Chapter 33

Maybe, just maybe, it was that exact theory that was messing with the new Chief that morning, or it was an entirely different case—Smith highly doubted that—but either way, the man gave Teddy a worse version of the look Martin had given Teddy the first day he met him. Dumb luck.

“Officer?” The older man asked, waving his hand in the air and snapping the cabinet shut with much more force than was needed.

“Smith Joe, sir,” Smith said.

“Theodore Lang. My friends call me Ted or Teddy,” Teddy replied.

“That is the most foolish thing I’ve heard all morning. And trust me, I have heard a lot of things,” the man snickered and turned to him.

“I ain’t your friend, boy. So to me, you’re Theodore,” he stated and looked him in the eyes a little longer than necessary.

“Yes, sir,” Teddy replied, his eyes communicating his apathy to the man’s decision. No doubt, he had even made the statement just to piss the older man off.

“First off, I am so damn sorry for