Red rain 2.0 by Michael Crow Read Free Book Online Page B

America on a bank of supercomputers, and an extrasmall keyboard got your name on it, right at the factory."
    "Aw, get outta here, Luther. First you're up kissin' Dugal's tush behind my back, now you're down here getting on my case. I'm not appreciating any of it, all I done for your bony ass."
    "Don't believe me, go check out that big dude, what's his name, Radik, up in Homicide. His keyboard's twice the size of yours 'cause he requisitioned it under a chick's name, not his own."
    "Two words: e-nough," Ice Box says. He is pissed at the world this morning. "The LT wants details about our talk with Dee Dee I'd have had to be wearing a wire to get. So shut up and let me think."
    "I'm gone, boss."
    I start looking at my arrest files. I catch one on a boy IB and I took down just last week. Had enough stuff, and yammered enough, for a sure felony conviction. But I remember him, maybe feel a little sorry for him. Son of a corporate gypsy named Halliday, been to six schools in six cities in twelve years, no friends here yet, probably never has made many. Reminds me of somebody else as a kid. I liked his parents when they came with their attorney to make bail the same night we busted him. They were concerned. They didn't want him spending even a night in jail. Said he'd always been good, never been in trouble. They all say that, of course. But these people didn't try any of that bullshit of blaming us, like most of the ones who come in.
    Good people, it'd seemed to me.
    Use 'em.
    I call the father.
    "Mr. Halliday, Detective Ewing. Yes, the one who arrested your son the other night. We talked at the station, yes.
    "Sir, I may have a way to get this business changed from a felony to a misdemeanor. It would mean no jail time for James if that happens. Would you care to talk about the possibility?
    "No sir, it's not necessary for you to come in with your son right away. This is all very preliminary and informal."
    I tell the father that if James will agree to contact his supplier, claim he has a friend who wants to deal on a scale much larger than James was, and go with this "friend" to meet his supplier, my chief and I would encourage the DA's office to reduce the charges.
    "We do this a lot. The DA's very supportive of it. The fact is, sir, we're not here to put away kids like James. We want the bigger guys, the ones who got James into trouble."
    No danger, I tell him. The "friend" would be a narcotics officer, very highly trained. There'd be close backup. James would never be alone with the dealer, never out of our hearing or sight.
    "Yes, I understand James may be fearful of his supplier, sir. That is natural, perfectly natural. But he'd be with us. No risk at all. It would, sir, clear his record and, most importantly, keep him out of jail.
    "No, of course I don't need an answer now, sir. This is something you need to discuss with your family. I'd also suggest calling your attorney and informing him of everything I've said. If you decide you'd like to pursue this course, phone me anytime. You have my office and cell numbers, correct? Very good, sir.
    "No, no trouble at all, sir. I hope to hear from you."
    I put down the'receiver and stare at James Halliday's file on my screen. I'm not really seeing anything. If his supplier is really connected, I think, the kid's gonna be in deep shit for ratting. But nobody has to know, we work it right. Anyway, James'd be dead meat in jail from the moment he walks in. Pretty boy like him. .. some hard-time dude's new wife before he can blink.
    I call Dugal, tell him about Halliday. He isn't impressed.
    "Hell, Luther, we made the same offer to a dozen or more of these little rats. All of them were too scared."
    "Got a feeling about this one, LT," I say. "I think the dad really wants to do the right thing. I can feel it's going to happen."
    "I'm not holding my breath," Dugal says.
    "Just had an inspiration, made the call."
    "Let me know if you ever get one back." Dugal hangs up.
    On the way to the