The Lies I Believed

Dirty Cop

Asher

I entered the police station, greeting old co-workers like I hadn't been away for as long as I had. Nolan was just coming out of the sheriff's office. I stopped walking and we stared at each other. I hadn't seen him in a while. Not since we worked on a case after I officially moved back to New York.

"Captain Monteil! It's nice to finally see the man everyone has been talking about for a while now," he said.

"They've been talking about me?" I asked. "All good things, I hope."

"Well, some like you, some don't."

"Ah, well, I can't be liked by everyone. How's everything going?"

"Great! I heard you're married to Lexi now."

"I am. I heard you got a promotion. What are you doing down here?"

"Ah, just tying up a few loose ends. Davenport and I had been working on a case this week."

"Oh, what case?"

"Another drug bust. Opium again. Someone tried using some base they had just outside of the city. It's quiet and desolate, but we'd been watching it for a while."

I'm surprised they hadn't taken control of it a long time ago. Jackson seemed to be having fun with it when he was last down here. I've always hated him for kidnapping Vincent and I. Since he's working with me to get Lexi back, I pretend none of it happened.

"Anyway, I could ask you the same thing. What made you drop by the station today?"

"I just wanted to talk to Sheriff Davenport. I haven't seen him in a while. I thought I'd stop by and see how everything's going."

"I'll tell you something new."

"Hit me."

"Melissa and Cynthia quit not too long after you left."

"Whoa!"

"Yeah, that's what I said." Nolan laughed at my reaction. "I was so surprised, because they'd finally started taking things seriously again. I guess after everything that happened with Wayne, they got a little spooked. He did pop out of nowhere and escape police custody."

"Yeah, gave us all a heart attack. Twice."

"I'm glad Lexi's doing fine."

"Eh..." I rubbed my neck nervously. "Not exactly."

"What? Did she fall into a coma again? Someone shot her?"

I wish I could say someone didn't shoot her. Aaron's playing too many games with me. Everyone keeps saying he didn't kill her. That doesn't mean he didn't shoot her. He has too many reasons to do so. I wouldn't put it past him to have hurt her one too many times.

"She's kind of missing. I was hoping Davenport could spare a few of his officers. I have a feeling she'll return to us soon, but there's someone out there I don't want to see get away."

"That's sad to hear. Getting help is what you need, though."

"Yeah. I'm hoping everything will be over quickly. I don't want to drag this out any longer. I've spoken to her friends and employees. They didn't know anything."

"Most of them never do." Nolan took a deep breath. "Well, I'm going to head out. I need to run a few more errands before leaving the city."

"Where do they have you working?"

"Palm Desert."

"That's not too far away. I hope you like it down there. Maybe you'll be living a rich life soon."