LOST

Stew sat on his couch and ate a bowl of cereal as he watched the morning news. There was a report about a real estate agent who was found dead in her house, which was not a strange occurrence for Charlotte or anywhere else. But what Stew did find strange was how they said she was killed. She was found with her face and throat slashed with what must have been talons of some sort. “A wild bird attack inside a home?” Stew said to himself. “The reporter said there were no signs of forced entry—by an animal or a human.”

There was a knock on the door, but Stew was hesitant to get up and answer it, thinking it might be Wiz. It was too late to turn off the television. That would just confirm that there was someone in the apartment. His only option other than actually answering the door was to be quiet and hope they went away.

“Mr. Kasey,” said a familiar female voice.

“Detective Alderman?” he asked as he made his way toward the door to let her in.

“Yes, Stew. Do you have a moment?”

“Sure. ” He opened the door and noticed she looked a little worried. “Come in,” he said, stepping out of the way. “Can I get you some coffee or anything?”

“I think I’ve had enough this morning. Thanks, though.” She looked at the TV and saw that the news was on. “I guess you’ve heard about that murder last night.”

“Was it murder? I thought she was attacked by a wild bird or something.”

“Yeah… or something.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m not sure what I mean at this point.” The detective was visibly rattled.

“Hold on a second—how was that guy… what was his name? Faustini. How was he killed?”

“Slashes to the throat. I’m already with you,” she said as she nodded. “We’re considering the two linked. But what I have yet to figure out is how someone could get into a secure holding cell, kill the occupant, tamper with the camera and get back out unnoticed.”

“I have no— ”

The ‘A-Team’ theme song began to play from Detective Alderman’s pocket. She pulled her cell phone out and looked at the display screen. “I’m sorry. It’s my partner. I’ll be just a minute.” She turned away from Stew, “Alderman. Uh-huh. You’re kidding,” her jaw went slack with surprise. “Have you got an address?” She pulled a memo pad out of her inside jacket pocket and quickly began to write. “Got it. I’ll meet you there in ten.” She turned back toward Stew, “Where’s Wiz? The diner?”

“Yeah, probably. But he’s crazy. You can’t trust anything he tells you.”

“This whole thing is crazy. I’m going to send a squad car over to guard your building. In fact, as soon you can manage it, get one of your friends to take you to your parents’ house. Stay inside until then.”

“I’m not going to my parents’ house. My mom already wants me out of Charlotte. This would just add fuel to her fire.”

“Well, at least get one of your friends to stay with you or you stay with them. Call me and let me know where you’re going to be.”

“Okay. Don’t leave me hanging too long.”

“I won’t.”

Detective Alderman walked out the door, into the hallway and turned around. “I wouldn’t open the door for anyone unless you’re expecting them and they identify themselves.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Take care of yourself. ” She turned and hurried down the hall. Stew closed the door, locked it, locked the deadbolt and slipped the chain into its slot. He picked up his cell phone and called Alex but it went straight to voicemail, which meant she was still in class and had her phone turned off. He then tried Marc’s number. Marc answered.

“Marc. You busy? What time? Can I come over until Alex gets out of class? Because I’m a bit nervous today. I’ll tell you about it when I get there.”

Detective Marie Alderman arrived at 454 East Thirty-fifth Street. to find her partner’s car already there along with four squad cars, a crime scene van and a K9 unit. She thought about what Wiz had said about not making a move on Di Corvo, but with one more dead, she was considering all bets off.

Her partner, Detective Derek Robles, met her at the door of the warehouse, “The place was cleaned out. There’s barely anything left in here. Crime Scene is dusting for prints, but I’m not very optimistic. Maybe we’ll get something. There’s a deck of cards over there on the floor. I doubt there’s a usable print on the cards themselves, but maybe on the box.”

“And Di Corvo’s the owner of this place?”

“Yeah,” Robles replied as he looked at the file. “According to Ellis’s sales records, the sale went through on September fifteenth. He moved in on October thirtieth.”

“Did Homeland Security ever get back to you?”

“Hell, no. Something strange, though…”

“That would not be anything new, Robles.”

“I know we’ve ruled out the attacking bird theory due to utter ridiculousness… but this…” Robles pulled a baggy out of his coat pocket that contained a large, black feather. “…was found beside her body.”

As Alderman took the baggy in her hand and held it to the light to get a better look, she said very plainly, “Looks just like the one we found with Faustini. What the hell? Let me see the file.”

Robles handed her the folder and she quickly flipped through it. “What are you looking for?” he asked her.

“There’s got to be somewhere in here where she has contact inform—here it is. Second contact… Donnie Scott.”

“Faustini,” Robles said, his eyes as wide as bowling balls.

“Yep.” She pursed her lips, knowing they were on the verge of a breakthrough, and now she didn’t have to rely on the witness statement of a man who should have died twelve-hundred years ago.

“Genius,” replied Robles. “How did we miss that?”

“You weren’t looking for it,” Marie said, closing the folder and handing it back to him. “Where’s Valentine?”

“He went to the realty office to get a copy of all of Ellis’s emails and non-confidential files. He’s going to be pissed when he finds out all he had to do was look a little deeper in the paper file,” Robles commented as he looked at it and shook his head.

“And especially that it was me who found it. Do you want me to call him or do you want to do it?”

“You do it. He deserves to hear it from you, all the hell he gives you.”

“Okay,” she replied with an impish grin. “I’ll let you know what he says.”

“Do that.”

“Finish up here. I’m going to try and find Wiz. Keep me updated.”

“I will,” Robles assured her as he put the evidence back in his pocket. “And you do the same. And be careful.”

“Always.”