AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Kara did. They weren’t close, they weren’t friends. It was very important.
“Were you aware of his suspension six months ago?” Elena asked.
“Yes.”
“Did he discuss it with you?”
“Not really,” he said with a shrug.
“But?”
“He wasn’t happy about it.”
“Most cops wouldn’t be. Did he feel it was undeserved?”
“He said he should have been docked three days, not two weeks.”
“If it was his first offense, it would have been three days.”
“Oh.” Juan looked contrite. “I didn’t know.”
“No reason you should have,” Elena said. “Do you know why he was suspended?”
“He got in a bar fight. That’s what he told me. Defended himself.”
“It was at a bar that has an illegal betting room.”
Juan didn’t say anything. Did he know? He did, Kara thought. He knew about Colangelo’s gambling, or at least he suspected.
“Do you know if Officer Colangelo has a gambling problem?”
“Is that why you really called me in here? To rat on him? For gambling?”
“No. I wouldn’t do that to you, or to him. I will lay it out for you if you can answer my question.”
“I do not have personal knowledge of Officer Colangelo’s gambling.”
“But?” Matt said when Juan didn’t continue.
Kara could see that Juan was wrestling with his conscience. She would, too, without knowing why her boss was asking the questions. No one wanted to talk shit about other officers, not to the brass.
After a brief conference with his rep, Juan said, “I am aware that he travels on his days off to Indian gaming casinos. He’s single, he seems to spend most of his disposable income there. He complains a lot, so I don’t think he wins much.”
“Have you ever gone with him?”
“I have a ten-month-old baby, Agent Costa. I don’t have money to throw away.” He turned to Elena. “You said you would lay it out for me. What’s going on?”
Elena turned off the recording.
“This stays between us, Juan.”
He nodded.
“Violet Halliday has come forward and identified Steven Colangelo as the shooter on Monday. She was less than twenty feet from him. She ran because he turned the gun toward her. She went into hiding, but one of our people found her and is keeping her in a safe house.”
He stared, shook his head.
“We’re taking her statement seriously.”
