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Authors: Cleo Coyle
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just about personal things but also his cases. Given the NYPD’s continual public scrutiny in the news from “stop and frisk” policies and traffic ticket quotas to frame jobs on suspects, Mike was surprised to find a civilian who admired his vocation—who actually
liked
hearing the particulars of police work.
I looked forward to our time together, and he did, too, until finally Mike realized that maybe
he
deserved better.
Still, Mike’s venal wife and toxic marriage left him with more than literal debt. Leila had forever branded her husband with a deep-seated feeling that he wasn’t good enough.
“Look . . .” Mike finally said after a long exhale, “if you want me to admit that my base salary is a sore spot, I’ll admit it. Do you remember that crack your ex-husband made before I took this job in DC—that comment about my civil servant pay?”
I racked my brain. “I don’t remember Matt saying anything about—”
“Allegro can be a class-A jerk, but that’s not my point. The man wasn’t wrong.”
“I don’t understand.”
“As a Fed, I’m finally making good money, Clare,
very
good and it
feels
good.”
“Wait. You’re not saying . . .” I studied him. “Please tell me you’re not considering staying in DC beyond your one-year commitment.”
Mike leaned forward, reached out for my hand. I pulled it back.
“Answer the question.”
“I can’t answer it—because I don’t know the answer. Not yet.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true. My new boss has changed the game plan. We’ve been directed to expand our case, cast a wider net.”
I stared. “How long?”
“There’s no set time frame. The sooner we close the case, the sooner I get the bonus.”
“
Bonus?
What bonus?”
“Lacey, the new boss, struck a deal with me—if I agree to the wider net, which will help Lacey’s career, then I’ll get a bonus—a very big one—when the case is closed.”
“Since when do you make decisions based on money?”
“Don’t you think it’s about time? Like I said, your ex-husband can be a jerk, but he was right about my base pay. I want to send my kids to college, Clare. I’m their father, and I want them to know that it’s
me
writing the checks, not their new, investment banker stepdad. You can understand that, can’t you?”
“To quote you, doesn’t that money come ‘at a price’?”
He fell silent a moment, gave me an expectant look. “Does it have to?”
Oh no, you don’t!
“You are not turning the tables on me!”
“When I started this assignment, you said you would stick by me—through thick and thin. Was that idle talk? Maybe you’ve changed your mind. Maybe these woods are getting too thick and you want to turn back, go AWOL.”
That did it.
I was on my feet. “I’m not the one going AWOL! Franco told me you haven’t checked in with the OD Squad in weeks!”
Mike blinked, clearly taken aback. “I’ve called in. Sully’s been assuring me everything is A-okay.”
“Maybe for Sully they are. According to Franco, your cases are being poached by rival jurisdictions. Things are so slow that Franco’s started volunteering for uniform duty just to earn overtime.”
Mike frowned. “I admit I haven’t been stopping by to review cases in person. I figured Sully would step up, handle any jurisdictional beefs. He’s a trustworthy guy.”
“Sure he is. Franco says he’s a
real nice
guy, too. So nice that he’s refusing to step on toes to keep new cases. Why should he stick his neck out? It’s your team. He’s just babysitting.”
Mike blew out air, massaged his forehead. “I wasn’t aware things were slipping.”
“The squad, me, your kids . . . it’s all starting to add up. All these problems started a month ago, when this Lacey person became your new boss and began pressuring you—and I know why.”
“Oh, you do? I wasn’t aware you worked for the Justice Department.”
“Well, you’re aware I’m a
boss
, aren’t you? And as
liked
hearing the particulars of police work.
I looked forward to our time together, and he did, too, until finally Mike realized that maybe
he
deserved better.
Still, Mike’s venal wife and toxic marriage left him with more than literal debt. Leila had forever branded her husband with a deep-seated feeling that he wasn’t good enough.
“Look . . .” Mike finally said after a long exhale, “if you want me to admit that my base salary is a sore spot, I’ll admit it. Do you remember that crack your ex-husband made before I took this job in DC—that comment about my civil servant pay?”
I racked my brain. “I don’t remember Matt saying anything about—”
“Allegro can be a class-A jerk, but that’s not my point. The man wasn’t wrong.”
“I don’t understand.”
“As a Fed, I’m finally making good money, Clare,
very
good and it
feels
good.”
“Wait. You’re not saying . . .” I studied him. “Please tell me you’re not considering staying in DC beyond your one-year commitment.”
Mike leaned forward, reached out for my hand. I pulled it back.
“Answer the question.”
“I can’t answer it—because I don’t know the answer. Not yet.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true. My new boss has changed the game plan. We’ve been directed to expand our case, cast a wider net.”
I stared. “How long?”
“There’s no set time frame. The sooner we close the case, the sooner I get the bonus.”
“
Bonus?
What bonus?”
“Lacey, the new boss, struck a deal with me—if I agree to the wider net, which will help Lacey’s career, then I’ll get a bonus—a very big one—when the case is closed.”
“Since when do you make decisions based on money?”
“Don’t you think it’s about time? Like I said, your ex-husband can be a jerk, but he was right about my base pay. I want to send my kids to college, Clare. I’m their father, and I want them to know that it’s
me
writing the checks, not their new, investment banker stepdad. You can understand that, can’t you?”
“To quote you, doesn’t that money come ‘at a price’?”
He fell silent a moment, gave me an expectant look. “Does it have to?”
Oh no, you don’t!
“You are not turning the tables on me!”
“When I started this assignment, you said you would stick by me—through thick and thin. Was that idle talk? Maybe you’ve changed your mind. Maybe these woods are getting too thick and you want to turn back, go AWOL.”
That did it.
I was on my feet. “I’m not the one going AWOL! Franco told me you haven’t checked in with the OD Squad in weeks!”
Mike blinked, clearly taken aback. “I’ve called in. Sully’s been assuring me everything is A-okay.”
“Maybe for Sully they are. According to Franco, your cases are being poached by rival jurisdictions. Things are so slow that Franco’s started volunteering for uniform duty just to earn overtime.”
Mike frowned. “I admit I haven’t been stopping by to review cases in person. I figured Sully would step up, handle any jurisdictional beefs. He’s a trustworthy guy.”
“Sure he is. Franco says he’s a
real nice
guy, too. So nice that he’s refusing to step on toes to keep new cases. Why should he stick his neck out? It’s your team. He’s just babysitting.”
Mike blew out air, massaged his forehead. “I wasn’t aware things were slipping.”
“The squad, me, your kids . . . it’s all starting to add up. All these problems started a month ago, when this Lacey person became your new boss and began pressuring you—and I know why.”
“Oh, you do? I wasn’t aware you worked for the Justice Department.”
“Well, you’re aware I’m a
boss
, aren’t you? And as
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