Trapped

TWO

The offices for the Area Central Detective Division were located in the back of the District One stationhouse on South State Street in Chicago.

David Tennon was just happy to be getting out on time at six AM. He left his desk and was slipping on a heavy overcoat and messenger bag over his sports coat, shirt, and tie when the first shift lieutenant, just getting on, called him into his office.

Tennon sighed and wondered if he would still be leaving. He stood at the threshold to Lieutenant Hotchkiss's office. "Lieutenant."

"Dave. Take a seat. I won't keep you long. Let you get out of here, get some sleep."

"Amen." Tennon took a seat in the small office, crammed with files, code and penal law books, police manuals. Hotchkiss was good police for being a supervisor, toeing the line pretty well, keeping the upper brass happy by appearing to drink the Kool-Aid while also keeping the line officers happy by not actually ingesting it.

On top of that he was older, and came up in a time just before Tennon did when the department was pretty much all white. When Tennon came on, he was one of only a handful of black guys, and a lot of old timers felt a certain type of way about that. Not Hotchkiss. From him Tennon never got the vibe of bigot, subtle or otherwise.

"I'll get right to the point," Hotchkiss said, taking a sip of coffee from a gas station cup. "You've heard of Julian Maxwell?"

"He was that lawyer who was killed."

"Yeah. Corporate attorney."

"I'm familiar."

"Well, it's been almost a month and we're no closer to an arrest. Red ball like that makes the papers. Especially being connected to NTX."

"NTX?"

"He was their lawyer. I mean, one of many, but he was the top guy."

"Okay."

"That's where you come in. Seven or eight years ago when that whole mess with the chemical plant happened, Maxwell spearheaded their defense. You remember the protests."

"They dumped all that toxic waste in the river. People got sick, died."

Hotchkiss nodded. "And Maxwell got the Feds off their back. Won the case when it went to court. And you, you worked the streets when all that happened, where all that happened. People were...disgruntled."

"To say the least."

"You remember those faces. Those names. NTX has been making some headlines again. Their new building downtown. Trying to get back in the city's good graces. But I'm willing to bet some people are still upset."

"A fair bet."

Hotchkiss nodded slowly. "I'd like you to dig up the old files from back then. The arrests made in those protests. Anyone who may have made some threats they actually ended up making good on."

"Someone who may have taken out their attorney."

"Exactly."

"Homicide actually think that's what happened?"

There was some shift-change noise and bustle from the squad room outside. Hotchkiss glanced at the doorway and got up out of his seat. He crossed the room and closed the door, went and sat back down.

Tennon watched him.

Hotchkiss said, "The press doesn't know about this, but there was an old newspaper clipping found at the scene. About a decade old. It had Maxwell's name all over it, how he won the case for NTX."

Tennon nodded, mulled over that for a moment. He shrugged. "It's been a long time. I don't exactly remember everything. And there were others who worked the protests."

"Not like you," Hotchkiss said. "You made a name for yourself working the south, the gangs when they were just getting bad. Undercover for a time with the P-stones, if I remember your file right. You have an ear for the streets, always have. That's why I want you for this. We need all the help we can get, put this case down. I'll pull you off whatever you're on, have you work this."

"Lieutenant—"

"What do you want, Dave?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What do you want. Your career."

Tennon shrugged, gave it to him honest: "I want first shift. I want to see my kids again. I've got about six years left until my twenty, and I'd like to see them grow up."

Hotchkiss nodded slowly. "You do this for me, there's an opening. First shift. Homicide. Of course you'd be on call, you know how it works. But I'd make that happen for you. You've earned it."

Tennon looked away and opened his mouth to speak. He ended up just shrugging again. "I mean, I appreciate it, but Homicide could still do this. It's not a hard thing, looking into some old files. Anyone else could do it."

"And Homicide probably did. But you were there. And fresh eyes never hurt."

Tennon was nodding as he continued to think. "I came up with a guy, Danny Esposito. He retired last year, works security for NTX now. Chief, actually, their new building. I'll make a call."

Hotchkiss smiled. He stood up and so did Tennon. "Good man. Start tonight. Keep your regular shift for now. From there, I'll cover any overtime you need." He held out his hand and Tennon shook it. "Now go home and get some sleep."