Chapter Twenty-Six #2
We pulled over, and hands pulled off my socks and sneakers, leaving me barefoot. I threw up, but they didn’t stop and dragged me to the side of the road. The sky was all different shades of blue, and I lay shivering and shaking. He stood above me.
“You thought you were so smart, but you’re not smarter than me.”
I laughed even as my heart thundered. “You’re a fool.”
He prodded me with his foot. “They’ll think you OD’d. Just another dirty cop who became a junkie.”
Sirens blared, but I had no capacity to move or think any longer. I closed my eyes.
**
I tried to talk but couldn’t, so I moaned.
“Dom? Dominic? Thank God.” Emmy stood at my bedside, his eyes red-rimmed and cheeks heavy with stubble. “Don’t talk. You have a tube down your throat. I’ll get the doctors.”
I had no idea what was happening, but eventually a slew of doctors and nurses came into my room. They pulled the tube out of my throat and I coughed until my throat was raw. “I’m not dead, I assume?” I attempted to sit up, but I was too weak. “I only feel like it.”
“Dom,” Emmy whispered. “I was so scared.”
“How long have I been here?” I rasped.
“You’re in a hospital in Dutchess County. You’ve been here a day and a half. McGill brought you in. Your father was arrested along with his bodyguard and driver. You did it.”
He put his arms around me, and I didn’t care one damn bit that I cried on his shoulder.
“They forced me to take all these drugs and I didn’t want to. I swear I didn’t…”
“I know. They had to give you Narcan at the scene. Your heart stopped.” His voice broke, and tears streaked his cheeks. “Then they pumped your stomach and gave you meds to counteract the drugs.”
“Bastard tried to kill me. But all this had nothing to do with the drugs. It was because my mother left him and I stood up to him. I was a disloyal son. He’s obsessed with my mother, and he can’t let go.
” I began to shake. “I could’ve been killed at any time—in the trucks, the warehouses…
I was lucky he dumped me on the roadside.
He said he wanted to teach me a lesson for being disloyal. ”
“He can’t hurt you or anyone else. Not anymore.” He smoothed the hair off my brow. “It’s over. They were waiting for you to wake up before having a news conference. Your father’s arrest with the others made the national news. He was forced to resign, and he’s in jail. No bail.”
“Thank God.”
The rest of the afternoon I was subjected to a barrage of tests, but after they were all finished, I wanted to get the hell out of there.
“Tomorrow,” Emmy said. “The doctors said if your tests are all good, you can finish recuperating at home.”
McGill stopped by at dinnertime, and for the first time, I saw a crack in his neutral exterior. “Well done. Your father is trying to save his skin—he wants to make a deal, but there’s too much evidence against him. The DA won’t even consider it.”
“Good. But where the hell were you? The bastard could’ve killed me with all the drugs he was pumping in me.”
“I’m sorry.”
I stared at him steadily. “You’re sorry? That’s all I get? Fuck you. Get out of here.”
He remained at my bedside. “The new man with the machine gun was one of our UCs—he was there to make sure you weren’t going to get hurt.”
Cold Eyes? Shit. That was why he’d wanted to come with us.
“He failed,” I snarled.
“Dominic. We owe you a debt of gratitude—the whole city does. And you’re right, we never should’ve let you get into the car with him, but we—”
“You wanted all the information, and you used Dominic like a pawn,” Emmy snapped, and I bit my lip at his fierce protectiveness. Damn, he’s hot.
McGill took it in stride. “Just so you know, you’re getting a promotion to detective, should you ever want to rejoin the force.”
My smile was anything but pleasant. “I won’t ever be back. I have everything I want in Appleton Falls.”
The following day, Emmy drove me to his house, and I grinned. “Your place?” He held my elbow as I walked up the steps. I shook him off. “I’m not an invalid. Stop hovering.”
“I’m not. I’m concerned. And yeah, of course you’re recuperating here. I have nicer sheets and towels. Plus, my couch is comfier.” He closed the door behind us.
Laughing, I kissed him. “I don’t care where we are. As long as we’re together.” We stretched out on the couch. “Did you take time off? You don’t have to. I’m fine.”
“I asked Simms for a few days. I think he senses there’s something between us.”
“Good because I don’t feel like hiding. I’m done with keeping secrets.” My phone rang. “Speak of the devil. Lieutenant, how are you?”
“Never mind me. Are you all right? They just filled me in on what you went through.”
“I’m actually okay. Throat’s still a little sore, but other than that, there won’t be any lasting effects from the drugs.”
“Good. I want you to know how proud we are of you and what you did. It took a lot of courage.”
“We? I’m not sure my fellow officers would agree.”
“That’s what I’m calling about. Can you come in tomorrow? Around ten a.m.?”
“Sure, for what?”
“You’ll see when you get here.”
I ended the call, and Emmy brought me a popsicle. I busted out laughing. “What the hell? I haven’t had one of these since I was twelve.”
“The doctors said it would be good for your throat.”
I smirked. “I can think of something else that I’d like to put in my mouth that would make me feel better.”
He took the popsicle out of my hand. “I’ll put this back in the freezer.”
The next morning, I walked into the station house a few minutes before ten a.m. Simms was waiting for me, and as he shook my hand, I could see all the deputies watching with shocked faces and audible grumbling. Bradford stood with arms folded and a defiant glare. Jet looked puzzled but unconcerned.
Simms checked his watch. “Please, everyone. We’re just waiting for a few more people so we can begin.” On cue, the door opened, and Jaxon Polaris walked in with Becker McGill. “And there they are.”
Simms stood in the front of the room. The mumbling grew louder.
“Quiet down, everyone. Now, I know there’s been a lot of upheaval lately, and Deputy Starr was at the forefront.
But now that it’s all over, we’re free to talk about it.
I’ve invited District Attorney Jaxon Polaris and Retired NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau Chief Becker McGill to fill you in on the situation. Chief?”
McGill took the floor. “Yesterday, Michael Starr, Chief of the Department for the NYPD was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including drug trafficking, transporting illegal guns across state lines, attempted murder, and murder in the first degree. We have also arrested Joseph Delvecchio and Roger Nolan of Harmony Rock for the sale and distribution of illegal narcotics. Numerous other individuals, including several NYPD detectives and police officers, assistant district attorneys, and criminal court judges were also arrested.” He paused and met my eyes.
“We’ve been surveilling the Deputy Commissioner for several years and collected evidence, but none of this would have been possible without the help of Deputy Dominic Starr, who went undercover at great risk to his life.
Deputy Starr provided this task force with incomparable, valuable information by posing as a drug runner and working inside with the criminals to lead us to these dealers and traffickers and the head of the snake, Chief of the Department, Michael Starr. We all owe Deputy Starr our gratitude.”
All eyes were trained on me, but I didn’t make a move. As McGill spoke, Bradford’s jaw dropped, and his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. Emmy had come in and stood by Jet, who put an arm around him and gave him a hug.
When McGill finished, Polaris took center stage. I had a feeling the guy loved the limelight, and I hoped he wouldn’t make a long speech.
“I’m just here to echo Chief McGill and personally thank Deputy Starr for his excellent work trying to clean up the scourge of drugs from our small towns.
These criminals like to hide up here in our pastoral communities, preying on our children.
As your chief law enforcement officer, I vow to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.
The people of our county thank you, Deputy Starr. ”
A politician’s speech if I’d ever heard one, but after being an outcast for so long, it was nice to finally hear some positivity directed my way. Both McGill and Polaris shook my hand.
“There’s going to be a press conference at city hall at one p.m. The mayor would like you to be there,” Polaris said. “See you then.” He hurried away.
I huffed to his retreating back. “If I have to.”
Simms chuckled. “Don’t worry. In a few days, it’ll die down and things will be normal.”
My smile was wry, but I didn’t say anything. Considering that Emmy and I were planning on coming out as a couple, we were about to rock the station house with more news. A bunch of the guys approached me with caution. Ross was the first to speak.
“Starr. Damn, I’m sorry. I don’t know what else I can say, but I shoulda known a straight arrow like you wouldn’t be involved in shit like that.”
Clarke was next. “Sorry, Starr. That was amazing work you did, and I wish I coulda known, but I hope we can work things out.”