Page 50 of Rekindle My Heart

Ryan sat and opened his notebook before leaning on the table. Might as well just get to the meat of it. “I don’t know if you have heard, but one of the bodies found in the structure fire on Industrial Boulevard was identified as Officer Bryan Kealy.”

He watched the sergeant’s reaction, mild shock, then acceptance. “I was afraid something like that happened. That explains why he missed his check-in.”

He sat back in his chair and rubbed his temple. “Kealy had been doing undercover work with narcotics for the last two months. Like clockwork, he checked in, but this week… We put out feelers and beat the bushes but didn’t want to set up a Blue Alert yet, just in case he was into something deep.”

That made sense. Last thing they wanted to do was blow the officer’s cover if he was onto something big.

“That would explain why he was found with a known drug dealer. But why was he in Ashwood?”

“Your narcotics division didn’t inform you? We reached out to deconflict the situation back in early July. They knew Kealy was working his way in to find out who was the main supplier in the Twin Cities. We had a name but didn’t have any evidence to tighten the cuffs.”

Ryan made a note to check with Ashwood Narcotics Division. “Can you tell me about Kealy? Who he hung out with? Did he have threats?”

“He was quiet. Kealy would come out for a beer once in a while, but he wasn’t one to socialize with the others.” He smoothed a finger over his salt-and-pepper mustache. “As for threats, he didn’t have any more than the next guy.”

True. What cop didn’t get a random threat weekly? Ryan asked a few more question before setting his pen down. “Would you mind sending me the case file he was working on? I’ll fill out the requisition paperwork when we are done here.”

“Not a problem. I’ll send it over today.”

“Thanks.” They shook hands, and he showed him out.

Back at his desk, Ryan added his notes to the case and sent an official request for Kealy’s case file. Ten minutes later, he tipped his chair back.

The talk with Vu only added to his questions. According to him, Kealy was a good guy, quiet, hardworking. Your average cop. And if he was undercover, he could have been at the building meeting Ruiz and not Ryan.

Shit. He’d hoped his conversation with Vu would have filled in the holes. He scratched his scruffy jaw. Officer Kealy could still have been his contact. It made sense he’d ask to meet at the corner. It would look like he was doing a deal instead of giving Ryan information—add to his street cred.

Vu was his first interview, but he needed to talk to the other officers who worked with Kealy. The man may have kept to himself, but he’d dot the Is and cross the Ts. Who knew? He might pick up some useful information.

Scanning the list of Bloomington officers, Ryan sighed. It was going to be a long morning. He’d call Kealy’s team members. If something hit, he’d schedule a face-to-face.

He picked up the phone receiver, then looked at his empty coffee mug.

First, he needed more coffee.