herself into stillness, into nothingness,
and gave herself over to the fog.
Â
CHAPTER 3
The office she shared with Wansbrough, Burton, and Calder was overly bright and smelled of a collision of aftershaves. They had a visitor, she saw. Special Agent-in-Charge Joseph Schacht. He was tall with a wide girth, a thick crop of gray hair, and pale pink skin that always seemed a bit flushed. He was famous for some of the ugliest ties Nora had ever seen, and todayâs was no different. Burgundy, with a smattering of silver paisleys. Schacht looked up from the file folder he was reading over Burtonâs shoulder. He nodded to Ben, Nora, and John as they entered, then he sat on the edge of John Wansbroughâs desk.
âOkay,â Schacht said. âPossible gang killing in an alley behind a residential area. Not far from 55th and Chester. Busy area. Very mutilated, very naked female body; very nervous locals.â
âWho called this in?â Wansbrough asked.
âNeighbor.â Schacht handed Nora a printout bearing the logo of the Philadelphia Police Department. âElderly woman. She has already been questioned extensively but didnât have much to tell, apparentlyâ¦â
âThatâs in the heart of Junior Black Mafia territory,â Burton observed.
âIs the stabbing similar to Kylieâs?â Nora asked, feeling an anxious sort of clutching in the pit of her stomach. She and John exchanged glances.
Schacht answered, âIn addition to multiple stab wounds, her throat was slit. Much like the Kylie Baker case. Only this time we add to the mix that her eyes have been cut out. So if thereâs a connection, it looks like theyâre doing Kylie one better. The natural assumption, then, is that this crime could be an act of revenge for Kylieâs murder.â
All four frowned. It was a gang war after all. But it was being played out on female bodies.
Schacht shrugged. âLike Kylieâs murder, the crime is very open, very brazen. But Kylieâs body was basically tossed on the lawn of her family home so that Kevin could find her. We knew immediately who she was and what her death meant. This is in JBM territory, yes, but doesnât seem directed at anyone in particular. We need to find out who the victim is, and if sheâs linked in any way to the Junior Black Mafia. Or the A&As for that matter.â
Wansbrough nodded as he listened. âAt this point, I think we also need to prioritize the arrest of Kevin Baker.â
Schacht nodded. âI agree. Calder and Burton: I want you guys to lift every rock in the city. Find Kevin Baker. Maybe if both Kevin and Dewayne are in our custody their respective crews will take it down a notch and we wonât have any new bodies for a while. Wansbrough and Khalil: Philly PD is holding down the fort on our most recent stabbing âtil you guys get there. Work closely with Watt and the forensic team on this one, and find out if these killings are linked. Keep me up to date.â
All four watched as Schacht left the room. Nora stared at the address of the witness in her hand. She looked at Wansbrough. âI guess weâre going back to Kingsessing, then?â
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
A bicycle race on the parkway had snarled Saturday traffic on the 676. John didnât bother with the lights. They sat quietly a while in a crawl, Billie Holiday filling the silence with a protracted, throaty complaint; sometimes being stuck in traffic was their downtime before being âon.â After Kylie Baker, Nora wasnât eager to see another stabbing victim up close. Instead of merging onto the Schuylkill Expressway, though, John pulled onto Market Street behind the 30th Street Station, and wove his way through University City.
âWait, stop for a minute. Coffee break.â She was pointing at a Dunkinâ Donuts.
John looked at her. âYouâre drinking coffee now? What has Calder done to
and gave herself over to the fog.
Â
CHAPTER 3
The office she shared with Wansbrough, Burton, and Calder was overly bright and smelled of a collision of aftershaves. They had a visitor, she saw. Special Agent-in-Charge Joseph Schacht. He was tall with a wide girth, a thick crop of gray hair, and pale pink skin that always seemed a bit flushed. He was famous for some of the ugliest ties Nora had ever seen, and todayâs was no different. Burgundy, with a smattering of silver paisleys. Schacht looked up from the file folder he was reading over Burtonâs shoulder. He nodded to Ben, Nora, and John as they entered, then he sat on the edge of John Wansbroughâs desk.
âOkay,â Schacht said. âPossible gang killing in an alley behind a residential area. Not far from 55th and Chester. Busy area. Very mutilated, very naked female body; very nervous locals.â
âWho called this in?â Wansbrough asked.
âNeighbor.â Schacht handed Nora a printout bearing the logo of the Philadelphia Police Department. âElderly woman. She has already been questioned extensively but didnât have much to tell, apparentlyâ¦â
âThatâs in the heart of Junior Black Mafia territory,â Burton observed.
âIs the stabbing similar to Kylieâs?â Nora asked, feeling an anxious sort of clutching in the pit of her stomach. She and John exchanged glances.
Schacht answered, âIn addition to multiple stab wounds, her throat was slit. Much like the Kylie Baker case. Only this time we add to the mix that her eyes have been cut out. So if thereâs a connection, it looks like theyâre doing Kylie one better. The natural assumption, then, is that this crime could be an act of revenge for Kylieâs murder.â
All four frowned. It was a gang war after all. But it was being played out on female bodies.
Schacht shrugged. âLike Kylieâs murder, the crime is very open, very brazen. But Kylieâs body was basically tossed on the lawn of her family home so that Kevin could find her. We knew immediately who she was and what her death meant. This is in JBM territory, yes, but doesnât seem directed at anyone in particular. We need to find out who the victim is, and if sheâs linked in any way to the Junior Black Mafia. Or the A&As for that matter.â
Wansbrough nodded as he listened. âAt this point, I think we also need to prioritize the arrest of Kevin Baker.â
Schacht nodded. âI agree. Calder and Burton: I want you guys to lift every rock in the city. Find Kevin Baker. Maybe if both Kevin and Dewayne are in our custody their respective crews will take it down a notch and we wonât have any new bodies for a while. Wansbrough and Khalil: Philly PD is holding down the fort on our most recent stabbing âtil you guys get there. Work closely with Watt and the forensic team on this one, and find out if these killings are linked. Keep me up to date.â
All four watched as Schacht left the room. Nora stared at the address of the witness in her hand. She looked at Wansbrough. âI guess weâre going back to Kingsessing, then?â
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
A bicycle race on the parkway had snarled Saturday traffic on the 676. John didnât bother with the lights. They sat quietly a while in a crawl, Billie Holiday filling the silence with a protracted, throaty complaint; sometimes being stuck in traffic was their downtime before being âon.â After Kylie Baker, Nora wasnât eager to see another stabbing victim up close. Instead of merging onto the Schuylkill Expressway, though, John pulled onto Market Street behind the 30th Street Station, and wove his way through University City.
âWait, stop for a minute. Coffee break.â She was pointing at a Dunkinâ Donuts.
John looked at her. âYouâre drinking coffee now? What has Calder done to
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