QR Code Murders: Other Duties

“Tall K got caught?”

“Yep.”

“Jesus. He just had two ki’s and was a convicted felon. I wonder how he eluded capture,” Kim shook her head.

Yawquisha recorded the whole interaction, including Kim’s biting sarcasm.

“They’re putting me on a joint task force with Agents….”

“…St. Kitts and Darby,” Yawquisha finished the sentence. Kim turned her head.

“Yes, you know more about these cases than I do, don’t you?”

“I’ve gotta keep informed for the vlog,” Yawquisha shrugged. She then turned the camera to the dashboard and recorded a man running.

Kim pulled up on the man who was about six feet, 190 pounds.

“Police! Put your hands up!”

The man followed the instructions.

Kim placed the steel bracelets of justice around the guy’s wrists.

“Look I didn’t do anything!”

She read him his rights. Then, “I know. I know. And I’m going to win the lotto this year.” Kim placed him in the backseat of the car.

Yawquisha trained the camera lens on the suspect. He knocked his head against the plexiglass.

“Yeah, that’s not going to move mon frier,”

Kim said.

She turned to Yawquisha. “Slight speed bump. It’s nothing to worry about, though. Buddy back there may have some information we could use. Who knows? It’s best to check.”

At the station, the man named Amson Jonathan sat with his lawyer. He used his one phone wisely in the eyes of Kim. Meanwhile, Yawquisha interviewed Captain Framington in his office.

“How many years have you been on the force?”

“I’ve been a cop for twenty seven years.”

“What is your greatest accomplishment?”

“I would say when I hired your ride-along detective. I mean Jergensen is the best. She’s tougher than most of these guys I have with me. It’s the Marine in her. I know.”

“Would you recommend kids to join up with other cops?”

“I’d rather they be cops than robbers. Seriously though, if they have it in them to be an officer or detective, I would never discourage anyone from being a policeman or woman. It’s a rewarding life knowing that you’re cleaning up the streets and keeping the populace safe.”

“Thanks for this.”

“My pleasure.”

In the interview room, Kim walked like a jaguar. She pounced on the table.

“Why were you running?”

“A man can’t jog through the neighborhood,” Jonathan’s lawyer Dennis Pasquale suggested.

“Not when he has a gram of fentanyl and a gram of oxy he can’t,” Kim retorted. “I’m not DEA. I don’t care about the drugs but I know some guys and girls who do. If you could just give me a bit of info on the QR cases, you’re set to go.”

“Okay. Alright. I know that Tall K got pinched. I was working with him with the stuff. Anyway, I’ve seen him a couple of times with a guy named Patton.”

“Patton? Who’s he?”

“He’s a big timer in the small state. At least in rap circles. He’s an executive producer who has a reputation for punching you in the face and then patting you on the back.”

“This…Patton, does he have rappers on his label with the QR code?”

“Some. They have dropped off ever since the murders started.”

“Is Patton an associate of yours?”

“Like I said, he was a friend of Tall K. I don’t know any other whereabouts besides the man who controls the master recordings for his artists among other duties.”

“Among what other duties?”

“He doesn’t have to answer that,” Pasquale announced.

“I’ll tell her. He’s an enforcer; he does jobs like cracking ribs and breaking kneecaps. Then he sends thousands of dollars to the families for medical care.”