NYPD Red 2(93)

We both thanked her.

“I just wish we had the death penalty in New York,” Kylie added. “Nobody deserves it more than Joe Salvi.”

“I agree,” Sykes said. “Which is why first thing this morning I put in a call to Fred Pearson. Fred replaced me as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District. New York can’t execute Salvi, but the Feds can.”

“We knew that,” Kylie said, “but there’s a difference between ‘can’ and ‘will.’ It almost never happens.”

“You’re right,” Sykes said. “Almost never. But the Feds have struck out before, trying to indict Salvi on RICO charges. Fred Pearson is a protégé of mine, and I know he’d be thrilled to have a video of Joe Salvi murdering a police officer in cold blood.”

“But Salvi knew that Bell was a crooked police officer,” I said.

“True, but it doesn’t negate the fact that Bell was with NYPD and on duty at the time. Also, Salvi killed him because of a personal vendetta, so he can’t exactly claim he was on a public service mission. No promises, but the Feds would love to burn that bastard, so don’t be surprised if Joe Salvi winds up on the wrong end of a lethal injection before I run for reelection in four years.”

“Thank you for your support, Mayor-Elect Sykes,” Cates said. “If there’s anything we can do, just let us know when your reelection campaign starts.”

Sykes inhaled and rose to her full impressive height. She stared straight on at the three of us and said, “It just did, Captain. It just did.”





Chapter 84



Wrapping up the paperwork on the average homicide investigation can take days. But this case was anything but average. Two cops were the killers, someone from the DA’s office had leaked confidential information, and one of the victims had been the campaign manager for our new mayor. Kylie and I were drowning in official procedure.

“I think we just passed the point where it’s taking us longer to finish filing these reports than it did to solve the crime,” Kylie said as she got up from her desk at noon. “Sorry I can’t stick around for the rest of the fun, but Spence and I have to be on the road to recovery in thirty minutes. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She left, and thirty minutes later, I got a text.

What in the world is more interesting than me? C.



I’d forgotten my lunch date with Cheryl.

I hit Save on my laptop and ran around the corner to Gerri’s Diner.

Gerri was at the register. “Hello, handsome,” she said. “I heard you have a new girlfriend.”

“I’m fifteen minutes late, so the current one may be pissed at me, but why would you think I have a new one?”

“Rumor has it that our new mayor came a-callin’ on you this morning. None of my business, but Muriel Sykes is old enough to be your mother.”

“None of your business? Gerri, everything that happens at the One Nine seems to be your business. And don’t worry about the new mayor. If I ever start dating women my mom’s age, you’ll be first on the list.”

“Promises, promises,” she said. “Now hustle over to that booth before that British computer guy steals Dr. Cheryl right out from under your nose.”

I hustled. My lunch date was halfway through a small salad, and Matt Smith was sitting opposite her.

“Mind if I join you?” I said.

Matt jumped up. “I’m not staying,” he said. “Just keeping your seat warm, and making sure none of these randy cops hit on your girlfriend.”

Cheryl stopped eating and looked up from her salad, but she didn’t say a word.

I sat down. “My what?” I said.

“Come on, mate—I know you think it’s a well-guarded secret, but I don’t have to be a bloody genius to see there’s something happening between you two. More power to you. You’re a fantastic couple.” He looked at his watch. “I guess Kylie is on her way up to the rehab with her husband.”

“Sit down,” I said.

He sat next to me.

“You are a vast storehouse of personal information,” I whispered. “How the hell do you know about Spence?”

He shrugged and leaned in, keeping his voice low. “Information is what I do. What do you think the ‘I’ in IT stands for? I promise I won’t breathe a word of it. I just brought it up because I knew that the two of you knew. This is not Spence’s first rehab. Do you think he’ll make it?”

I looked at Cheryl to see if she’d take the question. Not a chance in hell.

“Yes,” I said. “He knows that if he doesn’t, he’s going to lose the best woman he ever had.”