Maximum Guilt (Hidden Guilt Book 2) (24 page)

“Hey, I see you made it,” De Luca said, standing in my doorway.

“Yes, ma’am. Early bird gets the worm. I got a date with the chief here in about five minutes.”

“Everything okay?”

“I’m sure he just wants a debrief and maybe to talk a little more about his plans for MCDH.”

“That what we’re calling it?”

“Got a nice ring to it, no?”

“Yeah, I think so. Just busting your chops. Someone’s gotta keep you from getting the big head around here.”

I got up and headed for Chief Hill’s office.
Let’s get this over with,
I thought.

I knocked on his office door and waited.

When I opened the door, I found Captain Wilcrest had already arrived.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” I said.

Chief Hill gestured to a chair. “Have a seat, Porter.”

He wasted no time getting started.

“I was disappointed to hear about Franklin. I think I’ve heard most of the details. I know you’ll learn from this. I know how badly you want to catch Stacy—we all do. I can’t say I blame you, but remember this: you have a duty to yourself, to this department, and to the families of the officers here to make sure no one gets put carelessly in harm’s way.”

What the hell was he saying here? Was he officially blaming me for Franklin’s death? Was I about to be put on leave?

“With that said . . . personally, I don’t believe you were reckless with Franklin. But I’ll be honest with you; there are others who disagree, but my opinion is the only one that counts. We’ve set up an office area for your team. I’m excited to see what you’ll be able to accomplish.”

I breathed a slight sigh of relief. “Thank you, sir,” I said.

Chief Hill clasped his hands together on the desk. “Have you made any hiring decisions?”

“Officially, I’ve made two offers. I also have a third I plan on making later today.”

“Care to tell me who they are?”

“I’m trying to make sure my team is diverse as well as highly skilled. I made an offer to Detective De Luca. I feel like she’s seen a lot, and she brings a well-cultured background. She’s also got a unique perspective on perps, and she goes with her gut when she believes it to be correct. Those are probably some of the same reasons she was hired on the force here, I would suspect. I also made an offer to a detective out of New Orleans—Paul Lafitte.”

I could tell the news of Lafitte caught the chief off guard. “Isn’t Lafitte an old buddy of yours?”

“Yes, sir, we served in the military together. We did a couple tours in the desert. I’ve trusted that man with my life in some of the toughest situations, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

“I don’t want you to feel like I’m questioning your choices. It’s your team, your officers. I’d just like to be kept in the loop. Who is the third person you’re making an offer to?”

I hesitated before answering. I knew my third offer would be sure to field a few questions and raise some eyebrows. I didn’t care I felt like it would make my team stronger and that mattered more to me than anything else.

“I plan on offering Brett Smith a position leading my data analysis team.”

“Brett
Fingers
Smith?” Wilcrest asked.

The room fell silent.

“I know he’s had a checkered past, but I’ve been able to use and trust him for quite some time now. He’s the best at what he does. He’s provided me with valuable intel that others, quite frankly, wouldn’t have found. No one outside this room knows that I’m even thinking about this. I plan on having a meeting with him at his house before I make him the offer.”

“Porter, you realize this means we’ll be giving a former criminal access to classified information in some cases?” Chief Hill said.

I smiled. “No offense, sir but Fingers has
always
had access to those files and any other files he’s wanted to have access to.”

It was out of character for Chief Hill to have anything but a scowl on his face, but even he grinned at that one.

“Touché, Porter. Duly noted. You do understand not everyone will be a fan of this.”

“Sir, not everyone was a fan of me being promoted to detective or being your choice to lead the Major Crimes Division. I’m following in your footsteps, doing things that not everyone agrees with.”

Again Chief Hill smiled. “I like you, Porter. Always have. You’re a no-bullshit guy, and I like that.”

“I always try to let people know exactly where they stand, sir. There anything else you’d like to discuss? I’m anxious to get back to work. I still have a perp out there to get my hands on. I doubt she’s sitting around sculpting pottery.”

“No, that’ll be all, Porter. Good luck.”

I stood up and shook hands with both of them. Then I headed to find De Luca. I wanted to run the Fingers hire by her to make sure I wasn’t completely off my rocker before I made him the offer.

I’d sent her a text asking her to meet me in my office.

“What’s up, Porter?”

I gestured for De Luca to close the door.

“Have a seat. I need to run something by you.”

She pulled up a chair, a puzzled expression on her face.

“I’m thinking about bringing Fingers on board and making him a part of our team. Tell me I’m not crazy.”

“Hmm. Will my opinion have any bearing on your decision?”

“Yes. I value your opinion. I mean, if it’s a crazy idea and I’m nuts for thinking it, just say so.”

“Well, obviously you think he would add value to the team, and he’s the best person for the job. Will everyone agree with it? No. But if you start making choices for this team based on everyone else’s opinions, then you’re not the guy I thought you were.”

“Do you think we’ll be exposing the department in any way? I mean, his past isn’t exactly spotless. Am I making a mistake here?”

“Well, Porter, neither is your past, if you’re basing your criteria solely on that.”

“Slightly different scenario but I get it.”

“Not really. Guys, especially black men, have been convicted of rape and other crimes with much less evidence and circumstance.”

“You always give it to me straight, don’t you?”

De Luca got to her feet. “Only way I know how to give it. If he’s your guy, stop talking to me and go get him.”

What De Luca said made a lot of sense. She was right; my mind was about ninety-eight percent made up before I’d even called her in. There was no doubt now.

Chapter 60

I left the station and headed for Fingers’ house. I stopped at Starbucks to get myself a fresh cup of coffee. I got Fingers a tall mocha frappucino. Computer nerds like those, or so I’d heard.

Fingers’ house looked more like a hideout than a home. It was tucked behind a thickly forested plot of land. He had an electronic gate with a video camera. I guess he saw my vehicle approaching, because the gate swung open right as my truck neared.

I parked and headed toward a door concealed in the side of the garage.

“Come on in, Porter.”

Fingers was tall and slim. He probably didn’t weigh more than one hundred fifty pounds, and that was being generous. He wore black-rimmed glasses that I imagined all technology buffs wore.

I handed Fingers the Starbucks drink. “A lot different than your last digs, Fingers.”

“Yeah, a lot more secluded. You found my last hideout, remember?”

I laughed. “And I suppose you didn’t think I could find this one if I wanted to?”

“Pleading the fifth. So what’s up? What brings you here? A simple phone call wouldn’t have worked?”

Fingers had established quite the lab. As I looked around the room, there were at least twenty monitors. Wall-mounted TV screens also filled the room. I counted ten security cameras, and those were just the ones I could see. I didn’t want to guess what all this equipment cost or how long it’d taken to set up the network. 

“Well, I’ll get right to it. HPD recently started a new Major Crimes Division that I’ll be heading up. I’ve been promoted to captain and tasked with building the team, including the hiring. I need a data analyst, and I want you to be that guy.”

Fingers face went blank. “Let me get this straight, Porter. You want
me
to join the good guys and actually work for a paycheck that, like, gets taxed and everything? You do remember arresting me seven years ago, right?”

“I remember all too well. You broke the law; we arrested you. That’s how it’s set up to work. But I’m here because I believe you turned over a new leaf. I’m putting together the best Major Crimes Division in the world, and I need the best of the best on my team. That means you. I’ve already looked past your background and taken into account all the cases you’ve helped me solve since then. So what do you say?”

“I say you have a boss, and he’ll never be okay with this. Besides, I don’t think I’d fit in down at the station.”

“Like I said, I’m making the hiring choices. I’ve already cleared this with my superiors. Also, I don’t need you at the station; I need you right here in your office, doing what you do best. This is where I’ve always needed you. Why should that change? Just going to put you on the payroll and make it official. I’m giving you a second chance. A clean fresh start.”

“Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor here because you like me. You need me to make yourself look good.”

I wasn’t sure where Fingers was coming from. I hadn’t expected this type of response. Then I realized that, besides a quick call and a bunch of data requests, I didn’t really know Fingers the man—what he was about, his story, or what made him click.

“Listen, I’m not trying to pull the wool over your eyes here. This would be a win-win for both of us, and yes, it would make me look good. Honestly, it would make both of us look good. I’ve mentioned this to only a few people down at the station, and I already have doubters. You have a chance to prove them wrong.”

Fingers stared down at the floor and rocked back and forth in his chair.

“Let me tell you a story, something that isn’t in my file. My parents were both special ops. They were both assigned to teams that were run undercover and off the record. They were promised a huge sum of money for obtaining certain information for the government. Someone ratted them out and they got ambushed and killed. I never got the money my parents were promised. No one even acknowledged that either of them worked for the government. They just moved on to the next two suckers. I was twelve when they were killed.”

Fingers eyes welled up. I could tell the pain of his loss was still raw. I surmised from his account that he had negative feelings toward authority and the police. I couldn’t say that I blamed him. No wonder he had reservations about me and my motives.

“Fingers, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry about what happened to your parents. Sounds like they got the shitty end of the stick. That’s not going to happen here. Like I said, I believe we both have something we can offer the other. You have the chance to turn the tables around and make your mark here. Rewrite the history book on Brett Smith.”

Fingers and I talked for more than an hour. In the end, we came to terms. Fingers was officially a member of the MCDH, effective immediately.

One of the terms of our agreement meant him meeting with me and Chief Hill. This would give both sides a chance to meet face to face, man-to-man.

Chapter  61

Stacy arrived in New York City ready to get back to work. She’d spent a few days mourning the death of her sister and deciding who she would target next in her sister’s memory. Porter needed to be taught another lesson. A painful lesson. Franklin, she decided, was only her first cop. There would be more, many more. They wouldn’t get off easy like Franklin did, either.

She’d purchased a dozen nine-inch Bowie knives from a string of stores along her drive from Lake City. The killings in honor of her sister would be gruesome, bloody, and extremely painful. She would make her victims suffer a slow, agonizing death. She’d also picked up some new goodies that she couldn’t wait to put to use.

She wouldn’t need her car here. She’d never ridden a subway but couldn’t wait to try it out. She needed to learn how to get around. There was little time to waste. She couldn’t wait to shop for new clothes to fit in with the locals. Every corner of every street was filled with hundreds of people. Everyone was moving a million miles an hour. Not a blade of grass in sight. The high-rises here were breathtaking.

It was nearly one thirty p.m. Stacy walked by a storefront window and caught a reflection of herself. She absolutely loved the red hair and was a bit envious that she hadn’t been born that way.

After she’d finished stuffing herself with pizza, she hurried back to the apartment she’d rented. The Metro Apartments were less than one minute from a subway station, and she wanted to be able to get home and out of sight as quickly as possible.

She’d sent a text to Marci a day earlier asking for a hit list of sorts. She wanted the names of the five officers who’d had the most run-ins—be it before or after becoming an officer. She was looking for the worst cops NYPD had to offer.