CROSSING BRIDGES

"Nash, we found him." Harvey said into his cellphone. He and Evan had tracked down Henry Carson. And, he's every bit the scumbag that Sonny said he was. He's talking really big, saying we have nothing on him. Then I mentioned Sonny, his attitude changed completely. Sonny scares him. But, he thinks that Sonny is in Florida." He chuckled. "It's unreal. The minute I said Sonny's name, he got really quiet."

"You want to see Sonny in action?" Nash asked, as he wiped his mouth and pushed his plate away.

Sonny looked at Nash at the mention of his name.

Harvey laughed. "I would buy a ticket."

Nash nodded, ever though Harvey couldn't see him. "Me too." He chuckled.

"What?" Sonny asked.

"Carson is waiting on us at SIU." Nash replied. "Harvey and Evan brought him in."

"How many rocks did they have to look under?" Sonny asked as he wiped his mouth and stood to leave.

"Just one big one. He got caught in a vice dragnet." Nash replied. "When the found out another Vice cop wanted him. They gladly turned him over."

"Partner." Rico cautioned. "Remember what you said?"

Sonny grinned. "Which time?"

"You know which time." Rico stated.

"We're not cops anymore, Rico." Sonny told him. "Those rules no longer apply."

Nash looked at his brother, a bit worried. "What?"

Sonny just grinned.

At the SIU, Nash and Joe hung back in the shadows with Harvey and Evan. Rico stood off to the side, ready to step in, if Sonny needed him. Sonny stood in the shadows for just a minute.

"Henry Carson." Sonny said, just before he stepped out for Carson to see him.

"Sonny? Sonny, is that you, Man?" Carson began to shake. He looked around nervously.

"You remember the promise I made you?" Sonny asked, casually. He had gone back to leaning against the ship supports.

Carson nodded, still shaking.

"Did you think I was going to forget, Henry?" Sonny said as he walked back into the light. "Did you really think that I would forget?"

"Elvis, he's not…he's not here? Is he?" Carson was still shaking, looking around the room. He looked out at the bay a couple of time, too.

Sonny just chuckled.

Harvey and Evan looked at Sonny, then at Nash.

"Who's Elvis?" Evan asked.

"Sonny's pet alligator!" Nash replied.

"His !6-foot alligator." Joe added.

"So... what?" Harvey asked, after getting over the initial shock. "Sonny threatened to feed this guy to the alligator?" Harvey chuckled. "That is too…that is so good! I love it!"

"Elvis tried to take a bit out of a football player who got to close. And, rather than letting the University of Florida release Elvis back into the Everglades, Sonny took him in." Joe explained.

"Lucky…for you, Elvis is still in Florida." Sonny told him.

Carson breathed a visible sigh of relief.

Sonny leaned over the table until his face was a foot from Henry's.

Carson moved back, scooting his chair about a foot. "You can't touch me!"

Sonny glared at him for a moment, anger building. "THAT is where you're wrong! Vice Detective Sonny Crockett couldn't touch you." He paused. "But, Private Investigator Sonny Crockett can kick your sorry ass ALL over the great state of California. If he so desires. I'm not a police officer anymore!" He said, his voice taking on an edge.

Carson moved back, again. "You can't….!" He said, shaking his head.

"My son wouldn't sleep in his own bed, for years!" Sonny told him. "My ex, she was afraid to leave the house. She kept my son out of school! YOU did that!"

"You ruined my life!" Carson shot back.

"Your life was ruined the day you decided to piss me off!" Sonny used his foot to slid a metal chair on his side of the table out of the way. It slid then toppled over with a big bang, having the desired effect, rattling Carson even more. "YOU decided to take drugs. YOU decided to join the cartel." He paused. "I'm not responsible for your piss-poor judgement. But, I am responsible for preventing you from selling to anymore high school kids. I am responsible for keeping a few more dealers off the street. And, I'm proud of that!"

Carson mumbled something under his breath.

"Youi got something to say?" Sonny planted both hands on the table this this time. He waited and when he got no response, he continued. "The only reason you're still sucking air is…." He came around the table. "Stand up!"

Carson just looked at Sonny. He didn't move.

Sonny grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him to his feet. "I studied your file. Very carefully. Photographic memory and all. It's a curse, really. And I remembered a couple of things. In particular…" He walked Carson over to the railing. "I remember that you are afraid of heights and that you can't swim."

Both he and Carson looked down at the water.

Sonny grinned an evil grin. "I always keep my promises, Henry."

Henry was petrified. He kept looking from Sonny to the water and back.

"Here is how this is going to go. You are going to jump, or I will throw you ass overboard." Sonny told him. "It's up to you. It doesn't matter to me. But, those are your option." He looked down at the water again. "Oh! And, try not to hit those rocks down there That would be ugly."

"You can't…!" Carson protested. "Elvis is….!"

"There's always a Plan B." Sonny said, looking around as laughter erupted in the background. "And I don't see anybody trying to stop me. I don't' see anybody trying to save you." He observed. "You hear that? They are laughing at your sorry ass! You know why that is, Carson?"

Carson didn't respond.

"You're a bottom-feeder! You're the crap I scrap off the bottom of my shoe!" Sonny replied. "How else do you describe the type of man who would go after a child?" He tightened his grip on Henry's shirt. "Only a worthless piece of shit would go after a man's family in retaliation!"

Carson shook his head. "There's no way…!"

"You left your fingerprints…you moron!" Sonny told him. "Your right index finger, the perfect print. It was on the outside window ledger of my son's bedroom." He paused. "…somebody else walking around using your prints, Carson? Explain that one!"

Carson's expression changed for half a second. He had worn gloves. He KNEW he had worn gloves.

"It's time!" Sonny told Carson as he pushed the conman against the railing.

Carson fought back, as much as he could. Protesting the current state of affairs. His hands were cuffed in front of him. But, he managed to grab part of the railing and hang on.

"Rico!" Sonny called to his partner. "Pry his hands off the railing! This bastard's going overboard!"

Carson kicked out at Rico when Rico came in close. He dodged Carson's foot and went to work on Carson's hands, trying to make him release his vice grip on the railing.

Nash, Joe, Harvey, and Evan were thoroughly enjoying themselves. They were howling in laughter at the spectacle.

I might ought to put a stop to this." Nash said, trying to stop laughing. He looked at the three men standing around him.

Harvey put up his hands. "Put a stop to what? I didn't see anything." He paused. "But, I've loved every minute of it!"

"Yeah, Nash." Evan agreed. "I left something in my desk. I was just dropping by to pick it up." He paused. "That was…I would have paid good money to see that!"

Nash then looked at Joe. "Hey, I'm here late, catching up on paperwork. I have no idea what you're talking about." Joe stated. He turned and headed towards his desk.

A few seconds later, a splash was heard as a dark figure was seen falling from the deck of the SIU barge. Details are a bit sketchy as to what lead up to the incident. But, moments later, two dark figures were seen dragging a third ashore.

TBC