11. bronze

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"Okay, guys, what d'we have?"

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"Okay, guys, what d'we have?"

Brock couldn't help but notice that save the 'guys' instead of 'lads', Banks had said the same words Gillian would have. Not that it was such an original phrase, but he'd even said it in the exact same tone she would've used. While he mused about similarities acquired over the eight years Gillian and Banks had worked together, Fred told the others what Marley had said.

"The son of a cop?" repeated Banks from his private office and Gillian from her bed. In the exact same tone, of course.

"Yeah. Really, not a smart thing to highlight when you're trying to join a gang."

"Don't say," muttered Taylor, sitting across Banks' desk. "Sure that's why they didn't accept him."

"Maybe that's why he left his car in Marley's turf?" said Gillian, thoughtful.

"Maybe that's why he holds a grudge on officers who befriend gang members," said Brock.

"And why he's trying to start a gang of his own," said Russell.

"Can we put some order to what we know, instead of speculating?" asked Hank.

"Write this down, Doctor," said Ron. "Joey, son of a cop."

"A total hero, he said to Marley's boys," said Russell.

"That. The son of a heroic cop with a grudge on the Eighty-Five."

"Get in the line," muttered Fred as Hank wrote on the board.

"Excuse me," said Taylor. "But why are we focusing on this boy when we have so much on Kyle Santos?"

"Because he's the leader of the pack," replied Brock, stating the obvious. "While Santos isn't even the middle-man." Gillian frowned at him, and held his eyes until he sighed and muttered, "Sorry."

"Joey did the first shooting as to set example of how things are to be done," she said. "He runs the whole thing, while Kyle's name is mentioned aloud many times for anybody to recognize him. And Joey has Kyle store the videos on his computer—the incriminating stuff that can send'im away."

"And Kyle abides because he wants to prove himself worthy of Joey's trust," said Russell.

"Jesus. Three of them profilers together," said Banks. "Can I kill myself?"

That made them all chuckle and finished clearing the air. Well, save Gillian, who didn't want her wound to ache more than necessary. And Brock, who scowled down at the phone.

"Okay, so you say that if we can get Joey, the other two won't be trouble anymore," said Taylor.

"Exactly," replied Ron.

"Lawrence, can you run a search?"

"Yessir!" Gillian could almost hear Tanya's grin at Brock's request.

"Let's start with the basics," said Russell. "Officers with sons between eighteen and twenty, called Joey or some variation."

"John," said Fred. "Jonathan, Joseph, Joshua."

"He said his father was a hero, so look for decorated officers," said Ron.

"And Marley said he lives in Grove Hall," said Aldana.

They waited in silence. Tanya snorted a moment later.

"Nothing!"

Cassidy joined them with his tenth coffee and a thoughtful frown. "Wait. The boy said his father was a hero alright. But he shot Gomez to prove cops ain't no heroes."

Ron turned to Tanya. "T, change the decorated part to officers who lost their badge over any kind of misconduct."

"Go back ten years," said Gillian.

Tanya typed, waited a moment, snorted again.

"Nothing!"

"Shit!"

While the others cursed, Brock asked with his trademark calm, "Gomez had been decorated?"

"Yes," replied Banks.

"So was Gillian. You, Morris?"

"Nope. Just a commendation a couple of years ago."

"Nope?" Aldana sounded offended. "What about your three medals from your years with the army?"

"And what about Brian Hall?"

"He's Vice's best," replied Taylor. "I don't know for sure, but he's bound to have some bronze."

"So this son of a cop is targeting decorated officers," said Russell.

"Then what about a hero that was never acknowledged as such?"

Brock's words caused momentary silence. Then all of them cried at the same time, "Wood!"

"Who?" asked Cassidy, surprised at their unanimous conclusion.

"He had a teen son!" said Banks. "What was his name?"

"Jonathan Williams," replied Aldana without hesitation.

"Kurt! Pull the boy's record," said Russell. "Check if he's been paroled. T, compare his mug shot with Joey's image."

"Hey, Reg, hurry back," said Ron. "Your friend's getting bossy."

"Can you guys tell me who you're talking about?" asked Cassidy when the others where done laughing.

"Keep us up," said Brock, and disconnected.


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