Hetch (Men OF S.W.A.T #1)(43)

“You remember me, Mitch?” I ask, knowing full well he knows who I am. I’m the guy who convinced him to make a report against his brother.

“Yeah, you’re the douchebag officer who has the hots for Liberty,” Mitch retorts as Fox snickers off to my side, but I don’t show any emotion.

The little shit.

“Yeah, something like that. So what are you doing on this side of town, Mitch?” His shoulders slump at my question, his hands gripping on the sides of his worn jeans.

“Just walking along, minding my own business.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I can tell in his panicked eyes something’s up.

“And what about you, what’s your name?” I direct my gaze to the kid standing next to him.

The kid barely looks eighteen and thinks he has enough swagger to give me attitude.

“I don’t have nothin’ to say.” He evades my question, his brown, sunken eyes not quite meeting mine before the little punk-ass starts to walk off, calling Mitch along with him.

“Mitch, can I have a word with you over here for a minute?” Hart steps into their path, cutting off their retreat.

“What for? Is he under arrest?” The thug steps forward, only to retreat when my hand finds my holstered Glock.

“He’s not. I just want to have a chat. You stay there,” I warn, giving Fox the nod to keep an eye on him.

“Nah, Mitch. Don’t go with this pig. This is some bullshit.”

“It’s okay, Victor.” Mitch steps forward, allowing me to speak to him privately.

“What’s going on, Mitch? You in some kind of trouble here?” I lower my voice, so the little f*cker Victor can’t hear.

“I’m fine. Honestly, but you should probably go.” He loses his attitude and shows his vulnerability.

Something is definitely up. This kid Victor is either packing or has something on him.

Something I can hold him on and possibly get some information traded.

“Does Liberty know you’re out and on this side of town?”

“No, and you can’t tell her.” I look over and see Fox and Hart keeping Victor occupied and out of the way.

“You know I can’t do that, bud. Now, does this kid run with Dominic?” His nonverbal reply tells me what I need to know.

“Okay, I’m taking you back to Boys Haven,” I tell him, motioning him over to my cruiser.

“Please, Hetch. Don’t do this. I have this sorted.” I’m sure he thinks he has it sorted, but I’m 100 percent certain he most definitely does not.

“Get in the car, Mitch. I’m not gonna argue with you.” I open the back door and motion for him to get in. His scowl tells me he’s pissed, but I can’t be worried about it right now.

Once I’ve closed the door, I turn back to Fox and Hart just in time to see Victor take off.

“Fox keep on him. Hart, stay with Mitch.” I don’t wait for his reply, but take off after Fox while calling it in. “331. We have a pursuit on foot.” I catch up to Fox without breaking a sweat and overtake him as Victor cuts through a backyard.

“Go around and cut him off,” I shout out to Fox, watching the little f*cker jump the fence. I follow him up, dropping to my feet while he clears the next fence.

“Remind me why we’re chasing this f*cker?” Fox’s irritated voice comes over my lapel radio, and I smirk, knowing deep down he secretly likes this shit.

“’Cause the punk runs with The Disciples and we still need to get a lock down on Dominic,” I pant back, keeping up my chase.

“So, for *. Got it.” I ignore his jab, scaling another fence into a second backyard. Victor keeps his lead, clearing the third fence as I clear the second.

Little f*cker is fast.

Upping my pace, I make it over the third fence just as I catch him crawling up underneath the house of an unsuspecting family.

“Come out, Victor, you have nowhere to go!” I shout, reaching for my flashlight and shining it under the house.

“I got nothin’ to hide. I don't want no trouble,” he calls out, just as Fox meets me around the back.

“Then don’t make us come under there, Victor,” Fox warns, his flashlight finding him first. He’s in the back corner, back to us. Either searching for a weapon or dropping his stash.

My bet he’s dropping his stash.

“Victor, we can play it two ways. You can come out, slowly making no sudden movement, or we can send the dogs in there.”

“Don’t send the dogs, man,” his shaky voice pleads back.

“Aww, look at that, Sarge, he doesn’t like dogs either.” Fox snorts, enjoying this way more than I am.

“Then slowly come out, with your hands up,” I shout, keeping my gun trained on him.

“This is f*cking bullshit.” He starts cursing as he crawls his ass back out. After a few choice words, he clears the house, and I step in closer, ordering him down on the ground.

“Hands behind your back.” Fox wrestles him to the ground, and I follow him down.

“What am I under arrest for? I didn’t do nothin’” The dumb f*ck tries to fight us, suddenly more brave than ten seconds ago.

“Quit resisting.” I grunt, digging my knee deeper into his back.

“I ain’t resisting.”