Page 62 of The Fire We Make

Ace chuckled and shook his head. He may not know much about her secretive ass but she felt familiar and the more time he spent with her, the more he saw bits of the facade chipping away.

As soon as the tires stopped rolling, Ace jumped out of the SUV and stalked inside of One Police Plaza, leaving Ray to catch up. He was on a mission and like a heat seeking missile, his focus was on the target that lay within the walls of the NYPD headquarters.

As soon as he walked through the doors, heads turned, conversations stalled, and whispers started.

Ace paid none of them any mind as he pushed through the cubicles and groups of officers eyeing him warily.

When he reached the door that read Police Commissioner in bold gold letters on the door, he pushed it open with so much force that it slammed against the adjacent wall, rattling the photos and plaques that adorned it.

Commissioner Jackson’s eyes widened to saucers seeing Ace walk through the door. He immediately hung up on whoever he was on the phone with without a goodbye and shot out of his seat.

“What the fuck are you doing here? It’s the middle of the day! Are you crazy?” he whisper yelled.

Ace pulled his pistol from where it was tucked in the back of his pants and pointed it at Jackson’s chest.

“Yes. Now sit the fuck down before you see just how much,” he ordered through gritted teeth.

With a gulp, Jackson dropped back down into his chair eyeing Ace until he was seated across from him.

Ace crossed his legs with one ankle resting on the opposite knee and his gun laying on his lap.

“I know I pay you enough to handle your phone bill so your phone can’t be off but I can’t think of another reason why you wouldn’t be answering when I call.”

“Look Ace I–” Jackson started with his hands up in surrender.

“Shut up,” Ace boomed. “Why didn’t I get a heads up that my shit was getting raided?”

“I didn’t even know man. It came from above me.”

“Yeah? What about the rest of my men getting arrested left and right. Where they getting their information from?”

“S-someone is submitting anonymous tips about your people. I-I can’t tell my officers not to act on them.”

“So make the tips un-anonymous and give me a name.”

“I-I-I can’t.”

Ace sighed and stood rounding the desk. He placed the gun at Jackson's temple making the shaking and stammering man tremble worse.

“I’m hearing a lot of shit you can’t do. So tell me… if you can’t help me, what the fuck am I paying yo ass for Carl Winslow?” Ace brought the barrel of the gun to his own temple, scratching his head with it in thought. “Matter of fact,” he brought the gun back down to Jackson’s face, tapping him on the cheek. “Why am I letting you breathe when I can send you to the upper room and get someone in here who is fucking useful?”

Ace saw the sweat dripping down the man’s temple and pooling at his upper lip, the usually brown skinned man almost ashen. “I can be useful, Ace just give me a little time. Please.”

Ace screwed his lips up and stared off at the ceiling for a moment, deliberating with himself about what he’d do.

“Aight,” he said abruptly, hopping up. “I’m feeling merciful today. But you got a week to bring me something I can use or Mrs. Jackson is gonna have some plans next Saturday that she’s gonna need a black dress for. Feel me?”

Jackson nodded.

Ace stood and sent two punches to Jackson’s nose. He smiled hearing the bone crack and when he saw the blood drip from the man’s nose, his smile grew thinking of what his rose had done just hours before.

He cleared his throat and tried to clear his mind of distracting thoughts of Joy.

“When I call, you answer,” he issued a final reminder watching Jackson hold his nose, blood seeping through his fingers.

Without another word, Ace went to the door and exited back into the thrumming police precinct, leaving Jackson’s office door open.

He stopped in his tracks coming face to face with a man standing in the hallway, leaned against the adjacent wall. He wore a suit too nice to be even a detective and a defensive stance that said he hadn’t come looking for trouble but he was prepared for it.