Legacy in Blood

Chapter One

In the predawn dark of Rockefeller Park, NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli walked briskly toward death. Her footsteps echoed in the silence broken only by the sounds of her breathing and the soft slapping of the water along the familiar Hudson River path.

She loved this time of day. Loved the freshness of the air. Loved the feeling of being cocooned in its velvety darkness, the feeling of unlimited possibilities as the dawn’s light splintered the sky. But she missed the warmth of the sun. She tugged the collar of her coat higher on her neck. In comparison to recent weather, this morning was balmy, forty degrees headed into the fifties, but still cold enough to seep deep into her bones, as it had ever since she was shot. She shivered remembering that less than six months ago she was lying near death just minutes from here and only the quick thinking of Parker, her partner, kept her from bleeding out.

Like most things in life, some good had come out of the trauma of nearly dying. She had stopped fighting her feelings for her girlfriend, Brett, and had begun to deal with Marnie’s death. And she and Parker had become friends. Or maybe she should say friendlier. Corelli took a deep breath, noting the hint of spring in the air. She wasn’t fooled, though. March was freaky. One minute it felt like spring and the next you were in the middle of a blizzard.

When she arrived at Penny Park, she looked around to get her bearings and then ducked under the yellow police tape. She’d been here with Brett so she knew to avoid the many cartoonish bronze statues and large bronze pennies strewn about.

Detective Corelli? She squinted at the officer who’d recognized her in the dim glow of the park lights. I’m Officer Lydia Ortega.

Corelli tried to remember the names of police she worked with but she didn’t think she’d ever run into Ortega. What do we have?

My partner and I responded to the 911. Tim Ryder, the guy with the dog standing there—she pointed toward the staircase on the other side of the small park—called it in at 6:14 a.m. He was the only one around when we arrived. EMTs declared the male dead and reported he was already stiff when they got here.

Thanks, Ortega. What would we do without dog walkers to find the bodies? Corelli didn’t wait for an answer to the rhetorical question. We’ll talk to Ryder when we’re done here. And good job taping the scene. Corelli signed in, pulled on booties and gloves and then went to the victim. She knelt over the body of the slender, youngish man with long blond hair, sprawled on his stomach next to the bronze sculpture of a cat. It was still too dark to see him clearly, but the reek of excrement combined with the lack of a pulse in his carotids confirmed he was dead. She raised her head to breathe in the briny smell of the Hudson River wafting on the breeze and came face-to-face with her pissed-off partner, Detective P.J. Parker, kneeling on the opposite side of the dead man.

Damn it, Corelli, why didn’t you wait for me to pick you up?

She’d expected the anger but last night had been one of the rare times she and Brett had slept at Brett’s Battery Park City apartment and Penny Park was just a five-to-ten-minute walk from there. And since her leg still wasn’t strong enough for her to run along the river, the walk here was the next best thing. Besides, she didn’t agree with Parker’s assessment that she was still a target for some of their brethren in blue. Like my text said, walking got me here faster than waiting for you to pick me up.

Parker wasn’t buying it. We agreed I would continue to function as your bodyguard as long as I felt it was necessary. Remember?

I don’t give a f— Corelli caught herself. She took some yoga breaths and swallowed the anger that was quick to rise at the least provocation. Parker was right. She had agreed. And she’d gone back on her word. Sorry. It just seemed easier since I was so close.

Would Parker drag it out or accept her apology? Parker met her eyes. Damn right you won’t. Brett would kill me if I let anything happen to you. She dropped her gaze to the victim. What do we have here?

Forgiven. Or at least apology accepted. You tell me.

After eight months Parker was exceptional at reading a crime scene. She really didn’t need the experience but training her was a part of the deal they’d made after Corelli exposed a group of dirty police and found herself on the wrong side of the blue wall. At the time, neither wanted to work with the other, but they’d come to a mutually beneficial agreement. Corelli would train Parker as a homicide detective while Parker functioned as her bodyguard. The partnership had worked out well, at least from Corelli’s point of view. She thought Parker felt the same but because of her inexplicable habit of dumping her anger on Parker and because of Parker’s reticence, she couldn’t be sure.

The sky was brightening as Parker stood and paced the area marked off by the crime tape. She smiled at the whimsical sculptures but her gaze was all business, scrutinizing the scene for any clue as to what might have happened here. Finally, she knelt next to Corelli. No blood that I can see. She touched the man’s carotid artery then his arm. Male in his thirties, blond hair, brown eyes, no pulse, near full rigor, no visible blood, though we may find some under him. He’s dressed casually in boots, a down jacket and jeans so not a jogger and no sign of a dog. Maybe he lives nearby and was out for a walk. She picked up his hand and studied his palm, then moved around to check the other hand. His clothing and his hands are clean. His lack of calluses indicates a desk job rather than hard labor.

Recognize him?

Parker shook her head. You know all these white guys look alike to me.

Corelli knew the joke was Parker signaling she wasn’t holding a grudge. But then she never did, no matter how shitty Corelli treated her.

They looked up at the sound of Medical Legal Investigator Gloria Ndep’s voice. Corelli glanced at Parker. As usual, she appeared professional when faced with the woman she may have been in bed with when she got called to the scene a short time before.

Ndep signed in, pulled on protective gear and then approached them. Good morning, detectives, what have we got on this lovely day?

Although Ndep wasn’t a detective, she had medical, forensics and investigative training, a keen eye and an analytic mind. Corelli respected her ability to analyze a crime scene and read the victim. Sometimes Ndep saw things she and Parker missed. We’d appreciate your take on it.

Okay. Let’s see what we can see. She pursed her lips and surveyed the area. I guess it’s called Penny Park because of those bronze pennies everywhere. But what are these funny little creatures? Is it meaningful that he died in the middle of these strange sculptures in this unusual park?

Good question. This whole installation—Corelli waved her hand—is a commentary on capitalism. The bronze sculptures are cartoonish representations of capitalists, laborers, bohemians, and animals interacting. It’s political. Once we identify our vic, the reason he died here might become clear. Or not.

Ndep began sketching the scene on her iPad. Parker did the same with pencil and paper while Corelli took pictures with her iPhone.

Morning. Lopez, the crime scene unit photographer, greeted them and immediately got to work photographing the body.

When Lopez indicated she gotten the pictures she needed in this position, Ndep put her iPad down and began her examination of the victim. No visible wounds on the back of his head, neck, torso or legs. She looked at his hands. Rigor. No rings. No calluses, nails manicured. She bagged his hands, frowned, then felt along his right arm. The rigor makes it hard to be sure but I’d guess this arm is broken. Help me turn him, Detective Parker.

Lopez continued to take pictures.

Because of the rigidity, it was difficult to move him but with Corelli’s help they flipped him onto his back.

His face is clear. Ndep unzipped his jacket and pulled his sweater up. No wounds that I can see on his chest. She pulled the neck of the turtleneck down. Extensive bruising on his neck. She checked his eyes. Red spots, petechiae in the eyes. Looks like he was strangled. She unbuckled his belt and unzipped his jeans. Parker helped her pull the jeans down. No visible signs of sexual activity. Let’s turn him again.

Corelli put her hand out. Wait, let me take a picture of his face so we can use it to get an identification. She took several photos from different angles, then they turned him onto his stomach again.

Ndep pulled his jacket and sweater up and examined his back. There’s extensive premortem bruising on his back and around his kidneys. It looks like he has a couple of broken ribs. Livor mortis, where the blood pooled, indicates he was lying on his back after death. It’s likely he was killed elsewhere and dumped here. She ran her fingers through his hair, then pulled the turtleneck down exposing the back of his neck. The bruising on the front of his neck and his back indicates the killer strangled him from behind, maybe put a knee in the kidney area to weaken him. She took his anal temperature and made notes on her iPad. Parker helped her pull his pants up. Ndep searched his rear pockets but came up empty. Help me tilt him, please. Parker and Corelli tipped him onto one side than the other to give Ndep access to the other pockets in his pants and jacket. She handed Corelli some change, a Metro card, keys, a pack of Marlboros, and a wad of cash.

Corelli dropped everything but the keys and the cash into the evidence bag Parker held out for her. Three hundred dollars in fifties and twenties. She dumped the money in the bag, placed the keys in a smaller bag and pocketed them.

Just this in his jacket pockets. Ndep handed Parker a crumpled piece of paper. She smoothed the page. Looks like an invoice. She passed it to Corelli. Do you think it’s even related?

Account number: 03151752

Amount: $4,000/month

Remit to: Deep Dig Excavation Services

305 Van Brunt Street #201

Red Hook, NY 11231

Corelli frowned. I’d expect an hourly or daily rate for digging but I guess this could be a flat rate for a month of service. Could be our vic is building something or maybe he runs Deep Dig Excavation. She slipped the page into an evidence bag. Interesting that he has no ID. It doesn’t look like robbery or a sex meetup to me. What’s your take, Ndep?

Ndep looked up from her iPad. As I said, I doubt he was killed here. But the cash does contradict robbery. And while the park might point to a meetup, I didn’t see any indication of sexual activity when I examined him and I don’t see anything else that points that way. We’ll know more after the autopsy.

What about time of death? Parker said.

Ndep studied her iPad. Livor and rigor mortis are both advanced so I’d guess between seven p.m. and midnight last night but I’ll have a better guess after the autopsy. She waved at the two men standing at the top of the staircase with a gurney. We’ll take him now. I’ll let you know when we schedule the autopsy.

The morgue techs moved through the small crowd that had gathered, carried the gurney down the steps and wheeled it over to Ndep. The three got to work stuffing the rigid body into the body bag. Distracted by their struggle, Corelli was surprised when the crime scene team appeared. She greeted the team then turned to Parker. I’m going to talk to the witness, you work with these guys.

The young man kneeling next to a large dog, maybe a lab, stood as she approached.

I’m Detective Corelli, Mr. Ryder. You found the body?

Yes. I walk my dog here every morning before dawn. I usually sit at the table down there for a few minutes to watch the sunrise over the water. I thought the guy was drunk but when Bella started whining and pulling on the leash to get to him, I realized something was off. When I got closer, I could smell him so I used my phone flashlight to get a better look. It was clear he was dead so I called 911.

Was anyone in the park when you approached?

No. It was pretty early. While I waited for the police, a few joggers ran by on the path but nobody in or near Penny Park.

Did you encounter anyone on the way to the park?

He shook his head. As I said, it was early. I rarely see anyone before dawn.

Thank you, Mr. Ryder. You can go. She handed him her card. Give me a call if you remember anything or anybody unusual.

Chapter Two

Once the body was removed and the crime techs were collecting evidence, Corelli put Detective Joey Forlini in charge of the scene and the officers and detectives canvassing the neighborhood. Then, each lost in her own thoughts, Corelli and Parker strolled to the car which Parker had left in front of Stuyvesant High School on the short street leading to the park.

Parker was feeling good. When she challenged Corelli about walking to the scene she’d braced for the usual angry rant. But Corelli caught herself before she dumped on her. She was doing that more and more and she was getting better about taking responsibility for her anger. Parker appreciated her apology. She assumed the change was due to the PTSD group for women veterans Corelli was attending, but whatever the reason, the tension between them was easing.

What do you think we should do next? Corelli’s voice startled Parker.

She gazed at Corelli. She was far from the homicide novice Corelli had reluctantly taken under her wing almost eight months ago and it seemed obvious to her. Was this a Corelli gotcha? I don’t see any option other than to go to the Red Hook address to see if we can identify him. Why?

Why what?

Parker faced Corelli over the roof of their vehicle. "Why are you asking me? Is this Homicide 201, you know, where I lead the investigation instead of you? She knew she sounded snarky, but Corelli was always springing things on her. She braced for a nasty response, something like, Too scared, Ms. ADA?"

Corelli rested her chin on her crossed arms on the roof of the car and studied Parker. You’ve functioned more like a partner than a trainee on our last few cases and I believe you’re more than ready to take the lead. This appears to be a good starter case, no high-visibility vics, no career-wrecking politics. But if you don’t feel up to it, we can wait.

Parker hadn’t expected such an unambiguous answer. It was true she’d felt freer and more confident during their last couple of cases but Corelli was in charge, not her and the risk was low. Was she ready to direct the whole investigation, be responsible for not only her actions but the actions of a team of detectives, all more experienced than her? Corelli obviously thought so. Would Corelli let her fail? She hoped not. Being the lead was what she wanted. Fear of failing wouldn’t keep her from trying. Okay.

Okay what?

I’m the lead. And Red Hook it is.

Corelli straightened. Do you want me to drive?

Parker slapped her hand on the roof. Uh-uh. I’m happy to take the lead but I’m not willing to put my life in your hands. Get in. I’ll drive.

Corelli seemed to be feeling nostalgic. As Parker followed the directions of the disembodied voice of the GPS, Corelli uncharacteristically entertained her with stories of growing up in Brooklyn and riding her first motorcycle to Red Hook. Parker had seen pictures of Corelli and her motorcycle from those days, and Corelli and her friends looked exactly like the tough Italian girls Parker had always tried to stay clear of on the subway and bus rides to and from school.

"When I was a kid, Red Hook was a working-class neighborhood with a busy shipyard. But then the maritime industry disappeared and the area was depressed for a long time. It’s only in recent years that artists and galleries attracted by cheap rents in the few, small prewar apartment buildings, lofts, and single and multi-family houses, discovered the beauty of the area. And even more recently, that small businesses and tech companies followed.

Red Hook’s waterfront is similar to that of Brooklyn Heights but unlike its upscale neighbor, it’s relatively free of development. The fact that the closest subway is a mile away and local bus connections are not great is a good part of the reason. The presence of Red Hook Houses, one of the largest public housing developments in the city, may also have something to do with it.

Parker side-eyed Corelli. Are you saying that the presence of poor and minority neighbors has kept developers from exploiting the area?

Yup. The lack of transportation is important for sure. And though no one speaks about it, my guess is that developers won’t build luxury buildings in mixed neighborhoods because people with money won’t buy there.

Before Parker could process this information, they arrived at the address on Van Brunt Street. To their disappointment, it was a UPS store tucked into a retail area lined with stores, coffee shops, bars and restaurants.

Shit, Parker said. She’d been shamed out of swearing by her uncle as a child so she rarely swore, but she was getting more comfortable with it lately. Sometimes cursing could communicate exactly what you were feeling. I’ll take this one.

They left the car at the curb and went in to see what they could find out about Deep Dig Excavation Services. The tall, heavyset black man wrapping a box behind the counter reminded Parker of Jessie, her almost adoptive father. Are you the manager?

No. But if you’ll settle for the owner, I’m Tyler Wilson. He curtsied, which was funny for a guy his size.

Parker smiled in spite of herself. Nice to meet you.

He stopped wrapping and examined the shields and ID they displayed. How can I help you?

We’re here about one of your customers. We’d like to see the application for box 201 and whatever mail is in it.

Sorry. No can do. Wilson looked apologetic.

Do you recognize this man? Parker nodded at Corelli and she displayed the photos of the victim.

Wilson’s eyebrows shot up. Is he…dead?

He was murdered last night. We believe he’s the owner of Deep Dig Excavation Services and identifying him will help us move quickly to find his killer. Parker gave him a few seconds to absorb that. Don’t make us waste time getting a warrant.

"He’s Ned Rich, that investigative reporter at The Daily Post. He said his company was about data, not dirt. Wilson chewed his lip. How about a compromise? I’ll show you his application and answer your questions but you get a warrant for whatever mail is in the box."

It wasn’t exactly what she wanted but she’d take it. Fine. Let’s see the application.

Give me a minute. He came out of the back room and handed Parker two documents, a copy of the application and a copy of Rich’s driver’s license. After a quick scan, Parker passed them to Corelli. Do you know where Thirteenth Street is, Mr. Wilson?

Yes, it’s over in Gowanus off Third Avenue. You can see by the note I made that I checked to be sure it was a valid address. That’s my standard practice. I also called the cell phone number he listed and he answered.

If she couldn’t get the actual mail without a warrant at least she could get some information. How much mail did Mr. Rich receive?

Um. Wilson thought about the question. Not a lot. Maybe eight to ten letters a week.

How often did he come in?

A couple of times a week.

So the mail was important enough to make a couple of trips a week. What was he like?

Always pleasant but not particularly friendly. It was, you know, hello, nice day. But he paid the rent on time and in cash.

Thank you, Mr. Wilson. Someone will come in with a warrant to get the accumulated mail but please continue to hold any mail that comes in. And don’t close the box until we tell you it’s okay.

Now we know who he is but I’m starting to feel like Gretel following a freaking trail of breadcrumbs, Corelli said when they were out on the street.

Parker snuck a peek at Corelli as she slid into the car. She was frustrated too but it was part of the job. The Thirteenth Street address may be real or just another breadcrumb but let’s check it out. In the meantime, give our favorite detective, Dietz, a call about getting the warrant for the mailbox.

Chapter Three

The entire four-story building at the Thirteenth Street address housed the Brooklyn Office Mart, a shared twenty-four-seven office space company that provided desks, offices, conference rooms and business services. The guy at the desk didn’t recognize Rich’s name or face but confirmed on his computer that Deep Dig Excavation Services rented a lockable, one-person, private office space plus several locked cabinets. Now they were getting somewhere.

Though the manager on duty had not tried to keep them from entering, Corelli called the station house and asked Dietz to get a warrant for the office, send a team to search it and retrieve the files from the four locked file cabinets and the locked desk. While Parker figured out which keys on Rich’s key ring opened the file cabinets, the desk and the office, Corelli retrieved the yellow police tape from the car. They placed the keys in an envelope provided by the manager, put it on the desk in the office, then sealed the office with police tape. After warning the manager that it was off-limits to anyone except the police officers who would come with a warrant and boxes to clear it out, they left.

What’s next? Corelli asked.

"Let’s see what we can find out at The Daily Post."

Parker crossed the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan and headed up the East River Drive to The Daily Post office on Thirty-ninth Street and Second Avenue. It was the tail end of the morning rush hour and traffic was still heavy. Forty-five minutes later they arrived at a dreary brown brick high-rise dwarfed and humbled by the glistening steel and glass towers surrounding it. Parker pulled into a nearby loading zone, flipped down the On Duty placard and hoped they wouldn’t be ticketed and towed by an enthusiastic NYPD tow truck.

After informing security they were there about the death of an employee, they were escorted to the office of the Vice President of Human Resources, Ms. Terrie Garcia. She smiled pleasantly. Please have a seat. She examined the cards they’d handed her. Homicide? How can I help?

Parker didn’t hesitate. Edward Rich was found dead this morning. He was murdered. We need whatever you can tell us about him.

Murdered? Garcia’s smile faded. That’s terrible. She tapped her fingers on her desk, then pulled her keyboard close and typed something. She confirmed Rich’s date of birth, length of service, that he was an investigative reporter at an annual salary of $55,000 plus bonuses for stories that lifted sales.

What about next of kin?

Lisa Puglisi. Bergenfield, New Jersey. Garcia jotted down the information and handed the paper to Parker.

Any idea of their relationship?

It says friend.

Thanks. Parker handed the slip to Corelli. Does he live at that address?

Let’s see. Garcia scrolled down her screen. No. He lives in Red Hook, Brooklyn. She read off the address.

That confirms the address we have, Parker said. Is it current?

It should be since it’s where we send his paychecks.

A rented mailbox. Interesting. We’d like to look through his office.

Garcia sat back. Reporters don’t have offices. If you don’t have any other questions, I’ll take you down to Josh Krupke, his editor. He can show you his desk.

Garcia led them through a large noisy room filled with desks separated by waist-high dividers. People stood and stared. They seemed to drag silence with them. Since some of The Daily Post staff were intent on destroying Corelli’s reputation, Parker assumed they were surprised to see her here, and curious about her presence. Corelli, on the other hand, might have been strolling in a garden with nothing on her mind but flowers. She appeared to be unaware of the disturbance they created. Parker admired Corelli’s strength, her ability not to let the hate and unfounded accusations spewed about and at her get her down, her dedication to doing the right thing no matter the consequences, and her self-confidence. Parker hadn’t verbalized it even to herself but she liked and cared about Corelli.

Garcia ushered them into one of the small offices along the windows, introduced them to Josh Krupke, informed him Rich was dead and let him know he was free to share the reporter’s information. As the door closed behind her, conversations on the floor started up again.

Krupke was not the pudgy, bald, cigar-smoking newspaper editor the movies had led Parker to expect. He was tall and thin, had wild hair and a bushy beard and looked like a grungy mountain boy. He was shocked to hear that Rich was dead, even more shocked to hear he was murdered.

Parker dove right in. What was he working on?

I don’t know exactly. Krupke shifted his gaze from the window to Parker. He was usually researching a couple of story ideas but he didn’t like to talk about them. When he hit one that looked like it had a payoff, he ran it by me for approval and I took it to legal and the brass. A couple of weeks ago he said he was on to something explosive but he wouldn’t be specific. I was curious and pushed a little. Is it sex-trafficking, money laundering, embezzlement, rape, kidnapping, or what? He said, ‘It’s or what. A threat to our democracy.’

Democracy. Could it be any more political? Parker glanced at Corelli. Was she also remembering her comment about no high-visibility vics, nothing political? So that would have been mid-February? Did he express any fear or give any indication that he might be in danger?

You think the democracy story got him killed?

Even if Parker knew, she wouldn’t tell anyone in the media, especially anyone at The Daily Post. We’ve just started the investigation. It would be helpful to know whether he felt threatened by anyone from a current or previous investigation.

If he did, he didn’t share it with me. Every now and then he backed off stories he felt were trouble. I don’t know if that meant he felt threatened. Krupke looked up something on his computer. That talk with Ned was the first week in February.

Parker realized that though Rich had discussed it a month ago, he’d probably been working on the story for a while. Had he stumbled on something dangerous or did something else get him killed? Did you feed him ideas for stories or did he generate them himself?

Krupke tugged on his beard. He either generated them himself or he took off from a lead he got from our tipster line.

Tell me about the tipster line.

It’s a daily feature in our paper. You must have seen it. He glanced at Corelli. Oh, I guess you’re not regular readers. He reached behind him for a copy of The Daily Post, thumbed through it, folded the paper to a sidebar and handed it to Parker.

Corelli leaned in and they read it together:

REWARD

$500 reward for any tip that leads to a story