Arsonist

CHAPTER 48

Daniel Childs lifted over three hundred and fifteen pounds on the bench press before sitting up and taking a swig of fruit punch creatine. The gym was packed and two women in spandex were working out in front of him. He smiled to the one on the right, wearing a flower-print tube-top, and she smiled back.

He then moved to the preacher curls and did drop-sets until exhaustion. He felt his phone vibrating in his pocket: it was his secretary.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Internal Affairs is here, Danny. They want to speak with you.”

“Well tell ‘em I’m at the gym. They can come back later.”

“They said it’s urgent. They wanted your cell number but I told them I would just call you.”

“All right, gimmie thirty.”

Danny saw the young woman glance over to him again. He wanted to go over and speak to her but was short on time. IAD would show up at his house if he didn’t meet with them at the office. He’d always had an impression of them as piranhas. Cannibal piranhas. They were necessary to prevent corruption, but the people that were corrupt usually came out of or went into IAD.

He showered and changed into jeans and a zip-up Polo shirt, letting his badge dangle on the chain around his neck. He got into his Nissan truck and drove down the road before hopping on the interstate. Northern was buzzing with activity by the time he got there. He parked out back and walked in. Two men in suits sat inside his office.

Childs threw his gymbag behind his desk and sat down.

“What do you want, Matt?” he said.

One of the men took out a piece of gum and unwrapped it. “Gum?”

“No thanks. Now what the fuck do you want?”

“We’ve gotten some complaints on one of your detectives.”

“I’m sure you have. Which detective?”

“Jon Stanton.”

“Stanton? What was the complaint?”

“Sexual harassment of a bar manager and assault against one of the bouncers.”

Childs chuckled. “Have you seen Jon Stanton? I promise you he couldn’t assault no bouncer.”

“Well that’s not what his partner said.”

“Stephen Gunn told you Stanton assaulted a bouncer?”

“Among other things. We’re doing this as a courtesy, Danny. We don’t need to alert the supervising officer. He can contact his union rep if he wants and come in with them but we want some time with him.”

“Jon Stanton’s the best cop I got. I’d prefer if you sunk your teeth into someone else.”

“Like who?”

“How about the fucking chief of police? I heard he’s got a thing for working girls.”

Matt grew uncomfortable and glanced to his partner. “When Stanton comes back let us know. We’ll be around.”

He left one of his cards and Childs picked it up and tossed it in the trash.