Exit Strategy by Jen J. Danna

Author:Jen J. Danna
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2020-04-21T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

Alex Capello pushed through the door of the command center for the Emergency Services Unit in 1 Police Plaza, NYPD headquarters only blocks from City Hall. The room was filled with officers in tactical gear awaiting instructions, a few patrol cops in their standard-issue blues, and a communication team monitoring all the ESU teams already deployed. The walls were covered with screens showing different angles of City Hall.

He spotted his father across the room, deep in conversation with Chief Phillips and his brother Joe. Alex wove through the crowd of officers and equipment, making his way toward the back of the room.

He felt the shift immediately as the officers around him drew back. In their sidelong glances. Heard it in the whisper of “Rat Squad.”

He tamped down on his spike of temper. Now was not the time. He wasn’t here as a member of the Internal Affairs Bureau. He was here as an NYPD officer. As a Capello. As family.

Joe spotted him making his way through the crowd, stepped forward, and sent a narrowed glare at a pair of officers standing nearby. “Stow it. For today, pretend he’s not IAB. For today, he’s one of us.” One eyebrow cocked, he shook his head in disgust at Alex’s Hawaiian shirt. “Even if he is wearing the ugliest shirt this side of the East River.”

They stammered an apology and moved a few steps farther away.

Alex threw Joe a wan smile. “Thanks.”

“You know IAB makes even straight cops squirm. The thought of losing their shields is unthinkable to them.”

Alex bit off a comment—unless the cop was doing something dirty, IAB wasn’t interested. They’d gone around on this before. Joe got it, but he was in the minority. Most cops thought IAB was out to find a scapegoat, and anyone handy would do. Nothing could be further from the truth.

“Which is more than I can say for some people,” Joe said darkly.

“What does that mean?”

“You don’t know?”

Alex tried counting to ten for patience, gave up at four. “No, I don’t. Obviously. That’s why I’m asking. What don’t I know?”

“Maybe I should ask what you do know.” Joe glanced at their father, still deep in conversation with Phillips, but purposefully keeping one eye on the nearest monitor. “Just to save time.”

“I’ve been keeping tabs as I got in here. They’re trying to keep all nonessential personnel out, to keep the chaos to a minimum.”

“Not an easy thing on a day like today.”

“No kidding. Since I wasn’t called in, and I’m not an active criminal investigator, I had to do some fast talking.”

“You could have called Dad. He’d have cleared a path for you.”

They both turned to study Tony Capello. At sixty, he was three years away from mandatory retirement. Normally, he struck Alex as hale and hearty, a man who seemed too young to retire because he still had years to devote to his beloved city. Tonight, though, he looked worn and the smudges under his eyes were darker than usual.

“As Chief of Special Operations, his hands are full overseeing this entire op,” Alex said.

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