“You release me right now!” he screamed. She was quite sure she sensed some embarrassment in his voice. After all, the woman they’d sent to talk to him was about an inch of pressure away from snapping his wrist or popping his shoulder out of socket.

  “You ready to talk?” she asked.

  “Go to hell.”

  In another quick motion, Ava stepped behind him and pulled his arm back. As Albrecht flailed around, she was able to also grab his other arm, pulling them both behind his back. He barely even had time to understand what was happening to him before she applied the handcuffs.

  “You can contact that lawyer of yours from the precinct,” she said.

  “How dare you! You can’t haul me out of here in handcuffs in front of the people I work with.”

  “Oh, we’re well past that,” Ava said. “That’s something you should have thought of when you took a swing at a detective. A female detective at that.”

  She nudged him forward, toward the door, but he wouldn’t move. “I’m not going anywhere,” he argued.

  “I can make this even more embarrassing for you.”

  “How can you even think about m—”

  She drove an elbow into his lower back and when he hunched over, she caught him by his cuffed wrists and pulled up. When his back arched, she pushed forward and he went stumbling to the door. When he understood that he had no control at all in the situation, Albrecht stumbled on of his own accord.

  He was quiet as she pushed him toward the elevators, even when they passed by his co-workers. She could feel the rage coming off of him, could feel the tightness in his muscles. And even before the elevator doors closed on them, she couldn’t help but wonder how this little scene and arrest might affect her already shaky standing at her new precinct—and with her new partner.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  When Ava hauled George Albrecht into the station half an hour later, she felt like there was a large, glaring spotlight on her. She’d not made it any more than ten feet inside the door before it seemed that every set of eyes were on her. And this time, because she was escorting a handcuffed man the stares lingered a bit longer than they had before. No one made much of an attempt to hide the fact that they were watching her or talking quietly about her behind their hands.

  During her brief time to look the place over earlier in the day, she had a vague idea of where the interrogation rooms were located. She headed in that direction, noticing movement coming from where her desk was located. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Pawlowski getting to her feet and starting to walk quickly in her direction. But at the last minute, Pawlowski seemed to think better of it. She simply stood there and stared, a confused and slightly frightened look on her face.

  Even Albrecht seemed taken aback by the reaction of pretty much everyone in the station. He locked up for a moment, his knees going rigid. But Ava continued to push him along, not sure what she’d do if he decided to act on this moment of confusion and cause her to become physical in front of everyone.

  Fortunately, that didn’t happen. In fact, Albrecht even seemed to walk along a bit easier once she’d nudged him to get going again. She led him to the little hallway near the back of the room, not surprised to find the door to the first of three interrogation rooms opened up and vacant. She pushed him inside and closed the door behind them. A wave of relief washed over her when she could no longer feel everyone’s eyes on her.

  Albrecht grinned at her. “That wasn’t the warmest of welcomes,” he said. “It seems you have a knack for upsetting people, Detective Gold.”

  Ava had picked up a thing or two from listening to Clarence and having gotten these last few months of detective work under her belt. She had always been good at reading people, and though Albrecht seemed to be stubborn and difficult at his core, she thought she could probably figure out how to get him to cooperate as well. It would just take a bit of time. And based on the stares and murmurs she’d received upon coming through the door with Albrecht, she wasn’t sure how much time she’d have.

  “This can all be cleared up quickly,” she said. “I only have a few basic questions for you. Questions I could have asked in your office if you hadn’t tried to hit me.”

  “I want my lawyer present before I speak with you.”

  She eyed him, recalling how he’d seemed very worried about being carted out in front of his co-workers. Sure, that scene would start a little brush fire of rumors, but she wondered if she could lead him to believe it could all be salvaged—the situation, his reputation…everything.

  “Sure thing,” she said. “I can have someone arrange that for you. Or you could work with me for about five minutes and try to clear this all up. No lawyers means no unnecessary length to all of this. It can be written off as an unfortunate incident instead of a prolonged arrest situation where you were handcuffed and felt that you were in such danger that your lawyer needed to be present.”

  Albrecht said nothing, but his eyes wandered a bit as he considered it. Ava decided to keep pressing, trying to work her way through his worries and stubborn attitude.

  “All I need to know is what you did on the night you were there to get the tour. I need to know that and what sort of interactions you had with Alfred Perkins in the days leading up to his death. The letter…it sounds pretty damning, and if you drag this out, it’s going to look very bad for you.”

  “Don’t you dare threaten me,” Albrecht said. “With the hell I’ve been through these past few weeks, do you really think some misguided threats by a dizzy dame detective are going to make me sweat?”

  “If you have nothing to hide, you have no reason to not answer my questions.”

  “Are you serious? You came into my office and essentially told me that I’m a suspect in a man’s death.”

  “You’re correct. That’s my job. I found some clues, including the letter, that led me to think you might have something to do with it. Or, at the very least, have some information that could help me get to the bottom of—”

  He was interrupted by the door opening behind her. When she turned to see who would possibly find it fitting to interrupt her, she saw Captain Miller there. He sized up the room, his eyes going wide and alarmed when they fell on George Albrecht. He looked away from Albrecht at once, his gaze instantly boring into Ava.

  There were perhaps three awkward seconds of silence before Miller was able to find his voice. “Detective Gold, I need to have a word with you, please.”

  She thought of arguing her case, of explaining why she had Albrecht here. But the last thing she needed was added friction her first day under Miller’s eye—no matter how in the right she felt herself to be.

  Without saying a word, she stepped outside of the interrogation room and into the hall. As Miller joined her, Ava watched as another officer quickly moved to take her place. It was a middle-aged man that looked very nervous and in a hurry. Ava assumed this man was being sent in as a form of damage control. And if that were the case, she also expected that she was going to be lectured and corrected by Miller.

  He said nothing as he started walking down the hall, in the direction of his office. Ava followed behind him, once again feeling the eyes of the precinct on her. She noted that Miller was doing a decent job of making it appear that he was not upset but she could sense it coming off of him. This was especially true when he held his office door open for her and she passed by him to step inside. He closed the door behind them, sat down behind his desk, and wasted no time.

  “Detective Gold, do you have any idea who that man is?”

  “The one I brought in for questioning?”

  “Yes.”

  “George Albrecht. He’s an investor with Fulton and Donner Enterprises. He’s also one of the primary heads of the investment projects that are helping to finance the construction of the Chrysler Building.”

  “It’s nice that you know who he is, but it makes absolutely no sense that you would have him here, handcuffed in an interrogation room.”

  “He took a swing at me and refused to answer questions pertaining to a potential murder investigation,” Ava said.

  This clearly shocked him, and Miller spent several more minutes trying to find the right words to use next. “Why did he take a swing at you?”

  “I don’t know. If I had to guess, it’s because a female was daring to ask him questions.”

  “Wait…back up, though. Why were you even trying to ask him questions?”

  Once again, Ava showed the letter she’d found in Perkins’s office. Miller read over it and then set it down on his desk. He rubbed at his chin in a thoughtful sort of gesture and then shook his head.

  Before he could say anything, Ava pressed on. “There was also a bit of evidence at the scene of the so-called suicide of Alfred Perkins. A series of prints in the dust and debris that even the foreman said was very likely not that of a construction worker. And there’s also the added fact that Albrecht himself has admitted to being at the Chrysler Building on the night of Perkins’s death.”

  “All of that may be true,” Miller said. “But it’s a very flimsy trail at best. Not only that, but George Albrecht isn’t just any old Joe off the street. Not only is he exceptionally wealthy, but he also happens to be friends with Walter Chrysler.”

  “So because of his friends and influence, he’s made exempt from any criminal investigations, including murder?”

  “Not all of them…but certainly ones where all signs clearly to point to a death being a suicide.” He sighed and then looked her in the eyes. She was relieved to see what she thought was something like understanding He knew she was only doing her job, but she had not let power and influence blind her. To her, a man with wealth and power held no additional privileges than anyone else. “Has he asked for his lawyer?” Miller asked.

  “Yes.”

  “And have any of these clues or links you’ve found concretely and without a doubt link him to Perkins’s death?”

  It was a good question—and one laced with many traps if she didn’t answer it succinctly. “No, sir. They all seem to point to his involvement, but nothing nails him to the death without fail.”

  “Then I want you to walk back in there in about five minutes and let him go.”

  “But, sir, you can’t let—”

  “Officer Burke is currently making sure he won’t press charges. After that, you will apologize to him and then release him.”

  Disappointment welled up inside of her and she had to bite back several arguments. At the base of it all, though, she knew why Miller was going this route. She didn’t agree with it at all, but she did understand it. She also knew that this situation would be no different back at her old precinct. Minard would have reacted the same way. And as for Frank…well, Frank would have probably stopped her from bringing Albrecht in at all. Or, rather, he would have tried as hard as he could have.

  “Look, Detective Gold, I knew this was a risk we’d take having you here. Captain Minard had expressed some concerns that you sometimes rub people the wrong way…sort of roll right over people if you feel strongly about something. And while you’ve not rolled over anyone in this situation—not exactly—you do need to keep behind a certain line when it comes to men like George Albrecht.”

  “Is that a line that says wealthy men are above the law?” Ava asked.

  “As a detective in New York City, you know that’s not the case,” Miller said. “But you also know that it’s a fine line.”

  She nodded firmly, not trusting herself to say anything else. But as she picked the letter back up from Miller’s desk, she couldn’t help but sneak in one last comment. She held the letter up with one hand and tapped at it with the other.

  “Fine,” she said. “But I want you to remember this letter. I want you to remember that I tried actually digging deeper into a case when everyone else was willing to look away and rule it a suicide.”

  She crammed the letter back into her pocket and left his office. This time, it seemed that hardly anyone was watching her. She couldn’t help but wonder if everyone was doing their best not to look now that Miller had gotten directly involved. Whatever the case, she marched back to the interrogation room. The door opened and Officer Burke stepped out moments before Ava approached. He said nothing to her, just gave a sympathetic little nod, and hurried off on his way.

  Ava waited by the door. She wondered what Frank would tell her in a moment like this. As she reached for the doorknob, she found herself missing him terribly. She felt it like a quick stab to the heart and then it was gone—only to be replaced by the embarrassment and anger she felt as she stepped into the interrogation room to let George Albrecht go.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  The release of George Albrecht went much smoother than Ava expected. Not another cross word was spoken by the man during the entire process. It went so easily that as she watched him walk through the front doors, Ava couldn’t help but wonder how this entire ordeal might come back to bite her.

  When she was back at her desk, she was once again aware of the other officers looking at her. She was sure there would be plenty of gossip and shared laughs at her expense when everyone’s shift was over. Wondering when that might be, Ava checked her watch and was shocked to see that, somehow, it was only 2:50 in the afternoon.

  Being that the Alfred Perkins case was the only thing she had to occupy her time, Ava found herself unsure of where to go next, of what steps to take. She supposed she could continue to go down the list of names on Perkins’s client list, but that seemed potentially like a bad idea given what had just happened with Albrecht. So, with no other avenue to pursue, Ava decided to check in on the status of that photograph request for the suspicious prints atop the Chrysler Building. Though even as she got up to hunt down some information, she doubted the request would go anywhere. It was becoming quite clear that this case was going to be ruled a suicide. It was confusing because she didn’t see why she’d been moved out here to get stuck in a case that already had a predetermined outcome. Was she being punished in some way? Had Chief Freemantle and Captain Minard really sent her out here as punishment, only disguising it as a reward and opportunity? Had they had their fill of the city’s most infamous woman detective, as well as the blooming relationship she was striking up with Frank Wimbly?

  Also, she had no idea who to even ask for an update on the photo request. That meant she’d have to track down Pawlowski—and based on her reaction to Ava bringing in Albrecht, she doubted her new partner would even want to speak with her.

  She searched the building over and found her pretty quickly. She could hear Pawlowski’s stern but soft voice coming from inside the break room. It was accompanied by low, almost whispered male voices. One of them was chuckling in a way Ava thought sounded a little devious.

  She stepped into the break room hesitantly. She figured if there was already a bit of quiet revelry taking place, her little mix-up with Albrecht was likely the reason. When she stepped in, she noticed that there were three male officers, two of whom were standing very close to Pawlowksi.

  At first, Ava thought the group was huddled together laughing and gossiping about what had happened with Albrecht. Maybe the jokes had already started, and her new partner was leading the charge. But then Ava noticed the hardened look on Pawlowski’s face and understood what was happening. Pawlowski’s face had gone a shade of red in the cheeks and her eyes were like little flecks of stone.

  And then Ava saw one of the men reach out to slap Pawlowski on the rear end. To her credit, Pawlowski tried to dodge it while reaching out to punch the man in the arm. All this did was give one of the others an opening to playfully slap her on the other side of her rear.

  “I said let me out of here,” Pawlowski said through gritted teeth. “Just…move.”

  “We will,” the man that seemed to be the ringleader of the group said. “I just need a little kiss. Or you show us some skin. Just a peek.”

  There was quiet laughter at this, during which one of the men happened to look over to the door, probably to make sure no one was seeing their vile little display. He looked alarmed at first but then smiled when he realized it was Ava, nudging the man next to him.

  “Look at this,” he said. “It’s double the fun.”

  Pawlowski also looked over and the red in her face brightened with embarrassment and shame.

  “You three have a very strange definition of fun,” Ava said, finally stepping completely into the room. She could have turned and walked away, but she figured she was now a part of this because she’d witnessed it. And she’d been where Pawlowski was…she’d been there before and knew what it felt like. And she’d be damned if she would stand silently by.

  “No, we know what fun is for sure,” the leader said, taking a step toward her. “You give me a few minutes alone in a dark room with you, and I’ll show you.”

  “Alone with you?” Ava said. “Yeah, it would have to be a dark room.”

  “Sam,” one of the other said in a joking tone from behind him. “Don’t you know? That’s Ava Gold.”

  “I know who it is. But she’s not anything special. Just another dame, trying to be something she’s not in a world where she doesn’t belong.”

  “What world is that?” Ava asked. “A man’s world? A world where it takes three men to corner one woman in a break room just to cop a feel?”

  The leader—Sam, apparently—smiled. “You know…I don’t know how they handled broads down at your old precinct, but here, they’re nothing but maids. Pretty little things to look at and send off on errands. So…let me be the first to welcome you to—”

  He reached out to place a hand on her hip as he spoke. When he did, Ava grabbed his arm, pulled him forward, and pushed him hard. At the same time, she extended her foot out, tripping him. The result was Sam sprawling forward and hitting the ground. When he hit, he hit hard. She could hear the breath go rushing out of him.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20