by Emily Ford
A half a block away in a parked, unmarked car, Johnny sits in the driver’s seat while Detective Jenkins watches through a small set of binoculars as the middle-aged man hugs the blind man and walks off. The blind man remains seated on the crate for a few minutes, then he stands and makes his slow descent down Canal Street, shaking his plastic cup and winning change and conversation from several tourists.
The Detective sets his binoculars down and scribbles on his notepad. “Percy,” he says aloud. His eyes glance in the direction of the younger of the two familial men. “And was that Percy, Junior? We’ll need to run the senior Percy’s background when we get back to the office.” According to his anonymous source, Percy knows something about these murders. And now, perhaps both Percy’s do.
“What do you think their involvement is? What exactly did the source say? Do we know who it is?” Johnny asks.
“They’re anonymous tips. Someone leaves them on my voicemail late at night when they know I won’t answer,” the Detective says, his voice tightening as he peers through the binoculars once more. “Whoever it is, they’re hell bent on stressing this Percy’s involvement.”
Johnny silently chews on his bottom lip. The Detective has known him long enough to recognize it as a sign of an inner conflict of some sort.
“What’s got you in a twist?”
Johnny shrugs. “Are we finished here?”
“Yeah, let’s get back to the station,” the Detective answers, casually flipping through his notepad.
Johnny starts the car and merges into traffic, glancing at the blind man on the sidewalk as they drive by.
“I still can’t believe we have no witnesses to the rooftop murders,” the Detective grumbles. “I mean, these guys get sliced and diced, one gets hurled off the building into the street, and there’s not a single eyewitness. And conveniently, no surveillance either. I swear to God, John, things like this just boil my blood.” He stomps a foot on the floor board and clenches his fists around the pen and notepad he’s still gripping.
“It’s bad news, Detective,” Johnny agrees in a somber tone. “But we’re going to find who did it and stop them. Whatever it takes.”
“You got that right.”
