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Mo Willems

“Ladies and gentlemen, you don’t want to hear any more from me. After all, I presented the same information yesterday. So instead, I’ll turn everything over to our newest hero, the recipient of Mayor Rosen’s key to the city, Detective Emma Rules.”

The applause rose, proving there were more observers than reporters, though there were plenty of both despite the weather. The dark clouds, blowing wind and hints of imminent frost were a far cry from the warmth of California. Fighting down a blush of embarrassment, Em took the microphone.

“Heck, you’ve heard the details of the case, and saw everything I did on TV last night, so how about I just answer questions.” This time, there was no contest, the journalists jumped in before anyone else. However, instead of the news teams, it was the entertainment reporters who proved the most vocal.

“How long have you and Mandy been together?” “Is this a long term affair?” “Are you planning marriage?”

Smirking, Commissioner Eddleson interrupted. “Excuse me, let’s keep this to single questions. I’m afraid we poor cops can only focus on one item at a time.”

“The first,” someone else yelled. “How long have you known Mandy?” However, that choice was immediately countered by several asking about marriage plans. Smiling, Em took over.

“As far as how long we’ve been together, let’s just say ‘long enough’. As for long–term affairs, any affair is too long, but romances of the heart last longer.” She stopped to glare at Mike, which he smiled at, appreciating the irony. “Finally, as for marriage, no one has asked anyone yet. So until they do ...”

“Seriously,” one of the news reporters asked, shouting to be heard over the rancorous entertainment reporters, “you’ve never had any music, entertainment or business contacts which anyone knew of before. How did you fall into the middle of the Grammys with no one noticing?”

“Exactly as you suggested, I stumbled into it. I didn’t go looking for it. In fact, I never connected her with her music. I just responded to her as I would anyone else, which allowed us to communicate honestly. After that, everything tumbled into place.”

“You’re not being very straightforward,” someone on the outskirts complained.

Em laughed, rubbing her eyes. “Excuse me, I flew out yesterday, spent all day in make-up and watching Mandy practice. I got into a tussle when all I wanted was a relaxing drink, I spent hours in interviews with the cops and then we flew straight back. I’m a little tired, so as Commissioner Eddleson said, I can only focus on a single thing at a time. Does anyone have any questions about the case? Because I haven’t had a chance to consider what the rest of it means yet. Besides, I think Mandy’s addressing those issues as we speak, out on our left coast.”

That got a laugh, though the observers and entertainment people weren’t satisfied, but they were patient enough to wait their turn.

“How did your squad lose your primary witness? Who was responsible when things fell apart?”

Em shrugged, giving them a helpless smile. “What can I say, I’m not sure. But my ‘squad’ consists of me and Doug, and I’m the one responsible. But, I wasn’t in charge of the holding cells. As of now, we’re reviewing the recordings and access logs, but we haven’t uncovered much. Someone knew what they were doing. However, the witness in question was never the sole basis of our case. As someone under medication for psychiatric conditions, who attempted to murder me, we weren’t planning the investigation on his say alone. The other evidence is still there, and the inquiry will proceed on that information.”

“That’s what you said about your other leads, but each crack in the case dried up. Was someone responsible for the murder of your latest witness or not?”

“I’ll admit, things haven’t quite fallen our way. We thought we were close multiple times, but things slipped through our fingers. Let’s be honest. The people behind these crimes understood what they were doing. They’re good at covering their tracks. However, they’ve left too many footprints to quietly sweep this under the rug. That’s why they’re becoming desperate, because their wall of silence is cracking. The truth will win out. It’s only a matter of time. Need I remind you, the entire case is less than a week old at this point.”

“Do you have the time, especially with you jetting off to visit your girlfriend in L.A.?”

“Excuse me? I took one Sunday off to support a friend. Who else do you know that works seven days a week? What’s more, I’m glad I did, otherwise I’d spend the next several weeks mourning a terrific woman with a beautiful mind and a tremendous voice. You can’t stop one crime by ignoring others. Instead, you battle lawlessness as it occurs. You take the leads you uncover and run with them.”

“I’ll agree, my competitor was out of line with his remark. But how do you feel about the progress the case is taking? Do you feel Commissioner Eddleson is liable for how things are turning out?”

“Sorry, after years on the force, I’ve learned not to discuss my feelings during press conferences. Every time someone does, you rip them a new one. Instead I’ll detail facts. Here’s one: the only one responsible for this case is me and me alone. The Commissioner granted me broad authority, which is fitting, as it appears someone inside the NYPD murdered our witness. That officer will stand trial, but investigations take time. Police work doesn’t happen on your schedules, and we can’t always promise results in time for your deadlines. Yes, I took the day off, and I’m glad I did. But that doesn’t mean the entire inquiry halted, just that we’re human and are facing incredible odds. There are a lot of people hindering this case. If they can infiltrate a holding cell at One Police Plaza, it’s better there isn’t anyone else involved in the investigation.”

“Do you have any new leads, either for the case in general or who murdered the witness?”

Em had to brush her hair out of her face to answer, dark clouds sweeping past overhead. “Although we have no new advances since I left yesterday, we’re continuing where we were. My partner, Doug Wei, was busy working while I took the day off. He’s uncovered more information. The murder was by poison. Our witness was stuck with a hidden needle containing a fast-acting toxin. That allowed whoever did it to pass by and inject it, getting away before anyone realized what happened. We’re tracking down everyone with access to those classes of poison.

“Beyond that, Doug and I are pouring over recordings, trying to determine who passed by the holding cells. But in a facility this large, that includes a lot of people. Currently, no one stands out. But as you can imagine, watching video twenty hours a day, seven days a week gets exhausting. These things take time. We’ll get there, but by restricting contact with the evidence, we can prevent these types of embarrassments from occurring again.”

“So you’re saying there’s rampant corruption in the NYPD under Commissioner Eddleson?”

Glancing skyward, Em sighed loudly enough for the microphone to pick up. “No, I’m acknowledging everyone is human. In any organization this large, there are some who will take the easy way out. The New York City Police Department has an excellent reputation, but that doesn’t make us immune to a few bad apples. I’m sure the officer who committed this act is normally good at his job, otherwise he wouldn’t have access. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be corrupted under the right circumstances. But it’s because of Commissioner Eddleson and Mayor Rosen that we’re making the progress we are.”

Having waited for their opportunity, the entertainment reporters were getting antsy, so the rest of the interview focused on Em’s private life, much to Mike’s amusement. He didn’t mind the attention shifting from his affair with a murder victim, to a hero cop saving a national star. Mayor Rosen didn’t, either. Em was now the most recognized police officer in the five boroughs.

Despite the grueling press conference—mostly concerning her private life—the long hours the previous day and being recognized and questioned the entire way home, Em was still on an emotional high. Life, like this case, was interesting. That was better than a boring existence any day!

Mike gave her the rest of the day off—unnecessary, since she didn’t report to anyone—to ‘interview witnesses and prepare strategies for tomorrow’. Playing with the large key dangling from her neck, Em glanced down the hall. Amanda’s door remained locked and her apartment unoccupied. They flew back immediately after standing in for several pre-taped interviews on several networks, including the Tonight Show. Remembering the wild ride of the previous day, she turned her key and opened the door.

“Auntie Em!” Becky yelled, scrambling off the floor and rushing at her like a panther pouncing on a jackrabbit. Em had just enough time to drop her bag before her niece landed in her arms. Spinning them in a circle, she noted the collection of people awaiting her.

Becky clutched her tightly. “We saw you on TV! You were awesome. Not as wonderful as when you saved my life, but still terrific. Your videos are all over You Tube.”

“Thanks, I’ll tell Amanda. She’ll appreciate it. I’ve been a bit busy to check just how popular the clips were. I hope you don’t mind if I tell her you also like her music.”

“Please, I play Mandy’s songs all day long on your radio. Neither of you ever gave us a clue who she was.”

“I told you last night when I warned you to turn on the TV, but you can’t tell anyone. You can tell them you know Mandy, but not that you met her here.” She set Becky back on the ground, rubbing her head as she turned to the others sitting around her living room. “There’s still a ... chance she’ll return for a short time.”

“So she’s gone?” Lucy asked. “As in returning to L.A. and setting up shop in a mansion somewhere?”

Em nodded as she accepted a glass of wine from Francine, taking a sip. “She’ll be busy doing the talk show circuit. She’ll do some in Manhattan at the end of the week, so she might be able to slip away. But after the Grammys, she’ll be recognized wherever she goes. So don’t count on her returning here. Even if she could disappear, everyone is following me now, so it’s even more likely she’d be noticed.”

Lucy started to say something, but Susanna beat her to the punch. “So how’s Madonna?”

Becky circled around, plopping on the floor. “Forget Madonna. Did you meet Beyonce?”

“Didn’t talk to her. I was a little distracted and didn’t stick around. But I did hear her perform. She’s ... a terrific musician.”

“Oh, please, you don’t know one performer from another. The only singer you’d recognize is Madonna.”

Em smiled as she spread out on her seat, idly rubbing her key. It felt oddly familiar, much like the crosses her mother wore, and which she’d turned her back on as a result. “That’s what Amanda appreciates, someone who doesn’t make a fuss about who she is but who treats her like anyone else. But Madonna was a treasure, treating me like a sister in need of advice, rather than a clueless peasant. We’ll visit her and Timor when I return to answer questions later in the week. I’ll finally get to meet her kids.”

“Our gay friends will never forgive you for not recognizing her.”

“If I had, she’d never have opened up the way she did, and she’d never have given me the counsel I needed.”

“I’ve got to admit, despite listening to every song she’s ever produced, I never recognized her,” Francine said.

“That was by design. When you hole up in a dump like this, you don’t expect to trip over royalty. As a result, you bypass the princesses walking by every day without their crowns.”

“Will we get to see her again?” Becky asked.

“I doubt it. Not if the two of you want to remain undercover. In fact, I wouldn’t use the front door while you’re staying here. It’s too risky.”

“So what was California like?”

“Warmer than here, both the weather and the people. There, I don’t get grilled over what I’ve done wrong.”

“Yeah, I’m amazed they let you leave. Normally, when a cop injures someone, they’re questioned for days.

“That was because of Mike. He intervened, telling the L.A. police commissioner how dependable I am. He bought it, which still surprises me. But once I finished detailing what happened, Amanda and I decided to fly back rather than heading back to another party. Seems I’d become a bigger deal than the Grammys and Mandy didn’t like me stealing her thunder.”

As everyone laughed, doubting the comments sincerity, there was a knock on the door.

Em sat bolt upright, motioning for silence with a slashing motion across her throat. When their eyes grew wide, she directed Francine and Becky to the bedroom while indicating the others should continue talking. Everyone who should know about them was already there, which meant this was a reporter or an inquisitive neighbor. Either way, it wouldn’t be good acknowledging they were residing here.

As Susanna and Lucy resume a silted conversation, Em checked the peephole. “Damn it!”

As if to accentuate her curse, someone began pounding on the door. “Come on, Emma. I know you’re inside. Just open the door and let’s talk.”

She cracked the door, peering out. “Could you keep it down, Jeremy? People live here.”

“Come on.” Jeremy wore his coat, his arms wrapped around himself. “If you won’t help me, the least you can do is invite me in so we can discuss it.”

Em cocked her head, studying him. “This is the first time you’ve shown up here. I didn’t think you even knew the address.”

Jeremy was as handsome as ever. He’d always been a pretty boy. Flawless skin, clean features, straight narrow nose and penetrating gray eyes. The problem was he’d always capitalized on his appearance. It was his best and only resource, and he played it for all it was worth. However, Em wasn’t aware of his ever working a day in his life. The few jobs he’d held during his youth, he slept with most of the women and sat back as they fought over him.

“I didn’t,” he said, glancing down the hall. “Francine scribbled it in our address book.”

“And you thought I’d risk my entire career if you showed up at my door, demanding I help you out? You’ve never sent a card, asked how I’m doing, liked me on Facebook or included me in an email. Why do you think I owe you now?”

“Look, I’m looking for my damn wife. If you lost your kids, wouldn’t you do everything you could to find them?”

“If you’d done everything you could, I doubt they’d have left.”

Jeremy’s brows knotted. “She took my money. She’s a friggin’ gold digger. She’ll come back begging when she runs out of cash, but I’d rather find her first. That way I can save our cash for Becky’s sake. I don’t want to see her hurt.”

“Hurt? You mean like being punched by her father?”

Jeremy scowled. “Francine made those accusations up after a fight, she retracted the complaint.”

“Yes, all three times. And each one was accompanied by physical injuries to either her or Becky.”

He shrugged, lifting his head. “Kids get hurt. It’s what they do. You can’t blame everything a kid gets into on the parents. Francine was the one taking care of her. How come no one ever asks the mother what happened?”

“So what do you want, Jeremy?”

“I want my damn wife and kid. Short of that, I’d like to be invited in. Get a chance to warm up, grab a coffee or a sandwich.”

“They’re not here, and I can’t search private records without jeopardizing my career.”

“Yeah, your vaunted occupation. What kind of job is arresting people for a woman?”

“Gee, wonder why you can’t get anyone to help you?”

“Look, I thought if I talked to you in person and made my peace, then maybe you’d relent. I’ve got to find my wife and kid. I need to convince them to return. I owe a lot of money because of what Francine stole.”

“I thought Mom loaned you cash to cover your debt?”

“She did, but ... it didn’t cover the entire thing.” He looked around before peering over Em’s head into her apartment.

“I doubt anyone’s going to break your kneecaps for the difference.” Em leaned against the door, holding it with her hand so her arm blocked the view. “But I told you, I can’t do anything. Or at least, I can’t do it legally. I’m not about to threaten my career as a favor to someone who doesn’t give a shit about me.”

Her brother seemed disturbed by her statement. “How can you say that? We send cards every year.”

“No, Francine and Becky sent them to maintain the family connections. Neither you nor Mom has ever spoken to me until they walked out on your sorry ass.”

He held up both hands, trying to keep the fight from escalating. “There’s no need to get testy. I’m only looking for help.” He glanced around again before turning back. “Can I come in? It’s cold out and I’m not dressed for the weather.”

“And you never thought to dress appropriately? I hope you’re not expecting to stay here. I’m entertaining friends and I don’t think they’d appreciate you ... crashing the party,” she added, letting the emphasis suggest something more.

“I don’t have a lot of cash,” Jeremy protested.

“Then you shouldn’t have wasted it on an unnecessary trip. You at least could have called to warn me you wanted to crash. If you had, I’d have told you no. I’m not set up for visitors and it’s not a good time.” Em cocked her head, as if thinking of something for the first time. “How’d you get into the building?”

Jeremy waved the concern aside. “Some little old lady let me in. When I mentioned I was looking for you, she started yakin’ away. She told me which apartment you were in and which elevator to take. Seems you’re quite the life of the party.”

“That’s why now’s such a bad time. I’ve got no privacy anymore. I’d rather not compound it by housing ungrateful relatives.”

“Yeah, Mom said you did something. That you were on the television for some reason.”

She rolled her eyes, not wanting to get into the details of her highly public life. “It’s the case I’m handling, which is another reason you can’t stay. I can be called away at any time and I’m not leaving you to paw over my stuff while I’m not here.”

He put his hands on his hips, balling his fists and got into Em’s face. “So you’re not willing to help? Not even to invite me in or let me use the phone?”

Lucy took that moment to make an appearance, sidling up to Em, wrapping an arm around her and leaning her head on her shoulder. She was dressed in one of Em’s camisoles. “Come on, Em. We’re getting lonely waiting for you.”

“Sorry, babe.” Em kissed her cheek. “We’re almost done here.” She turned back to Jeremy. “If we’re finished, I’ve got some more ... pressing business I’d rather attend to than wasting time here.”

Jeremy’s eyes were roaming up and down Lucy’s body. “Can you at least let me use your phone?”

“Really? You need to borrow a phone?” Em shrugged Lucy’s head off her shoulder and grabbed her phone from her pocket. As Jeremy watched, she punched in a few buttons. Jeremy’s down jacket started ringing. Ironically, it played one of Mandy’s songs—a plaintive love song about not being loved by an uncaring partner. “I think you’ll do fine without my phone.”

Lucy wrapped both arms around her and pulled her away from the door. “It’s about time.” Jeremy was still staring as Em slammed the door in his face.

She collapsed against the wall, mumbling curses under her breath.

“It’s OK. He’s gone.”

“How much you wanna bet he’s standing outside trying to peer in the peep hole to see what we’re up to. By the way, thanks for the rescue. It was ... inspired.” Em leaned forward, kissing Lucy. Susanna approached, peering out the peep hole. She giggled.

“Yep, he was staring. When he saw me looking out, he bolted.”

“I’ve got to talk to someone,” Em announced, heading into her bedroom. Lucy and Susanna glanced at each other before following. Francine opened the door before Em reached it, stepping aside as she entered. Becky was sitting on the edge of the bed.

“We’ve got a problem.”

“We heard.”

“But he left, didn’t he?” Becky asked. “Isn’t it OK, now?”

Em turned, ruffling her hair as Lucy and Susanna entered, standing by the door. “He did, but if he came earlier, when I wasn’t here, and heard you talking or saw you on the street, there’d be hell to pay.” She faced Francine. “I tried giving you space, but I can’t risk protecting you indefinitely if you’re going to return. It’s time to fish or cut bait. Will you file for divorce, or at least get an order of protection?”

“Uh, I hate to ask stupid questions, but if she files the papers here, won’t it reveal we’re staying with you?” Becky asked.

Em waved her arm, indicating the world outside. “We can get around that. I’m sure Amanda would fly you out with us so you can file in California. He’d have a hell of a time tracking you down there.”

Becky’s face transitioned from nervous to beaming in an instant. “Can we? I’d love to visit L.A. with Amanda. I’ve never been in a private jet before.”

“That’s asking a lot, Becky.” Francine held her head and took some deep breaths. “I guess it was only a matter of time. We’ve got to do something. I’m fine filing the papers. I’m ready to distance ourselves, but now I’m nervous about what he’s charged us with doing.”

“Don’t worry. You can’t have stolen anything, since half of everything he owns is yours. Besides, you were the main breadwinner. He’s never kept a job for long, so unless you forgot to tell me something, the money was yours, not his.”

Francine held her hands up, speaking to the air over the bed. “OK. I’ll do it. Even if I have to drive to Virginia to file the paperwork there.”

“No, L.A.’s our best bet. You can use Mandy’s address as your home to claim residence. Since she was attacked on national television, the local police will respond quickly if anyone is nosing around her property looking for you.”

Francine turned, studying Em. “Amanda wouldn’t mind? She’s got to be busy now.”

Em sat down beside Becky, giving her a big hug. “I wouldn’t count on her spending much time with you, but she’s flying me out for my next debriefing with the L.A. police. She loved her time with the two of you. I doubt she’ll object.”

Becky enveloped her aunt, burying her face near her tummy. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can’t believe we’re flying out to spend time with Mandy. This is so exciting.”

“Don’t get too excited, young lady,” her mother cautioned. “I expect we’ll stay in the background so Em and Amanda can figure things out.”

“Speaking of figuring things out.” Em turned to Susanna. “What did Simone say? Is she OK? Is Benjamin causing her any problems?”

Becky cocked her head. “Who’s Simone?”

“She’s another friend who put our witness up so we could hide him.”

Francine rubbed her hands together. “I’ll get the wine and bring it in. Move over Becky, we’re going to be getting comfortable.”

Becky clapped her hands. “Oh, boy! A sleepover!”

“Simone is doing better than she has in a long time. She’s taken to caring for him like a fish takes to water. As you know, she’s been lost since her brother died. She says he’s doing well. Apparently he took the last of his medicine before the attack, so he’s stable at the moment. The medication the coroner Walter works with got him should kick in before long. He wants to get better. I’m sure your assumption was right. He was acting worse than he actually is, to keep people at a distance. His sister got freaked out when she couldn’t depend on him around her kids. They tried to have him committed; only no one would keep him for more than 48 hours. Rather than return and stress out the family, he moved into the park, sleeping on park benches or subway grates.”

“I thought the two would work well together. I hadn’t wanted to tip our hands earlier, but I’ll have Mike assign a plain-clothes officer to watch over them. I’m still nervous about someone discovering where he is.”

“We discussed that. They both think involving anyone else will only increase their risks. He’s comfortable staying inside, and knows enough to stay away from the windows. Simone stocked up enough to last them a while, and if not, I can always run interference.”

“No, a plain-clothed officer would be better than you traveling from here to her apartment. If anyone is watching us, they’d know to follow my friends. They just wouldn’t know to tap your phones. I’ll discuss it with Mike in the morning. Hopefully we can settle this case in a few days.”

Becky clapped as Lucy carried in a tray with four wine glasses and a mug of sparkling grape juice. “Wonderful. Then we’ll be set to spend longer in L.A.”

“We’ll see. There’s a long time between now and then, and there’s no telling what’ll happen.”