Takedown by Allison van Diepen Page A

good on their threat and arrest me. Detective Chang was probably right—they’d charge me as an adult this time.
    Maybe I’d even meet up with my old buddy Jongo.
    Jessica sensed something was bothering me, though I kept denying it. She saw through me like no one else. My strategy wasto avoid giving her the chance to ask questions. That meant more time sitting with friends at school or hanging out in the living room with Kendra. But I missed my alone time with Jessica.
    It was a whole week until I heard from Kessler. I got home from my corner late one night to find that the secret cell had gotten several calls.
    When I phoned her back, she picked up right away.
    â€œI found the message you left on Ed’s phone. The guys at the station know you weren’t involved in his death.”
    Relief flooded through me. I sprawled backward on my bed. “How’d you find it? They told me it got erased.”
    â€œDon’t be concerned with the details. Just be glad I found the message.”
    â€œThanks for taking care of it.”
    â€œYou were right about Ed. He had instincts about people. He’d have wanted me to check out your story. I suggest you call it quits, Darren. You’ve done some good, but you should move on. Get as far away from the Walker gang as possible. I’m sure it’s what Ed would want.”
    â€œHe wanted to see Tony’s operation shut down. I’m not ready to end this. But if I don’t have a contact in the PD, I’ll have to.”
    â€œIt’s up to you, Darren. If you have information, I’m listening.”
    â€œI do have information.”
    â€œGo on.”
    â€œI will. But we’ve got to meet in person.”
    *  *  *
    The sight of Kessler took me by surprise. On the phone, she sounded kind of tired, kind of old, but in person she was cute, with a curvy body. She had light brown skin and no makeup, making her look clean, au natural , and her hair was pulled back tightly, like a sexy librarian.
    I bet Prescott noticed all of this too. Any red-blooded man would.
    Kessler and I met at a vegan coffee shop downtown. She must’ve chosen it thinking that peeps from my neighborhood would never walk into a place like this. No doubt she was right.
    Kessler was drinking funny-smelling green tea. She put an oatmeal square and a bottle of organic guava juice on my side of the table. I bet it cost ten bucks.
    â€œGo ahead,” she said. “It’s gluten free.”
    I took a bite. It was good, but a little dry. “No offense, but I’ve never seen a granola cop. Prescott was all about the brownies.”
    She cracked a smile. “I tried to get him to lay off those things. So many empty calories.” Her smile drained away. “I should’ve let him enjoy them.”
    There were a few seconds of silence. I finished the square, washing it down with the juice.
    â€œEd didn’t tell me much about you,” she said. “Just that he had a kid on the inside of the Walker gang. ‘A kid who had a beef with them,’ is what he said. He worked with a number of CIs over the years, but kept it as quiet as possible. The fewer people who knew, the better.”
    â€œMakes sense.”
    â€œEd knew that going after the Walker gang was ambitious. And dangerous. One time he let on that he was worried for your safety.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œYeah. But he said you were determined. I guess you and Ed were alike that way. So tell me, Darren. What’s this intel you’ve got for me?”
    â€œI’ll tell you. But first I need to know that we trust each other. Quid pro quo, as they say. I need the truth about where my phone message went and why those cops told me it got erased. Why’d they lie about it?”
    Kessler pursed her lips, discomfort written all over her face. She wouldn’t make it undercover, that was for sure.
    â€œIt didn’t get erased,” she admitted.