Free Justice for All by Radclyffe

eyes serious.
    “You’re a civilian, Jason. And it won’t be just Mitch’s ass on the line.”
    “I’m in,” Jason said. “Jasmine has a show Saturday night before the Kings go on. Mitch can bring Irina. She’ll figure Jasmine is just part of the group.”
    Rebecca nodded. “I like it.”
    Dell was glad Irina would know she was a cop because she didn’t want to lie to her anymore, but she started to sweat when she imagined taking Irina to the Troc like it was some kind of date. They’d just be acting, she reminded herself. Both of them.
    “This might be our only chance to find out who took out your cops,” Sloan said to Rebecca. “We’re not going to quit with the middlemen, are we?”
    “A few token arrests might be enough to make City Hall happy,” Rebecca said, “but we’re going after the top dogs.”
    “Fucking A,” Watts muttered.
    Sloan nodded. “I still want to continue the forensic analysis of the computers at the port. We might find a tie-in there.”
    “Agreed. Stay on it.” Rebecca looked at Watts. “Talk to the captain down there today so Sloan can get started.” She wrote “midnight” on the board and circled it. “Mitch and Irina are due to show up at Ziggie’s tonight at midnight. Watts and I will take surveillance.”
    Watts’s eyebrows rose as if he were going to object, but a look from the lieutenant shut him down.
    Dell cleared her throat and hoped her voice didn’t crack. “Where’s Irina going to stay? She can’t go back to the house where she was living with those girls, not alone.”
    “Her cover story,” Rebecca said, “is that the two of you went out a back window and hid out in Mitch’s apartment. For now, that’s where she’ll be staying.”
    “Mitch’s apartment.” Dell’s stomach rolled. The studio she’d rented when she went undercover was down the hall from Sandy’s apartment and its only furnishings were a mattress and a ratty sofa. Her mind shut down before she could think about taking Irina there. “Okay. Right.”
    Rebecca sighed. “Unfortunately, there’s more.”
    “There always is when the feds are involved,” Sloan said grimly.
    “Clark wants more information on the Zamoras’ political connections, and he thinks we’re in a better position to get it than his people.” Rebecca pulled out a chair and dropped into it. “He’s probably right. Kratos Zamora is a big supporter of the mayor’s campaign.”
    “Pretty dicey association for the mayor,” Sloan said.
    “Kratos Zamora is a legitimate businessman, and he donates big bucks to the local political machine.” Rebecca shrugged. “And for all intents and purposes, he’s squeaky clean.”
    “So what’s the brilliant plan?” Sloan asked.
    “There’s an upcoming fund-raiser for the mayor, and Clark wants us there.”
    “Us?” Sloan narrowed her eyes. “Why would we be there?”
    “I’ll be there representing the force, to show the department’s support for the mayor. Normal politicking.” Rebecca stared at Sloan. “Clark thinks you’d have a chance at getting close to Zamora if you were with Michael, because she’s one of the wealthiest businesswomen—”
    Sloan shot to her feet. “Clark can go fuck himself. Michael’s not going anywhere near Zamora.”
    “All right,” Rebecca said. “I understand.”
    “Are you planning on taking Catherine?” Sloan asked angrily.
    “Catherine’s already going.” Rebecca would have preferred Catherine stay far away from anything even remotely connected to the case, but she couldn’t ask her to skip the event. “She’s on the board of the city’s AIDS/HIV commission. She attends a lot of fund-raisers.”
    “Michael is out of it.” Sloan sat back down, her eyes stormy. “I’ll go stag. Sloan Security does business with all the big firms in the city. We’re not without resources, so I’d have a reason to be there.”
    “What about the rest of us?” Dell asked.
    Rebecca shook her head. “You need to stay away