Chapter 3: A Visit from the Cops
1065 Words
“I'm here because of professional courtesy."
Detective Leone stood on Penn's doorstep later that night. Penn hadn't gone to sleep because the adrenaline of chasing down the possible killer was still cycling through him. He stepped back. “Come on in."
Penn had trained Leone, but they had never gotten along. It wasn't a hate relationship; they just hadn't meshed. “I'd offer you coffee, but I'd bet you've already had too much."
Leone put a hand up. His suit wasn't crisp and his hair looked as if he'd run his hands through it more than once. It made Penn wonder just how much he'd miss being a cop.
“More than I should have in a night."
Penn motioned to the empty house. “I'd offer you a seat, but my furniture is somewhere else."
“I can stand," Leone said.
Penn leaned on the wall. He'd expected a beat cop to knock on his door, but Leone must have known he lived here. That was professional courtesy, and he liked that even Leone still extended it to him. “What can I do for you?"
“I have no doubt you know something about what transpired across the street tonight. The only witness said she heard footsteps when she was in the house. Would those be yours?"
“I saw a man in the yard and I gave chase," Penn said.
He'd been running on instinct. He wasn't a cop anymore, but those instincts didn't just go away. He had a weapon on him, but no backup, and no one else knew he'd been chasing anyone. It had been dumb, but the man had hopped into a car in the dark and drove away. Penn hadn't been able to get a good read on the license plate either. The effort had been in vain, and by the time he'd returned, the cops were at the house. He would have been in the way.
“Without backup?"
“Stupid, I know. I should have checked on the victim and the witness."
“You knew someone else was inside the house?"
“I saw her go in. I was spending time on my porch one last night," Penn said.
Not that he owed this man any explanations.
Leone grimaced. “Right. Your new life awaits."
Penn shrugged. He still wasn't sure he'd made the right decision to take on running a company. He had no experience, but apparently, his father had thought he would do a fine job. Had the man been watching his career? Penn had no idea, but the lawyer had insisted that his father thought it was in his blood.
“What happened?"
“Someone got shot. Did you know the man across the street?"
“I knew his first name was Josh, but he only just moved into that house."
“Nice house for a man who worked part-time."
Penn shrugged. “I don't judge."
“Of course you do. We all do. It's how we know if someone is dangerous or not."
Penn couldn't argue. He just wanted to sleep in his house one more time. The closing on it would be in two days, but his lawyers would take care of that. He had lawyers. What a joke. “Is the woman okay?"
“I guess. I sent her home in a squad car."
“You let her go? She might have seen the person."
“She didn't see anything, so I doubt the killer saw her."
“You don't know that. She could have seen something that she doesn't remember now."
Leone studied him. “I know how to do my job, Wharton."
Penn cleared his throat. He wasn't a cop anymore. He wasn't a detective tracking down criminals anymore. He had to remember that. “I guess what you're saying is for me to back off."
“Exactly. Any description you can give me?"
“Other than he was medium build and he ran like a gazelle."
“Not too many people put that on their f*******: profiles."
Penn leaned on the wall. He searched his brain for more, but the lights in the alley had been out. He wondered if this had been on purpose. “No, I guess not."
“Anything else?"
“If I think of anything I'll call you."
“You know how to reach me," Leone said then left.
Penn stood in the doorway for a moment more, looking across the street at the crime scene house. The neighbors were going to be shocked. He'd chosen this area because of how quiet it was. They rolled up the sidewalks at ten. The kids were in bed. The couples were asleep because they had to work in the morning.
What had the man across the street been involved in that brought murder to his doorstep?
Penn pulled out his phone and sent a text to his former partner, Kent Wilson.
'You up?'
'You know I don't ever sleep.'
'I'm calling.'
'I'll call you.'
Five minutes later, Penn's phone rang. “Hey."
“Hey. Listening to the scanner. You've had a murder in your neighborhood."
“Yeah. Can you get me information about the witness? Leone sent her home, and she might have seen the killer."
“We can't protect them all."
“I can."
“You aren't Batman, despite the billions and being an orphan."
Penn let out a chuckle. “I want to check on her. That's it."
Kent sighed. “I can text you that information in a little bit. How are you doing?"
“Already feeling like a fish out of water."
Kent chuckled. “I'm sure you'll get used to being a billionaire. I'm sure I could get used to it."
“You want the money?"
“Are you regretting your decision to quit and take the job?"
Penn rubbed a hand down his face. “I don't know I always knew my path, and now I've veered from it."
“It's a good opportunity. Less stress. Safer."
“Maybe. I would imagine there will be obstacles. No one knows me, and I've been thrust into a leadership position. There's bound to be at least one person who thinks they deserve it more than I do. They're probably right."
“Since when have you ever backed down from a challenge?
“Bad guys are different than board rooms."
- Writer
