Chapter 7 - The MentorFrank Dwyer lived in a gated subdivision outside Naperville.

He opened the door himself.

Seventy-one, silver-haired, straight-backed.

When he saw Levi’s bandage, his expression darkened.

“I saw the video.”

Levi stepped inside.

“You knew about Terrence.”

Frank closed the door.

There was no point pretending.

“Yes.”

One word.

Eleven years of deception inside it.

Levi followed him into a study lined with police commendations.

A photograph of Frank and Levi at Levi’s captain promotion ceremony sat on a shelf.

“You told me not to interfere.”

“I told you to let the process work.”

“The process disappeared his complaint.”

Frank poured coffee.

“I didn’t know that at the time.”

“Miller says you knew everything.”

“Miller knows pieces.”

“Then give me the whole thing.”

Frank did not answer.

Levi placed Renee’s journal page on the desk.

Frank’s eyes moved to it.

“She came here?”

“To headquarters.”

“What did she say?”

“That Terrence was innocent.”

“And what did you say?”

“That I would look into it.”

“Did you?”

Frank stared at Levi.

“Yes.”

“And?”

“I found problems.”

Levi’s breathing slowed.

“What kind?”

“Crowe had previous complaints. Jenkins was new but eager. Their radio traffic didn’t match the report.”

Levi clenched his fists.

“So you knew.”

“I suspected.”

“You buried it.”

“I contained it.”

Levi stared at him.

Frank’s voice hardened.

“You were thirty-seven. You were on the lieutenant list. Your brother had just been charged with assaulting police.”

“What does my promotion have to do with whether he was beaten?”

“You think departments are clean machines? They’re institutions run by people.”

“That’s your defense?”

“My defense is that I protected you.”

Levi stepped closer.

“By destroying my brother?”

“I didn’t destroy Terrence.”

“You let them brand him a criminal.”

“He took a plea.”

“Because the report was false!”

Frank slammed his cup down.

“And if I had blown up the district? You think that would have saved him? Crowe had twenty years. Mercer had supervisors backing him. The union would’ve fought. Prosecutors would’ve defended their cases. Everyone would have closed ranks.”

“So you joined them.”

Frank looked wounded.

“I redirected the complaint.”

“To where?”

Silence.

Levi saw it.

“You never filed it.”

Frank turned away.

“Renee begged me not to let it hurt you.”

“That is not what she wrote.”

Frank’s shoulders sagged.

“She was angry.”

“She was right.”

Levi walked toward the shelf and picked up their promotion photograph.

“You stood beside me.”

“Yes.”

“You told me integrity was what officers did when nobody was watching.”

Frank closed his eyes.

“I believed that.”

“No. You liked saying it.”

Levi placed the photograph facedown.

Before leaving, he turned.

“Who owns MidState Recovery?”

Frank’s reaction was tiny.

But Levi saw it.

“You know.”

Frank answered too quickly.

“Of course I know. Dennis Jenkins.”

“Bradley’s brother.”

“Yes.”

“Why does one towing company receive nearly half this precinct’s impounds?”

Frank’s face hardened again.

“That has nothing to do with Terrence.”

“Then you won’t mind me investigating.”

Frank stared at him.

Finally he said, “Levi, there are things you don’t understand.”

Levi opened the door.

“You’ve been telling me that for twenty years.”

Outside, his phone rang.

Rachel Kim.

“I found something,” she said.

“What?”

“MidState Recovery isn’t owned entirely by Dennis Jenkins.”

Levi stopped beside his car.

“Who else?”

“A holding company purchased forty percent nine years ago.”

“Name?”

“Blue Lantern Consulting.”

Levi looked back at Frank Dwyer’s house.

Rachel continued.

“You’re going to want to sit down.”

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“I’m standing.”

“Blue Lantern belongs to Frank Dwyer.”