Chapter 4 – Good Cop, Bad Cop.

"As i was saying," Green was in the middle of talking when Terry walked in, familiarising herself with the house. "Let us take care of this. I know you well enough Bobby, you're not here for her funeral." "I'm a changed man" Bobby spoke sarcastically, placing his palm on his chest along with his facade. "It hurts when you think otherwise".

"Look, Bobby" Terry cut in. "What Green really means behind his sweet preaching is don't be stupid and take the matter in your own hands. Clearly. Otherwise it'll be you and your brothers we're coming after next." Bobby snorted, "What the fuck do you know?" She smiled sweetly at him. "I know more than what you know, Mr Mercer -"

"That's enough!" Fowler instructed, which aggravated her more making her leave the room to talk to the reasonable brother, Jerry, hoping to kick in some sense to his other brothers, especially Bobby. Green mentioned previously on their way there, that Bobby was definitely not here for his mother's funeral. He was going to stir the pot. Well the whole of Detroit. She took Jerry aside to introduce herself and her condolences. "From what i hear about the legendary Mercer brothers, please keep your brothers out of trouble, out of sight is most preferred."

"So you think it's more than a hold up?" Jerry asked with curious eyes. 'What?' Terry thought. "That's just what it is." Terry stated, although she already knew more than she wanted. "A robbery holdup. Wrong place wrong time."

***

The three of them left the Mercer house, driving back to the station in Green's car. Terry sat at the back staring out the window lost in her thoughts. What a coincidence. She knew Fowler and Green, especially Fowler, would grill her with what happened earlier.. with Jack. She had to think of something believable, anything. She knew Fowler wouldn't let it slide.

Jack was quiet today, maybe because he was surrounded by his brothers.. or the fact that she's a cop. She wondered whether he was like that usually or maybe last night she caught him when he was drunk. So was last night a mistake? She hadn't regretted it, yet. Did he regret it? What a stupid thought, he's a guy he must have enjoyed it. Especially screwing a cop. She couldn't help but be irritated with what was going on in her mind. "What are you thinking?" Fowler asked, bringing her back to reality, staring at her on the rear view mirror. "Thinking about Jack?" "What?" Terry's heart pounded was she busted? "I was thinking about this damn case. The people i spoke with made her sound like an angel, and just been in the room with those brothers, something is going to happen. I don't trust the eldest one." "Bobby?" Green asked. "He's a good guy, i know him from back in the days. We'll keep an eye on them, she was their mother and i don't think they're here for just her funeral." "They will get themselves killed." Fowler said as a matter-of-fact.

"Terry" Green called, changing the subject as he could feel the tension from Chris, Green turned his head on the side looking at her while he spoke. "You seem half yourself today, what happened? You're not up for this case?"

'What happened?' She asked herself. 'What?'

She was starting to confuse herself with her mind boggling about Green's question. Maybe she was overreacting or maybe it was her conscience. Maybe.

"Uh.. Sorry, Green" She apologized. "I didn't do much reading last night, i did feel useless today-"

"What did you do last night that was too important than following up on a case you knew you would be working on the next day?" Fowler questioned, it didn't really sound like one. "Just curious. You know, Green and i thought you were ready for this and took us quite a long time to agree to let you be on the next case. On this case."

"How dare-" She was appalled, out of all the people she wasn't expecting this from him.

"Prove me wrong Luthor." He interrupted.

"Now don't be too harsh on her, Fowler" Green defended, he's always the nice guy. "Don't be slack anymore, you got that Terry?" She nodded in reply and remained silent the rest of the car ride.

At the Station.

Terry sat at her desk, looking at all the Mercer brothers' folders, reading about their life stories and what they were done for. Lastly, she came across Jack's folder and couldn't help but smile at his smug photo attached on top along his details. She skimmed through it and saw 1985. Cringe.
The next folder was Evelyn Mercer's case files. It too contained a photo, it was of Evelyn. She studied it, noticing her features and wondered how a woman like her had the patience to deal with not one but four degenerates. She really must be a Saint. "Hmm".. Terry mumbled to herself. 'Evelyn looks familiar'. She knew it was Detroit, and that she had never met Evelyn before but she couldn't shake off the feeling that she's seen her somewhere before. At least once when she was alive... she couldn't put her finger on it but decided to shake the feeling off, it will come to her sooner or later.

"So what do we do now?" Terry asked Green, who was on the other side of the room.
"We've talked to the witness, written his statement down. We have done all there is to do, this may be a case of wrong place, wrong time. Unfortunately, it happened to a sweet innocent lady." Green replied.

"Can i read the statement? It wasn't in the folder that i had."

"Sure," Green said. "Fowler's got it."

'Great' She thought.

She approached Fowler, who was sitting at his desk further away from where she was talking to Green. Hoping to get what she wanted without dealing with any crap that he was soon going to give her.

"Hey Chris," She began, his back was facing her. "Can i take a look at the witness' statement for the Mercer case?" "Why?" He dully asked. "Just doing my job, that may be the reason why" She replied in a smart ass tone.

"Where were you last night?" He discreetly asked her as he stood up in haste. "You didn't come home last night and you at Jerry's house. Time frame." "I'm surprised you were even home one night to even have noticed that i wasn't there!" Terry hissed through her teeth, not wanting the whole office to hear her. She grabbed whatever folder that Chris was holding and walked hurried off. He was trailing after her, pushed her inside the nearby room and slammed the door behind.

"You answer my question." He said in a threatening voice as his hand was gripping her arm and he got in her face. "Where. Were. You. Last. Night?" He gripped her arm harder when she didn't respond straight away.

"I was at Johnny G's." She muttered, not looking at him directly anymore. "All night." She felt like she was on trial and just another suspect been questioned by him. "I'm sick of this! You're always talking down to me like I'm the stupid one!"

"Don't you put this on me!" Fowler raised his voice. "You happen to know Jack Mercer, who happen to have just arrived into town after, what 2 years. What a fucking coincidence! After how long I've known you for, i know you don't know him." "I was at the bar." She repeated herself again, hoping he would release his grip on her arm as it was hurting by the second.

"You think I'm fucking stupid?" He accused furiously.

"No, that's not what i think of you right now." She answered. "I hate you."

He reacted quickly to her final comment but before he could say anything back the door flew open.

"Can I have my office back?" the Chief came in, staring at both of them feeling the tension in the dense room. Fowler left without saying anything to the both of them, she sighed before giving the room back to her boss.

Terry sat back on her desk, not intentionally staring down Fowler's way, he was looking at his paiger. He noticed her staring and got up, picked his coat off the chair and walked to her desk, "I'm going to the bar now, to play some pool to cool off" She nodded in response. "I love you" he muttered just softly enough that she could hear him, before leaving the station.

**

"You called?" Fowler greeted the sophisticated man wearing a fur coat, at the bar pool place which he owns.
"I asked these idiots to hire out of town shooters and you know what they fucking did?" The man in the fur coat began. "In town shooters. Hopeless dogs." The man spat, he spoke like he was King of Detroit.
"Don't worry about it." Fowler said casually. "I'll take care of it. They won't have anything directly linked to you." "Now that's what i like to hear!" The man smirked. "Join me and the find ladies over there" The man pointed to the back of the bar where a group of ladies who were dressed scantily clad. He hesitated a little before joining them. "I'll deal with the dogs later but now, you my friend, and i are going to have fun." More women joined them in promiscuous matters.

A long figure stood outside peering through the neon signed window, only to discover the biggest shock of her life. To discover Fowler fraternising with Detroit's notorious gangster, Victor Sweet, and the women that surrounded him.

She couldn't take it anymore and turned away from this ultimate discovery, not knowing what to do about the situation that has surfaced.