Chapter 3
Danny pulled up in an alleyway and waited in her car until a door opened and a well-dressed man stumbled out. Carmilla watched as the detective silently crept out of the vehicle and startled the man as she announced her presence.
“Garrett Tanner? SCPD, I need to ask you a few questions.” She opened her coat jacket to reveal a badge.
“What’s this about?” He slurred. Danny could smell the whiskey on his breath and scowled.
“Twenty years ago you were being investigated for illegal gambling operations by Detectives Davidson and Lawrence. You got let off when Detective Lawrence was killed and your case was reassigned. I’m following up on that.” At that, Tanner took off in a drunken rush, stumbling onto a fire escape with Danny on his heels. Three flights up, she pinned him against the building, but before she could ask any further questions, he jerked forward, putting his hands around her neck and holding her over the railing.
“What are you going to do now Tanner? Murder a detective?” Danny choked out, assessing the situation as the oxygen began to seep out of her body.
In an instant, the detective felt his hands ripped from her throat and gasped for air. Before she had time to intervene, a small, shadowy figure had immobilized him and Danny watched as his unconscious body hurtled over the fire escape.
“Hey, SCPD!” She managed, sprinting after her mystery rescuer. “Stop!” But by the time the detective reached solid ground, the person had disappeared into the night.
“You look like shit, Lawrence.” Detective Callis noted as her partner arrived at the station. “What happened to you last night?”
“Thanks Mel, I appreciate that.” Danny said, rubbing her jaw. “Didn’t get enough sleep I guess. What do we have?” Danny asked as her partner motioned to the car.
“Dead body at 54th and Grant. Looks like some drunk fell off a fire escape.” Danny felt the air drain out of her lungs much like it had the night before. “We’re meeting the captain at the scene.”
“Took you guys long enough! You’re missing all the fun!” The crime scene technician announced cheerfully as they gathered some particulate samples.
“Stuff it dweeb, where’s the captain?” LaFontaine ignored Mel’s jab and pointed at a woman who was currently trying to contain her fiery red curls in a bun.
“Hey captain.” Danny tried to suppress any hints of nervousness in her voice. “What are you thinking?”
“Danny, Mel.” Captain Perry nodded at her detectives. “Are you feeling alright Danny? Do you need a cup of tea or something?” Danny shook her head and the captain continued. “We thought it was your routine drunk gets into an accident type case, but LaF found evidence of defensive wounds. Victim is a white male named Garrett Tanner. He’s been linked with The Alchemists.”
“The crime syndicate?” Mel said doubtfully, looking at the body.
“He’s been with them since his youth. We’re swabbing his hands for DNA evidence right now. If his killer is in our system, we’ll find them. This is a delicate case, detectives. The last thing we want is to start a conflict between rival gangs. I would like the state of this city to remain as normal as possible throughout our investigation.”
Danny rehearsed a resignation speech the entire ride back to the station. Before she took the detective’s exam, Perry had pulled her aside to give her a talk. The captain was a new officer when her dad was killed and she wanted to make sure Danny didn’t pursue the case outside of department purview. Now she’d royally mucked it all up.
Perry heard a knock on her door and waved Detective Lawrence in.
“What do you need Danny? There’s still the chance to take me up on that cup of tea I offered earlier.” Perry pointed to the freshly brewed pot on her desk. Danny shook her head and sighed.
“Captain, I have to tell you something.”
“Captain, we got a confession.” Mel marched into Perry’s office, interrupting Danny. “Perp’s in the interrogation room right now.”
“That was quick. I didn’t even know we had a suspect!” The captain looked apologetically at Danny.
“We’ll talk later Lawrence.” Perry and Danny made their way to the observation room and Detective Lawrence did a double take when she saw her partner start to interrogate a man whose tattoo-covered arms were practically bursting out of his black muscle tee. There was no way that this was the same person she’d seen the night before.
“Peter Burns. I brought your papers. Can you tell me again what happened?”
“It’s Pete. And I told you already. I was leaving the bar, and this asshole stumbles into me. I lost my temper; chased him up the fire escape.” The man shrugged. “Things got outta hand and I pushed him off.”
“Then what?”
“I got rid of the DNA evidence with some alcohol wipes and got the hell outta there.”
“Why try to cover it up if you were planning to come in and confess?”
“What can I say detective? I got a guilty conscience.” Danny hid the confusion on her face when Perry turned to her.
“Well that’s as clean a case as any. Looks like no gang involvement so we’re in the clear. What was it that you wanted to say earlier?”
“Oh… I don’t remember captain.” Danny lied, smothering the voice in the back of her head telling her that something was off.