Chapter 8: Confrontation
I've only been the IAB headquarters a handful of times, and most of those visits were back when I was only a child. Most cops seem to hate the place. It was as if anyone that walked through the door was tinted one way or another. It's not a tall building but tonight it looked more menacing than usual. A giant monster made of snow. I got out of the taxi and walked a little unsteadily towards the gate. The guard must have thought I was drunk because he approached me tentatively. "Go home, kid, the building is closed." The guard warned me.
I showed him my badge. "My father's Captain Finney, and he's still working in his office. My mom's cooked a big dinner and getting really pissed. I have to get him to come home soon."
The guard went to a phone and dialed, when he put the phone down he walked over. "His office is on the top floor. The elevator is to your left."
I stood in front of his office, and felt dizzy. I was not afraid. All I felt was a void and numbness. I pushed the door open without knocking. My father turned around in his chair and seemed shocked.
"Brendan, why aren't you home? My god, what happened to you. You're pale as a sheet." He stood up and looked genuinely surprised.
"I guess you haven't heard yet. Or maybe they haven't reported back to you because they really screwed it up this time and they are afraid of you." I stated calmly.
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"You should be relieved, Dad. Davis is still alive." I blurted it out. "We were at the liquor store. The robbery went off at the exact right time, and I took a bullet for him."
My father was speechless for a while, and I could see I've unnerved him a little. "Well, I'm glad to hear that he's okay. What about you?" He walked towards me, but I backed away. "I'm proud of you son, you're a hero. I always knew you'd become one, just not this soon." He seemed a little unsteady now, maybe even more so than me.
"I know everything, Dad. The bogus call, you used me to set Davis up. Plus I saw the car. A black Ford 2000 minivan, with a huge dent on the back. I've got Davis running the license plates right now. If your thugs haven't reported back to you now, they're probably on the run. I don't know, shooting the boss' only son can't possible go over well with you. With this snowstorm many interstate highways are blocked, so they couldn't have gotten far. They'll probably get picked up before long. I think you already know what they will say, Dad, so don't bother deny it." I can feel my strength leaving me, but I had to go on bluffing. But somewhere deep down inside I still hoped that he would go on denying everything.
Only he didn't. "They shot you…my god, they could have killed you," he mumbled. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted those idiots…"
And everything's over in a second. My whole life, my whole belief system collapsed, they were all based on lies.
He stood up suddenly. "I can't talk about it here. The office maybe bugged. You think you know everything, don't you? Come up with me and I'll tell you everything you want to know."
He headed out the door towards the stairs leading to the roof. I followed him, wincing now that the painkillers have started to wear off. It was even colder than before and I could hardly see him in a flurry of snowflakes. I knew I should have stopped him then and there and arrested him, but he seemed so old all of a sudden and I wanted desperately to know the reason behind all this madness. I needed to know