Джеймс Паттерсон - Ambush

He had a simple, direct way about him, and Alex found him interesting.

When he asked for her phone number, she gave him the number to her burner phone, which would be good for the length of her stay in New York. A stay she hoped would be long enough to see this handsome cop again.

She said, “I’ll only be in New York another week or so. But I would enjoy a nice dinner. Steak and horses are two of my favorite things.”

T-Mac gave her a dazzling smile and said, “Mine, too.”

I got the call about a double homicide down in Madison Square Park around nine o’clock. Mary Catherine understood that I had a certain duty, no matter what time of the day or night I was called. She just reminded me to take it easy, since I was still recovering from my injuries.

There’s a certain Zen to doing the job you’re trained for and understand so well. I even had a twinge of excitement as I hopped in my city car and headed south. This time of night, I made it to the crime scene pretty quick.

Sometimes I forget about the turnover in the NYPD. I didn’t recognize a single one of the young uniformed officers maintaining the perimeter of the crime scene. It was at the lower end of the park near a massive water fountain. I had my ID and a badge on a chain around my neck. I didn’t wear a jacket, so everyone saw the second badge clipped next to my gun on my belt.

As I approached the fountain, I saw exactly who I was looking for. Cassie Max was on one knee by the edge of the fountain looking back toward some bushes and a low wall. Her short black hair was covered by a scarf as she focused her attention on the far side of the fountain.

As soon as she saw me, a smile whipped across her face and she sprang to her feet.

Cassie said, “It’s nice to see that senior detectives still come out after dark.”

“When I was younger, the word senior was code for ‘old.’”

“Nothing’s changed.” She gave me a sly smile that conveyed her wit and intelligence. Then she said, “I called you as soon as I realized this victim was Canadian. When I saw she might be connected to the Canadian mob, I knew you’d be interested.”

“It looks like you get all the homicides in parks.”

“They can be a convenient place to kill someone.”

“What about the second victim? Is he a Canadian as well?”

“No. He’s a local thug named Anthony Chichee. He has half a dozen arrests for assault and is the suspect in two homicides. He’s known as an enforcer and bodyguard for hire.”

I said, “So what have you figured out so far?”

“The woman, Alicia Toussant, was shot one time just above her nose. The bullet never exited. The medical examiner’s people took both the bodies about twenty minutes ago. I was just trying to line up where the shot was probably taken from. There’s a spent casing over there.” She pointed to the edge of the concrete.

“Depending on the weapon the killer was using, I suspect whoever took the shot was standing about ten feet away.”

“Same caliber as your murder near Bryant Park?”

“It was a nine, but so are about seventy million others. If the killer is as professional as I think, I doubt we’ll match up the slugs.”

I took a few seconds to scan the entire crime scene. Experience had taught me that you sometimes thought of a new angle when you just looked around.

I said, “I don’t think anyone wants to hear about a turf war here in the city. It sure looks like someone has got it in for Canadians, and my sources say it’s one of the Mexican cartels.”

“I’ll leave it up to you to look at the big picture. I just want to find the killer here and in Bryant Park.”

“Was the second victim also shot?”

“No. He was killed up close. I suspect it was before Ms. Toussant was shot. Someone shoved a sharp-edged weapon up through his jaw and into his brain.”

Instantly I realized the other connection to murders in the city. I didn’t need to take a look at the ViCAP database to tell me what I already knew. I said to Cassie, “Would you call that sharp-edged weapon a stiletto?”

She thought about it for a moment, then nodded.

I said, “Then I can guarantee that these murders are connected to what I’m looking at.”

I stayed at the scene with Cassie Max until almost the middle of the night. I didn’t bounce any more of my conspiracy theory off Cassie. She needed to focus on this individual homicide scene. Cleared murders are the currency of a homicide detective.

No detective wanted a double homicide to go cold. The fact that there were two victims meant that there were almost twice as many leads to follow up on. Twice as much media coverage. And twice as much pressure from above to clear the case.

I was confident in Cassie’s abilities and intended to work with her as I developed more leads myself.

I managed to wake up and get into the office early, and at midday decided I needed to check on my grandfather. It also gave me a break from the mountain of reports I’d been reading.

I came in through the administrative offices of Holy Name and found my grandfather absolutely motionless at his desk, with his head to one side. His mouth was open, but he wasn’t snoring.

I approached from the door slowly, feeling a wave of fear rise up in me. I said his name several times softly. I carefully placed my hand near his mouth and nose, hoping to feel his breath.

I wasn’t sure, so I leaned in closer. As I did, his right eye popped open.

“What the hell are you doing?” His voice was clear and his accent sharp. That meant he was alert.

I hopped back, trying to hide being startled. I also didn’t want him to think I was afraid he had died at his desk.

I said, “Just came by to say hello.”

Seamus said, “Do you sneak up on everyone you want to say hello to? Go say hello to Alonzo back at the indoor basketball court. I want to finish my nap.”

I thought that was sound reasoning and headed through the rear of the gymnasium attached to the school.

There was a spirited basketball scrimmage going on as Alonzo shouted encouragement from the edge of the court. When he saw me, he handed his whistle over to one of the assistant coaches.

He extended his hand as he said, “How are you, Michael?”

“Good.” I almost had to shout over the noise of the game in the enclosed gym.

Alonzo said, “Let’s go outside, where we can hear ourselves think.”

We walked to the edge of the school and then through a gate onto the sidewalk outside. It was a beautiful day, and I enjoyed strolling under the trees that hung over the sidewalk.

We ambled past the administration building, where my grandfather was probably sleeping soundly again.

Alonzo said, “I really respect how much effort you put into your family even with such a high-profile job. Your grandfather is rightly proud of you.”

The thought of Seamus telling people he was proud of me made me smile. Even if he never would say it directly to me.

“I appreciate how you take care of him. God knows it’s not always easy.”

He smiled. “It works both ways with Seamus. The Church has been a big adjustment for me. Seamus understands that better than most. You’re lucky to have had him in your life so long.”

I let out a laugh. “I never thought of it as luck. But I have him in my life just the same. All over my life.” I didn’t say it out loud, but I thought, And thank God for it .

I couldn’t remember hearing anyone talk about sports at Holy Name with such enthusiasm. If we could bottle Father Alonzo’s positive attitude, all the world’s problems would be solved.