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Liam dumped the rest of his drink in the sink and upended the cup. “Let’s go.” He reached the door, then glanced back at the cops. “Have a good one.” He lifted his chin, then left.
No one said anything all the way downstairs, not with an officer in the elevator with them, until the guy broke off and headed for the parking lot end of the basement. The cave was where SWAT had their offices. Soon to be renovated for whatever they were doing with the offices and equipment down here. Repurposing things, and people.
“Those guys were harassing you, right?” Jasper eyed him.
Liam headed through the main room where they discussed plans and put cases together. He stopped at their table, the surface of it was a computer itself that connected to the monitors on the walls. “It’s no big deal. I just need to make sure they didn’t push Peter and Roxie around.”
“Because you need to protect them from the cops?” Blake folded his arms, his thinking pose.
Liam just leaned back against the table. He glanced at Jasper. “I thought you said there would be more coffee?”
“Just talk.” Jasper lifted his chin. “You let them hassle you?”
“It’s no big deal. They said what they had to say, and now it’s done.”
“It’s not okay. You should talk to their sergeant. Get them written up for being belligerent.”
Technically, Liam did outrank them, but it was a delicate balance when an officer had years—or decades—more experience than their superior, who was younger and brought a whole lot of innovative ideas. “I’ll see if it’s a pattern, but it’s more likely a one-off.”
Blake said, “That just means it’s personal.”
“Which means they’re being unprofessional.” Jasper wasn’t going to let this go.
Liam pressed his lips together.
“What did they say?” Blake wasn’t going to back down either.
“They reminded me that my father’s service record doesn’t need something coming to light that puts a stain on his memory or the department.”
“So they’re trying to bully you into not finding the truth.”
Liam glanced at Jasper. “It’s not that simple.”
“So explain it,” Blake said.
Liam sighed. “They were at my father’s funeral. I needed air, so I headed outside. Ran into them in the middle of a conversation. It was pretty clear they needed whatever my dad was into to stay quiet.”
“So they insinuated he was dirty?” Jasper’s expression made it plain he didn’t agree with that. “That’s crazy. My dad knew your dad. Said he was the most solid guy he’d ever met.”
“Really?” Liam’s brows rose. “You’ve never told me that.”
Jasper shrugged his shoulder. “Cops usually don’t give weight to the opinion of a guy in politics.”
“Maybe they should.” If the politician was as solid as the cop.
Blake said, “Don’t let them push you around. They’re probably only trying to cover their own butts.”
Liam nodded.
Jasper said, “Now, tell us what this is about, SWAT being shifted from full-time to a collateral duty team where we’re just on call.”
Liam swallowed and nearly choked on it. “You know?”
“Just found out,” Blake said. “And you didn’t tell us. What’s up with that?”
They’d had his back with those other cops. Told him not to be pushed around. And theyknewhe’d withheld information about their careers? Warmth infused every part of him. His brothers in this room wouldn’t abandon him. They’d stick it out, even when things changed, and he didn’t have to feel like he was losing them.
Maybe he never would.
