The Protectors: Vigilante Justice (Vigilante Cops Book 1) Read online

  “I understand.” Connor tried to appear attentive. “It all happened very fast. I feel blessed none of the children were hurt.”

  “Yes, I’m sure the children’s safety was foremost in your mind. I’ve read over your statements to Internal Affairs. They believe the shootings were justified. You killed one of the assailants with your bare hands - a quite horrific thing to go through. I can’t even imagine the trauma of being responsible for the deaths of three people.”

  Dr. Morrison paused, looking expectantly at Connor.

  “Sorry… was there a question in there?” Connor suspected where Dr. Morrison was heading.

  Dr. Morrison frowned and looked at her notepad. “I see you were in Army Special Forces. In your nearly ten years in the department you’ve had to use deadly force on two other occasions. Many officers complete their careers without ever firing their weapons.”

  “Not many in Oakland, Ma’am.”

  “It’s Julie, Connor,” Dr. Morrison reminded him with just a little edge in her tone of voice. “Do you think your military experience made you… shall we say… more willing to use deadly force?”

  “No, just better at it when I need to use it,” Connor replied truthfully.

  “In what way?” Dr. Morrison brightened, scribbling furiously for a moment.

  “In firearms training at the academy they train us if we do need to fire our weapons, we shoot to kill. Because of the training I received in the army, I shoot accurately.”

  “Yes, but you shot those two people in the head… twice. I thought weapons training teaches to shoot for the largest target - the chest,” Dr. Morrison countered with a slight smile.

  “I didn’t want a gun battle in a confined area with three small children,” Connor stated. “Internal Affairs understood the necessity of my-”

  “They were looking into the tactical situation. I’m looking into the mental aspects of what happened. It’s my job to make sure you will neither hesitate in a combat situation, nor will you act as judge, jury, and executioner. Either of these extremes can put other lives in danger, including your partner’s.”

  “Of course,” Connor replied with enthusiasm he didn’t feel.

  “Don’t you think it would have been better to wait for backup and negotiate the children’s release?”

  “Better for whom?” Connor asked, letting confusion mold his features rather than the anger he felt.

  “No regrets then?”

  “Well… I do regret that three adults traveled across country, kidnapping little children from their homes and families.”

  “I find your lack of remorse rather disconcerting, Connor.”

  “I find your lack of happiness for the still living children rather disconcerting, Julie.”

  Dr. Morrison began a sharp retort. She smiled instead, nodding her head as if privy to a secret beyond Connor’s grasp. “I think that will be all for today. I will talk to Sergeant Donaldson about holding off on your return to duty for the time being. Our conversation will be kept in strictest confidence.”

  Knowing even that statement was meant to gauge his response, Connor offered no reaction. “I’ll explain everything to Sergeant Donaldson, Julie. I have nothing to hide. Nice meeting you Dr. Morrison.”

  Connor stood up and extended his hand. Dr. Morrison shook it hesitantly, trying to keep her agitation in check. Outside the office, Ellie was waiting for Connor. She took one look at Connor’s face and punched him in the shoulder.

  “What the hell was that for?” Connor rubbed his shoulder with a pretense of pain.

  “You’re wearing your desk duty face, Opie! Would it have killed you to cry a little for the poor souls of the recently departed? Where’s your Christian spirit, you unfeeling robot?”

  “I take it your time with the lovely Tina didn’t go too well.”

  “I see Donaldson gave you your gun back.” Ellie pointed at Connor’s holster as they walked along together. “If I draw meet and greet tomorrow you’ll have to use it on me.”

  “Let’s go see Billie. He’ll cheer us up.”

  “Until he hears you got us stuck on desk duty and his ride-along is deader than Fred.”

  “You know, El… you really have a mean streak.” Connor remembered with regret his promise to the boy.

  “Cowboy up, Opie. We’ll steal Jenkins’ squad car for a couple hours tomorrow and go AWOL.”

  “Let’s hit the outlaw trail tonight and take the boy out for a real dinner,” Connor countered.

  “Good idea. Maybe we could head back in and accidentally run over Dr. Morrison as she leaves the office.”

  “I’m shocked… shocked you would joke of such a heinous act,” Connor declared in between fits of laughter.

  * * *

  “Oh shit,” Connor said under his breath as he and Ellie walked out to their squad car.

  “Did you order a hooker, Opie,” Ellie whispered.

  “That’s Dr. Morrison, you…” Connor began, biting his lip to keep from laughing. He saw Morrison leaning against their squad car in a dark blue dress, her arms folded over her chest.

  “I know who it is. Lighten up. She’s not the mayor. Donaldson must have forgotten to shorten her leash.”

  “Hello, Dr. Morrison,” Connor greeted her politely. “This is my partner, Ellie James.”

  Ellie shook hands with Dr Morrison, trying to maintain a believable smile. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Morrison.”

  “I see you went over my head to get back on the street, Connor.”

  “Actually, I only told Sergeant Donaldson what was said in our meeting. The next morning, he put us back on patrol. I have no knowledge of anyone going over your head.”

  “When I found out Donaldson put you two back on patrol against my recommendation, I talked to the Chief. He said I could ride along with you two until I’m satisfied you’re okay.”

  “Wonderful,” Connor nodded morosely. “You can drive, El.”

  “Does this mean you won’t be killin’ those two gang bangers on East 12th today?” Ellie asked Connor, her face a study in serious contemplation.

  “No, we’ll have to reschedule,” Connor played along, opening the rear door for a grim Dr. Morrison. “It was just a joke, Julie.”

  “It was in rather poor taste,” Dr. Morrison commented, hesitantly entering the rear of the squad car.

  “No, you in that blue dress is in poor taste, Jules,” Ellie remarked, sliding in behind the wheel. “We’ve been back on patrol for a week and the city’s still in one piece. Why ride along now?”

  “I…I needed to fit it into the schedule. The Chief hadn’t okayed it until today.”

  “He was soakin’ up the good publicity from our getting those kids back and the pictures of Billie riding along with us the Press took,” Ellie said, starting the car, and ignoring Connor’s hand gestures to calm down. “I bet the last thing in the world he wanted was you raining on his parade.”

  “That’s rather harsh. I’m merely doing my job. I’m not here to disrupt your work, but-”

  “Says you,” Ellie cut in. “Sorry… you’re welcome to come along. We take any civilian who asks for a ride along.”

  “Have you ever gone on patrol before?” Connor asked.

  “No… this is my first time. I saw the pictures in the Tribune of you two with the young boy. He seems to be recovering well but he’ll need years of therapy.”

  “His Mom and Dad are getting back together,” Connor said. “They only broke up because of Billie being taken and them thinking he was dead. They’re the only thing he needs right now.”

  “You don’t think much of therapy, do you, Connor?”

  “I don’t think about it at all. I just don’t think Billie needs it.”

  “Did the Chief give you permission to get out of the car?” Ellie asked.

  “Yes, I’m to observe without interfering. I have to be close enough to hear what’s being said though.”

  “That’s fine. If we tell you to get back in the car tho
ugh don’t ask questions, just do it. Uh oh… looky here, Connor, it’s that white kid from up in Piedmont again lookin’ to score.”

  Connor watched where Ellie was pointing. A tall, gangly young man with long brown hair, in parka and pants low on his hips had just exited a Toyota Camry. He walked around the corner of 17th Avenue and International Blvd as Ellie drove down 17th Avenue from Foothill Blvd. “I thought for sure they’d have tied him into dealing up at Holy Names after we busted him the last time. Looks like we’ll get his supplier too.”

  “Holy Names?” Dr. Morrison repeated questioningly. “Is that the high school up in the Oakland hills?”

  “Yeah, and Jimmy Crack-Corn there has been running his own enterprise at school.” Ellie parked the squad car behind an SUV on 17th Avenue. “We busted him a couple months ago. Both his parents are lawyers and very cosmopolitan, don’t you know. It looks like we’ll be able to round him up with the stash he plans to sell at the high school, and possibly bust the people who sell to him. He dummied up the last time we caught him. His personal legal team got a righteous dealing bust down to a misdemeanor possession charge.”

  “Ellie and I’ve been watching this block because he was near here when we caught him the last time,” Connor explained. “We were suspicious of the corner house he just went in. If he’s loaded when he comes out we’ll have cause.”

  Ellie saw Dr. Morrison’s irritated look in the rear view mirror. “Connor… I see by Jules’ face she’s not down with the war on drugs.”

  Dr. Morrison blushed, seeing Ellie’s eyes in the rear view mirror. “I think ruining a kid’s life for a pot bust is-”

  “We have a zero tolerance policy for crime on our beat, Julie,” Connor interrupted. “Hookers, deadbeats, crack houses, graffiti… we bust them all equally. We either uphold the law or we turn in our badges. Drug dealing’s not a victimless crime unless it’s happening to someone else’s kid.”

  “All the kids on our beat belong to us,” Ellie added.

  “Young Mr. Terrance deals ecstasy, cocaine, and crank as well as weed.”

  “His parents were able to bargain him out of holding all that?” Dr. Morrison asked incredulously.

  Ellie looked back with a short laugh. “Welcome to our world. They shopped for the right judge.”

  “Here he comes, El. The second he reaches the car, pull up and I’ll collar him before he gets in.”

  “Oh yeah, sonny boy going to love us.”

  The moment Terrance reached his Toyota, Ellie accelerated around the SUV and sped up next to Terrance while he fumbled for his keys. Connor’s door popped open and Connor was standing next to him in an instant. The young man looked up in open mouthed fright at Connor. The Toyota keys dropped from his nerveless fingers. Connor grabbed his shoulder while Ellie hurried around to block him from retreating.

  “Hello, Jimmy,” Connor greeted the boy, pointing at his backpack. “Resupplying huh?”

  “This is po…police harassment,” Terrance complained, trying to inject outrage into his voice. “You’ve got no call to be hassling me.”

  “Oh contraire, Jiminy Cricket.” Ellie smiled as she took his backpack off and cuffed him. “You just walked out of a suspected crack-house and you’re underage. We’re going to read you your rights, sit you in our squad car, and wait for some nice friends of ours to arrive.”

  Ellie gave Terrance a quick Miranda reading. Connor opened the back of their squad car, allowing Dr. Morrison to get out before putting Terrance in the back seat. He opened the backpack and confirmed what they had suspected before calling for backup.

  “Do yourself some good, Jimmy. Tell us how many are in there,” Connor told Terrance.

  “Three,” Terrance mumbled dejectedly.

  “Have they entered Bongo land yet?” Ellie asked.

  Terrance nodded.

  “Sweet,” Ellie said approvingly.

  “They’d get stoned this early?” Dr. Morrison piped in.

  “These guys don’t have sense enough to lay off their own product, Jules. What do they care if the rooster’s still crowin’?”

  Five minutes later as Connor and Ellie donned their heavier armored vests, another squad car pulled up with Officers Arvizo and Ladd.

  “What are we going to the mattresses for today?” Luis asked from the passenger side as Jason double parked their cruiser.

  “We spotted our little friend here coming out of a house we’ve suspected of dealing. He’s loaded and underage,” Connor explained quickly. “He says there’re three in the house and they’ve been using already.”

  Jason and Luis went to their trunk after a perfunctory recognition of Dr. Morrison. The news their resident shrink would be riding with Connor and Ellie had already made the rounds.

  “Is this legal?” Dr. Morrison asked.

  “A minor exiting a house suspected of being a neighborhood distribution point for drugs with a knapsack loaded with illegal drugs gives us probable cause.” Connor retrieved the riot gun from his car and Luis grabbed the one from theirs. Seeing Dr. Morrison’s surprised look at their choice of weaponry, Connor pointed at the Taser guns Ellie and Jason had in their hands. “Luis and I are back up for Ellie and Jason’s non-lethal approach. No one gets hurt unless they do something stupid. Usually when they see the riot guns they opt for peace. Shall we?”

  “After you, Dirty Harry,” Jason quipped, earning a laugh from Ellie and Luis, and a Vulcan Death Stare from Connor.

  “Stay with the squad car, Jules,” Ellie directed and then opened the back of the squad car. “Hey Jiminy, what’s the password today?”

  “Tupac,” Terrance replied. “They’ll kill me if-”

  “We aren’t transporting them with you and we won’t let them see you,” Ellie told him, closing the squad car door.

  “I’m coming along,” Dr. Morrison stated suddenly. “I’ll stay back from the-”

  “It’s too dangerous,” Connor cut her off. “C’mon, we have to go before the whole neighborhood gets involved.”

  Dr. Morrison watched the officers hurry around the corner and followed after allowing them a moment’s head start. Dogs began barking the moment the officers hurried up to the front door and out of sight from the windows. Ellie rapped on the door.

  “Yeah?” A gruff voice called out from inside.

  “Tupac.” Ellie moved aside for Connor as the door was unlatched and opened.

  Connor bore the greeter inside ahead of him as if the man were on wheels, with the riot gun over the man’s shoulder. Ellie and Jason rushed into the interior living room with Luis on the opposite side of Connor, riot gun at the ready. Two other men looked up from the couch in surprise.

  “Don’t do anything stupid and we won’t have to light you two up,” Ellie yelled at them. “Get down on your knees, hands behind your heads.”

  The two did as directed, seeing the two riot guns pointed at them from each side. Moments later, Ellie and Jason cuffed the three men, while Luis and Connor watched their backs. A blur streaked by the living room and out the door. The officers heard Dr. Morrison scream outside and a male voice cursing her. Connor threw the riot gun to Ellie and ran out the front door. He passed Dr. Morrison, lying on her back in the front yard, dazed but otherwise unhurt. The man’s collision with Morrison had slowed him down allowing Connor to close the gap rapidly.

  “Give it up or I slam your ass on the sidewalk.” Connor paced alongside the suspect easily.

  The dealer, already panting heavily, glanced back, saw Connor’s nearness, and slowed to a stop. “Shit!”

  “Get your hands laced behind your head and kneel slowly. I’ll help.” Connor grabbed the man’s wrists when he put his hands behind his head. Connor helped him to his knees as Ellie ran up with an extra set of cuffs.

  “How’s the Doc, El?” Connor asked while Ellie cuffed the kneeling man and helped him back up.

  “Five by five,” Ellie replied, grinning up at Connor. “She’s not too happy. It seems she had a little accident when
Spanky here ran her over.”

  “Oh great.” Connor glanced back toward the crack-house unhappily. “I hope she remembers we told her to stay in the squad car.”

  Chapter 3

  A New Plan

  Ellie knocked on the door. Connor opened it a moment later looking a little surprised to see his partner. Connor moved aside and beckoned Ellie inside the apartment. They had a Saturday night off for the first time in a long while because they were scheduled to work the entire Thanksgiving weekend coming up.

  “Hey El, what’s up? I figured you’d be out tearing up the town.” Connor led the way into his kitchen. “That looks like a new dress. I like burgundy on you. Where’s your coat?”

  “What are you, my mother?” Ellie waved him off, going to his refrigerator and helping herself to a beer. “I figured you’d be moping around in the bat cave with no thought of going out. You’re getting to be a damn recluse, Opie.”

  Connor laughed as his partner sat down and popped the top on the beer can. Ever since the Dr. Morrison intervention, Ellie had labeled him Opie for good. He sat down across from her at his kitchen table and took a sip of the coffee he had been drinking. Ellie turned her attention to the notebook Connor had closed when he sat down.

  “What’re you jotting down, your Christmas list? I want a new Lexus with the bow around it like in the commercials.”

  “I’ll make a note.” Connor opened the notebook up far enough to pretend like he was actually writing Ellie down for a new car. “Anything else?”

  “Yeah, don’t ever get us put on desk duty again… or in my case… booking.”

  “Got it.” Connor closed his notebook with a flourish. “Now… what the hell are you doing here on the only Saturday night we’ll have off until next year when they screw us with Thanksgiving and Christmas patrol?”

  “We haven’t had a beer together for weeks.”

  “What… patrolling six days a week, running and working out together at least three nights isn’t enough? Wow, El… maybe it’s love.”