Fallout

Chapter 3

The Journal of John Nolan

As busy as Angela is with little Jackson, she couldn't leave police work alone, even on leave. And it's a good thing she couldn't. She figured out that my work and Bailey's overlapped. The flames didn't kill a victim we found in a fire. Instead, he was the target of a serial killer. I don't know how much further Bailey or I can go with that. Unless the killer pops up again on one of my patrols, he's the business of the detectives. I'm thinking that Angela will bring them in, but as far as I know, right now, she's only talked about it to Bailey and me.

And Angela's got bigger problems, or more to the point, she and Wesley do. He's representing one of Elijah's assassins. As nauseating as that is, it's not illegal. But how Elijah wants Wesley to carry out the task may very well be. For one thing, Elijah will be using Wesley as a mule. If Wesley has to smuggle anything into prison for Elijah, he'll be up to his ears in alligators. And if he passes a message to me or anyone else, and Elijah finds out, Wesley, Angela, and Jackson could end up six feet under.

It would also be unethical for Wesley to do less than the best he can defending his client. That could open the case to appeal. As brilliant a lawyer as Wesley is, his defense might put a cold-blooded killer back on the street. I'm not sure how he could live with that. But then, I don't know how anyone could live with that. One of the reasons the other cops out there and I try to stick to the rules is to keep monsters from getting kicked loose. I don't know if Angela will be able to handle what Wesley has to do.

And she won't be the only cop with something to handle. Lucy campaigned to be Tim Bradford's gofer. He resisted, but Lucy is Lucy. She practically shoved the challenge in his face, insisting that taking the position would be good for her career. Maybe she even convinced herself of that, but I don't believe she wanted to be with Tim to move up in the department. I've seen her with the hots up close and personal. And they're hard to miss. The air in their shop will be drenched in pheromones.

I almost feel sorry for Tim having to resist that. I say almost because he could have put his foot down and said no. He could have picked any street cop in the division for the job. But he gave in. I'm familiar with that concept too. Lucy can be very convincing. Still, I believe it would have been better for both of them if he hadn't.

It might have been better for me too. Lucy and I were meshing as partners. Now, I'll either have to break in a new one or ride solo. I find a certain attraction in riding by myself. It will give me a chance to make points on my own that I'll need to move up to TO. But it will also mean not having anyone to watch my back. With Elijah kicking the crime in this city into high gear again, the thought of that is discomfiting. Or maybe that's too gentle a word. Actually, it could be downright scary. But being scared is part of the job. Hopefully, if I'm on my own, fear will keep me from doing anything too stupid.

At least I haven't been too stupid in class – not yet, anyway. I got an A on my first quiz. I have a long way to go, but that's another step toward being a TO. I guess, if Lucy's telling the truth about being ambitious, she's not the only one in that category. Fortunately, we're heading for different goals, or we could be bashing each other bloody, butting heads. I just hope staring longingly at Bradford doesn't blur the rest of her vision.

For the foreseeable future, Officer Chen will be acting as my aide," Bradford announces as the morning shift settles into their seats. "Officer Nolan, you'll be riding solo. And I want you to keep an eye on the community policing center."

"Sir, Officer Thorsen and I were taking that duty," Harper objects.

"I'm aware of that, Harper," Bradford retorts. "But I need your expertise elsewhere. Drug traffic has been picking up around the Fashion District. So I want you to patrol that area and scout for major players.

"Now, as for the rest of you, routine patrols unless I direct you otherwise. And with Halloween coming, we can also expect the incidence of pranks to pick up. If you receive a call that involves only minor or no damage to property, take the report as quickly as possible and get back on the street. The incidence of dealing continues to rise. And a reminder, any drug arrests must be brought to the attention of a detective immediately. That's all. Dismissed."

The downside of riding alone is that Nolan has to stow all the shop's gear. But he got pretty used to toting warbags as a rookie, and he hasn't been a P2 long. He finishes his checklist and heads for the community center.

As far as John knows, Tamara will be signing up for the art show when she gets out of school in the afternoon. John wonders if Lucy will try to steer Bradford toward the community center so she can keep the girl from chickening out. But Nolan doubts it. After the way Lucy pushed her way into the gofer position, Tim's unlikely to cut her any slack. He isn't cutting Harper any either. By now, the whole division knows Nyla double-booked with James, and her new rookie played cupid to patch things up. A trip to the center would help cement the relationship, but it doesn't look like that's happening.

Nolan wants to talk to James for an entirely different reason. The neighborhood around the center is still highly vulnerable to drug dealers moving in. Aside from Silas, James has the most active sets of eyes and ears. If any new activity pops up, he should know about it.

James waves as Nolan pulls in. "Got you back on here, huh? Are you being punished again?"

John shrugs. "If I am, I don't know for what. I think our new Sergeant is trying to keep me out of trouble until he figures out what to do with me. Anything going on I should know about?"

James leans back against the building and shoves his hands in his pockets. "It's been quiet, Nolan. Maybe too quiet. I keep expecting hell to break loose. Even the taggers haven't been out. "

"Maybe they're waiting to display their talents at the art show," Nolan suggests.

James shakes his head. "At least half of them haven't even signed up for it. It's like the word is out on the street to keep their heads down. But I don't know who put it there."

"New gang?" John speculates.

"Could be," James considers. "My boys said they saw someone approach some of the kids at school. It might have been a recruiter."

"I can take a few runs around the school and see if I pick up on anything," John proposes.

James nods. "I'd appreciate that. I've worked hard to keep my kids away from gangs. A lot of us have. If you cops can do anything at all, you'll keep any new ones from coming in now."

"I'll do the best I can," John promises.