Captain Fitzsimons was in no mood to talk, not that he had ever been in living memory. He was just slamming down the phone as the detectives opened the door, his fat wobbly jowls reddened with anger. His expression was not calmed at the sight of Owen and his new partner.
“You wanted to see me.” Owen flatly intoned.
“I wanted to see you?” For a moment it seemed as though he couldn’t believe it, “Oh yeah—for the life of me I can’t remember why. Carroll, get outside, make sure no one comes in.” With the rookie standing guard, Captain Fitzsimons breathed deliberately. These meetings with Owen confounded him. “We have to talk about your encounter Sunday night, I take it you haven’t written it up?”
“No.” What would be the point? His reports were censored and classified automatically these days. They both knew it. Fitzsimons spent long days denying rumours in the media and fighting for answers and permissions from above. Normally he’d have Owen’s badge just for his total disrespect for procedure and for the ulcers he was helping to grow. Then again, he was the only officer out doing something. He should be glad he couldn’t control him, though it risked his own position.
“Who were the men who took my prisoner?”
“Federal, that’s all I can tell you.”
“Federal? About time they stepped in.”
“They’re not stepping in – they just want what you catch from now on.”
“What for? A zoo?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
“What about Carroll?” Owen jerked his head towards his waiting partner. “I don’t think this is what he signed up for.”
“Yeah but he signed up. Try to keep this one alive, you hear me?”
“That all?”
“For now.”
“You wanted to see me.” Owen flatly intoned.
“I wanted to see you?” For a moment it seemed as though he couldn’t believe it, “Oh yeah—for the life of me I can’t remember why. Carroll, get outside, make sure no one comes in.” With the rookie standing guard, Captain Fitzsimons breathed deliberately. These meetings with Owen confounded him. “We have to talk about your encounter Sunday night, I take it you haven’t written it up?”
“No.” What would be the point? His reports were censored and classified automatically these days. They both knew it. Fitzsimons spent long days denying rumours in the media and fighting for answers and permissions from above. Normally he’d have Owen’s badge just for his total disrespect for procedure and for the ulcers he was helping to grow. Then again, he was the only officer out doing something. He should be glad he couldn’t control him, though it risked his own position.
“Who were the men who took my prisoner?”
“Federal, that’s all I can tell you.”
“Federal? About time they stepped in.”
“They’re not stepping in – they just want what you catch from now on.”
“What for? A zoo?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
“What about Carroll?” Owen jerked his head towards his waiting partner. “I don’t think this is what he signed up for.”
“Yeah but he signed up. Try to keep this one alive, you hear me?”
“That all?”
“For now.”
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