Murderer's Row

by Rashad Freeman

  A clock on the wall ticked loudly as seconds counted off at a metered pace. Agnes took a deep breath and stared at the dull gray paint, her eyes growing heavier with each minute. The monotonous clicking was like a double shot of Ambien and Agnes soon found herself sitting in a courtroom.

  “Do you have anything further to add Victor?” a stone-faced judged asked.

  “She’s a whore your honor,” Victor laughed.

  “I will not tolerate that language in my court. Do you understand that?” the judge said fiercely.

  Victor nodded and slumped his shoulders. He was a tubby blonde kid, barely in his twenties and convinced the world was his. His existence had been a privileged one, spared the evils and hardships that most men his age knew.

  “Well your honor, what I mean to say is she has very questionable morals. I know for a fact, on several occasions she had her way with multiple partners at the same time.”

  “Objection!” a frail man in a cheap suit said as he leapt from his chair. “Hearsay.”

  “It is not!” Victor retorted. “I was there, so was Phil McDougan, Richard Thorn, Adam Breavy—”

  “That’s enough!” the judge shouted as Victor continued to rattle off names.

  The crowd watching the trial broke into roars of shock as Victor’s list included some of the most notable names in the state.

  “This is not a damn circus. We will recess until tomorrow and I expect absolute adherence to my codes of conduct,” the judge said and banged his gavel.

  Victor stood up from the witness stand and winked at a lean brown-haired man that was sitting in the audience. The man glared at Victor then shook his head and started to exit the courtroom.

  “Doctor. Doctor,” the officer at the front desk called.

  Agnes didn’t move. She was staring at the wall, her eyes glazed over and unfocused.

  “Agnes!” the man shouted.

  “Yes…yes,” Agnes shook her head and answered. She stood up and walked back to the front desk.

  “Rosario called, she probably won’t be in for a few hours. You wanna leave a message?”

  “No thank you. I’ll try her another time.”

  Agnes turned to leave and almost ran into a tall redheaded officer with a scruffy beard. He stopped and stared at Agnes like he saw a ghost.

  “What…what are you doing here?” he asked.

  “Excuse me?” Agnes said in an offended tone.

  “I’m sorry, the names Harper, officer Harper. Please excuse me,” he said and started to walk off.

  “Harper,” someone called from behind him. “I see your taste in women has gotten considerably better.”

  Harper sighed and turned around. “What the hell do you want Tony?”

  “Oh, I just wanted to meet your new lady friend is all.”

  “Pardon me, young man we are not together,” Agnes corrected him, adding an emphasis on not.

  “Oh I’m so sorry. My name’s Tony. I work in the lab,” he said and extended his hand.

  “Agnes,” she responded curtly.

  “Oh, yeah you’re Henry’s girlfriend. Pleased to meet you.”

  “Henry talks about me often?” Agnes asked with a slight smile.

  “Only every time I see him. That guys crazy about you, and I can see why.”

  Agnes blushed. Harper looked at both of them and then backed away. “This is nice and all, but I have to go.”

  “As do I,” Agnes said. “Tony it was a pleasure. Harper I hope you refine your manners if we should ever meet again.”

  “Not likely,” Harper retorted. “Can’t teach a dog new tricks.”

  “Shame, seems that someone has taken a liking to leaving rude gentlemen by the river. Perhaps you should do something about that,” Agnes said flatly and then walked out.

  CHAPTER 13

  BACK INTO DARKNESS

  “Dinner tonight?” Marc asked.

  “Wouldn’t miss it,” Eve smiled and closed the door.

  It was barely eight in the morning and Eve was already heading into the office. Since the other day she had a renewed determination. She’d be damned if the mayor was gonna treat her like some ditzy chatterbox fresh out of the academy.

  Her Dodge Charger jerked and screeched as she slammed on the brakes every ten feet. Morning rush hour traffic was a phenomenon that Eve wasn’t accustomed to. It was a test of her waning patience to not shoot someone on her way in.

  An hour and a half after Eve first left her house she finally arrived at the station. Still fuming, she gathered her things and headed inside. On the way she grabbed a copy of the Wall Street Journal and a small coffee from a stand across the street.

  “You look like shit,” Sal said as Eve took a seat at her desk.

  “Oh yeah. Well guess who’s about to be crawling in shit?” Eve asked with a grin on her face.

  “No, no, no, Rosario not a chance.”

  “Captain’s orders, where I go you go. And in the sewer, you actually go first.”

  Sal fumed then charged off to the captain’s office grumbling under his breath. Eve laughed to herself and started looking through a stack of papers that were sitting on her desk.

  “You detective Rosario?” a stubbly-faced officer asked.

  Eve lifted her head and gave him a once over. “Yeah, what do you need?”

  “There’s a woman in the lobby asking for you. Says you are friends.”

  “Okay, thanks,” Eve said in an uncertain voice. She racked her brain trying to think who it could be. Eve had never been big on friends.

  Confused, she walked into the lobby and stopped short in surprise. “Agnes,” she said in shock.

  “Eve, I hope I’m not intruding.”

  “Not at all, just a bit surprised to see you here,” Eve replied.

  “Well I have some information for you.”

  Eve’s eyes lit up. “That’s great news. Come on back.”

  Agnes followed Eve into the back and took a seat in front of her desk. She pulled a piece of folded paper out of her purse then slid her purse under her chair.

  “So how have you been?” Agnes asked.

  “Good, considering. The job keeps me busy.”

  “That’s good.” Agnes grinned awkwardly. “Marc’s such a sweetheart. He’s talks about you all the time.”

  “Oh does he?”

  “Yes, whenever he’s at the university. He thinks the world of you. It’s really adorable.”

  “I never knew he was such a romantic,” Eve said.

  “Cherish it, it never lasts.”

  Eve raised her eyebrows and squelched her face, but didn’t respond. Agnes stared back at her with a blank face. There was an uncomfortable silence that seemed to last forever and might have if Sal hadn’t showed up.

  “I aint happy about it, but if we’re jumping in sewers let’s go now,” Sal said angrily.

  Eve sighed and rolled her eyes. “Sal this is Agnes McCall, she’s helping with the case.”

  Sal cleared his throat and extended his arm. “Nice to meet you Agnes, Eve here is a real gem,” he said sarcastically before walking off. “I’ll be at my desk Rosario.”

  “Sewers?” Agnes asked trying to sound nonchalant.

  “It’s involving the case.” Eve said then looked from side to side. “Can you keep a secret?”

  Agnes grinned and then nodded. “Sure.”

  Eve slid closer to her. She leaned in and began to whisper. “We think the killer is using the sewers, dumping the bodies down there.”

  Agnes had a look of alarm. She covered her mouth with her hand and gasped. “That’s horrible,” she said in a high-pitched voice. “Well it looks like you have quite a bit of work ahead of you. I’ll get out of your hair.” Agnes stood up and grabbed her purse.

  “Wait, didn’t you have something to tell me,” Eve asked.

  “Oh…oh yes this,” she said and handed her the folded piece of paper. “Those are the enzymes you can have your scientist start looking for.”

  E
ve took the paper and looked it over. She might as well have been looking at hieroglyphics. Not one bit made sense to her.

  Before she could say thank you Agnes had run off down the hall and was heading out of the door. Eve stared after her for a moment then walked the other way.

  “Going to see Tony. Be ready to go when I get back Sal,” she said demandingly.

  Eve made her way down the hall and into the crime lab. Tony was sitting on a stool behind a workbench. He was staring into a microscope, tapping on the tabletop with a pen.

  “Tony,” Eve called.

  “Oh hey detective, a little early for you isn’t it?” Tony said.

  “Just dropping this off,” she said and handed him the piece of paper.

  Tony grabbed the paper and unfolded it. He looked it over slowly, a smile growing on his face.

  “How…how did you get this?”

  “I have my ways. Now get to work,” Eve said and started to walk out.

  “Hey!” Tony yelled after her. “ID’d your last victim. Richard Garner, 52 year old doctor. His family reported him missing about two weeks ago.”

  “Fits the timeline,” Eve said.

  She nodded at Tony and closed the door. Sal was standing in the hallway with his arms crossed. As Eve approached him he shook his head and turned to walk outside. “Bet you think you’re real cute huh?”

  Eve shrugged her shoulders and winked. “Sal you know I love ya. Besides, you wouldn’t really let me go down there all by myself would you?”

  “You’re driving,” Sal responded angrily.

  It took them less than twenty minutes to make it to 59th Street. Eve parked the car and they walked across the street towards the sewer opening.

  “What the hell is that?” Sal asked and motioned to a cluster of patrol cars on the side of the road.

  Eve shrugged her shoulders. “Sergeant,” she called.

  A tall squirrely-looking man with a thick, brown mustache turned around. He was standing next to a number of other officers all huddled around one particular patrol car.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Not sure. Found Officer Sullivan’s car here, but no sign of him. Been missing a few days now,” the sergeant replied.

  “How old is he?” Eve wrinkled her face and asked.

  “You looking for a date?”

  Eve rolled her eyes and Sal gave him a menacing look.

  “I don’t know,” the sergeant said in exasperation. “Twenty something.”

  “Let me know if you find anything else.” Eve turned to walk off.

  “Yeah, I’ll go ahead and do your job for you too,” the sergeant mumbled.

  When they were no longer in earshot Sal turned to Eve and asked, “So what are you thinking?”

  “More than a coincidence to find an abandoned police car near the sewer where somebody tried to kill me.”

  “Good to see you again detective,” Mickey stuck out his hand and smiled as they approached.

  “Good to see you too Mickey. Thanks for getting me out of there. I’ve been meaning to call you. Did you get the message I left Bobby?”

  “Yeah he told me, I’m just happy you’re okay. Who’s your friend?”

  “Mickey, this is Sal. He’s gonna be my bodyguard today.” Eve smiled.

  “You’re one tough cookie going back down there at all, but I hope you catch the son of a bitch.”

  “Me too.”

  Mickey gave them both a quick run through and in five minutes they were traipsing through the spider web of underground tunnels.

  “Smells like…like—” Sal started.

  “Like ass. It smells like ass,” Eve finished for him.

  Sal laughed as he continued to trek through the sludge of brown water that came up to his ankles. Eve was a few feet ahead of him following the same path she had taken before.

  “That’s it right there. Down that tunnel,” Eve pointed with her light.

  They turned down another corridor and stopped. Sal shined his light and yawned.

  “I don’t see shit Rosario,” he complained.

  “Shut up!” Eve responded. “You don’t hear that?”

  “Hear what?”

  “The water…sounds like a river.”

  “Sounds like we shouldn’t be going down there,” Sal said with a weary look on his face. “What the hell are we even looking for?”

  “You’re a cop Sal, Jesus. You’re looking for clues. Come on.”

  Eve pressed on into the darkness, her flashlight beaming a narrow path. Sal reluctantly followed behind her. He cursed under his breath as his heavy feet trudged through the sludge and sewage.

  A faint gurgling sound emanated ahead of them. The noise echoed and bounced from the cement walls, making it difficult to determine how close they were.

  Eve sped up, moving at almost a run. “Come on, I think we’re close.”

  Sal dragged behind, huffing and out of breath. He leaned against the wall and doubled over. “Slow down Eve,” he called. “I gotta catch my breath.”

  Eve groaned. “You gotta start saying no to the hoagies.” Eve laughed. “Get up here,” she said in an excited tone.

  Sal finally caught up with Eve and stopped at her side. She was standing in front of a spiraling concrete staircase that twisted deeper underground like the roots of a willow tree.

  “What the hell is that?” Sal asked.

  “That, is where we are going.” Eve grinned.

  She patted Sal on the arm and headed down into the darkness. Sal stood at the top of the stairway with an exhausted look on his face. He watched her vanish from sight then reluctantly walked down after her.

  Eve followed the winding staircase deeper and deeper until it ended at a long and narrow walkway. The walkway ran off as far as Eve could see, disappearing around the corner. To the right was a yellow guard rail and just over that a wide stream of cloudy, brown water.

  Eve leaned over the railing and stared into the water. She could hear Sal’s irregular steps following slowly behind her. She turned to see if he’d made it to the bottom yet then looked back into the water and froze.

  “Jesus!” Sal exclaimed as he stepped next to Eve and followed her eyes into the murky stream.

  Floating in the water, face up, was the body of a young man. He was bloated and discolored, but the black uniform and golden patches were unmistakable.

  “Officer Sullivan,” Eve mumbled.

  CHAPTER 14

  ERRANDS

  “That’s not good enough Steve!” the mayor yelled.

  He was standing inside of the captain’s office with the door closed. A bulging vein thundered in his neck as he screamed at the top of his lungs. His words rattled through the door to the dozens of listening ears outside.

  “I don’t give a shit what kind of faith you have in her. I need fucking results!” The mayor slammed the door and marched out of the office.

  A few minutes later the captain stepped outside and looked around. “Do some damn work, people are dying,” he shouted. “Rosario, I need you in my office.”

  Eve sighed and glanced at Sal before heading into the captain’s office. Sal gave her a reassuring smile.

  “Good luck kid,” he called after her.

  Eve stepped into the office and closed the door. She looked around, taking note of the numerous plaques and awards that lined the wall. She read each one carefully, as if she hadn’t seen them a million times.

  “Sit down Eve,” the captain said politely, but firmly.

  Eve took a seat in front of his desk and crossed her hands over her lap. The captain regarded her thoughtfully before he spoke.

  “It’s not good,” he said simply.

  Eve nodded.

  “Two days Eve, two days. If you can’t get something moving on this case by then, the mayor is gonna force me to sideline you.”

  “Can he even do that?”

  “He’s the damn mayor. The police chief was in here an hour ago. This is way past political Eve.”


  “I’m close Steve, I’m real close. I just need a little more time.”

  “If you don’t bring me something in the next 48 hours, my hands are tied.”

  At that, Eve nodded and left the captain’s office. She grabbed her things from her desk and headed towards the door. “I’m taking off Sal. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said grimly.

  “Everything okay?” Sal asked.

  “Yeah, I just need to get outta here and clear my head you know. I’ll be fine tomorrow.”

  Sal gave her a smile and nodded. “Be good kid. Keep your chin up.”

  Eve left the office trying to hide her grim face. She headed to her car without any real plan of where she was going. She just knew she didn’t want to be at work. Halfway to her car she stopped and stared up to the sky.

  It was a little past 6pm and the sun had started its final retreat. The sound of cars beeping and zooming by played like a noisy high school band. Eve breathed heavily, soaking in the thick air and wiping the wet from her face.

  “I thought that was you,” someone suddenly called.

  Eve looked down and saw Agnes strolling towards her, grinning from ear to ear. Eve rubbed her hands over her face once more then smiled and tried to look as normal as possible.

  “Hey Agnes. How are you?”

  “I’m doing great. What are you up to?” Agnes asked.

  “Just leaving for the day,” Eve said. “Thanks by the way for the help, Tony’s still looking into it.”

  “I’m glad I could help.”

  “Well, I’m gonna—”

  “Wanna grab a drink?” Agnes cut her off. “You look like you had a rough day.”

  Eve smiled. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’m just gonna head home.”

  Agnes frowned. “Come on…I know a place around the corner with great mojitos. It’ll take your mind off of things.”

  “Okay, okay,” Eve said half-heartedly.

  “Follow me,” Agnes said, waving her hand and walking off down the sidewalk.

  Fifteen minutes later they were sitting in patio chairs on the outside deck of a small bar called La Cubana. The chatter from dozens of conversations sounded like a flock of birds fighting over trash. Agnes leaned forward and sipped her mojito, carefully watching Eve.