Chapter 6 #2
“Okay! O-kay! I’ll talk! I did take a swipe of some of the blow, but that’s it!
I s-swear! It was only one hit. I don’t know nothing about no money being taken or being a snitch to the f-fuzz,” Lenny stutters, sweating like a fucking pig…
How ironic. I think the guy belongs in here with the other meat, it’s like destiny or something.
I exchange a look with Tey, seeing the twinkle in his eyes and we both come to the conclusion that Lenny’s telling the truth. I straighten to my full height, slicking back my brown hair that hangs in my eyes, and adjust my cuffs before giving a single nod to Tey.
“Finally! This gives me the perfect opportunity to try out my artistic skills. Thank you for your tribute, I’m about to create a masterpiece,” Tey whispers and without hesitation whips out his knife from God knows where and slashes across Lenny’s throat.
Tey must have hit an artery because Lenny’s blood squirts out of his neck like a bottle of ketchup, splatting against the clear tarp.
He’s fucking lucky I moved across the freezer before he started.
If he got one drop of blood on my clothes, I’d have to murder him.
I’ve been doing this for a while but I like being clean, thank you very much.
“Hurry up, we still have to get to the precinct to switch out the evidence. Fucking Lenny. If he wasn’t the snitch to the FBI about the raid or missing money… looks like we have a traitor in our kingdom. Can’t have that happening now, can we?”
Leaving the warehouse behind, I see out of the corner of my eye Tey wiping blood off his arms with a baby wipe while he grins the whole time over to the precinct.
Rolling my eyes as we step out of my car, I toss Tey the black duffle from the trunk once we get there and he pretends to zip his lips just as we start climbing the steps into the building.
The moment we slide through the doors, the noise and chaos are almost overbearing but it helps us slip by unnoticed.
Phones ring off the hook, men in suits milling around barking orders while a few grab their guns and rush by us to answer a call coming through.
Perfect time to pick up the supplies, there are less cops around the station once the sun goes down.
Los Angeles precincts are crazy busy on a regular night and Gale, the receptionist, just waves from behind her desk when I wink at her and point towards the direction of my father’s office.
Nobody thinks twice about us being here because me and my boys grew up around cops with my father being Chief and all.
“Like stealing candy from a hooker.” Tey chuckles as we step into the elevator and he pushes the basement level button.
“You mean from a baby, not a hooker.” I roll my eyes at him, staring straight ahead as the light dings for our floor.
“Naw, hookers love their lollipops. It’s how they get those tongue tricks down, my brother, I’m going to have to hire you a hooker for the night. Let’s pop that cherry.” He snickers under his breath and jogs ahead before I can smack him upside the head.
“Shut the fuck up and just grab the dope.” My order comes out loud and clear, forcing him to be serious for the moment as I punch in the code for the evidence storage room that’s full of crime scenes to drug busts.
I’m just here for the drugs.
“Case number thirty-three. Find it and switch the coke with the fake powder.” I’m grumpy as hell, on constant edge because we shouldn’t have to be here in the first place.
Fucking Lenny... I’ll make anyone who’s talking to the cops regret the day they were born.
Tey nods, swinging the bag over his shoulder with a whistle as he disappears around a shelving unit.
So many cases of crimes, disaster, some unsolved, some under trial but look how easy it was for us to slip in here.
Nothing but Los Angeles love in this evidence room, so much hate, and violence just like how the city is.
Little do the citizens know that Franco, Chief of their beloved city, would have a hand in dealing with the most criminal cases in one form or another.
Everyone is deep in his pockets, including myself.
My phone won’t stop vibrating against my thigh and the distracting constant messaging coming in can only be one person.
Why does he insist on calling constantly when I’m old enough to get the job done without him checking in? I answer without looking at my phone as my eyes skim over an evidence box containing items from a brutal murder, home invasion in the suburbs.
“Chief. It’s almost done, we’ll be dropping the package off before-” My father interrupts me and I motion with my hands to Tey as he comes around the corner to cut off the whistling.
“Get home right the fuck now! No stopping, Logan, just get home.” He commands with an authority that never fails to make me stand up straighter and harden my heart until eventually nothing will be left.
He hangs up, not letting me get in another word but that's just how it goes because he’s the boss.
A boss of thousands of corrupt and good police officers but also of a network of crime.
He has so many people in his pockets, from the lowest ranking officer to the governor… the Chief of L.A. is untouchable.
My mama used to put him in his place, her Italian side would come out, and she grounded him whole.
She was beautiful, elegant, and graceful but we all went off the deep end when she was murdered by a rival gang that Dad had to go undercover in when he was a rookie.
He sent the bad guys to jail but one always slips through the cracks and it was what tore our family apart.
He worked endlessly to bring our family justice but was kicked off the case because he was too close to it.
He started that day at the bottom but climbed himself to the top so he could have the power where no one would even think about trying to take him down.
He once said if you can’t beat them, join them, and that’s exactly what he did.
He used to be a hero figure to the community, a police officer who wanted to make a difference, but something changed in him when Mama was lowered into the ground.
He became cold hearted and turned to the other side of the law.
Most fear him and respect him at the same time.
“We gotta go. I’m pretty sure my stepmom is throwing a big fucking fit again that she didn’t get what she wanted.” My voice comes out in a growl, I’m so sick of her shit.
Ever since my father met her, distracted by her beauty the moment she fell into his arms on the street. She snatched him away and takes his fucking money which he just turns a blind eye to. That is why I’ll never fall prey to a beautiful woman who is only after one thing.
“They’ve been together for a few years, I honestly thought he’d get sick of the same pussy each night, but guess not. At least you got a mommy.” Tey grabs his stomach, chuckling madly, thinking he’s a funny comedian but we both know he’d switch places with me in a heartbeat.
He grew up in the foster system although he’s spent half his childhood in my house along with Dalton and Nicky. They are my brothers even if we don’t share the same blood.
“Let’s just get out of here. You grab all the supplies?” I ask him as I start walking out of the evidence room with him taking his sweet time following. “No testing the goods and whatever you have in your hands, put it the fuck back.”
I don’t even have to bother looking, his need to steal something can get out of control unless I put him in line or Dalton does.
Usually that fucker would just sit on him until he gives up and stops trying to steal shit that can get him into trouble because it doesn’t matter when or where…
he’ll get his sneaky fingers on anything to keep as his.
I think it’s abandonment issues so he takes control of something that he can call his to keep.
“Always ruining my fun, I swear, Lo. You need to get laid. Let’s get this over with so I can sharpen my knives.”
And he says I need to get laid? I can’t even remember the last time he’s had pussy.
We reach the first floor, passing a bored looking Gale again, who is ten times our age but that doesn’t stop her from looking at us like we’re a snack.
I’m a fucking dessert, not a small mussel to gobble in one bite.
I’m the whole deal that makes you moan and beg for more until you're full.
“Logan Russo! Is it true that there is corruption within the law enforcement of Los Angeles and your father is well aware of the problem?” The most annoying voice speaks from behind me, her clicking heels trying to catch up to us.
“Nope! No. Not dealing with her. Make the bad thing go away Logan before I do something drastic like slit her throat. She won’t be talking anymore after,” Tey mumbles, and speed walks ahead of me as if he’d rather be anywhere else but here.
I couldn’t agree more.