Read Online Once Were Cops by Ken Bruen - Free Book Online

what had happened to
    her. I acted out the whole grief/shock/horror gig,
    asked, “How is she doing?” He said, “In a
    catatonic state.” I asked, “What are you suggesting
    I do?” He headed for the door, said, “Look out for
    your partner.”
    I went to the car pool but they said he hadn’t come
    in, had called in sick … again.
    I went back inside, found the grizzled cop, got
    Kebar’s address and headed out there, he lived in
    Queens and it took me two hours to find his place.
    An old apartment building, six buzzers with no
    names, I rang them all and finally heard his tired
    voice go, “Whatever the fuck you’re selling, I’m
    not buying.” I said, “K, it’s Shea, can I talk to
    you?”
    A pause, then he pressed the buzzer. His apartment
    was on the third floor and the door was open.
    The place was small, one sitting room, tiny
    bedroom, miniature bathroom, he was sitting on a
    worn sofa, dressed in a torn NYPD sweatshirt and
    old jeans, cleaning a gun, using oil to shine the
    barrel, he didn’t look up, asked,
    “What’s on your mind?”
    I said,
    “I just heard about Lucia, I’m so sorry, and … if I
    can help?” He put the gun down, said, “I got it
    under control.” Dismissing me. I asked, “But some
    backup wouldn’t hurt, right?” He let out a long
    weary breath, said,
    “Go away, kid, this gig is a no-brainer, it’s a
    career killer, so take off, go become supercop.” I
    tried further. “K, I want to help.” He finally looked
    at me, asked, “What is it you don’t understand
    about fuck off?”
    I took off, stood outside for a few moments, then
    understood what it was I had to do. Back at the
    station house, the sergeant said, “The goon squad
    is waiting on you.” Fucking Internal Affairs. I said,
    “Again?” He gave a rueful grin, said, “Hang tough
    and don’t forget, you can have a union rep with
    you.”
    They used the interrogation room this time.
    McCarthy was wearing a fifty-dollar suit, and even
    at that he was robbed, I suppose it was meant to
    say, This proves I’m not on the take.
    Mainly it proved he had shite taste.
    The black guy was leaning against the wall,
    chewing on a stick, that bemused smile going, took
    me a minute, then I remembered … Rodriguez.
    McCarthy indicated the seat on the other side of the
    table, the perp’s one, and then sat opposite me,
    asked, “How’re they hangin’, kid?” I considered
    this, said, “In a sling, I’d say, if you get your way.”
    He laughed, was going to be the good old boy
    today, said,
    “I like you, kid, you have spirit and I’d hate to see
    you go down.”
    I waited and he riffled through some papers, then:
    “Morronni, Kebar’s paymaster, he has a sidekick,
    named Gino, seems somebody did a number on
    him.”
    I hadn’t anything to say to this, so didn’t.
    He shrugged, said, “We’re not the bad guys here,
    kid, you take down a piece of shit, gets our vote,
    we can cut you a bit of slack.”
    Pause.
    “However, you refuse to cooperate, this could be
    turned into a vigilante cop gig and that’s not good,
    not good at all.”
    I made a show of looking at my watch, asked,
    “Is there a point to this and are you ever going to
    get to it?”
    Another laugh, less jollity this time, he said,
    “A scumbag named Fernandez did a real number
    on your partner’s sister and we know Kebar is
    going to take the fuck down, we want you to tell us
    when.” I asked, “That’s all?” He was surprised,
    went, “You’ll do it?”
    ŤC,,, ” ‘Sure
    He looked at the black guy, who nodded, and then:
    “Don’t even think about screwing with us, got
    that?” I said, “Loud and clear.” McCarthy sat back,
    said,
    “I’m a little skeptical at your change of attitude,
    what’s the reason?”
    I sighed, loudly, said,
    “Kebar is finished, I realize that now, I don’t want
    to go down with him.”
    He decided to push a bit more.
    “And if we want you to wear a wire, get Kebar
    talking about the money,