Top Dog

“I already agreed to help you work with a damn criminal. The hell else do you want?”

“For you to sit,” Langley said.

I bit down onto the inside of my cheek to keep from chuckling.

“Did I miss anything?” Officer Lawrence asked entering the room behind the mirror.

“Right on time,” I said. “Show’s about to begin.”

“Let’s get real, because it’s close to dinner time and I’m hungry,” Langley said. “We have you on video planting the ring into the evidence box for killing on the docks.”

“No, you don’t,” Johnson said.

“We really do,” Bradshaw said. “And we know you work for Stefano.”

“I don’t fucking work for criminals,” Johnson said. “Never have, never will.”

“That’s not what your bank account tells us,” Bradshaw said.

“My bank account? I overdrew that thing yesterday for all my hospital bills.”

“Not that one,” Langley said with a grin.

“This one,” Bradshaw said.

They slapped a file folder in front of him, and I watched Johnson’s face pale. Then, they slid the ring his way. I thought the man was going to throw up on himself, and then they put the nail in his coffin. I watched Bradshaw bring out his cell phone and point it at Johnson. Even behind the two-way mirror, I knew what they were showing him.

And the look on Johnson’s face was priceless.

“That isn’t me,” Johnson said.

“You look right up at the camera before you leave,” Langley said.

“It’s not me,” he said.

“Let me guess. You’re scared of Stefano’s retaliation if you confess. You’d rather take your chances in jail. And that’s fine with us, trust me. One less dirty cop on the force is a good thing. But you’ve already agreed to help his adversary, Romeo Martine. Do you really think you’ll make it to jail if Stefano Bianchi catches wind of that?” Bradshaw asked.

I almost felt so

rry for the man when tears appeared in his eyes.

Almost.

“If I give you want you want, you have to put me in witness protection. It’s the only way I’ll survive,” Johnson said. “He’ll kill me. He’ll kill me without a second thought.”

“Tell us, Johnson, and we’ll help you. We’ll make sure Internal Affairs helps you,” Langley said.

“You have to promise me!” the man roared, jumping up from his seat.

“Sit down, or you get nothing,” Bradshaw said.

I watched Johnson sit as I side-eyed Officer Lawrence. She bit down on her lower lip and shook her head. She probably didn’t enjoy being told to help someone like Johnson without being able to put in her two-cents herself. And I couldn't blame her. But whatever got us closer to stacking the pieces against Stefano was what we had to do. But if Witness Protection was what it took to get the confession I was looking for, then I’d gladly work it out for the man.

Anything to help Julia and me accomplish our end goal. “Stefano is a madman,” Johnson said. “I had to end things with my fiancé because he needed a man in the force that wasn’t tied down. I moved because of him. Switched banks because of him. That man dictates my life.”

“Then you shouldn’t have started working for him,” Langley said.

“Tell us what we need, and Witness Protection is yours,” Bradshaw said.