Takedown by Allison van Diepen Page B

“Ed had two cell phones. The department didn’t know about the second until I told them.”
    â€œSo he had a second cell phone just for informants.”
    Her eyes darted to the window, then back to me. “I’m not saying more than that.”
    â€œThen I’m not either.”
    â€œHe left it at my place,” she said quietly.
    Finally it clicked. They were more than just partners.
    â€œHe never got the message?” I asked.
    She stared down at the table. “I heard it go off, but I didn’t check the message. I wish to God I had. If he’d been on guard when he got out of the car that night . . .” She exhaled. “You can think what you want about me. It was complicated.”
    â€œI’m not thinking anything about you. I know all about complicated.”
    â€œSo are you going to tell me this tip, or am I wasting my time?”
    I glanced over my shoulders, just in case. No one was within earshot. “Diamond Tony is going to frame Andre of the South Side Bloods for Prescott’s murder. Tony’s got guys in the Bloods who are willing to testify that Andre ordered it.”
    â€œDo you have any details about what their story’s going to be?”
    â€œNo, but Tony knows what sticks and what doesn’t. Vinny—that’s one of Tony’s lieutenants—was sure that their plan was gonna work.”
    â€œGod. The department might’ve bought it too.”
    â€œThat’s all I know,” I told her. “You’ve got to take it from here.”
    â€œI will,” she said, a steel edge in her voice. She wanted to put away Prescott’s killer as much as I did.

STOP-LOSS
    I could picture Diamond Tony smiling.
    Andre down, check.
    New suppliers, check.
    Saturday morning I felt so depressed that I didn’t want to get out of bed. It killed me that I might’ve had something to do with Tony’s good fortune. If I hadn’t tipped off Prescott about Pup or the Cash Stop, all of this might’ve played out differently.
    My phone rang, and Jessica’s number came up. I couldn’t talk to her, not now.
    I called White Chris. An hour later, I met him at Local’s. When I got to the table, he did something he never did. I mean, never .
    He hugged me.
    â€œWhat was that for?”
    White Chris sat down and looked at me over his basket of chicken wings. “I heard about the cop getting killed. I’m glad it wasn’t you.”
    â€œMe too.” It felt wrong saying it. Prescott’s only mistake had been putting himself out there in front of the cameras, bringing all that attention to himself. If anyone was setting themselves up to get killed, it was me. Yet I was still living and breathing.
    â€œI was his informant,” I whispered.
    White Chris’s eyes widened.
    â€œI’m in touch with his partner now. I told her that Tony is framing Andre of the South Side Bloods for the murder.”
    â€œSo killing that cop was all part of his master plan.”
    â€œRight. The cops aren’t listening to her, though. They’re still going to charge Andre. Turns out he’s got plenty of reasons to want Prescott dead. Prescott’s been a pain in the ass to the Bloods for years. He even charged Andre a couple of years ago, but Andre got off on a technicality.”
    â€œTypical. The cops have to put someone away, even if he’s not the real killer.”
    â€œAnd now Tony’s hooked into the Bloods’ suppliers. I don’t know how he did it. He got everything he wanted. Revenge, supply,everything.” I put up a hand. “Don’t say ‘I told you, he’s smarter than you.’ Just don’t.”
    â€œI won’t. It doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is what you do next.”
    â€œYou think I should get out.”
    â€œI thought you should before. Now I know you should. Tony killed a cop, Darren. And not just any