The Secret Love Scandal

1

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It was raining in the Bronx on the night of June 3rd.

The pavements reflected water that had cleared the muck and garbage away down sewers, swelling with rats and god knows what else. There were small rivers on the streets, and flapping window blinds as the wind howled and twisted around the neighborhood. The gangs on street corners huddled close, puffing on rolled up joints and exchanging money for drugs. And whilst they were dwindling in their trade, no one was entirely anticipating the chaos that would ensue merely two minutes in the future.

Samantha, hovering over Will's shoulder, bit into a chocolate donut and stared directly and the flat screen. The target was seated behind a wide table with two burly men flanking him on the left and right. Drinks were on the house apparently. Two bottles of Jameson Whiskey and four crystal tumbler glasses. But for two long hours since they had been monitoring the scene within the bar called 'The Dividers', a fourth person did not grace the table. And the blonde was beginning to wonder if perhaps the missing piece was a casual bystander, about to clip them behind the ears in what could be the biggest drug bust in the Bronx.

The white van, disguised as a delivery mobile unit, rocked a little as Andrew climbed in gracefully. He was late as usual, and Samantha's glare directed enough insults to soften that wide smile upon his handsome face.

"Wife got held up in traffic," he explained nevertheless, "so I had to pick little Andy up from school. How are we faring?" He nudged shoulders with Samantha as the screen was studied by three pairs of eyes. Jones immediately smiled after highlighting the scumbag seated behind the table. It had been too long.

"Two uniforms pinned to the back entrance and six plain clothes inside," Samantha said warily.

"And cars?" he caught a whiff of vanilla perfume on her uniform, and smiled because that was evidently the signature scent of Samantha Swan.

"Six stationed around the block and two further up on 4th. Are you geared to go inside or not?" However, the blonde's infuriation towards his lateness had not dissolved.

"Look, I am sorry I was bloody late," he said, spreading out his arms. "But my son needed to be picked up from school. Annie is working over time."

"Then get a goddamn babysitter to do it next time," she growled, snatched up the walkie and stormed off towards the side of the van. From there, emerald eyes peered through the heavily tinted glass and onto the front of the bar that was now being occupied by a newspapers vendor.

To any innocent bystander, it appeared as a normal setting; with a man trying to make a fair day's profit on the daily news. But to someone who frequented the street often, they would immediately highlight the replacement and wonder where the hell was Bill Warren. By then, Bill was probably at home watching a game of soccer and sipping on a Budweiser. In his place was a cop; Stanley. Armed and one of her best.

"He's making a move," came Will's alarmed voice from the front of the van. "Boss. It's now or never."

Adrenaline kicking in, Samantha hit the button on her ear piece with a cold finger and whispered, "show time. Get in and go hard."

There was static. "Not yet, you idiot," came Savory's voice through the radio, loud and clear and obviously angered by the command. "Give him time to spread out a little. And for fuck's sake, Swan, anyone who's giving commands, it's me. You're just working in the DIU."

DIU, as many might not be fully aware of, was the abbreviation for the department Samantha had been beating up dealers in for four years; the Drugs Investigation Unit. She was just a high ranking uniform because of favoritism for busting drug dealers and cracking down on dirty cops. But Savory was a burly female lieutenant who outranked her, in size and attitude. And it wasn't the day for the two of them to have another fist fight. Whilst Savory had been in the NYPD for close to fifteen years, Swan only had four under her belt as a lieutenant. And that was where the quarrel ended. Until there was static from someone's earpiece and within a minute, the blonde perhaps made either the best or worst decision of her career and life.