Chapter 94: Negotiation
Buzz! Jimmy expertly picked the car lock, triggering the alarm.
He quickly slipped inside, silencing it in under a minute.
"Uh, hi," Jimmy said, spotting a familiar face through the windshield.
"Tony, what a coincidence! I accidentally locked my keys inside," Jimmy said, sweating but feigning composure.
"Get out!" Officer Tony yanked Jimmy from the car before he could finish his excuse.
"Ugh!" Jimmy tried to protest, but Tony cut him off with a punch to the stomach, leaving him doubled over in pain.
Tony glanced around, then handcuffed Jimmy and shoved him into his patrol car.
"How long have you been stealing cars?" Tony demanded as he drove.
"Who says I'm stealing? I just lost my keys. You're illegally detaining me!" Jimmy retorted, denying everything.
Frustrated by Jimmy's stubborn denial, Tony slammed the gas pedal, causing Jimmy to slam into the front seat, groaning.
"You were driving a Cayenne yesterday, now you're breaking into a Mercedes," Tony pointed out.
"So what? I like variety. And you're following me?" Jimmy said.
Before he could finish, Tony floored the gas again, causing Jimmy to hit his nose and bleed.
"Dammit!" Jimmy cursed.
"How long?" Tony pressed on.
"Since I got with Fiona," Jimmy taunted, trying to provoke Tony.
Unaware of his mistake, Jimmy underestimated the danger of provoking a rival, especially when defenseless. Tony responded by elbowing Jimmy in the face, making his vision blur.
Instead of taking Jimmy to the station, Tony drove to a secluded alley.
"Hey, we can work something out. Let me go, and I'll make it worth your while," Jimmy proposed as Tony dragged him out.
"You're trying to bribe a cop? That's an extra charge!" Tony said, punching Jimmy in the gut.
Tony had wanted to do this for a long time. Every time Jimmy flaunted his relationship with Fiona, Tony had longed to punch that smug face, and now he finally could.
"Are you new? No cop turns down bribes, especially in these parts. Gangs don't just fight for turf; they cozy up to the cops."
"You must've taken a few yourself. After all, a cop's salary isn't much. A little side cash never hurts. We're acquainted; I'll make it worth your while," Jimmy insisted.
"Shut up!" Tony punched Jimmy to the ground.
"Frank was right; you're rotten. How do you justify your crimes? Is that really what you think of cops?" Tony sneered.
"Frank?" Jimmy paused, catching the key name.
"Frank told you? Did he put you up to this?" Jimmy asked.
"That's right. He knew you were trouble and asked me to look into you. He promised if I got you away from Fiona, he'd help me win her over," Tony said, crouching down.
"Damn Frank," Jimmy muttered, seething.
Jimmy was furious. Frank had promised to keep his secrets, not just his identity but his car thefts too, and he'd even offered a house to keep Frank quiet.
Yet Frank had spilled everything to Tony.
Frank had assured Jimmy he wouldn't interfere with his relationship with Fiona, even allowing him to tutor her, but secretly plotted with Tony to drive him away and pair Tony with Fiona. It was unforgivable!
Jimmy regretted trusting Frank, knowing his disreputable nature, yet foolishly believing his promises.
However, Jimmy misunderstood Frank.
Frank had indeed asked Tony to investigate Jimmy and promised to support Tony's pursuit of Fiona.
But that was before certain events unfolded.
At the time, Frank was unaware of Jimmy's true identity. He instinctively distrusted "Steve," knowing little about him, and Fiona was equally in the dark.
Plus, the incident with Debbie taking the baby had strained Steve and Fiona's relationship, which later reconciled, making Frank uneasy.
Knowing Tony's feelings for Fiona, Frank asked him to use his position to investigate Steve.
At that time, Frank preferred Tony, a stable police officer, for his daughter over the unreliable "Steve," especially since Fiona had been with Tony.
However, shortly after asking Tony, a gruesome crime spree hit the neighborhood, demanding Tony's attention and pulling him away.
Thus, Tony never got around to investigating Jimmy and was unaware of recent developments.
Frank hadn't seen Tony in a while and forgot about his request for Tony to investigate Jimmy.
Recently, with the police workload easing, Tony got some time off and visited Fiona, only to see her happily with Jimmy, which infuriated him.
Remembering Frank's warnings about Jimmy, Tony discreetly monitored him, eventually catching him in the act of car theft.
"You're in a tough spot. You can't arrest me. If you do, Fiona will hate you forever," Jimmy pointed out.
"True, I'm conflicted. So, I'm giving you a choice," Tony said, sitting down.
"What do you mean?" Jimmy frowned.
"I offer you two options. First, for Fiona's sake, you turn yourself in. I'll ensure you get leniency, maybe just ten years in prison."