by Amy Shannon
22
The next morning, Savvy walked down the stairs to the kitchen and turned on the coffeemaker. She jumped slightly at Harry, who was sitting at her table. It wasn’t uncommon for Harry to bring over donuts and bagels for breakfast as he did it every day, but usually, he dropped them on the table and left. Today, he was sitting at the table, drinking his coffee from a large paper cup.
“Fowl, Harry, you scared me,” she said.
“Is anyone else up?” he asked.
“Leonard is asleep in my room down here and Strick and Adler are still sleeping upstairs. I wanted to get a head start on coffee. So, why are you still here? You hardly ever stay for breakfast, let alone sit in my kitchen alone.”
“Strick called me last night. Told me about Friend.”
“I was there, sitting next to him,” she sighed, pouring herself a cup of coffee. She handed Harry one of anti-NYPD mugs and poured him a fresh cup of coffee.
“But you didn’t.”
“I’m sorry,” she sat down across from him. She unraveled her braids and then rebraided her hair. “I felt stupid and I didn’t want to tell you that.”
“Stupid? Why?”
“Because he fooled me again,” She sighed. “He fowled everything up and lied to me. He was there when Adler was hurt. He broke Adler’s cane. He’s been playing games.”
“I’m sorry. Friend told me you threw him out, but he didn’t say exactly why or tell me everything that Strick told me.”
“Yes, I did, but he didn’t listen, so Strick had to. I know he’s my brother, but he’s nothing to me anymore. And I don’t want a lecture from you or anything.”
Harry patted her hand. “Sunshine, I’m on your side. I fired him from the bar. Rain, Midnight and Breeze are still in town. Romeo had to get back to Paris. I’m dealing with your brothers. I still need to talk to them and see how much they were involved in this whole mess.”
“You think they were involved?”
“When one is into something, at least one other one is there as well.”
“You don’t think they have something to do with the case I’m working on for Adler, do you?”
“Not unless it’s about antiques or something. If it is, then maybe Rain is involved. He’s always roaming, but I hear he’s been buying and selling antiques.”
“Oh, really,” she made a mental note, not wanting to but realizing she may need to investigate her brother. “Why is Breeze still here?”
“He’s transferring from LAPD to NYPD. Just waiting on all the official stuff. He’ll be in homicide division.”
“Oh, well, good for him,” she drank down her coffee, and stood up to pour another cup.
“You may be anti-NYPD or whatever, but it’s good for him. And he’ll be closer.”
“Yeah, right, so they can still try to control Leonard’s love life, or even jump into my business? They don’t even come to visit, even though they know I’m fowling mad at them.”
“I’ve been making them stay away from you.”
“Why?”
“So, you don’t kill them,” he smiled.
“Hmm, don’t give me any ideas,” she sat down at the table again. “Harry, uh, Dad, what’s next?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” he sipped his coffee, and then grabbed a glazed donut from the basket.
“You have something planned, don’t you?”
“I want to keep an eye on your brothers, but I hope you don’t ever think that I’m taking their side over yours. I mean if you were ever wrong and they were right, I may have to, but I’ve never seen that happen.”
She laughed slightly. “Yeah, sure,” she said. “Dad, I’m far from perfect, but I know when something is bothering you and it’s more than just my wayward brothers.”
“Tim got called in early this morning. He doesn’t usually go in until seven, but he got called in at five. Something is up.”
“I’m sure it’s about one of his cases. Wait, he doesn’t have cases, he oversees all the cases. Is this about Mr. Gutenberg or because he was dealing with Ryan?”
“Not sure, but he looked concerned when the call came in. I hope he’s not in trouble, but I see how he could be in trouble.”
“Unless they think he’s protecting me somehow. You know how the uppity-ups get because of me.”
“Just a few are like that and it’s only because they know you,” he laughed.
“You are so not funny,” she laughed. “Some heard things about me and some look at me and judge me.”
“Those who judge based on looks should look in the mirror first,” Harry smiled as he stood up. “I better get to the bar. I summoned your brothers to have a little discussion with them regarding Friend.”
“Yeah, he’s not living up to his name.”
“Sunshine, you’re the only one in this family that lives up to her name,” he kissed her cheek. “You’re my sunshine, my rainbow and you are quite savvy.”
“Well, that’s not true. I think you’re a bit hairy yourself,” she grinned.
“Love you, Sunshine,” he headed toward the door. “And Tim likes me just the way I am,” He walked out, closing the door behind him.
“Just the way you are,” she smiled.
23
Savvy sat behind her desk, reviewing her steno and legal notebooks on Adler’s case. She opened the folder that Strick gave her about his own case on stolen pawn shop property. She opened her laptop and clicked on the search engine icon. She typed in the words Oscar Stein.
She stared at the web results and then took some notes in her blank notebook. She rubbed her eyes and then scrolled through the images of Oscar Stein, son of Adler. She wrote down the names of people Oscar shared a photo with as well as the names and saved links to different social media sites that were linked to Oscar or his friends. Then, she clicked on Friend’s social media page. She scrolled through her brother’s images and then clicked on another link to a gay dating site. She closed that and shook her head. Do not need to know more about my brother’s sexual life. She went back to her brother’s main social media Lifepage’s profile and noticed that only one of her other brothers was connected to Friend. Rain. She clicked on Rain’s page. She wasn’t surprised that he still referred to himself as RJ, but he would always be Rain Jericho Macavoy to her. She looked at his Lifepage’s profile and noticed the link to his website. She scrolled through the details of his antiques and collections that he had for sale. I had no idea. Looks so professional. Sounds like more than just a hobby.
She went back to the Lifepage’s profile of Rain’s and compared his contacts to Friends and then Oscar’s contacts and connections. The only connection was Friend. She went back to Oscar’s profile and scrolled through his contacts. Avery Simone. Something about this woman made her take notice, besides the fact that she resembled Angelica’s description of the woman who knocked her into the wall at the museum. Savvy took some notes and information that she got from the woman’s Lifepage’s profile. She closed the laptop and gathered her notebooks up, shoving them into her bag.
She stood up as Strick walked into the Agency. “Oh,” she smiled. “How’s the construction?”
“Oh, that’s all right. Can we talk, Savvy?”
“Of course,” she smiled, sitting down in the chair.
Strick pulled up a chair toward her desk and sat down. “Now, you know I love you, but…”
“But what?” she raised an eyebrow.
“I’m concerned that you’re getting yourself into family business that isn’t yours. Maybe you’re helping Mr. Stein too much.”
She shook her head. “I’m trying to find his collectible.”
“A skull that may or may not be Hitler’s and you know there’s more to this than that.”
“OK, you’re right, there is more to this, but I want to help him. Not because he and Leonard are close, but because he needs help. More than he paid us for. I’m sorry you don’t understand.”
He held her hand and patted it l
ightly. “I do understand, mostly. Honey, I still don’t know why you gave me the benefit of the doubt,” he grinned. “I’m glad you did, though.”
“I can’t explain it, I knew you were a good guy. I get the same feeling from Adler, but since I couldn’t see through my brother’s fowling attitude, maybe I’m not as good as I think I am.”
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I was worried and I’m sorry about your brother,” he said. “So, you get a lead?”
“I think so. I need to see Rain,” she smiled. “I didn’t know how much he was into antiques and collectibles.”
“He is?”
“Yeah and there is a woman, I need to investigate her more before I talk with her. Her name is Avery Simone. Ever hear of her?”
“Yeah, hold on. That name sounds familiar. Blonde, right?”
“Yeah, she has as black belt in Tae Kwon Do and she has an account on an auction site, DarkHistory.com. I want to talk to my brother and then I’m going to look at this woman. She is also linked to Oscar.”
“Need my help? There’s not much I can do here right now.”
“I’ll talk to Rain on my own, but when I look for Ms. Simone, I’ll need your help.”
“Well, I’m here,” he kissed her cheek. “Leonard and Adler went out to lunch and I’m glad he’s feeling better. I’ll stay in the office ‘til you get back.”
“Thanks,” she stood up and hugged him tightly.
She turned around quickly when Tim walked into the Agency, dressed in his lieutenant’s uniform, followed by two men, dressed in suits, wearing detective badges on their belts. “Sunshine, you got a minute?”
“Of course,” she sighed. “What is it?”
“Is Leonard here?”
“No, he’s out to lunch with Mr. Stein. What’s going on?”
“We got ballistics on the gun that shot him. The one that Ryan shot him with.”
“Oh?”
“It was a gun that was reported stolen. Leonard reported it stolen, last May. When you all had that robbery here.”
“Fowl,” she groaned lightly. “Two of our weapons were stolen, including Strick’s service weapon. Uh, his military service weapon. Which one?”
“The service weapon,” he sighed. “Remind me what all was taken?”
Strick stood and walked over to his desk. He pulled a notebook out of his desk drawer. He read from the notebook page. “Two weapons and I have the serial numbers, our petty cash box, had about a thousand dollars in small bills in it, some food and medication from Savvy’s medicine cabinet. Just some over the counter pain relievers and cold medicine. None of the computers or our digital stuff was taken, and our files weren’t rummaged through,” He set the notebook on his desk. “Ryan did this?”
“Maybe,” he sighed. “Whoever did it, Ryan used one of the guns.”
“I should have known,” Savvy said. “I saw that gun but didn’t think anything of it. It’s my fault he shot Leonard. Fowl. Fowl.”
Tim put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s not your fault. There is something else that you should know, too.”
“Now what?”
“The gun also matches a liquor store robbery three weeks ago and a bodega robbery in the Bronx last week.”
“Anything else?”
“We think Ryan has a partner. Maybe this guy wasn’t involved in what happened here with you and Leonard, but the robberies were a two-person team,” He looked toward Strick. “You knew Ryan from the streets, right?”
“He wasn’t like this, though. I mean, he was a drunk, a loud-mouth and know-it-all, but he pretty much kept to himself. He found me when I started working here. He wanted me to help him steal from Savvy and Leonard, but I turned him down. He eventually apologized, and we helped him get on his feet. That’s when he and Leonard got close.”
Savvy sighed heavily. “So, the other gun is still on the street? Did both perps have weapons?”
“The store clerk said they were both armed.”
“So, that’s what they’re using my… our guns for. The other one is still out there,” Savvy sighed. “Great. So, this guy could come back here?”
“We don’t know. Ryan isn’t going anywhere but he’s not talking either.”
“Are you going to make a deal with him?” Strick asked.
“I don’t know. My team is investigating the robberies and the DA is handling Leonard’s case right now.”
“Can I talk to him?” Strick asked.
“If you want,” Tim said. “You think he’ll tell you anything?”
“All I can do is try,” he said. “When?”
“Visiting hours at Riker’s is after four. Feel free. And, you’re not acting as a PI or an agent of the police, right?”
“Nope, just visiting a man who used to be my friend,” Strick said. “I’ll go out there later.”
Savvy looked at Tim. “Is that all?”
“I thought you’d want to know.”
“So, you bring these other cops with you?” she crossed her arms.
“Don’t get mad, Sunshine. We’re not here to invade your space. There is another reason why we’re here,” he sighed.
“What is it?”
Tim looked at the older detective. “Detective Ramos, go ahead.”
“Uh, right,” he glanced at his notebook and then back at Savvy. “We know that you were at the museum when the curator was attacked.”
“No, I was there after he was attacked,” Savvy clarified. “I thought those other detectives were working the case.”
“Reassigned,” Tim grunted.
“Oh, well, was there something else you needed to know? I answered what I could.”
“You said you were working on a case? Who hired you?”
Tim snickered lightly. “Detective, she won’t answer you.”
“Why not?” Detective Ramos asked.
“Confidentiality,” she said as Adler and Leonard walked into the Agency from the front door.
The detectives turned around quickly. “Who are you?” the younger detective asked.
“What’s going on?” Leonard asked as he and Adler walked through the crowd toward Strick.
“The gun that Ryan used to shoot you was one our stolen guns,” Savvy explained.
“Now, we’re looking for details about Mortimer Gutenberg’s assault,” Ramos said.
“He was my friend,” Adler said. “I’m Mr. Adler Stein. I knew Mr. Gutenberg.”
“Detective Lewis,” the young detective nodded. “Did you see Mr. Gutenberg that day?”
“Yes, I did. That morning,” Adler said. “And then I went home. I was home all afternoon.”
“How did you hear about his assault?”
“A friend told me,” he sighed.
“So, can anyone verify your whereabouts when he was assaulted?”
“Detective Lewis, I am an old man and I do not have the strength nor the need to hurt my friend. I do have an alibi, but I prefer not to discuss it at this time.”
“Really? Why not?”
“Because it’s part of another investigation,” Savvy explained. “It doesn’t matter right now. I am also looking into his assault as I do believe it has to do with the case I’m working on, but I’m not at liberty to say who I work for, or what I’m working on.”
“I can get a court order,” Ramos said.
“Go ahead and try. Many have tried before,” she smirked. “And many, well, all, have failed.”
The detective looked at Tim. “Lieutenant?”
“You should go talk to Mr. Gutenberg tomorrow,” he said. “I’ll finish up here and meet you at the station,” The two detectives left the Agency. Tim looked at Savvy. “Off the record if you need to speak to Gutenberg, do it soon as in today.”
Savvy nodded. “Oh, Tim, do you know where Rain is staying?”
“He’s staying with Harry and me until he can get his own place. He’s looking to buy a brick and mortar for his antique business. I don’t have all the details.”
>
“Thanks,” she kissed his cheek. “For everything.”
“Sunshine, if you find out who hurt Gutenberg, please give me the heads up, OK?”
“I’ll do what I can,” she smiled.
Tim nodded and left the Agency.
She looked at Adler and Leonard. “I have a couple of leads, but I need to talk to Mr. Gutenberg. I best be heading out,” She picked up her bag and flung it over her shoulder. She headed through the red doors and out the back door to the parking lot, where her car was parked.
Strick looked at Leonard. “I need to see Ryan this afternoon.”
“What?” Leonard raised an eyebrow.
“He has a partner, they’ve been robbing people.”
“Oh, boy,” Leonard said. “Need me to go with you?”
“Not this time, but we’ll see how far I can get with him.”
Leonard looked at Adler. “I’m sorry about this.”
“Don’t be,” he sighed. “I’d like to get home and prepare for my move.”
“Move?” Strick asked.
“He asked if he could rent out or buy the storefront that’s empty. I guess it’s still part of this whole package Ms. Margolis gave us. I’m sorry if I overstepped and agreed to it.”
“You didn’t,” Strick said. “We can all make decisions as it’s all of us. Did you tell Savvy yet?”
“Not yet, but she mentioned it to me before I offered it. I’m sorry she didn’t tell you.”
“If you need help, I’d be glad to help out. Leonard, you can’t lift, and neither can Mr. Stein.”
“We can at least pack. I won’t use my arm, hurts too much anyway. The storefront needs a few updates and he’s going to live in the space behind the front.”
“Well if you need any construction or anything, let me know and I’ll inform the foreman. I’m sure we can make adjustments.”
“Thank you, Mr. Strickland,” Adler nodded.
“Strick, please,” he smiled. “Remember what I said.”
“Of course,” Adler took Leonard’s hand. “Are you sure this is what you want? We’d be neighbors.”
“It is what I want,” Leonard said. “I want you to feel safe and secure.”
“I’m starting to,” he smiled as the two headed out the front door.