Cop Said “You Two Aren't Welcome Here” To Twins — Both Were Federal Agents Investigating Him
Chapter 22
Theme:
Font Size:
24px
The next week, a federal judge ordered that every dollar in Pratt's safe and every dollar in his bank accounts be frozen—the money would go back to the bar owners of Main Street, every one of them who had ever paid rent, with interest; the two bars that had been forced to close would get the most.On Thursday, the evening news in St. Louis played a video that would be watched all over the country: Gordon Pratt being walked out of the federal courthouse in handcuffs past a long line of TV cameras, keeping his head down as reporters shouted questions; and just behind him, being walked to a different van by two marshals, Kyle Dempsey. As he passed the cameras, one reporter shouted,"Sergeant Dempsey, is it true you told two FBI agents they weren't welcome?" Dempsey didn't answer—he just kept walking with his head down into the back of the van, the doors closing behind him with a heavy metal sound.Two weeks later, on a Friday night, Delaney's Tavern was so packed that people were standing on the sidewalk outside: every table full, every stool taken, bar owners from all up and down Main Street laughing and buying each other drinks, Tyler Webb there with his wife and baby Grace asleep in a carrier on his chest.At 9:00, the front door opened. The whole room turned.Kendra and Jayda Holloway walked in side by side in their olive green jackets, and the room exploded: people cheered, people stood on their chairs, Lucy came running around the end of the bar and hugged them both at once.Hank Delaney stood behind his bar with a big smile on his face, holding up his hand until the room quieted down. "30 years I've stood behind this bar," he said. "11 of those years, every Friday at 9:00, I was scared to death of that door." He looked at the twins. "Not anymore. Never again."He reached under the bar and lifted up a frame: inside was a photo someone had taken that first Friday night—two sisters standing shoulder to shoulder, holding up their badges in front of a man with handcuffs in his hand. Hank hung it on a nail on the wall behind the cash register, right where the envelope used to sit. The whole room cheered again.Kendra's phone buzzed in her pocket—their boss in St. Louis. "I wanted to tell you before Monday," he said. "There's not going to be a review. Washington called: they've made you both co-leads of the public corruption squad. Your own team, your own cases." He paused. "Congratulations. You earned it."Kendra told Jayda; Jayda laughed out loud and threw her arms around her sister.Lucy set two glasses on the bar in front of them. "Soda with lime, just like the first night. On the house," she said, "forever."Kendra and Jayda each picked up a glass. Hank raised his own; the whole bar raised theirs with him."You two," Hank said, his voice thick, "are always welcome here."The sisters smiled at each other: one look, no words. They always knew.