Double Dipping

Alarmed over the discovery, Diego darts through the door. A strong, crisp gust of wind greets him the moment he steps outside. "I should've grabbed my coat." He shivers, working his way around the brick structure.

Jerry sees the officer dart around the side when he steps onto the porch. You're not getting away from me. He sprints across the lawn.

The rookie pulls his phone from his pocket and dials a number. "Boss, it's Diego. An officer found the file on Abby's..."

The Sergeant pops his head around the corner.

Diego's mouth falls open. The color drains from his face. He gulps and says, "Gotta go." He disconnects the call.

"Who did you just call?" Jerry asks, stomping towards him.

Trying to regain composure, Diego pockets the phone. "Why... Why is it any of your concern?"

"For one, you're making personal calls on company time, and for two, I heard you mention our suspect's name."

"I... I was talking about my sister, Abby, not the fugitive, Abby Miller."

Jerry rolls his eyes. "You don't have a sister." Living in a small town, everyone knows everyone.

"She's... She's my half-sister. She... She lives with her mom in Florida." Diego nervously shifts his weight.

Jerry tilts his head to the side and curiously says, "I don't recall you ever mentioning her before."

"We... We're not close, only talk on holidays and special occasions." He anxiously straightens his posture.

Jerry gives him a knowing glare. "I don't believe a thing you just said."

"It's... It's the truth, I swear."

"Save it, for the boss." Jerry grabs his arm.

Diego jerks his extremity away. "Get your hands off me."

Jerry motions in from of him. "Then lead the way."

Diego takes a few steps and then runs in the opposite direction.

The detective gives chase but being older, out of shape, the suspect is leaving him in the dust. "I'm not going to be outrun by him."He pushes himself harder, hoping to catch up. Jerry looks over to find Rachel balancing on the porch rail. What is she up to?

In one swift move, Rachel leaps onto the rookie's back.

Air whooshes from Diego's lungs when he and Rachel hit the ground.

That girl never ceases to amaze me. Jerry chuckles.

Rachel has the suspect cuffed and on his feet by the time Jerry reaches them. "Where did you learn that move, Detective?"

"I watch a lot of wrestling with Joe," She laughs.

"I'd say your binge-watching paid off." He grabs the phone from Diego's pocket. "I want to see who you were talking to about this case."

"I was asking my stepmom about my baby sister," he repeats.

Jerry rolls his eyes. "Yeah, I bet." He opens his call log and presses the redial button.

A deep gruff voice echoes across the line. "Yeah, what is it?"

Jerry recognizes the voice from another case he worked on. "Must've butt-dialed," He says in a disguised voice. Hanging up. He turns towards Diego. Crossing his arms, he gives him a deadly stare.

Diego glances at the sergeant and then the detective. Tears fill his eyes. "I... I was forced to do it."

"Save it for the boss." Jerry grabs his arm and drags him to the door. He finds the captain at his desk when they step inside. He then notices the fire shooting from their boss's eyes. He glances over at Diego and says, "I wouldn't want to be in your shoes about now."

"Well?" Joe questions, glaring at the lad.

"He's been keeping Romero in the loop." The detective tosses their suspect into a chair. Diego falls sideways. Grabbing him by his shirt collar, Jerry lifts him and slams him in the chair.

So, that's how Romero manages to keep one step ahead. Well, his shit is going to end right here, right now. Joe clenches his jaw. He rolls up his hands into two large fists. Leaning over, the captain glares into the rookie eyes. Fury surges through him when he says, "What the hell were you thinking, son? Huh, what?" He slams his fist on the desk, inches from the suspect.

Diego flinches.

The station grows eerily quiet. All eyes turn towards them.

"Answer me, boy." Joe slams his fist down again.

Diego springs back in his chair. "Well, I..."

"How will you support your wife and kids from prison, huh, how? I bet you didn't even think about them? Did you? Did you?" He leans in closer to where they're nose to nose.

Diego feels Joe's hot breath pelt against his face. Tears spill down his placid face. Leaning back, he says, "They're... They're the reason I did it, sir. I... I wanted to do better by them. Be able to pay for the things they need."

"So, you decide to hustle information to make a quick buck?" Diego gulps. "I'm very disappointed in you. You're more of a scumbag than any of the criminals we've put away. I had high hopes for you, son. Thought you'd make a great captain someday."

Tears swell in Diego's eyes. "A captain, sir?"

"That ship sunk when you agreed to work for the enemy." Shaking his head, Joe continues. "You had a bright future, but you flushed it down the drain," Joe recalls the extensive training he's given the lad. How he took him under his wing, showed him the ropes. An assortment of emotions surges through him. His brawny body shakes with fury. Fire shoots from his eyes. Tightening his fists, he turns away. "Get this, this lowlife out of my sight before I do something we'll both regret." Stomping to his office, Joe slams the door behind him.

Jerry grabs Diego's collar and pulls him to his feet. "It looks like you're going down for a very long time."

"Please don't throw me in jail."

"Jail, oh no, it's prison time for you. And do you know how inmates treat cops in prison?"

With fear in his eyes, Diego gulps again. "No... No."

"You know what they do to the baby rappers, right?"

Tears spill from the lad's eyes when he nods.

"It's ten times worse for a cop."

"T... Ten?"

"I doubt if he'll even last a day, Jerry unless he goes to solitary confinement, but what kind of life is that? Being locked up in a cold, dark cell twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Your only companion will be large, hungry rats."

"You like rats, don't you? I hope so because I heard the prison is infested with them." He turns towards Rachel. "Don't the varmints carry rabies?"

"That and a lot of other diseases. I'm sure the damp, moldy conditions will get him before the rodents do."

Diego recalls what an ex-prisoner had said. "I... I'll do whatever you want, just please don't throw me in there with them."

Rachel shrugs. "It's not up to us."

He turns towards the sergeant. "Can... Can you talk to the DA, see if he'll make a deal?"

"You'll have to give him something in return."

"I'll... I'll tell him everything I know about Romero and his crew."

I'll tell him, but I'm not making any guarantees. Being a cop once himself, he doesn't take too kindly to traders like you."

"I appreciate anything you can do for me."

"What do you want to do with him in the meantime, Jerry?"

"Put him in holding."

Diego remembers the last suspect they brought in how he and his partner had to subdue him to get him in the car. He then pictures the possible payback and shivers. "No, please don't put me in there, please. I'll get beat up if you do."

"Put him in an interrogation room for now."

"Thanks, Sergeant."

"I'm doing it for your family, not for you."