Karenna walked forward in a daze. Was it possible Celia had known Sarah? And if so, what if Marcus had used his connection to her to get into Celia’s apartment? For a city, sometimes it seemed like a small world among certain circles.
“Karenna!” A shout came from the right.
Ray stepped forward in front of her, his left hand out, ready to block anything that came their way. She peeked over his shoulder, past the barrier set up on either side of the sidewalk in front of the apartment buildings. “It’s Lindsey! From work.”
He lowered his hand. “Do you want to see her?”
Weariness weighed down her bones. “Maybe just for a minute.”
Ray beckoned with two fingers and the officer guarding the barrier let Lindsey through. Wearing a black-and-white-striped pantsuit, Lindsey rushed forward, holding a giant plastic container of what looked like soup.
“Karenna, are you okay?” With one arm she wrapped Karenna in a much-needed hug.
“I’ll give you a moment while I ask if we can get in there to gather your things,” Ray said.
They stepped apart as Ray moved to talk to an officer. Karenna gingerly touched her forehead. “Somehow I managed to only get a small cut.”
“I’m so thankful. I heard the shots a couple blocks away.” Lindsey’s perceptive eyes moved between Karenna and Ray. “He wasn’t at the office for a social visit.”
“No. I might be able to identify a criminal, and I’d rather not say any more in case it puts you in danger. I couldn’t stand that.” Her chest hurt not only from the trauma of the last day but also from holding back all the things going on in her heart that wanted to burst.
“And spending time with him is making things even harder on you,” Lindsey said.
“Is it that obvious?” Her gaze drifted to Ray’s profile.
“Well, it might be partly the ugly yellow blanket’s fault, but your face looks like you wanted to adopt a puppy you had your heart set on and your parents said no.”
Lindsey could always explain things in the most expressive ways.
“It’s a little more intense than that, but yeah.”
Her friend offered a sad smile. “I had a feeling something bigger was going on, and when you called in sick for work, I thought I should bring you some soup.” She handed Karenna the big plastic container of what looked like a tomato bisque, as well as disposable spoons and napkins. “And, in case it was a heart-related sickness, I brought some emotional support.” Lindsey reached into her purse and pulled out a giant chocolate bar.
Karenna accepted the gift with a laugh. “Dark chocolate with almond toffee bits. Good call.” Her stomach growled loudly as if agreeing. She hadn’t had anything to eat at the hospital, having arrived after dinner and leaving before breakfast.
“Almonds have protein,” Lindsey said with sincerity. Her gaze followed some of the officers to Karenna’s apartment and the blown-out window. Lindsey’s hands flew up to her mouth and her eyes instantly welled with tears. “Oh, Karenna. When you said—I mean I saw the barriers and heard the shots, but I had no idea. Your apartment!”
In that moment Karenna had no doubt that her dear friend loved her. So why had Karenna been so scared of opening up?
“You can stay with me tonight, Karenna.”
“Absolutely not. I’m not putting anyone else I know in danger.” For some reason she felt the need to get everything out in the open. “I’ve never told anyone at work, but my father is the Mr. Pressley.”
She eyed her skeptically. “Your dad was Elvis?”
Karenna had no idea how healing laughter would feel. “No. Greg Pressley.”
“Oh, the conglomerate. Wow. Okay.” Lindsey’s eyes widened. “Is the criminal you can identify from his company?”
“No, I...” She shrugged. “I’ve been trying to keep it a secret that I was related to him because I was worried people might judge me or try to use me to get to him. But not you. You’ve been a great friend to me.” Her voice shook. “Sorry. I’m so tired. The point is, I think he’ll be able to help me find a place to stay that won’t put anyone else I know in danger.”
Lindsey placed her hands over Karenna’s, which were wrapped around the soup and the chocolate. “Well, if it doesn’t work out, my apartment is still an option.”
And just like the security system she didn’t know she needed, the soup and the friendship warmed her chilled hands. “Please pray for me.”
“Absolutely.”
Karenna knew Lindsey would. So, if she had no problem asking for help with people who really knew her, who provided for needs she didn’t even realize she had, then why couldn’t she ask God for help? Didn’t He know her and love her more than anyone else?
The realization rocked her back on her heels.
Ray’s hand touched her elbow. She hadn’t heard him approach. “We need to get going.”
There was no time to really process, but she tried to play the thought in a loop, as if she’d forget the moment she finally got some rest.
She waved at Lindsey one last time before getting in Ray’s SUV. He moved slowly through the maze of firetrucks, police cruisers and ambulances, until they opened a barrier for his car. “I’m sorry they didn’t let us go into your apartment. We’ll have to stop somewhere for you to pick up clothes for the night. I’m sure by tomorrow, after they’ve let the crime scene techs go over the place, they’ll let someone gather you a bag worth.”
Karenna nodded. At this point, the concerns over her appearance had all but disappeared.
Once on a clear road, he drove with one hand, silent, as his other hand flipped his dad’s challenge coin back and forth over his knuckles. “I’m glad I at least went over and asked,” he said. “If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have seen my dad’s coin on the side of the road. It must’ve fallen out of my pocket at some point.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d lost it.”
Despite her exhaustion, the drive behind his actions had never been clearer. And, while she was ready to open her heart more to family, friends and, finally, to God, she felt certain it wasn’t safe to drop the walls for a man driven by vengeance. “Did I misunderstand or was your boss upset that you ran in before backup arrived?”
“You overheard that?” He flipped the challenge coin into his palm and clasped it. “Once you’re in administration, you have to be concerned about red tape and bureaucratic stuff. It doesn’t change the fact that I’ve had the most drug dealer collars of anyone within the NYPD. So they have to gripe at me, but they still want my results. The bottom line is he can’t truly understand.” He shrugged and pocketed the coin. “Just like you didn’t used to understand, but you get it now.”
She digested his words. “What if I told you that I understand but I don’t agree?”
He frowned. “What are you saying?”
“You ran toward the bullets without backup, Ray. There—”
“I did my job.”
“With unnecessary risk.”
He exhaled and pulled out into traffic. “Maybe. But I had to try to get him. Risk is an inherent part of the job. If we’d stayed together, we’d probably always have disagreed on the appropriate level.” Ray glanced over, the question in his eyes barely masking the anger in the rest of his face. The message seemed clear. If she wasn’t going to agree with him, then they had no future. Fine. His eyes still made her heart pound faster, though, even if she was hurt, disappointed, and scared for his safety.
His phone rang and he clicked the speaker button with more force than necessary.
“It’s Belle. We went through the apartment and found a business card that seems to indicate Celia Dunbar works at an advertising agency in Sheepshead Bay.”
“No she doesn’t,” Karenna said. “Not anymore, but I can get you in to see her at her office without a warrant, I’m sure of it.”
“What if she was in on the plan to kill you?” Belle asked through the speaker.
She sighed. “I guess anything is possible, but I doubt it. I let her come over once when I found her in the rain, having lost her key. She waited at my place until the property manager was back. She seemed like a really nice person.”
“Like you said, Miss Pressley, anything is possible. I’ll see you back at the station, Ray,” Belle added.
“Affirmative,” Ray said. He clicked the phone off.
Karenna faced forward as a line of police SUVs lined up in front of a building came into view. The best thing she could do for herself was to help Ray catch the dealer as fast as possible so he could be out of her life forever.
Ray bit back the angry words rolling around in his head. Here he was, trying to do his best to catch the guy who wanted to kill her, and everyone wanted him to focus on protocol? Didn’t anyone understand?
He gestured to the small waiting area in the K-9 training center, where Karenna could wait.
The veterinary tech at the front desk hitched a thumb over her shoulder. “The doc is giving Abby a final check. She should be ready in two minutes.”
Ray nodded and approached the door to the kennels where Abby would be returned. A grown man’s familiar holler in the distance drew him farther into the center.
A German shepherd Ray didn’t recognize dragged a suited officer out of a Jeep used for training purposes. Ray knew the officer the moment his shiny head emerged from the vehicle. Henry Roarke hollered again as the dog’s firm grasp on his arm wouldn’t release. Ray knew from his time in training that the hollering was necessary so the dog would get used to it, but Henry’s sounded so real, Ray wondered if the padded suit had seen better days.
The trainer yelled a command but the dog was having too much fun using Henry’s suited arm as a play toy. They clipped the leash onto the dog’s harness and she finally released. Henry caught sight of Ray watching and shook his head.
Another trainer helped unbuckle the suit. “He’s got the clamp down obviously, but he hesitated when he jumped in the car and I yelled. We need to work on that.” The trainer nodded as Henry stepped fully out of the suit in a navy T-shirt and pants, sweat dripping down his neck.
“The perks of modified duty?” Ray asked. He knew Henry hated not being allowed in the field while being investigated by Internal Affairs over alleged excessive force.
Henry chuckled. “Don’t even start.” He swung his arms over his head and stretched. “As much as I never wanted to wear the padded suit again, I forgot how valuable it was to see the dog’s point of view. The suit though, man...”
“Still reeks?”
“The last person who wore it had to be taking daily onion pills. It’s killing me.”
Ray smirked. “Yeah, keep thinking that’s onions.”
They both knew that part of the test for becoming a K-9 officer was the ability to withstand the smell of bodily odors within the padded suit they all had to share. It was impossible not to sweat buckets in that suit, whether hiding in a box, a car or just withstanding the chomp of a Belgian Malinois. Though they joked, they knew the suit often kept the dogs from breaking skin even if the olfactory experience for the officer wasn’t pleasant.
“You trying to earn a nickname like Lone Ranger?” Henry asked.
Ray groaned. “Not you, too.”
“Pretty hard not to hear all about it.” He waved at the officers going in and out between the center and the station. “I might complain because Internal Affairs is taking forever to get their act together, but I’m counting on the fact I followed protocol in order to prove my innocence. If I hadn’t, and that punk had gotten my gun, I’m certain I wouldn’t be alive right now.” He pulled his chin back. “Not to mention my partner.”
“I think this is a little different.”
“Is it? If we all get to pick and choose what protocol we use, how can I trust that you’ve got my back?” Henry glanced purposefully at the security wall monitor dedicated to the waiting area where Karenna sat. “How can the people who care about us trust we’ll make good decisions? All I’m saying is remember it’s not all about you.”
Why did people keep saying that? The whole reason Ray had run inside that building was the exact opposite of thinking about himself. He watched all those true crime shows to make sure he didn’t mess up, that a case would never be thrown out because of a mistake, but he found his arguments faltering. He respected Gavin and Henry. If they were spotting a weakness he was blind to...
“Looks like your partner is ready for you, Abby,” came Dr. Mazelli’s voice. Ray smiled at the sight of his K-9 partner. “We gave her a precautionary IV of fluid for supportive care last night. She’s fully recovered. You did good, using your syringe right away. There’s a new one waiting at the front for you.”
“Thanks for outfitting us. I hope I never have to use it again.” Ray turned to find Abby wagging her tail. “There’s my girl.” She flopped over at the phrase he used before he rewarded her with a belly rub.
Henry laughed. “Speaking of ready to work, Cody is ready for some more bomb training. Gotta stay at the top of our game. Later, man.”
Ray grabbed Abby’s gear and they fell in step as if nothing had ever happened. But nothing felt the same. He stepped in the waiting room to find Karenna halfway through her container of soup. She looked up with a guilty expression. “I was starving. There’s another spoon here.”
“I’m glad to see you eating. Are you ready to go?”
“Absolutely.” She exhaled. “Celia’s new job is with my father’s company.”
His mouth dropped open, despite himself. “No wonder you can get us in without a warrant.”
“My dad might not be too pleased, but if it leads to catching Marcus, I’m sure he’ll agree a little disruption is worth it. She’s at the Prospect Heights branch of offices.”
She rattled off the street intersection and Ray texted Belle to meet him there so the officer could stay in the loop. The last thing he needed was one more reason for another coworker to give him grief.
The four-story commercial building was brand-new, having replaced an older building that had been demolished a couple years back. Belle’s SUV pulled up behind him and he waited for Justice to be at her side before he let Abby and Karenna out of his vehicle.
“Here’s how this is going down,” he told Karenna. “We’ll accept your help to get us inside the building for a friendly chat with Miss Dunbar, but you will need to stay in a waiting room or meeting room or something.”
She pursed her lips for a moment before nodding. “Fine.”
The security guard behind the curved desk looked between the two officers and their K-9s, but his eyes lit up at the sight of Karenna. “Miss Pressley, glad to see you again. And are you officers with her or separate?”
“They’re with me, Mike. We just have some news to deliver to Celia Dunbar. Is she in the office today?”
He checked his screen. “Yes. Fourth floor. Should I let her know you’re on the way up?”
“No, there’s no need to interrupt her if she’s in the middle of something. We’ll wait until she has a minute.”
They got into the elevator, the back wall of which was clear glass. At the first floor, the view was of the older oak trees in the area but by the fourth floor, a significant part of Brooklyn could be seen. Even the dogs seemed transfixed.
They stepped out into the lobby. All the offices had glass doors and walls facing the carpeted hallway. Karenna pointed to the right. “I see her. Red blouse. She’s in that third office.”
Belle gestured to the padded leather bench against the wall next to the elevator. “Why don’t you wait here, Miss Pressley?” Karenna clearly decided not to argue as she sat down.
Ray knocked on the open door and Celia’s eyes went wide. She stood, her eyes moving to the black leather futon on the side. Behind the far end, a duffel bag, a folded blanket and a pillow were stacked. Her office chair, now empty, held a lumbar support device.
Abby lifted her nose high in the air and strained forward, but without Ray giving her permission, she stayed at his side. Her feet began to move.
“Is there a problem?” Celia asked.
“I’m Officer Montera, and this is Officer Morrow,” Belle said. “We just need to ask a few questions. Do you still live at...” Belle glanced at her phone and rattled off the address.
“Uh...” Celia glanced down at her desk and to the bookshelf behind the futon as if looking for an answer. “I guess. Yes.”
“I’ve heard that back pillow is great. Wrestling with back pain?” Ray asked nonchalantly.
She blinked rapidly, flustered, and turned around to see what he was referring to. “Uh, yes. I slipped on the ice this past winter. My back hasn’t quite recovered yet.”
“Have you been sleeping here, Miss Dunbar?”
Her eyes flashed. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”
“It’s our business when someone uses your apartment as a vantage point to shoot up the building across the street, risking many lives,” Belle said.
Celia blanched, her face pale. She sank down in her chair.
Abby strained a second time, her nose working overtime.
“Do we need to worry about what’s in that duffel bag, Miss Dunbar?” Ray asked, nodding at the black futon.
“Of course not.” Her voice shook. She clasped her twitching fingers into a fist on top of the desk and swallowed hard. “Are you here with a warrant?”
“No,” Ray said softly. He took a step closer to the desk and held his hand down low so Abby knew to stay close to him instead of going for the duffel bag. “But I’m sure that will be the next step. It would help you in the long run if you worked with us to help find the shooter.”
She reached for her water bottle and drank greedily before she set it down. “A...a friend asked if he could use it for one night. I thought—I had no idea. A shooter?” Her lip trembled.
“Check the news, ma’am,” Belle offered.
Celia typed rapidly on her keyboard and the large computer monitor on her desk flashed to local news. Her mouth dropped open and her eyebrows rose as a tiny cry escaped. Ray leaned forward enough to see the photo of the blown-out window.
“Does your friend have a name?” he asked.
She blinked her eyes rapidly. “I...we...uh...”
“Celia?” Karenna asked.
Ray spun around. He couldn’t believe she’d ignored him.
Celia stood, her fingers gripping the edge of the desk. “Was it your apartment?”
Karenna nodded.
Her head dropped and tears ran down her cheeks. “I had no idea. I promise. I had no idea. He said one night, just for a place to crash in exchange for more... It’s just my back pain...”
Ah. So Celia was exchanging use of her apartment for drugs.
“I know,” Karenna said soothingly. She walked past Ray and Belle and the dogs to reach the desk. Grabbing a pen off Celia’s desktop, she wrote a name and number on a notepad.
“Is that the client you told me about?” Celia asked hesitantly.
Karenna nodded. “I promise she’ll get you the help you need for your addiction. It’s not going to be easy, but the people here will help.”
The tears continued to roll down Celia’s cheeks. “Stephen. The guy who asked to use my apartment. That’s his name. I don’t know a last name.”
Ray exchanged a glance with Belle. Who was Stephen? Was there another dealer involved or had Marcus hired a shooter? He pulled out his phone and pulled up the image Karenna had sent him. He turned the screen to show Celia. “Is this your friend?”
Her eyes flickered to the photo and widened in recognition. She lost all color in her cheeks as her hands clasped her stomach. “I don’t know anything. I need to ask you to leave.”
Ray nodded and they all turned to leave. He and Abby brought up the rear of their caravan back to the elevator. One thing seemed obvious, though. Celia was a woman scared for her life.