“You finished?” Green leered with a knowing grin.
“For now,” Steele told him with a serious expression and led them through the bullpen and out to the parking lot.
Parked a couple hundred yards away from the small commercial dock on the Savannah River, Ruxs watched the activity through video recording binoculars. They were quiet while keeping up surveillance until Green looked at him in the review mirror.
“So you got a thing for our little Tech, huh?”
“There’s nothing little about him,” Steele quipped right back.
Ruxs chuckled but kept his eyes on the dock. “Well, well, well.”
“I didn’t mean it like that…jackass. I just think y’all see him as this fragile, little thing… and I don’t think he appreciates it. He doesn’t have a weapon on his side and a badge clipped to his hip for nothing.”
Green turned around. “You think Tech belongs in the field?”
Steele shrugged. “I don’t know. Like you said earlier, I’ve only been here a few days. But I do know when I was a lieutenant I gave every man an opportunity.”
Steele was happy to see his partners’ surprised looks instead of disbelief and doubt.
“Wow, Tech in the field. Out here with all this crazy shit going on. Who would do all the stuff he does, though?” Ruxs looked at Green.
“It’d be nice to know if he’s satisfied, man. You remember Vikki left because the desk got too redundant for her. She needed the excitement of the field. Although she still works behind a desk, she does get to go out to crime scenes, gather statements, prep witnesses… whatever. Besides, Tech could easily train another officer to do what he does. He could still do the hacking, though. I think we should talk to Syn about it,” Green contemplated.
“Hey, don’t overstep,” Steele addressed both of them. “He’s a man. Let him handle his own business.”
“You sound a little protective, Steele,” Green told him.
“Maybe. But I know he wouldn’t appreciate us sticking our noses where they don’t belong. If he wants it, he’ll go for it.”
“I guess you got a point, Steele,” Ruxs conceded and started the truck. “Let’s go question this guy. Everything looks standard from what I’m seeing.”
“Cool. But let’s not destroy the place. Simple questioning, only... Ruxs,” Green barked his partner’s name, making Steele laugh in the backseat.
“What? Why you singling me out?” Ruxs feigned surprise.
They parked at the end of the structure, ignoring the no parking signs, and bypassed the security office, Green flashing his badge as they did. They had a picture of their worker and since there were only a few men milling around, they didn’t think it’d be too difficult to spot him.
When they were halfway through the loading area, Steele pointed to a man in a green, collared work shirt and a bright orange utility vest. “There he is.” As if the man could sense he was being watched, he glanced up at them, a look of fear quickly registering across his face.
“He’s about to run,” Green murmured.
“Twenty says he doesn’t,” Ruxs answered.
“Thirty says he does,” Steele countered.
They’d only taken a few more steps when the man dropped his clipboard and bolted in the other direction, towards the back door.
“You owe me thirty.” Steele laughed and turned to run back towards the front while Ruxs and Green chased the man towards the back, ignoring the confused stares of the other workers.
Steele ran back out of the warehouse and was about to turn the corner when he heard heavy footsteps approaching. As soon as he got to the edge of the building, Steele lowered his body, pushed off hard with his back leg, slamming his shoulder into the runner’s sternum like a linebacker hitting a quarterback. The hit was hard enough to lift the man off his feet and send him crashing down to the pavement. A hit that prevented him from getting back up and running again. The man rolled on the concrete, clutching his left side and coughing, trying to get the air that was knocked out of him circulating again.
“Nice job, Ray Lewis.” Ruxs came to a stop, showing no signs of being out of breath, while Green grabbed the man by his collar and dragged him back towards the building.
“It wasn’t me. It wasn’t me!” the man yelled, while he was half dragged. “I did what he said. I cleared the log, man. I don’t know how Artist got popped. The boat is still clear to arrive.”
“That’s good to know.” Green smiled, pulling his shirt up so the rambling man could see his badge.
The guy groaned like the pain wasn’t only in his ribs anymore. “Fuck me. I thought you were his guys… shit.”
“What’s coming in and when?” Green got right to the point.
“I don’t know.” The guy coughed and spat out the words at the same time.
Green yanked the man to his feet as if he weighed nothing and slammed him against the side of the building, another grunt of pain and a curse exploding from him. “Don’t fuck with me. I have zero tolerance for bullshit today. Start talking.”