cops walk on water doesn’t mean they’re clean. You’re naïve, Mak. You have no idea what truly goes on. You weren’t on the streets long enough. In cop years you were just a baby when you left the force.”
My blood boils. Terry is always mouthing off about officers lying under oath. That’s his best tactic when it comes to getting his clients off. A cop’s word on the stand is what we live by. It’s our reputation. Sure, we make mistakes and when we do, defense attorneys are like flies on rancid meat.
The daily stress and lack of sleep from doing shift work don’t help. Add in the need to appear in court the morning after an all-night shift and mistakes happen in testimony. The defense attorney changes your words around to confuse you, asks a single question in several different ways, and basically tries his best to screw up your story. I know—I’ve been there. Now, Terry’s trying to say there’s a crooked cop at the Wendell Precinct. The men and women I worked with may no longer include me as family, but to me they are, and I’m no longer taking Terry’s shit. Eating is highly overrated; I’ll find another avenue to drum up cases. I’m unwilling to spend a minute more of my time with this jackass. I turn on my heels.
“Kennedy,” Terry huffs out.
I freeze for a moment before turning around and taking my chair again. “Fuck.”
Chapter Seven
“ EXACTLY.” TERRY STEEPLES HIS fingers on the desk. “You know there’s a good chance this isn’t bullshit, Mak.”
So many things whirl through my head. I do not like Craig Kennedy, never have. He has his own code as far as street ethics are concerned. I was warned early in my police career to stay clear of him. That was before he made my life a nightmare whenever he was around.
He wouldn’t take no for an answer. No, I wouldn’t go out with him. No, I wouldn’t let him cop a feel, and no, I wouldn’t fuck him. I refused to date the cops I worked with is what I told him. And especially not married cops like Kennedy. Just no! When I finally threatened to go to a supervisor, he backed off and gave me the stare-down whenever he could. I’d just roll my eyes. I heard rumors from other officers that Kennedy walked a thinner blue line than the rest of us or that he often straddled it. Most of these rumors related to him getting aggressive during arrests. I stayed out of the gossip and away from Kennedy.
There are always two sides to every story and I tend to support my brothers and sisters in blue unless someone proves that I shouldn’t. Even though I don’t like Kennedy, it doesn’t mean I believe Terry. But, it makes me think.
“Lay it out for me.” My words are clipped because I’m still pissed.
Terry offers a slight smile that fades when I give him hard I-might-strangle-you eyes.
“Dixon says he wanted out and was done running drugs for Alonzo. Alonzo told Dixon it wouldn’t fly because Alonzo is no longer the main honcho and Kennedy is.” Terry’s eyes stay glued to mine as he adds, “Dixon left Alonzo refusing to take the drugs with him. Two hours later, Dixon’s picked up with meth in his pocket. He says he used a few days ago but had nothing left and that Kennedy planted the meth on him.” Terry pushes the picture of Dixon back my way. “This kid’s small and wiry, and he’s timid. He said he didn’t resist at all. Said he was walking home from his girlfriend’s apartment and Kennedy pulled up. Kennedy kicked over a few outside solar lights, beat the shit out of him, and arrested Dixon for criminal damage, resisting arrest, and drugs.”
I stare at the picture of Dixon as Terry continues. “I haven’t mentioned this because I know your blood runs blue, but there have been rumors about Kennedy for years. He has backing too. Someone big.” Terry places his hand up, palm toward me when I try to interrupt. “You don’t need to like it, agree with it, or work the case for me. I want you on it because you were an