The paramedic, who had trailed after Nikko, gave Andreas a nod, and took Nikko from him, leading him back to the ambulance. “I’ll watch him personally until you come for him, Detective.”
Andreas gave the man a quick pat on the back, then placing one foot in front of the other began the walk to his house, past cop cars, ambulances, and other emergency personnel there to comb through the scene. As he made the trek, lights flashed all around him eerily lighting up the night and the street. He could make out neighbors huddled together on their stoops, news camera people snapping photos or setting up. His eyes roamed furtively although he walked with a purpose. Just in case. Just in case Romeo was in the crowd.
He placed one foot on the walkway when his partner saw him and rushed down the steps to greet him. “Andy don’t!” He stepped into his path.
“Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. My way!”
Shaking his head sadly, and pulling his handkerchief back over his nose, Ricky followed Andy back in. Even though he did not want to see this scene again, it was where he needed to be. By his partner’s side.
Andreas shut his eyes briefly, before taking the one step onto the stoop to enter the already open door. Someone had propped the screen door open so the investigators could come and go more easily. The smell hit him first. It was iron. It was strong. It was blood. And there was a lot of it. He felt dizzy for a moment. He’d seen a lot as a beat cop, and then this past year as a detective, but somehow he knew even before opening his eyes, that what he would see could destroy him.
He heard people whispering and opened his eyes. There were several men, and one woman already in the room. The flash of a camera startled him, and he looked in that direction first. A police woman was snapping pictures of the scene. The wall above the sofa was covered in blood. The words “beautiful no more” painted in blood across the entire wall. He looked down. He saw her first. His mother. Her hand was fisted and reached out towards the recliner. “He must have caught them sleeping.” He heard one detective say. “The male vic was shot, point blank range. Killed first.”
“That’s not his MO,” he heard his partner say.
“This was about revenge,” came the first on the scene detective’s voice, spoken softly as he recognized Andreas as the detective who had almost caught the man. He knew they were in his parent’s home.
Andreas recognized him too. Patrick Callaghan. A good cop.
“Sorry, Andy. He popped your dad, we are thinking, then your mom.” His eyes were sympathetic.
“Shot her?” Andreas asked. He could not believe the lack of emotion in his own voice.
“Yes.”
“Can I have a moment? Alone. I won’t touch anything.”
Callaghan nodded and all the officers silently made their way either outside or to the kitchen.
Andreas’ gaze swept to his father. He was still in his recliner. They had purchased it for him as a joke when he’d retired only last year. The hole in the center of his forehead was small. Romeo shot him. They must have been up waiting for Nikko and fallen asleep, he surmised. He took one step closer. The trail of blood from the entrance wound was drying on his father’s face. Black rivulets. It had to have happened hours ago. “Sorry, dad,” he murmured touching his father’s hand, just once more and noticed his father’s watch was missing. His throat tightened up. But he kept it together.
Then he turned. To see his mom. She was on the floor between the sofa and where the end table would have been. It was lying on its side against the entertainment center, the glass shattered. Her blouse was soaked in blood. Her abdomen exposed and open. He’d used her blood to leave his message. His mother’s eyes were still open, showing her fear at the end. It almost undid him. He knelt without touching the ground and shut her eyes. Peace. At least they died together. That would be his only solace. His only one.
A tear slipped from his cheek as he stood up, and he swiped it away. The Rosedale Romeo was going to pay. He would hunt Salvatore Mazzelli down until his dying day.
He took one more look at the wall. His mother’s blood smeared across it, across family photos, and memorized it. This image would haunt him all of his days. He looked closer. Small letters emerged out of the scrawl in the letter A in beautiful. He got closer. The words were personal. And meant only for him. They stated, “my gift to you”.
“I’m going to kill you, you bastard, if it’s the last fucking thing I do!” he screamed before turning away.
He was heading towards the door when a commotion outside got his attention. “Let me in. Fucking let me in, or I’ll kill you all.” It was Gio, and he was drunk. Andreas reached the door just as Gio peeked inside and got a full look of the interior with no one to obstruct his view. “Andy, fuck no! Not mom and dad!” The giant screamed his anguish as four cops kept trying to pull him back. Andreas pushed his way to his brother and the officers let go as Gio collapsed in his brother’s arms.
“Shh, come now G. Get under control. Nikko’s watching, and we gotta call Blaze. I can’t let you fuck up this scene. You’re drunk. Pull your shit together.” He kept his tone harsh hoping it would sink inside his brother’s alcohol induced brain.
“Nikko saw this,” he cried and at Andreas’ nod the fight went out of Gio. “No!” he cried. But Andreas felt the fury begin to leave him, despair taking its place. He knew Gio would pull it together. For his brothers.
“You’re all coming home with me tonight. We’ll figure this out. And we will catch that bastard.”
He walked Gio down the steps of the stoop, and signaled to the paramedic who tapped Nikko on the arm and pointed to Andreas.
Making eye contact with Nikko, Andreas signaled for him to come and he did. Getting on Gio’s other side, Nikko got under his other arm. “Where we going, Andy?” he asked, his adolescent voice cracking.
“We’re going to my place in Manhattan. We will call Blaze, and then we’ll figure this shit out.”
“Figure this shit out,” Gio repeated in a daze. “And then get the bastard who did this.” He was sobering up quickly and started to stand on his own merit, but kept Nikko tucked under his arm.
“Damn straight,” Andreas murmured under his breath as he opened the back door of his unmarked car, and Nikko climbed in.
Looking at Gio, he exclaimed sharply, but softly. “No more booze. No More. Got it.”
“Got it,” Gio swore. He silently vowed to give up alcohol for himself and his parents. Andy nodded, and passed around Gio to the driver’s side door as Gio got in shotgun.
When they pulled away from the curb, past all the vehicles and all the flashing lights, each of them was looking back, taking it all in. Andreas in the rear view mirror, Gio from the side mirror, and Nikko from the back window. It was a night none of them would ever forget, one they wished to God had never happened.
Chapter 3
Business as Usual
Running in though the back door, Andreas lifted two fingers to the artery just below his jaw on the left. Taking a quick check of his pulse, he knew within a few seconds he had reached his optimum heart rate. He had hit the pavement early, running clear around the island trails. He felt invigorated from his restless night. He was glad the community had built these paths for runners like him. Not able to sleep much despite the late night, he awoke with the sun and had his run an hour earlier than usual. He’d picked up the pace the last mile to hit that zone. He was thirty-five, still in his top physical form, and he wanted to keep it that way. His brothers were all younger, and some bigger than him, he thought of Gio who did more weights than any of them. He wanted to keep up his strength and keep up with them.
He went straight to the kitchen. Quickly, pulling out a bottle of water from the refrigerator he uncapped the distilled local water and swallowed several rehydrating gulps. He had finished the bottle he carried with him half way through his run.
It was humid and hot already despite the earlier hour. Florida’s eternal summer was still upon them in November and only in January did it re
main cool all day.
He gazed out at the view of the bay. The sun was up and rising and glowing across the water. He had told Angela to come in later today thinking he might sleep in after the celebration last night, but memories from the past had haunted him. He hadn’t thought about that night in years. Yes, he remembered it. Hell, he would never forget it. Didn’t want to. But he could have done very well without the play by play. It was already burned into his soul. His heart. It was nearly ten years ago. Next month it would be that. His parents had been killed the week before Christmas.
Andreas finished his water and threw the bottle in the recycle bin in the corner of his well-appointed kitchen. Then he made his way up the back stairwell. In these older houses, these staircases had only been used by servants at one time. Other than a cleaning woman who came twice a week, he lived here alone now. The house had been full just three years ago when they had moved here from New York. His brothers had stayed with him until they found places of their own.
That was one of the reasons he had chosen it. Large, open concept in the reception room and living and dining areas. An office downstairs, and a room he turned into a gym that must have been a servant’s quarters at one time. The massive kitchen and two baths made the downstairs more than comfortable. Upstairs had five bedrooms, and four bathrooms. It had been perfect for them. But now it was much too large although useful on Sundays when the family returned for Sunday dinners.
He quickly slipped into his room passing directly into his bathroom. Being an ensuite to the master, it was the most grand in the house. He had it updated when he moved in and expanded removing part of one of the closets to do so. But it was his oasis, and he treated himself to the sauna and spa additions. His former job, the stress of starting his own business, and keeping watch over three younger brothers, he had felt he would need something to ease the tension. This was it. Women were not. He couldn’t commit to that. He had enough to deal with, look out for. He didn’t need, nor want the added responsibility.
He decided to head in to work early as he walked into the shower. He wanted to check on this new possible serial killer. He needed to keep busy. Get his mind off of the nightmare he had the night before. With Nikko gone for the next ten days on his honeymoon, Bella and Blaze expecting, things would be busy with just him and Gio running things.
* * *
Marino Bros. Bail, Bonds & Bounty was quiet when he entered through the back door. He made his way towards his office and entered the security code to disarm the system. Angela wouldn’t be in for at least an hour. That gave him some time to put in a few calls about those dead girls. After turning on his computer, he put on a pot of coffee white it booted up. It was still early and his friend Mark down at the police station wouldn’t be starting his shift for another thirty minutes. He would catch up on his mail and maybe do a little surfing. Read up on the two murders the cops thought might be linked.
His mail wasn’t extensive and by eight he had already read several articles on line. But none had any more information than what he had heard on the news. Two female victims, both raped and mutilated. One was Hispanic, the other Caucasian. Both in their early twenties. Both college graduates, but not the same universities. He saw no links other than being about the same age after looking at their photos, but the reporter last night said the investigators felt they were possibly linked. He wondered if the killer had left something on the scene to make the police draw that conclusion.
He heard the keys rattling at the front door. Angela, his office manager, was arriving. He called out to her so she wouldn’t be startled.
“Hey, thought you were going to sleep in.” He could see her through the open door, putting her things away.
“You know me.”
“Yup, I do. No moss grows on you.”
“Yup,” came his reply as he heard her start up her computer. He continued to read the article he was perusing.
“Coffee smells good,” he heard her call. Andreas nodded though he knew she couldn’t see him at this angle despite his door being open. “Why don’t you get me some, and then come fill me in on the wedding details?” she suggested.
Andreas shook his head, but got up. She was his office manager, but not his secretary. They got their own coffee around here. He knew better than to order her to get it. She’d have his balls served to him on a platter.
He poured them each a cup, setting her ceramic mug, the one that read “World’s Greatest Office Manager,” down on her desk. Leaning against the counter that separated her from the small waiting area, he took a sip from his own black mug.
“Thanks,” she murmured picking up the cup and blowing on the black brew before she took her first sip. “Sorry, I couldn’t make it. My daughter-in-law is a nervous wreck and thought she was going into labor.”
Andreas smiled. Angela was only in her forties, but looked younger. “Can’t wait to be a grandma, huh?” he teased.
She shot him an evil look. “I can’t actually. But, I prefer nanny.”
Andreas nodded. “The wedding was perfect. Ronnie looked gorgeous. I sent you pictures to your email as requested.”
“Good,” she barked. “Now, why are you here so early today? I thought you would stay home and sulk a bit.”
“Sulk?” Andreas laughed knowing she was about to goad him as usual.
“Yeah, sulk. Brood. Whatever. All the boys are married now. You are the oldest, still a bachelor.”
“And that is perfectly fine by me. You know that.” He took another sip of the coffee still steaming in his hands.
“M-mhm.” Angela set down her cup. “You need to be at the court house today at eleven. Michael Johnson’s bond hearing. Gio coming in?”
“Yes, he and Blaze will be in around nine.”
“Good. Gio needs to check on some of the bonds. I have a list here, and Blaze can go with him. But Blaze has that meeting today at two to renew our license. You’re going to that, right?”
Andreas nodded. “Yes, a formality, but I should be there.”
“Okay, and then don’t forget about checking in with Leon Snyder. He called twice yesterday. His kid’s hearing is tomorrow and he wants you to handle it personally.”
“Will do. He emailed me. Nervous?”
“You could say that.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t get him off the phone for a half an hour yesterday.” Angela skimmed her emails. “Oh yes, I got one from him as well. When does Nikko come back?”
“Ten days. He’ll be back in plenty of time for Thanksgiving.”
“Good. Anything you need me to do today aside from head to the clerk’s office?”
“I’d ask you to drop off my tux at the cleaner’s, but I know better.” He grinned turning back towards his office.
“Damn straight.”
He turned back at her comment, and decided to ask her for a favor. “But there is one thing. You see on the news about the murders of two college girls?”
“Yes, what’s up?” She looked up at him knowing he would be interested in this latest news.
“You want to see if Michael has heard anything about the cases, the investigation? Off the record, of course.” Her son Michael was Tampa PD.
“Yeah, I’ll ask.” She knew the story, knew why he was interested in this case.
“I’m going to call Mark Jennings, but it’s not his precinct that’s handling the case. The detective they mentioned was from Mike’s.”
“Gotcha. I’ll give him a call just as soon as I get back from the clerk’s office.”
“Thanks, Ang. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Not much. But, I’ll make you a list,” she laughed, focusing her attention on her computer screen as Andreas headed back into his office.
Chapter 4
Obsession
Salvatore Mazzelli, er, Darryl James now, shook out the vacuum canister and dropped it into the storage closet unceremoniously. He had lost his passion for his job. He had been caught twice in the last two mo
nths by his supervisor on the wrong floor. To make matters worse, the Burbanks were still in residence. The snowbirds usually only stayed in Florida from January to April, but this year they had arrived early for some unknown godforsaken reason. He was tempted to kill them. He hadn’t seen much of Catarina for nearly two months.
His urges had returned.
Arriving after Labor Day, unbeknownst to him, he had entered their apartment at his usual time for his rendezvous with Catarina when he heard the unmistakable sounds of the old man’s snoring. He immediately backed out of the apartment and descended the stairs to the floor he was supposed to be on. That had been two months ago. He had spent several afternoons hanging out in a café outside the building reading a paper and was lucky enough to catch the Burbanks departing for an afternoon appointment. The old lady was easy enough to chat up outside while her husband retrieved the car from the parking garage.
A simple comment on the weather got her chatting. She explained her husband’s allergies had been bad and provoked their earlier departure for Florida. She did not mind the heat as long as her husband felt better.
When she waved to an approaching car, he made his excuses and hastily departed, leaving her to her errand. Inside he fumed. How was he going to get access to Catarina now?
Walking down the block to catch a bus to take him home, blackness and despair began to settle in his soul. He had not wanted to think about their return. He thought he had plenty of time to see and be near Catarina. But he did not know when he would get the chance to see her again. He had not been able to ask those kinds of questions of Mrs. Burbank when her husband arrived in his large sedan.
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