“So where are we headed to now, sir?”
Well, at least he's dropped the 'detective' crap, thought Jenkis to himself. “Another crime scene,” he said passively. “A murder this time, you'll be happy to know.”
“And it's our guy?”
The detective sighed at the familiarity of the question.
“Yes, it is our guy. He's busy tonight.”
“Damn right, he's busy!” cracked his sidekick with a shriek. “So this isn't normal for him?”
“No, no, no... He's known to make a mess and maybe go a little overboard with his body count – ordered to kill 2, so he takes out 6 in the process – but never multiple hits like this.”
Silence passed as the two reviewed their notes, one reading more carefully than the other. They sat side-by-side in the back of an old and rusting police car, the city outside providing them with enough light through the back window for reading. After a moment, the rookie broke the meditation with his thick Brooklyn accent.
“So, what's the rumpus? Something ain't straight, is it?”
“Something,” mumbled the elder, continuing to look through his notes. “I'm not sure what, though, just yet. The car wreck, the bar fight, now this...”
“Maybe he's gone rogue!” suggested the rookie with excitement.
Jenkis chuckled at the boy's ignorance and excused the comment with a wave of his hand. He began to condescend on how ridiculous the theory sounded, but was interrupted by the officer chauffeuring them around the city streets.
“Excuse me, sir, but we've got another hit five blocks east. The call just came in, looks like they'll need you over there after this one.”
“What's the rundown?”
“Well, it's a parking deck. Third level.”
“Oh God... how many this time?” asked Jenkis slowly, rubbing his eyes. The officer hesitated in his response, not believing his own words himself.
“They've found seven tires so far, but they're all to different cars.”
The rookie sat up from a slouch and kicked his hat to the back of his head. With his usual sharpness, he prodded for answers.
“You sound like you get it.”
“He's pulled this one before,” Jenkis answered him quickly, his mind obviously many steps ahead of the information he was spouting off to his pupil. “The High-Five Drive-By, though you might be more familiar with The Chicago Flop. The High-Five is the same basic concept, but with our friend's own personal twist on it.”
“In other words, he makes a frickin' mess.”
Jenkis smiled at the rookie's revelation.
“You're catching on, kid.”
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