Bronzeville || A Superhuman Tale - 2

Chapter Forty-Six

"Kenny's fine. We're quick healers.

"Oh, my heavens." She shook her head.

"I'm more worried about you," he said, giving the detective another gentle squeeze. "How have things shaken out with you and the boss? I know you've had to take some flak for knowing me. If there's anything ...."

It was Camille's turn to shush him.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "The second you and I went looking for Rhonda, Eric shot back to the precinct and spilled all to the lieutenant." She gave him a short look. "I'm sorry about that. I know you love your privacy, but the LT was going to find out about you from the FBI either way."

Tommy smiled and shrugged. Another squeeze and a forehead kiss followed. "But what was the fallout for you?"

"The feds about blew a gasket, but Silva took it a lot better than either Eric or I ever imagined he would. Technically, we're supposed to register all confidential informants with the department, but that's because most are either taking money for their information or are providing info to avoid prosecution. Since we've assured the LT from the beginning that neither of those applied to you, he never made a fuss about registering you."

"It couldn't have been that easy," Tommy replied.

"Well, he was mildly pissy, but Eric took him through every case you've ever helped us with and pointed out, line by line, how you helped us make it." She looked up at him. "He was sold."

"But?"

"How do you do that?" she said, pulling away slightly and looking him in the eye.

"It's not a Gift, Camille. I've just been around a lot of people, and there's ... I dunno. I can just tell when there's something else coming."

"Well, yes," she said sheepishly, "there is a 'but.' The lieutenant wants to meet you."

Tommy laughed. The rain was returning, but ever so slightly. It was still a wonderful New York day. "I'd be happy to see him again."

"Again?" she said, giving him another surprised look.

"I've checked out almost everyone in your precinct, including those three shitbags I pointed out to you. The rest are good people, including your lieutenant. I've chatted with him half a dozen times over the last year just to get a sense."

"How is ...?" She stopped. "Ahh ... that little trick you've got," she said knowingly.

"That little trick I've got," Tommy admitted. "He won't remember me the next time he and I meet, and maybe we could just keep it that way?"

"You'd rather he didn't get to know your face," she admitted. "I understand."

"Just let him know that I'll drop by sometime."

"I will. But you changed the subject a few minutes back. Are you and Rhonda going to be okay? Do Eric and I need to get shotguns and walk a beat outside your place?"

"I think we're okay," he said honestly. "I got a pretty good vibe from this Savoy fellow, and he's looking to build a consensus among the senior cabinet officials to stop the insanity that Chaney started. It's ... well, it's infected every corner of government. But everyone in DC with two braincells to rub together knows it has to stop, even those people who are skeptical of or frightened by folks like me."

"How's he going to do that without the president being onboard?" she asked hesitantly. "Didn't you say that idiot from Hollirich was tied to him at the hip?"

"The SecDef is a lot craftier than Maxine lets on. All he really needs to do is convince the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General to sign on. The DNI is a conservative old Midwesterner and has a good reputation for honesty and integrity, but the AG ... meh. He has ... well. He's sort of an old-style, law-and-order cracker. I'm not holding out much hope."