Fatally Linked

by Juliann Vatalaro

  She walked up to them. “Hey, where is everyone?”

  Katie turned to the voice. “Trisha, what are you doing here?”

  “No school today. I thought I’d come by to see how you’re doing.”

  Katie lifted her hand to show the cuffs on her and Detective Ormrod’s wrist. “I’m under arrest.”

  Trisha looked at the cuffs in disbelief. “What? What did you do?”

  Ormrod looked up from her computer. “She’s not under arrest. I’m just making sure she doesn’t get away from me again.”

  “Oh, okay.” Trisha looked at Katie for an explanation.

  “Saturday I ran away to help a friend out. She’s just making sure I don’t do it again.”

  Trisha nodded and smiled. “Where is everyone?”

  “They found him. The guy that killed my mom and dad. They all went after him.”

  Trisha pulled a chair over and sat. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. I wanted to be there when they took him down.” She lifted her cuffed arm. “But…”

  “You want to help, don’t you?”

  “I have been helping. I spent all day yesterday trying to track this guy down. I’m the one who found his grandmother. That’s where he is. At his grandmother’s. I should be there to see it all go down.”

  Trisha turned to one of the computers and logged on to the Internet. “What’s the address?”

  Katie leaned over close to her and gave her the address. “Google Earth. I should have thought of that.”

  Trisha turned the monitor toward Katie and patted her hand. “You’ve had the month from hell. It’s understandable.”

  She headed to her dad’s office.

  The radio in Dani’s hand beeped. “He’s in there, Lieutenant.”

  “Are you set?”

  “Yes, ma’am. How do you want to handle it?”

  Dani started walking toward the house again. “I’m going to knock on the door and see if he’ll surrender. If he gets by me, shoot his ass.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Sargent Pine laughed.

  Again Jake stopped Dani with a hand to her arm. “What do you think you’re doing? He’ll shoot you before you get a word out.”

  “No, he won’t. His grandmother is in there. He’s not going to take a chance on her getting hurt.”

  “This guy is a psychopath. You can’t guarantee that.”

  “No, I can’t. But there is no way I’m giving this guy a chance to get away.” She handed the radio back to the officer that gave it to her. “I want a wall of cops surrounding this place. He does not get away.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I’m taking lead,” Jake said as they walked through the gate in front of Mrs. Lacca’s house.

  “No. He’s mine. I’m letting you stay with me, but I want you to stay out of sight. I have an idea. If it has any chance of working she can’t see you.”

  “Maybe we can pull back and discuss this plan a little more.”

  “No time,” Dani said as she knocked on the door. “Get back. That’s an order.”

  Jake snarled at her, but he did what she asked.

  Trisha was back less then a minute later. “Did Dad go with them?”

  Katie didn’t take her eyes from the screen. “Probably. Everyone ran out of here as soon as they found him.”

  Katie scanned the screen. “Yeah, there he is.” She pointed to the captain on the screen.

  “What’s wrong?” Trisha asked as she watched her father on the screen.

  “I don’t know, but something is.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Look at the layout.” Again, she pointed to the screen. “They didn’t block off the streets. They are all staging at least a block away. Where is the swat team? Doesn’t that seem odd to you?”

  Trisha looked closer at the screen. “There’s a swat guy.” She pointed to a rooftop across the street. “Look, Dani and your uncle are going up to the house.”

  “Something is not right,” Katie said again. She tried to get up, but the cuffs kept her in her seat. “Can you un-cuff me, please. I’m not going to run. I promise.”

  “If I lose you again, it’s my job.”

  “I know. I need to look something up. I need both my hands. Please, it’s important.”

  Ormrod sighed. She didn’t want to lose her job, but she knew how smart Katie was. She had watched as she ran down lead after lead this past week.

  She took the key out. “If you run, I will not be responsible for what I do to you.”

  Katie turned to the computer and started to hit the keys.

  Dani had to knock three times before Mrs. Lacca answered the door. “What do you want?”

  “I’m looking for Billy. Is he here?”

  “No.” She started to close the door, but Dani stopped it.

  “Are you sure? It’s real important that I find him.”

  “I’m pretty sure I would know if he was here. He eats me out of house and home whenever he comes by. Now go away.”

  Again Dani stopped the door from being closed. “Look, we were supposed to go out last night. He never showed. I have something really important to tell him and he didn’t show. Do you know where he is?”

  “Who are you?”

  “I’m Trixy, his girlfriend. Didn’t he tell you about me? He’s told me all about you.”

  “Aren’t you a little old to be his girlfriend?”

  “Hey, I’m not that old. I know he’s here. He told me he always comes for breakfast so he can check on you.” Dani pushed past grandma and into the hallway. “Billy, are you here? I have to talk to you,” she yelled.

  “Hey, you can’t come in here,” Mrs. Lacca protested.

  Jake grabbed her arm, gently pulling her outside. He walked her to the street, handing her off to another officer, before sprinting back up to the house.

  Dani had drawn her gun when Jake stepped up beside her.

  “He’s not here,” she whispered.

  “He has to be. There is no way he’s getting around all the cops out there. He knows that.”

  “You’re right. Slow and by the book,” Dani said as they headed further into the house.

  “Damn it.” Katie picked up her phone.

  “Who are you calling?”

  “Uncle Jake. There’s a hidden exit in that house. I have to tell him.”

  “They’re in the house. He’s not going to answer.”

  Katie thought about that a quick second. “Call your dad. I’ll text them. Ormrod can you get in touch with the head guy out there?”

  “On it.”

  Jake and Dani froze as they heard the buzz of a phone. They looked at each other as they moved back behind a wall for protection and grabbed their phones.

  “There’s a hidden exit,” They both whispered at the same time.

  “Shit, call her,” Dani said as she peeked around the corner of the wall.

  “Uncle Jake, there’s a hidden exit. It’s in the basement floor. About twenty feet from the steps on the right.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m looking at the plans right now.”

  “I’m not even going to ask how you got the plans. Stay safe.”

  He hung up and looked at Dani. “Hidden exit. Basement. Let’s go.”

  They started moving a little quicker now, but still safely clearing the house as they moved to the basement. Dani pulled open the door. Jake turned in first, his gun pointing forward. He pushed Dani back as the first shot shattered the doorframe above his head.

  “Son of a bitch,” Dani yelled. “Get off me!”

  Jake stayed on top of Dani as the next three shots whizzed past their heads. After a short minute with no more shots, Jake slowly rolled off Dani to his feet. He cautiously looked down the stairs into the basement. Dani stepped around him, gun pointed forward as she took the steps quickly.

  “Slow down. Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Jake stepped in front of her again as they hit the basement floor
.

  “He’s not getting away.” She scanned the room. “Where’s this exit?”

  “She said about twenty feet in on the right.”

  They headed over to where the door should be, but nothing was there. A solid brick wall was in front of them. A solid cement floor was below them.

  “It has to be here.”

  Jake went down to his hands and knees. Dani checked for a hidden door in the wall.

  The captain, sergeant, and three other officers came down the steps as Jake accidentally tripped a switch that opened a three-foot square hole in the floor.

  “Got it,” he yelled as he headed down the ladder.

  “Find out where this comes out and seal it off,” Dani yelled as she followed him down. The captain was right behind her.

  All three headed down the tunnel with their guns forward. “What is this tunnel?” Dani asked.

  “According to Katie,” the captain answered, “It’s a utility tunnel. They use it when there is a sewer, electric, or subway problem.”

  “Why does it have an entrance in some old woman’s house?”

  “I didn’t take the time to ask her, but I’d put money on the fact that she knows.”

  Dani and Jake couldn’t help but smile as they picked up the pace. Since the tunnel was well maintained, six feet wide, with low-level wall lights every twenty yards, they moved quickly. They could hear Lacca running, but he was too far ahead to see him.

  They plastered themselves against the wall when two more shots rang out in the tunnel. They had to wait until they were sure another one wasn’t coming before they continued. As the tunnel turned to the right, another shot rang out. When it was safe enough to look around the bend, all they saw was Lacca’s foot clearing the hole to the outside. Since they didn’t know what type of gun he had, therefore had no idea how many bullets it held, one more time they had to use caution exiting the tunnel.

  This time Dani was the first to the ladder and up. Jake wasn’t far behind, pushing her against the wall as they both cleared the hole. They looked to the end of the alley just in time to see Lacca make the turn to the right.

  The chase was tricky, but there was no way they were going to lose him. Again he shot behind him a few times, not caring if he took out any innocent bystanders. Neither Jake nor Dani took the time to see if anyone was hurt. Lacca actually help them out by shooting, because everyone cleared the path for the chase.

  As they chased they saw Lacca drop one clip out of his gun and load another in. At his next turn two more shots rang out behind him, stopping Jake and Dani from taking the turn on a run. They had to stop and look before following. Again increasing the gap between them.

  “It’s a dead end,” Jake said at the same time Dani said, “We got him.”

  They both stood up straight as the captain came up behind them.

  “One person hit. Superficial to the arm. He’ll be fine.” He motioned with his gun to the alley entrance. “Why are we stopping?”

  “It’s a dead end.” Jake leaned back around the corner of the building. “He’s trying the doors now. No luck. They must be locked.”

  Dani spoke to the officers that came up behind the captain. Find the doors. Keep everyone away from them. Don’t try to enter the alley. He’s got a fresh clip in his gun. Nobody moves on him.”

  She looked around the corner again as they waited for the all clear from the officers clearing the building around the alley. When it came, they took a deep breath, raised their guns, and entered the alley. Dani took lead.

  “Drop the gun. You can’t get away.”

  They spread out blocking the alley as they slowly walked toward Lacca. “Billy Lacca you are under arrest for the murders of Detective Zach Danato and Jennifer Granta. Drop the gun, put your hands on your head, and get down on your knees.”

  Dani didn’t think he heard her because he was still trying to find a way out of the alley. In front of him was a twenty-foot solid brick wall. On the left was a building with two doors. Both were locked. On the right was a fire escape, but he was too short to reach the ladder even with a good jump. He tried jumping on the dumpster at the end of the alley, but he was still not tall enough. Even jumping he could not get high enough to reach the top of the wall.

  “You are not getting out of this alley. Now drop the gun and turn around,” Dani yelled.

  “They deserved it. They needed to die,” Billy yelled, but didn’t drop the gun. “They hurt my friend. They needed to die.”

  “Oh, no,” Dani yelled. “Don’t even try to build your insanity plea.”

  They all took a few more steps closer to him. They were now only fifteen feet away.

  “You killed them in cold blood. You are going to spend the rest of your life behind bars. Now, I’m not going to tell you again. Drop the gun and slowly turn around.”

  He stood there for over a minute before he slowly turned around. He didn’t drop the gun, but held it low to his side. “It was self-defense. They pulled a gun on me. I had to protect myself.”

  “Nice try, but we have witnesses that say you killed them in cold blood. Detective Danato’s gun was still in his holster when we found him. There was no gun found at Ms. Granta’s house. You are a psychopath that killed two innocent people for no other reason then you wanted to. Now if you don’t drop the gun and get down on your knees I am going to kill you. And just so you know, I’m going to enjoy every second of watching you die.”

  Billy lowered his eyes to the gun in his hand. “Go ahead. Try it,” Jake said. “Not one of us will have any problem with killing you. Go ahead; just lift that gun an inch. That’s all it will take. Just one inch and you get to die by three New York City police officers.”

  After only a few seconds he slowly released the gun. It hit the top of the dumpster and slid off to the ground. He went down to one knee, but lost his balance as he tried to kneel on the angled top of the dumpster. One hand went down in front of him while the other went behind him.

  “Show your hands,” Dani and Jake both yelled as they took another step forward. “Show your hands!”

  “Sure, Detective. Sure, I’ll show my hands.”

  Kneeling sideways on his right knee with this left leg out to the side, he slowly straightened putting his right hand up to show it was clear. It took less then a second to see that his left wasn’t.

  “Gun!” all three yelled at the same time they all took the shot.

  One shot each was all it took. Billy Lacca dropped the gun as he fell forward, off the dumpster, hitting the ground with a thud.

  They took the last few steps up to him. Jake used his foot to push Lacca from lying on his side to his back.

  “So, which one do you think is the kill shot?” Jake asked as they looked at the body.

  One shot was through his head. One was through his neck. The last was through his heart.

  “As long as he’s dead, it doesn’t matter,” Dani said as she turned and headed out of the alley.

  The captain motioned with his head for Jake to follow. “Go after her. I’ll take care of this. Make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid.”

  “Yes, sir.” He nodded and followed Dani.

  CHAPTER 44

  DANI TOOK A SLOW WALK back to the car. Stopping only for a hotdog and soda from a street vendor. Jake followed without saying a word. It was over now. Katie was safe. Zach’s and Jennifer’s killer was dead. There was nothing to keep him in New York any longer. Nothing except the woman walking into her squad room in front of him and his new found niece.

  Most of the detectives were back at their desk as they entered the room. Since it all went down in Brooklyn it was not their job to clean it up.

  They all stopped what they were doing as Dani stopped in front of Zach’s picture on the wall. Lightly she rubbed her hand over his face.

  “It’s done. Your killer is dead. Hopefully finding his own little hidy-hole in hell.”

  She kissed her fingers and pressed them to Zach’s lips, wiped the tears
from her eyes, and headed toward her office.

  “Wilson, my office,” she yelled on her way through the squad room. Jake followed her.

  “I’d like to talk to Wilson alone, if that’s okay with you.”

  “Don’t mind me. You won’t even know I’m here.”

  “Are you kidding me? Get out of my office.”

  “No can do. Captain wants me to keep an eye on you.”

  Wilson walked in before she could respond.

  “Close the door.”

  He stood in front of her desk. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “No. Actually, the opposite. I wanted to tell you you did a great job out there this past week. You’ve come a long way from the shy detective that walked into my squad room a year ago. I’m proud of you.”

  A slow smile came to Wilsons face. “Thank you. That means a lot to me. I won’t let you down.”

  “Good, because now that I know how good you are, you’ll be taking lead on some cases.”

  “Why am I not sure that’s a good thing?” He laughed and headed for the door, but Jake stopped him.

  He stuck out his hand. “I just want to apologize for how I acted with that little situation with Katie. You’re a good man and a good cop. Thanks for protecting her.”

  He shook his hand. “Anytime. She’s a great kid. I got a kick out of watching her work.”

  When the door closed Dani asked, “Why does the captain want you to keep an eye on me?”

  “He wants to make sure you don’t do anything stupid.”

  Dani smiled for the first time since she took the shot. “What stupid thing would I do?”

  Jake shrugged as Katie knocked and came in. “Is it over? Did you get him?”

  Jake took her hand and walked her to the chair opposite Dani’s desk. Still holding her hand he spoke. “Yes, we got him.”

  “Where is he? I think I want to see him. I don’t know why, but I think I should see him.”

  “He’s in the morgue. He’s dead.”

  “You killed him?”

  “He didn’t leave us a choice, but to be honest, neither one of us is too broken up about it.”