the face with his baton.
"Got that right, partner." Relieved Coop was acting more himself, Jimmy smiled as they parked around the corner from the offending warehouse. The once vibrant area had been in decline for several decades and urban blight was an established feature of the neighbourhood.
Around the corner from where Jimmy and Coop parked, Murphy was seated alone in his own parked red and white patrol car and he began rolling down his window. He confirmed his initial suspicions: Teddy Burke, one of the biggest drugs dealers of North Philly's heroin trade, had pulled up to the warehouse. Leaning against his red Oldsmobile Cutlass, Burke was a stocky, black haired man who had a fondness for wearing ugly brown leather jackets. But Murphy didn't care about Burke as he waited until he could arrest some other drug dealer. Though he hated Burke, Murphy knew his job would be in jeopardy if he so much as confronted the man.
For over a year, McCree had been accepting protection money from Burke, with the understanding Burke wouldn't be arrested in exchange. McCree had then spread the money around to the cops in his precinct and ordered them to stay away from Teddy Burke.
Initially, Murphy had been aghast when McCree had ordered him to never arrest Burke, but he had come to accept it when McCree told him, "We arrest one scumbag like Burke, we'll just have another one like him pop up next week. I might as well tax him and take care of my men." Since that little conversation, Murphy had accepted a weekly fifty dollar payment from McCree and had come to admit to himself that the extra money had come in handy.
Positioned around the corner from Murphy, Jimmy and Coop also spotted Teddy Burke, but knew they couldn't arrest the man for loitering on a public street. They prepared themselves to wait. Though Jimmy and Coop had been in the 5th District precinct for a year, neither had been directly commanded never to arrest Teddy Burke. However, Jimmy had his reservations. But after his last furious conversation with Coop, Jimmy was reluctant to express his doubts to his partner.
Their patience was quickly rewarded. Burke smirked as a striking, thin blonde in a tight fitting striped blouse and mini-skirt strode over to him, desperate for her next fix. She dropped several ratty bills into Burke's hand and Burke clasped her hand around a single brown heroin rock.
"Okay, Jimmy!" declared Coop. "We're moving in!" as he put the car into drive and flicked on the siren, excitement crowding out his fatigue and moodiness.
Both the blonde and Burke looked up when they heard the siren. Both were shocked when the police cruiser came from around the corner and parked a short distance away from them. The blonde jumped away from Burke.
A short distance up the road, Murphy stared out at the scene unfolding in surprise.
Jimmy and Coop got out of their car with broad grins. Coop clutched his nightstick in his hands as he approached Burke and the blonde, asking, "Now, what is a fine looking lady like you doing in a dump like this?"
Jimmy grinned. It never ceased to impress him how Coop could turn the charm on when he was with women.
The blonde gave Coop a shrugging smile before taking off down the road as fast as her high heels would let her.
Glancing at the blond woman's retreating figure, Jimmy said ruefully, "They always run away from me."
Grinning at Jimmy, Coop suggested, "Maybe it's your shiny personality, huh?" Turning to face Burke, Coop asked, "What're you doing?"
Burke smirked at Coop and Jimmy. "Selling ice cream."
"Yeah?" asked Coop with a patronizing grin.
"Yeah," replied Burke jovially. "What are you doing?"
"Ah," said Coop, looking around. "Let me see…" as he gripped his baton firmly in his right hand and swung it hard so it landed right below Burke's right kneecap.
"You son of a bitch!" Burke sputtered, clutching his shin and stumbling in pain. "Don't you know who I am?"
"A drug dealer in an ugly leather jacket. Am I getting close?" Coop shot back.
"You're making a big mistake!" Burke roared as he stood up.
"Shut up!" Jimmy barked.
Satisfied Burke was subdued, Coop strode over to the open passenger window of Burke's Oldsmobile, remarking, "Whoa!" as he retrieved a heavy yellow brick of heroin. He smiled as he strolled over to Burke.
"There's ways to get a piece, officer," Burke pleaded, a nervous grin plastered across his face. "That ain't one."
Coop wasn't touched. "Cuff him, Jimmy!"
Jimmy responded instantly, twisting Burke around and throwing him onto the trunk of the Oldsmobile.
"Why are you bringing me in? This won't stick!" declared Burke in disbelief as Jimmy handcuffed him.
Murphy looked on with shock. He had come to learn Coop was a maverick who had his own style when it came to enforcing the law and was also someone who didn't shy away from confrontation. But how the fuck can you be this stupid, Coop?
Coop lifted up part of Burke's leather jacket with his baton and pointed to the buildings behind him. "It's your jacket, it clashes with the neighbourhood."
"Urban blight, Burke. It's in all the papers." Jimmy grinned, tightening the cuffs around Burke's wrists.
Burke groaned in pain as the cuffs dug painfully into his bones. "Mark my words!" he spat as Jimmy began steering him towards the patrol car, "I'm going to last a lot longer on these streets than you!" as he tried to glare at both Coop and Jimmy.
Reaching the car, Jimmy released Burke so Coop could push him into the patrol car. Coop pushed hard, making Burke's forehead smash into the roof of the car. "Watch your head!" Coop called as Burke began moaning, trying to rub his head. Satisfied, Coop looked at Jimmy.
Jimmy smiled back, adjusting his gunbelt.
The short ride back to the station was filled with groans and complaints as Burke continued to scream that Jimmy and Coop wouldn't get away with arresting him. They were relieved to get back to the station, pushing Burke in front of them.
Unlike Jimmy and Coop, many other officers in their precinct had had more eventful patrols. As a consequence, the booking office was backed up after they had finished interrogating Burke. Resigned to more waiting, Jimmy cuffed Burke to a hard, polished wooden bench as he and Coop leaned against the glass windows of McCree's office.
Glancing at Burke with satisfaction, Coop turned his attention to Jimmy. "Eileen home tonight?" he asked.
Jimmy smirked. "You loving my wife, Coop?"
Coop grinned and looked away. "Just her cooking." Eileen Bruno made the best lasagna and cheesesteaks he had ever tasted. Coop's smile became larger as he saw Burke struggling against his bonds.
Jimmy turned to Coop. "She's taking the kids to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."
"Aw, too bad," said Coop, turning to Jimmy. "That means we gotta drink and watch TV all night with no one nagging us." Coop was elated that there would now be a far less chance of Eileen reining in their drinking.
"Damn shame." said Jimmy, nodding in agreement.
"Mm-hmm," murmured Coop, shaking his head as his and Jimmy's attention turned to Owen Murphy hauling up the stairs a man dressed in drag.
"No, you may NOT use the lady's room!" Murphy snarled at the drag queen. Looking at Jimmy, Murphy asked, "We're allowed to beat up queers for information, right, Jimmy?"
"Your bust, your call!" called Jimmy as Murphy began heading towards an interrogation room.
Coop snickered and looked away. He hoped Jimmy wouldn't be reminded about their earlier conversation over Queen's Village.
Suddenly, McCree emerged from his office. "Inside!" McCree ordered, glaring irritably at Jimmy and Coop.
Puzzled over what they might have done, Jimmy followed Coop into McCree's office.
Burke began laughing from the bench. He and McCree were well acquainted.
McCree got straight to the point as he began pacing his office with crossed arms. "Am I on LSD or is that Teddy Burke out there?"
"You take LSD, boss?" asked Coop in wonder. The timing of the jab was simply too perfect to resist.
"Damn it, Cooper! Save the wiseass remarks!" said McCree crossly. "Why'd you guys bring him in?"
Jimmy looked surprised. "He was selling smack on a corner!"
"And which one of you came to me for the okay?" asked McCree.
Coop scoffed in disbelief. "We gotta get permission?"
"Don't play dumb," said McCree, shaking his head at Coop.
Coop became serious. "Lieutenant, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Crimes Codes say that possession of drugs is illegal?"
Ignoring Coop, McCree faced Jimmy and sighed. "Are you going to get this jackass under control?"
Jimmy swallowed and began nodding his head as he snuck a sideways glance at Coop. "I'll make sure we get clearance on all politically sensitive suspects." I KNEW this would get us in trouble!
"Screw that!" snapped Coop, glaring at Jimmy before looking at McCree. "Jimmy and I've been together a year. We've had more busts, seen more convictions than any other team!"
"Your point?" asked McCree.
Coop let out a small chuckle. "Point is, Captain appreciates our work. You think he knows you're such good pals with Teddy Burke?"
McCree smiled at Coop. "Do not try to go over my head, Cooper, you'll regret it," said McCree in a cold voice. Turning away from Jimmy and Coop he ordered, "Now scram."
Jimmy began heading for the door, but Coop remained where he stood. "What about Burke?" asked Coop, his lips forming into a tight line.
Hands on his hips, McCree turned to Jimmy and Coop in bewilderment. "What, Teddy Burke? Was he busted today?"
Coop's face clouded, but Jimmy pulled him towards the door before Coop could say or do something to get himself fired.
Jimmy and Coop re-entered the main hall in time to see another officer directing an unshackled Teddy Burke to the stairs. Burke smirked at Coop and Jimmy before he began heading down the stairs, turning back halfway down to flash them a large smile and a wave.
As they watched Burke disappear, Jimmy felt uneasy when he saw how angry Coop still looked. He hoped Coop would just put the incident behind him. Jimmy didn't agree with what had happened, but there was no way he could risk his job when he had a pregnant wife and two kids to provide for.
Glancing at his watch, Jimmy told Coop, "Coop, it's almost 6 pm. Let's go punch out and get out of here. Think you can make it to my place by seven?"
"Sure," Coop replied evenly. But inside he was still smouldering. Coop was becoming as disillusioned with policing as he had become with baseball and the army. Here to put the scumbags away? Only if they can't pay someone off!
As if sensing Coop was close to his boiling point, Jimmy didn't badger him as they headed to the locker room. It didn't take long for Coop to strip off his work shirt and gunbelt and retrieve his wallet. "I'm gonna head home. Gonna feed the cat and get changed. I'll bring some beer for tonight. You got the whisky, right?" Coop asked.
"Yeah, picked some up last night," Jimmy replied, stripping down to his boxers and undershirt for a quick shower and heading for the towel rack. He was surprised Coop had let the fact he had a cat slip out to the whole changing room. "See you soon, Coop?" Jimmy asked.
Coop smiled. "Sure," he replied, giving Jimmy a quick wave.
Jimmy felt uneasy as he watched Coop leave. Something inside Coop had come unhinged after that encounter with McCree and Jimmy could only hope it wouldn't cause a disastrous evening.