Страница 39 из 73
His head whipped back against the soda machine, cracking the plastic bubble atop the Pepsi logo. Megan’s thumb kept digging, while with her other hand she shoved the blow-up doll at McKi
Megan heard the skidding of chairs behind her. She reached for her belt. With blurring speed, she unholstered her Glock and brought the muzzle up under the offensive detective’s nose, prodding it partway up one nostril.
“Megan!”
Joe Gallo moved from the doorway, sweeping past Pope and the two cops. McKi
“Hey there, Lieutenant. I think we-”
“Shut up.” Gallo addressed Megan: “Holster it. Now!”
Megan hesitated. She could feel her heartbeat as far out as her elbows.
Gallo repeated, “Now!”
She pulled the gun away from McKi
McKi
“Can it.” Gallo looked from Megan to the grotesque doll she was still clutching in her other hand. He held out his hand, snapping his fingers. “Give.” Megan handed the thing to him. She felt as meek as a child. It was horrible. “Put your gun away, Detective.”
As Megan reholstered her weapon, Gallo plucked a pen from McKi
He spun on his heel and left the room. Megan watched him as if he were disappearing down a tube. She wanted to dematerialize. Behind her, McKi
“You’re a sick little twit, you know that?”
Before she could respond, Megan caught Ryan Pope’s eye. She could feel the blood surging into her face. Her cheeks felt blister-hot. She eyed the door across the room. It seemed years away.
“IS THERE ANYTHING you’d like to tell me?” Joe Gallo shot his cuffs and landed his wrists gently on his desk.
“He’s an ape.”
“I don’t care if he’s an ape, Megan. You pulled your weapon on him. Do you mind telling me what it was you had in mind?”
“I wasn’t thinking.”
Gallo made a show of rolling his eyes. “You weren’t thinking? Let me tell you something. That gun comes out of its holster, I want you to be Albert Einstein, you’re thinking so fucking hard. For Christ’s sake, do I have to tell you how stupid-”
“No, you don’t. I know it was stupid. I’m sorry.”
“Is that what you would’ve said if McKi
“I was angry. He-”
“Then kick a dog! Go into the ladies’ room and scream at the top of your lungs. Hold it in until you get home, then wreck your place, I don’t care. But I’m telling you right now what I’m not having. I’m not having one of my detectives pull her goddamn weapon on another one of my detectives in the goddamn precinct house. Or anywhere else. McKi
“I didn’t take-”
Gallo leveled a finger at her. “Are you good? That’s what I’m asking.”
“Am I-”
“Good. You tell it right here, Megan. I backed you up for reinstatement. You’re aware of that. I still think there’s plenty cop left in you. In fact, I know there is. You got bucked way the hell off the saddle, that’s no secret. It was a hell of a hit you took, but you told me you wanted to come back. And you’re back. We talked about McKi
“People what? People like me?”
“Yes.”
“Well, fuck you very much, Lieutenant. At least it’s nice to know where you stand.”
“You know where I stand, Megan. Don’t try to go isolating yourself.”
“Not to worry. That’s taking care of itself. You’re the one who said it, Joe. I’m a freak. To Brian McKi
“Stop it!” Gallo slammed his hand down on the desk with such force, it gave Megan a start. “Look, I can’t hold your hand on this.”
“No one’s asking you to.”
“Do your job, Megan. To some people here, you’re a hero for loading up Albert Stenborg with lead. To some, you’re trigger-happy. Those are the facts. Either way, it’s on you like a big tattoo right on your forehead. Forget your personal life. I don’t give a damn about your personal life. Professionally, you’re a freak. You’re in a small, select club, and not a particularly happy one. You know the speech, it can make you a better cop or it can ruin you. You told me it was going to make you a better cop, and I happen to believe you. But a better cop does not pull the kind of stunt you just pulled in there. The bad guys are out there.” He gestured toward his window. “There’s one in particular we need to find and find quickly, and if Brian McKi
Megan didn’t hesitate. “I’m fine.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. You’re right. McKi
“Good.” Gallo leaned back in his chair. “Now. Do you want to file charges?”
Megan’s mouth dropped open. “Charges?”
“Sexual harassment. You’ve got three witnesses. Four, including me. If you want to file, I’ll understand completely.”
“You must be kidding.”
“You can burn him if you want to. I’d just like a heads-up if you chose that route.”
“Sexual harassment? For Christ’s sake, I put a gun in the man’s face. I’m going to sue him?”
“Gun?” Gallo made a large point of blinking. “Brian McKi
“Three other men saw me pull my gun.”
“Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t. I’d have to talk with them.”
Megan shook her head. “Joe, that’s railroading. Worse, it’s perjury.”
“It’s just a question. I thought I’d get it out there for you to consider.”
“If I file sexual harassment charges, I’m finished. You know that. Talk about a tattoo on my forehead.”
“That’s a little dramatic.”
“I’m not filing.”
“You should take some time to think about it.”
“I’ve thought about it. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I want to get back to Nikki and Cynthia.”
Gallo paused a few seconds. “Good. Let’s do it. You’ve got to give me a few minutes first to read McKi
Megan waved him off. “Forget it. Don’t do it on my account. You’re not going to change him.”
“I could force him to apologize. You two could kiss and make up.”
Megan felt a flutter in her chest. It was as if a feather were fooling around behind her rib cage. Oh Christ, she thought. I’m going to say it.