“Last year, we think one of the beat cops went to IA. Three weeks later, he was shot dead during a routine traffic stop. Hiswife packed up her two kids and left that day. No one has heard from her since.”
Ink’s face tightened and Matthieu felt his hands curling into fists. So the wife knew why he’d been shot. She likely knew he’d gone to IA. Had someone threatened her? Or had the people who’d gotten to her husband taken her out?
“There were clothes missing, toys, we think she definitely left. Whether she wanted to go or not, I can’t be sure. The lead detective on that case is a guy that I wouldn’t trust as far as I can throw him and considering he weighs two hundred and fifty pounds, that’s not far. He appeared to do everything by the book, but he didn’t seem all that interested considering a cop lost his life. Kids lost their father. That poor woman lost her husband.” Reeves looked disgusted.
Matthieu felt his respect for the other man growing. He obviously cared about justice.
“So you decided not to go to IA because you didn’t want to risk ending up like that cop,” Ink said. “Kind of a dangerous move to come here, then.”
Reeves shook his head. “I didn’t say that I wouldn’t work with IA. I just have to be careful.”
What was he trying to say without saying it?
“They expect people to go to IA. They won’t expect anyone to talk to someone in the private sector.”
Matthieu thought that was likely true. This was a ballsy move, for sure.
“Probably because there’s a cost to going to the private sector,” Brody said.
The detective’s face tightened. “Obviously. But I have a way of working around that.”
Hmm. Was he going to ask Ink to work for free? Would Ink do that?
“So you think they have someone that they’ve paid off in IA?” Ink asked.
If so, that was bad.
Really bad.
“I’m guessing so.” Reeves shook his head, looking exhausted. “I don’t know, but I have to do something.”
“And how is it that you think we can help?” Stone asked. “We’re not cops. You want us to start investigating people on the force? That’s not going to be easy. In fact, it will be dangerous if they’re willing to kill one of their own to keep their secret.”
“You must see how bad things have become,” Reeves said. “There are a number of corrupt assholes who are out there demanding protection money from people. They’re pulling over women on trumped up charges and then demanding ‘favors’ so they can avoid being arrested. It’s messed up.”
“And you believe that the Chief of Police has something to do with this corruption?” Matthieu asked.
“Yes. I believe heisthe corruption.”
Merde.
This was insane.
“Have you got anything to back that up?” Ink asked.
“Nothing yet but my gut and a bad feeling. It’s that or he’s being paid to look the other way. How can he not see what’s happening? Mind you, the guy never leaves his office. He’s not out there on the streets. But there’s got to have been complaints. I haven’t worked here long, about a year. But I’ve seen enough to make my stomach turn. So I don’t see how he can’t see it. The whole force isn’t corrupt, but the ones that are? Most of them are related to him. Or they have their heads far, far up his ass.”
“So what exactly do you want from us?” Ink asked. “Like Stone said that would be difficult and dangerous to investigate and even if we did find something what could you possibly do with it?”
“I have an idea of how you can get closer to him. Or, at least, close to someone in his family. Someone who also might have insight.”
“Yeah? Who? How?” Ink asked.
“The Chief is being threatened.”
“Threatened?” Brody asked, looking up from his laptop.
“What sort of threats?” Ink asked.
