Chapter 23
Kate's entire body was flung forward, the seatbelt across her hips and shoulder stopping her, crushing the air from her with a whoosh. When she bounced back against the seat, the gun dug into the small of her back.
Johnny was so wound up, he wasn't slowed by their near collision, or the painful stop. He was already out of the car. "Come on," he yelled at her.
Kate's fingers fumbled at her seatbelt. She managed to free herself, glancing down at the gun Johnny had dropped by her feet. He was barreling toward the flophouse they knew Wes would be at, too driven by rage to remember his gun. Kate was tempted to lock the doors to keep Johnny from being able to get the gun. But then Wes was storming down the porch steps, two of the men he counted as trustworthy following behind him, and Kate had to run to get to Johnny's side.
She wanted to step back, let them all just finish each other off once and for all. But that wouldn't happen. Someone would be left standing and if they saw her run off, it would make things worse for her.
"You think you can take me out?" Johnny roared.
"I think I will take you out," Wes answered, his words quieter, but more lethal.
Johnny reached for the gun he had forgotten wasn't in his waistband. Wes saw the move and the empty waistband and reached for his own gun.
Kate's entire body was on edge. Her nerves hummed, making her feel like everything was vibrating.
In the distance she heard sirens. She willed Johnny or Wes to notice them, decided to let this go for now.
Wes pulled his gun out and swung it from Johnny, over to Kate. "Should I take out your girlfriend first?" Wes asked. "She's going to be the only one left on your side. Everyone else will listen to me, do what needs to be done to move business to the next level." Then Wes moved the gun back towards Johnny. "Or you first and keep Kate around? She can be our…entertainment."
Kate saw Johnny's dismissive look towards her. She knew he wasn't making any decisions based on her or her safety. Wes knew that, too. She was just a toy they could fight over, but neither one cared about her. She just had to wait for their attention to move from her. Then she could reach the gun, at least protect herself.
Johnny took a step toward Wes. "You have no idea the war you're starting. One you won't win."
Wes smiled, a soulless curve of his lips. He opened his mouth to answer, but then more sirens joined the first, close enough no one was going to be heard.
Kate's instinct was to step back, put her hands up, get out of this so she could go home to Frannie, but that wasn't Wes or Johnny's instinct. The sound of the sirens seemed to break whatever was holding them back and they lunged at each other. Kate saw the gun in Wes' hand, saw his finger on the trigger. She saw the cops coming toward them and knew it wouldn't take more than a flinch of Wes' finger to send a bullet towards one of them.
She lunged at Wes, wanting to get the gun. Her move was enough to get Wes' two men involved and then Kate was caught in a tangle of arms, elbows that landed hard blows, someone grabbing her long hair and yanking her back.
It was a relief when the blue uniforms penetrated the group, pulling people back, securing Wes' gun. Kate saw Eddie wrenching one of the men's arm behind his back, gaining control over him. An unfamiliar cop had Johnny, but was struggling to get a strong enough hold on him.
Kate felt the brush of fingers against the sleeve of her coat, she twisted away, leaving the cop with her jacket and herself free.
"Gun!" the cop's shout rang out like a shot itself, and Kate remembered the gun tucked against her back. Her jacket wasn't hiding it anymore. She couldn't get arrested with an illegal gun. She had no idea what Johnny had used that gun for, and now it would be tied to her. She wasn't going down for those crimes. Her panic fanned the flames of desperation to get away. She just had to run. She could run.
She got loose of the knot of people. Took a step towards freedom. But then Wes turned. He had picked up a piece of the SUV that had broken off when they wildly jumped the curb. He raised it over his head. Kate saw his target. The female cop who had showed up with Eddie. She was helping get Johnny wrestled into submission.
"NO!" Kate yelled, jumping back into the fray, throwing her entire body against Wes so his arm came down without making contact with the cop. She lost her grip on Wes and slammed down onto the sidewalk, feeling all the bruises from the bombing, her still-healing ribs from the night Hux died, all taking new hits.
And then a body over her, shielding her from the risk of the fray falling over her.
Kate looked at the NYPD uniform, the sergeant stripes. Then at her brother's concerned face.
Jaime put his hands under her arms and lifted her to her feet. Kate hated how much help she needed.
"I've got her Sarge," a voice said, pulling Kate's arm behind her back, the cold metal cuff around one wrist as he spoke.
Jaime looked like he was about to argue and Kate shot him a look. If Johnny and Wes found out who she was—who she was related to—she would be dead. Frannie would—
Jaime reluctantly took a step back, but he played his part. "Just put her on the curb over there," he instructed. "We'll get the others in the cars first."
Kate didn't fight the second cuff connecting her hands behind her back. She let the officer lead her over to the curb, away from the fighting. She sat.
"You want to watch this one?" the officer asked someone. "I'll go help with the others."
Kate was aware of the new figure standing near her, keeping an eye on the scuffle. Finally he spoke and she winced at his familiar voice.
"You ok?"
Kate wanted to pretend she didn't hear him. But she couldn't do that. Not to Carlos' dad. She gave a short nod. Risked a look up at him.
He was frowning down at her.
Kate pretended she didn't care that it was Carlos' dad there. That Carlos' dad was seeing her for who she really was. She shivered, as much from the shame as the cool air.
Anthony left her side for a moment. She kept her eyes unfocused on the mid distance, ignoring his return. But then she felt the weight of her jacket settle over her shoulders and jerked her head up to look at him.
The frown spoke more of concern than judgment. Kate didn't want concern. Not his. Not Jaime's. Not anyone's. She wanted to go back to two months ago when she didn't know Carlos. When she hadn't seen her family for years. When everything was easier. Even if it was lonelier. At least it didn't hurt as much.
#
Carlos slid his eyes toward Joe. Joe thanked the dispatcher and ended the call.
"Multiple reports of a Suburban driving erratically. It crashed with injuries. And now there are reports of several men fighting. There's a woman involved, too."
"That's them," Carlos said, pressing his foot down harder on the accelerator.
Joe didn't argue. He pointed for Carlos to take a turn that would avoid the late evening traffic and cut through an industrial and commercial district. Carlos turned the wheel sharply, wishing they hadn't gone for the undercover car and could turn on lights and sirens. All he wanted was to get to Kate. To get her away from Johnny.
But blowing their cover wouldn't do anything to help Kate. Not in the long run. And he had to think of that. Of what would happen to Kate when they were done with this case.
"We can't leave her and Lacey in this," Carlos said suddenly.
Joe looked over at him.
"If the DA can't make the case after all this. Or if Johnny walks. We can't leave them in this life."
Joe didn't say anything. Carlos didn't know what they were supposed to do to get them away from Johnny and Wes and the Dimeboys, the violence, but they were going to do something.
"There," Joe said, pointing to a crowd a block ahead of them. Two squad cars were already on the scene, lights flashing, blocking the street. The big black Suburban had jumped the curb and was angled across the sidewalk. Carlos slammed on the brakes, pulling the car in behind one of the squads as a third cop car approached from the opposite direction.
Carlos jerked opened his door and started to get out, looking over the crowd for Kate.
"Hey," Joe called to him, stopping him.
Carlos forced himself to stop long enough to listen to what Joe needed, but he kept looking over the knot of people on the sidewalk, the cops yelling and trying to get control.
"Don't blow our cover," Joe said.
"Yeah," Carlos said.
"I mean it," Joe said, his voice growing sharp and finally getting Carlos' full attention. "That's not going to help her. Keep your cover."
Carlos nodded once, losing his cop face and replacing it with something less controlled. That part was easy.
"Hey!" he yelled. He got the attention of a female officer. She set her jaw and held out a hand.
"Stay back, sir," she ordered.
Carlos looked over her shoulder and saw Kate in handcuffs, her face emotionless. It didn't take any acting to push his way past the officer and start towards Kate.
Johnny was wrestling with a cop, but hampered by his hands cuffed behind his back. A second officer grabbed one of his shoulders and shoved him toward one of the squad cars.
Johnny saw Carlos and yelled to him. "Get them off me, man! Get these pigs away from me!"
One of the officers turned and Carlos recognized Jaime Reagan immediately. Carlos hoped Jaime could play the part he needed. He strode toward Jaime.
"What are you doing here?" Jaime asked.
Carlos was wearing the color of the day on the logo on his t-shirt. It was supposed to identify an undercover to a uniformed officer and keep them from engaging with the undercover. Carlos tugged at his shirt, glancing down at the green logo, hoping Jaime would understand he needed him to do the opposite of what the color of the day usually provoked.
Jaime's eyes flashed with understanding and he moved a hand to his gun, calling for Carlos to stay back. Carlos ignored him and kept moving.
Jaime got within arm's reach and Carlos met his eyes briefly before he gave him a shove.
Jaime jumped into the role he needed to play, scuffling with Carlos. Carlos had a little height on Jaime, but their builds were similar. Carlos struggled against the hold Jaime got around him, managing to get free for a minute. He heard Johnny yelling a string of curses at the cops and then the slam of a car door. With Johnny out of the way, Carlos back off, let Jaime get him on the ground, one arm twisted behind his back.
He felt Jaime's knee at his back, holding him down, the ratchet of the cuffs as Jaime pulled them out.
When he was cuffed, he tensed, ready for Jaime to haul him to his feet. As soon as he was up, Jaime gave him a shove towards Kate.
"You know what's going on?" Jaime asked under his breath as he walked Carlos over to Kate.
Carlos saw Kate glance at him, saw her jaw tighten before she looked away. And then he recognized the cop standing with Kate. No wonder Kate wouldn't look at the cop near her.
"Got another one for you, Renzulli," Jaime said.
Carlos didn't have any question about his dad playing the part he needed. Anthony Renzulli didn't say anything to Carlos, just pushed him lightly to sit down on the curb, one eyebrow raised.
Carlos' arm brushed against Kate's. He didn't move away, needing the physical reassurance she was ok. He saw Wes getting pushed into the backseat of a squad. Wes' eyes slid over Carlos and landed on Kate. Even from that distance, Carlos could see the fury in them. He glanced at Kate, wanting to shift closer to her, shield from whatever Wes was thinking, was planning.
Kate met Wes' eyes without reaction, but Carlos could feel the slight tremor that ran through her. He was relieved when the car holding Wes pulled away, followed by the car holding Johnny.
Kate sat in silence next to Carlos. Carlos looked for Joe. He saw him getting cuffed by Eddie.
Kate followed his eyes. "It's like a damn family reunion," she muttered under her breath.
Anthony looked down at her, but Kate didn't look up at him.
Carlos kept his voice low. "You ok?" he asked. He watched as two of the Dimeboys Carlos knew who pulled closer to allegiance to Wes were getting shoved into another car.
She gave a slight nod. Swallowed hard.
Carlos stretched his legs out in front of him and looked up at his dad. "You gonna book us, cop?" he asked, the dark humor of the situation coming out in his voice, covering the earth shattering fear that had propelled him towards Kate. The leftover fear that had him holding himself back from showing too much to Kate in front of everyone right then. He pushed the lingering fear aside. Time for that later. Later, when Kate wasn't sitting on a dirty sidewalk next to him while everyone who threatened her was getting hauled into central booking.
Anthony looked down at both of them. "They're trying to figure out what to do with this one," he said with a nod towards Kate. Kate shifted uncomfortably and looked down at the street in front of her.
Carlos' stomach knotted. What had Kate done?
"She had an unregistered gun on her," Anthony said. "She was in the middle of the brawl, all those punks going after each other with her right there with them." He paused and Carlos braced himself for whatever his dad was going to say next. "And when we got on the scene, things got hairy. One of them got a jump on Witten." Anthony nodded his head toward the dark haired woman who Carlos had shoved his way past when he first got there. "This one," a nod toward Kate this time, "got between him and Witten, took the hit he meant for a good cop. Saved Witten from a nasty hit to the back of her head. Would have knocked her out or worse." The begrudging admiration on his face was tempered by obvious concern when he looked between Carlos and Kate.
"You got hit?" Carlos asked.
Kate shook her head. "It's nothing." Then she spoke to Anthony. "Can you book me now?"
"What?" Anthony asked. "I'm tellin' you, you might not have to—"
"I have to," she cut him off. She slid her eyes toward Carlos, he could see her silently asking him to understand.
Carlos looked at the crowd gathered beyond the perimeter. No telling how many of them knew Wes or Johnny.
"You've got to at least get us in a car," Carlos said.
Anthony followed their eyes to the crowd and nodded in understanding.
"I'll take her," Jaime cut in, approaching them as the last squad car hauling Wes' boys pulled away.
Kate's lips pressed together.
"You want to come over to my and Eddie's place tonight?" Jaime asked. "These guys will be in lock up at least overnight. I can give you a ride home when I get off shift in the morning."
Kate had started shaking her head as soon as Jaime started to offer. "I need to go home." She glanced at Carlos and he knew she needed to get home to Frannie.
Jaime frowned, but didn't push.
"You want to drop us both at my place?" Carlos said. "I'll get her home from there."
Joe, apparently having talked his way out of cuffs, was heading toward their undercover car. He looked back towards them. Mouthed the word 'Lacey'.
Carlos nodded. Joe would get over to Lacey and Frannie and make sure they were alright. He would take care of Kate.
#
