“He doesn’t look like there’s anything wrong with him,” I said as politely as possible, trying not to offend anyone in the room. His parents smiled at me and looked at one another.
“Thank you. It’s always nice to hear those words.” The mother was smiling ear to ear, while I was baffled and confused.
“He has autism.” The father finally spoke.
“Please excuse me. I’ve heard of autism before, but I have never met anyone who has it.” I’m always looking to understand anything that I might come across in my line of work.
“Autism is a neurological condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate normally and greatly impacts their social interactions in an adverse way.” I could tell this lady was no joke; she knew what she was talking about. Walking into the kitchen from the living room was the cutest little boy I had ever seen. What happened next caught me by surprise. He walked right up to me and hugged me. I hugged him back just as tight. The little boy never said a word in my presence, but I felt a connection to him that is hard to explain. I left the house after saying my goodbyes. I felt great. This situation could have been a real tragedy if this boy wasn’t found.
As I sat in my patrol car, I thought about how diverse my work-related experiences have been throughout the years. I pulled the Crown Vic’s gear shifter into drive as I slowly made my way back to headquarters. A feeling of euphoria swept through me. I rarely see a happy ending at a call. It’s always bad news; I was going to savor this moment for as long as I could.
“Headquarters to Car One.”
“Proceed, Car One is on.”
“Car One respond to 24 Grimson Lane on the report of a sexual assault on a minor. Parent is on scene with child in apartment 2P. Suspect is located on first floor. Car Two and Car Three respond as well.”
All those happy feelings I was relishing vanished in one deep breath. I switched on my emergency lights and manually cranked up the siren. Too many lows on this job erase the highs. My tour was over in an hour. This would be overtime for sure. Hell, I could use the money. Grimson Lane was on the other side of Hutchville. I needed to motor to get there before the other patrol vehicles. Since it was my post, I hated when someone arrived on scene before me.
I could see the first car pulling up just in front of me. Detective Donny Mello exited his unmarked vehicle and awaited my arrival. I called out my location and opened my driver door.
“Hey, Matt, good to see you, brother. I figured this case would end up on my desk, so I might as well head over.” Donny lit up a smoke, tossing his match onto the dirty sidewalk.
“Detective Mello to Headquarters, you can cancel Car Two and Three. Myself and P.O. Longo will handle this investigation.” He smiled as he spoke, exhaling a cloud of cigarette smoke. With the last puff he made a ring.
This guy knew exactly how to cause someone instant stress. Rarely did I get a chance to see Donny in action, but from the rumors I had heard, this should be interesting.
“Come on, kid, let’s go see what happened.” The last call I just had and finding the lost child seemed like a blur.
Donny pushed open the brown front door to the apartment building, flicking his cigarette towards the ground. The hallway was dated and I smelt the slightest hint of urine.
“How many rats do you think live in the basement?”
“I don’t know, Donny; I have no plans to find out.”
“How many rats are in this hallway right now?” I knew what he was getting at. I felt my bowels turn from spaghetti to snakes as they churned something awful. Donny was staring at me; he didn’t blink.
“There are no rats in this lobby, Donny. You of all people should know that.” I wasn’t going to take his shit. I demanded some respect, and I wasn’t a rookie anymore.
“Let’s find our victim. Come on. The elevator is over here.” Donny pushed the white button. It didn’t light up but I could hear movement behind the gray elevator door. An eerie feeling crept up my spine; the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up. I sensed someone watching us, but no one was visible in the lobby. The door opened and we both entered, Donny first, followed by me. The door closed, and the elevator moved upwards at a slow pace. I was concerned it would stop between floors, leaving me alone with this psycho.
I was relieved when the elevator door re-opened on floor two, and I quickly moved towards apartment 2P. With Donny behind me, I pushed the small, black doorbell located under the peephole. The door was opened by an attractive Hispanic woman, mid-thirties, with mascara lines ruined by salty tears.
“Please, come in.” This woman wore a green tank top revealing a perfect set of melons. Her ass was stuffed nicely into blue jeans. It’s always hard for a cop to concentrate with a sexy vixen walking around. My quick scan of the room revealed two bedroom doors off the living room, with a small, updated galley kitchen on my right. A lone bathroom was off to my left. A young girl, maybe eleven, sat on a floral couch, being consoled by an older woman I assumed to be her grandmother. It was moments like these I wished Hutchville P.D. had a female officer to speak with this young girl. Why would she want to talk to two men, especially if she was just attacked by a man? Donny took the lead; he was the primary since he outranked me.
“Hi, my name is Donny. What’s yours?” The girl didn’t react. She didn’t even make eye contact with him.
“It’s okay. No one is going to hurt you, I promise. I am a police officer.” She remained silent, even with encouragement from her mother and grandmother. Donny was getting frustrated. He didn’t like to wait for information. He stood up and gestured for the mother to come with him. The two walked off into the kitchen area. I was thinking this wasn’t the time to be looking to get laid. But Donny was a horny bastard.
The large wooden entertainment center had glass shelves on both sides of the television. Picture frames of all sizes and colors were set up neatly, displaying a happy family. All the women inside this apartment were smiling in the photos. A very different feeling lingered in the air around me. I looked down at the young girl. I could tell something bad had happened to her. There were no marks on her face or on any visible part of her body. All her cuts and scrapes were on the inside. It’s the kind of emotional damage that never leaves. A Band-Aid can’t be used to stop the bleeding because there is no blood; just unimaginable pain.
The young girl was wearing a T-shirt and jeans. Her hair was pulled back into a pony-tail. I sat down on the other side of her grandmother.
“Hi, ma’am, are you the grandma?” I said, breaking the silence. I could hear Donny and the mom talking in the kitchen. I was happy they were speaking words and not moaning vowels.
“No speak Inglese.”
“That’s okay. Hi. My name is Matt. What’s your grandma’s name?” I turned my attention to the girl. She looked in my direction but didn’t speak.” I got down on the floor and sat on the carpet. It had been a while since I sat with my legs crossed.
“I have a little cousin about your age. Her birthday is next week. Could you give me some ideas what kids your age are into?”
Just when I thought it was over for me, she spoke.
“Does she like music?” She was even looking right at me. Her voice was sweet and I could see her shoulders starting to relax.
“Sure she does. She’s going to be eleven. How old are you?”
“I’m twelve. How about a new Rio 500? It plays music without a cd.”
“That’s a great idea. Do they come in different colors?” I kept the back and forth going. I paid no attention to Donny and the little girl’s mother when they re-entered the room.
“My cousin’s name is Kelsey. What’s yours?”
“Anna.” I watched her body relax further. No longer was she fearful of talking to me.
“Thanks so much for your help, Anna. My little cousin will be thrilled.” Anna smiled. She had braces on her top teeth.
“Now, Anna, I need to ask you some questions. They are not going to be easy to answer. You don’t have to s
peak your answers right now; you can just point to show me. Is that okay?”
“Yes.” I could see her take a deep breath. I didn’t want her to re-live the nightmare, but it was paramount to the investigation.
“Anna, did something happen to you today that hurt you?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me where this happened?”
“Downstairs. I was walking inside from the school bus. This fat guy in apartment 1F has been staring at me for days, giving me the creeps. I had my head phones on and I was listening to music. I was waiting for the elevator to open. Before I knew what was going on, I felt someone grab me, pulling at me. I screamed but I was already inside his apartment. He locked the door and had me sit on his couch.”
“You’re doing great, Anna. It’s okay. Please, continue.”
“He sat down next to me, took my headphones off and told me if I screamed he would punch me.” The tears welled up in her eyes. She was becoming hysterical. I just needed a few more minutes with her.
“Anna, I need to know, so I can help you. I don’t want this to happen to anyone ever again. I need your help.”
After another deep, prolonged breath, Anna spoke of what occurred.
“He started to kiss my ears as his hands moved all over my chest and stomach.” Anna showed us where he touched her by moving her hands over her body. Not even her mother’s hand placed gently on her shoulder could calm her down. She was re-living her nightmare and I had no choice but to let it happen. We needed her to talk.
“He kept going and before I knew what was going on he took out his thing.” Once again, I found myself wondering how this shit could happen in a small town. The words came out of Anna’s mouth but they didn’t register in my mind. My auditory processing seemed to have shut down. Perhaps this was my brain’s new defense mechanism. I was able to concentrate on how to handle this situation. I was consumed with thoughts of killing this pervert. I was overcome with hatred for the animal responsible. Whoever he was, he was in for a bad day. The rage slowly made its way throughout my body. Anna kept talking as I watched her mother and grandmother sob. Their tears would not end anytime soon. I was still physically present in the room but all I wanted was blood. I looked upon this sweet girl as a big brother would look upon his little sister. I wished I could have been there to stop it. With Anna’s account of what transpired, I doubted my ability to remain professional. It was a feeling I was unaccustomed to.
My chest tightened around my broken heart. How could someone do this to such a young girl? I didn’t even look in Donny’s direction. We both heard Anna’s story. I knew exactly what he was thinking. Any real man would want the confrontation Donny and I were about to have.
By the time she was done talking, Donny had already radioed headquarters for an ambulance. We had everything we needed; any follow-up could be done by phone or a visit. Child Protective Services were en route to the hospital with Crisis Intervention to handle everything else.
“Okay, thank you, Anna. You are one amazing little lady. I will be seeing you a little later, okay?” As I stood up, Anna leaped from the couch and hugged me. The hug was reminiscent of the one I got earlier from the little boy I found. I hugged her back tightly and looked up at Donny. He wasn’t smiling. The knock on the door broke our embrace as Paramedic Scotty Franks walked through the door. I was happy to see him and told Anna that Scotty was my best friend and would look after her.
“Hey, Anna, what color are your head phones?”
“Black. I think they are downstairs.” Anna left with Scotty, her mom, and her grandmother.
I tucked that little piece of information away. I knew what I would be looking for as soon as this son of a bitch let us into his apartment.
“Matt, do you mind if I take the lead on our suspect? Anna’s mom told me his name: Rizzo, Massimo Rizzo.”
“Rizzo. He’s Italian? I never heard of him.” Donny and I took the stairs down. I was trying to keep my sanity as I envisioned shooting this mother-fucker as soon as he opened his apartment door. Apartment 1F was the apartment closest to the elevator. What Anna said made sense. He grabbed her while she was waiting for the elevator. The earlier feeling of being watched while we were waiting for it registered in my mind. This pig was home. I could feel it.
Donny didn’t wait a second. He started pounding on the apartment door. I was surprised when the door opened quickly, revealing a short, portly man, dressed in business attire. He was well groomed and wore thin-framed eye glasses. He didn’t look to be of Italian descent. His skin was pale and his eyes were blue. His hair was bleached blond to hide the gray.
“Yes, can I help you?” He spoke first. Donny waited. His silence increased my anxiety. I squeezed my toes inside my boots. I was nervous. I was uncertain about this interaction. Although you might want to hurt someone, the reality of the situation makes it impossible. Cops cannot hurt people, regardless of the circumstance. I could only hope Donny remembered his oath, to protect and serve.
“I am looking for Massimo Rizzo.” I was relieved when Donny finally uttered something.
“That’s me. What can I do for you officers?”
“Do you mind if we come in? It’s something of a private nature.” I had to hand it to Donny. He was smooth.
“Sure, anything to help out Hutchville’s finest.” My eyes scanned the room as I entered. This was Donny’s show; I was not going to interrupt unless it was necessary. The apartment was clean, too clean. I could smell a sharp fragrance in the air. It was potent and capable of killing the smallest particles of physical evidence. I immediately felt somebody was trying to hide something.
“Please have a seat on the couch.”
“Thank you, Mr. Rizzo.” I sat down and immediately scanned the entire room. I was looking for one specific item.
“Mr. Rizzo, I am Detective Donny Mello and this is my partner, Officer Matt Longo. We are investigating a crime that occurred in the building today. Can you tell me where you were about an hour ago, at approximately 3:30 p.m.?”
“Sure, I was at work. I got home about five minutes before you knocked on my door.” His smile was fake, his teeth bright white; but the slightest drop of sweat on his brow gave it away. I could tell he was trying his best to play his part. It took every ounce of muscle I had to contain my most inner desires. I scanned the kitchen. I located the knife set on the kitchen countertop. I envisioned myself stabbing this fat fucker right in his eye.
“Well, Mr. Rizzo, that’s not the information we received today. As a matter of fact, I am quite perturbed by your last statement.” Donny had Rizzo’s and my attention. I had to hand it to him; he didn’t waste any time. Before I knew what was happening, Donny jumped from the couch, landing on Mr. Rizzo. His Glock was out, placed inside the mouth of our suspect.
“Listen to me. If you lie to me again, I will kill you. I will not use my gun either. If you give me one more bullshit answer, I’m going to drown you in your bathtub.” I stood up in shock. My body was trembling. I didn’t see that coming.
Rizzo didn’t blink, but his breathing was labored due to some nasal congestion. Donny stood, removed the gun from Rizzo’s mouth and sat back down like nothing happened. I, on the other hand, was like a deer in headlights. I was having trouble sitting as adrenaline continued to shake me. I found my seat on the couch just as Donny asked his next question.
“Mr. Rizzo, where were you at 3:30 p.m.?” Massimo was having trouble speaking. I watched his body quiver from fear at the realization that he couldn’t lie anymore. I secretly hoped he didn’t. Thinking about murder is perfectly fine, but committing it is a whole other animal.
“I was home.”
“Great, now we are getting somewhere.” I was amazed by Donny’s ability to turn the heat on and off so easily. Even when he had his gun in Rizzo’s mouth he seemed in control of his actions. No wrinkles around the eyes. He raised his voice slightly, but his face lacked all emotion. I am the complete opposite. When I lose it, I need minutes to
recover, especially at a time like this.
“Massimo, did you see a young girl outside your apartment today around 3:30?” I stared at Rizzo. I observed him attempt to lie; but he understood what would happen to him. His body sank into his olive loveseat. Donny sat directly across from him. Only a small rectangular coffee table separated the two men. My eyes kept moving to Donny and then back to Rizzo. Rizzo began to mutter a response, but jumped up and tried to run towards his bedroom. Before my legs would work, I watched Donny tackle him into an oversized television. The crash opened up Rizzo’s left eye. Donny never let go of him and continued to ram Rizzo’s face into the broken television. Rizzo was a bloody mess within a few seconds.
“Matt, go fill the tub.” My legs wouldn’t move. I couldn’t believe what just happened. Finally, my legs loosened up enough for me to walk into the hall bathroom. I closed the door behind me. The sink was close to me. I turned the cool water on and splashed my face. I was nervous about touching anything. But my emotions changed in a flash when I saw black headphones on top of the beige toilet seat. They were not plugged into anything. Someone was trying to hide them from me. A slow rage started in my chest, working its way straight up my spine. Every muscle in my arms flexed. He did it. He hurt that little girl. I thought about the consequences of my actions if I did something to Rizzo. I turned the faucet for the tub and placed the plug in the drain. The tub began to fill as I went to find my partner. I found Donny sitting at the kitchen table, smoking a cigarette. The look on my face made him smile more. Part of me wanted Rizzo’s blood, but the sensible part of me prevailed.
“Matt, relax. He ran. There could be a gun in here. I wasn’t taking any chances.”
“What are we going to do with him now?” I was hoping Donny’s answer involved a transport of our suspect up to headquarters or a hospital to fix his face. But I have never been lucky.
“Well, Matt, I’m going to drag lard ass into the bathtub and drown him if he doesn’t confess to raping that young girl. You got my back, right?” My head was spinning. I was scared. As much as I wanted payback I knew it was wrong. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Whatever happened to good old police work?
Back In Town (A Small Town Series Book 2) Page 2