Surviving Brooklyn (Brooklyn Series Book 1) (5 page)

Mark stirred the food as the sauce began to thicken. I felt at home with him here, but discussing the crime scene was not something I ever envisioned or fantasized about.

“All the press will write stories about how the new prosecutor could not handle a crime scene,” I said. “They will replace me before I even get a chance to try.”

Mark leaned over the counter and brushed his thumb across my cheek. He seemed to empathize with me. Then he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my lips. With the island between us, it was hard to deepen the kiss and I wanted to. I pushed my coffee cup aside and climbed up on the island.

I crawled on my hands and knees over to Mark. With my lips never leaving his, I twisted my body around to hang my legs off the island with him in between them. I threaded my fingers through his hair and poured my emotions into the kiss.

I could taste the Alfredo sauce on his tongue, giving away his inability to control his taste-testing. He pulled me into his waist as a moan left my lips. All at once, he tugged my hair, and my head fell back. He lightly bit down on my neck. I wanted to mount him then and there, but instead he pulled away.

I stared at him while he turned his back to stir the pasta. He switched off the burner and turned back around to see the confusion that I was sure was evident on my face.

“Mark.” I wanted him, but more importantly I wanted him to want me. The way he kissed me, I could have sworn he felt something for me, but the way he could just let go made me wonder if maybe I was invading someone else’s territory. He said he wasn’t with Mary anymore, but he never said if he was with someone else, and I hadn’t asked.

“Brook, we can’t do this,” Mark whispered, as if talking would shatter me.

“I understand,” I murmured as a tear rolled down my face. I really didn’t understand, but lying was better than hearing the words ‘I don’t want you’ or even worse, ‘I just don’t feel that way about you.’

I climbed off the island and walked into my bedroom, then closed the door to put some distance between us. My heart was breaking. I cried into my pillow, wishing I could pull back my earlier admission. Wishing he didn’t know how I felt. He was the one thing in my life I wanted but could never have.

It was already so late that by the time I dried my tears, I was getting up to shower for work. I needed to get adjusted to the office.

I climbed into the shower and began singing a song that lifted my spirits when I heard my bedroom door open. I quickly rinsed and grabbed the towel to exit. Mark was standing in the shower door when I pulled back the curtain.

I took a glance to see the effect my wet naked body was having on his pants, and felt a little better about the situation. He was standing there with a bowl of food and a fresh cup of coffee.

“I will get dressed and meet you in the kitchen. Give me about ten minutes.”

Mark nodded and walked out of the bathroom. I quickly towel dried my hair and turned on my straightener. I applied my make-up, and then straightened my long black hair. I stared into the mirror and saw the dead girl staring back at me.

I shook it off and got dressed in a black pencil skirt with a silk lilac button-down shirt, placing my favorite black blazer on top. I put my crisscross strapped heels on, and made my way to my door.

Mark was sitting at the island. He turned to look my way as I stood in the doorway. I sat down on a stool, and Mark made me a new bowl of pasta since the other had grown cold.

“You should really get a few hours of sleep before you head into work.” Mark’s voice reverberated through me like a hot flash. I loved it when he spoke with that tone. I took a sip of coffee and bit into the pasta. It was as mouth-watering as Mark was.

“I am heading in to set up my office. I will be there through lunch. Then I plan to head back home and sleep.”

We finished eating in silence. There were things to say, but I felt like we didn’t need to bring it up. I was enjoying his comfort and his silence. Mark placed his hand over mine and I relished the feel of him even though I knew it was merely a tease.

“I want officers with you all day today,” Mark whispered, low enough that I barely caught the words.

“I don’t need it. I don’t need the protection. No one even knows the case is mine yet.”

There was a tension in the air that seemed to wrap around each of us and constrict our lungs and make life uncomfortable.

“You will accept it because it is non-negotiable. The last prosecutor died when we got our first real lead. That won’t happen to you.”

Mark was worried. I could understand where he was coming from, but that did not change the fact that no one knew I was on the case yet. I really didn’t want to fight with him. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“Mark, I don’t want strangers forced to give up their day to follow me around everywhere. If there is a threat against me, it is imaginary because no one has heard it yet.”

Mark stood and walked to my front door. He unlocked it and opened it up. I watched as two men walked in. They were the same ones who had followed Mark into the park to get me earlier. They were both wearing running shoes with jeans and had on different t-shirts. Mark was speaking in a low voice so I could not understand what he was saying.

When he turned back, the look on his face had me rolling my eyes. He had already ordered people to follow me. I knew without him saying a word.

“Always have to do things your way, don’t we?” I asked, as I walked into my bedroom and packed my laptop into my brown Dooney & Burke laptop bag. It didn’t match my outfit, but I was not digging through the few unpacked boxes to see where my black bag was. I was livid that he would do this without even talking to me.

I walked to the door where I met the broad-shouldered, muscular men. This would be a perfect fantasy if I were one of those girls who drooled over firemen calendars. Normally I would be all over them, but as pissed as I was, they looked like they had just walked out of a children’s television show—all innocent smiles and obvious good intentions.

“Brooklyn, this is Abbott and Costello,” Mark replied with a smile aimed at the men.

I was annoyed that I wasn’t even afforded the courtesy of being told their real names. Instead, they were given nicknames that matched actors who had been around long before their time.

In a moment of pure courage, I set my bag down and got Mark’s attention. I unzipped my skirt and let it fall. All three were able to see my black lace underwear, but more importantly they could see the gun that rested in its holster on my upper thigh.

“I will be fine. Scout’s honor.” I held up three fingers and gave him a smug smile. I pulled my skirt up and tucked in my shirt before zipping it. Mark shook his head at me as I pushed past the men. It was nearly three in the morning, and anyone who approached me at this hour would be shot anyway.

My anger brewed during my elevator ride down. I exited the elevator in the lobby and saw the boy-toy security guards waiting for me. It irked me even further that they ran down all five floors without breaking a sweat. This was not going to be a good Monday.

Chapter 5

The first week at my new job passed in a blur. I did not even have the time to set up my office. I was spending all my time in the archives going over the last prosecutor’s cases. There were appeals, and grand jury testimonies that were set up. I had not even been briefed on the cases. My boss had offered to divvy up the caseload until I caught up, but I wanted them to pile the work on. It would keep my mind busy so I wasn’t waiting for the next victim.

There was no evidence on the body of the girl we had found. She was not listed as a missing person yet, but Mark and I would both continue to check daily. I tried not to think about it, but if we were going to catch the killer he would need to make a mistake with his next victim. I shuddered with fear and anxiety to think someone else would have to die for those women to get justice.

I saw Mark in the afternoons when he relieved my security for dinner. Those guys irked me, even though they were very good and blended into my surroundings. I didn’t notice them, but it annoyed me to know they were somewhere babysitting me.

I packed up my work for the day and headed upstairs so I could go home. My dad had bailed on lunch as expected, but he was supposed to pick me up for dinner tonight. I wanted to get home and shower before he arrived.

I saw Mark standing outside his Escalade as I walked out of the building. He walked to my door and opened it for me. I piled my bags and the large box filled with case files into the backseat of his SUV and climbed in the front.

The gray leather interior was like a hot bath after a long day. Even though I didn’t want to admit it, having Mark there to bring me home every day was a welcome relief. I kicked off my strappy heels and leaned back into the heated seat. The lumbar support was exactly what I needed after a week like this one.

Mark held my hand across the console the entire way home. He’d started doing it every day. I must have been tired because I remembered looking at him holding my hand, and the next thing I knew he was waking me up and we were across the river, in front of my apartment.

I yawned and Mark lifted me out of the SUV as though I was his bride. I snuggled into him and was quite content to stay against his chest when I heard a familiar voice.

“Put her down!”

“Nikolas, stop it,” I shouted. “He was merely trying to help me.” Mark slowly let my legs fall to catch my weight. As soon as I was standing between them, I knew this would not go well if I couldn’t stop it.

“Aren’t has-been mafia lords supposed to stay on the lower west side?” Mark asked as he stepped closer to Nikolas.

“If that were true, then shouldn’t cops stay in Jersey where they
can
protect their own?” Nikolas countered, as he and Mark were nearly chest to chest.

I was too tired for any of this. I pushed between them and tried to shove them apart but only got my arm between them. Neither of them were going to budge.

“Nikolas, aren’t we supposed to go to dinner?”

My dad looked my way and then back at Mark. It almost seemed like he growled as he turned to look at me again.

“Lyubov Moya, I hate that you are so tired that you need a Neanderthal to carry you inside. Maybe we should reschedule dinner.”

I hated it when he called me his love in Russian. He only called me that when he wanted something. The fact that those words left my dad’s lips was a sign that maybe dinner should be canceled. Then, something occurred to me.

“Mark is going to join us for dinner, aren’t you, Mark?” I gave him a pleading stare. I even put my hands up like I was praying.

“Yes, I was going to escort her to dinner tonight. She is not to be left unattended until we catch this killer.”

I breathed a sigh of relief when my dad made an excuse not to go to dinner. When he walked off, Mark and I gathered all my things from the SUV and carried them into the apartment.

Once inside, I set everything in the living room so I could spread out and work over the weekend. Mark stood speechless in my foyer like a bellhop waiting for a tip. I discarded my blazer and untucked my shirt as I walked toward him.

“I am going to pour some wine and watch reruns of the Big Bang Theory from my DVR. Do you want to join me?” I asked. I could see he wanted to say something, but he remained stoic. I turned around and noticed a new photo hanging on my wall. He must have seen it first.

There was an eleven by thirteen-inch black framed photo of a blue forget-me-not, with a white card tucked in the corner. When I reached for the envelope, Mark stopped me. He pulled his gun and began searching the apartment.

My anxiety should have been higher, but my curiosity was overriding every other emotion I could have conjured. After Mark cleared the apartment, he took tweezers from my bathroom and pulled the envelope from its spot. He placed it on the island and stared at me.

I went into the bathroom and retrieved gloves from a hair dye kit Kate had left behind. In the kitchen, I opened the envelope to find a small white card with calligraphy writing on the front in black. Mark and I read it over and over again in disbelief.

Hello Brooklyn,

I wanted to extend a cordial welcoming to the game that has begun. It took five victims to get you to come out and play. I wonder how many more will succumb to the game before you catch me. Remember as the game unfolds the fear you will feel is merely a myth. These women are not the one I want, they merely look like the one I want. Can’t wait to have you all to myself.

I looked up at Mark in silence. I wanted him to tell me everything would be okay. I wanted him to say he would catch the bad guy. He said nothing. Instead, he gathered me into his arms and held me close. His chin rested atop my head while his comfort surrounded me.

Once I was a little more composed, I pulled back and stood up on my toes to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. Then I went to make coffee as he called for the crime scene crew to come and look for any evidence.

Within half an hour, my apartment was crawling with police and crime scene investigators. Even the coroner came out to see how I was doing since the police psychologist and chaplain were working with someone else at the moment.

“How are you, Ms. Montgomery?” James asked.

“I am stunned, but I am all right. How are you, Dr. Garie?”

“I was worried about you. It seems you are handling this better than I gave you credit for,” James replied as he poured a cup of coffee.

“It’s not that bad. Some insane serial killer broke into my apartment and left me a picture with a note telling me he wants me to play along.” I spoke quietly, letting him know that I was perfectly capable of handling this.

“Ms. Montgomery, I think you are in denial about the severity of the situation. Please sit down.” James indicated the small chairs along the table across from the island. I went with him to hear him out. “I am not a psychologist. I only did one psych rotation in medical school, but I think maybe you should be taking this seriously.”

“Dr. Garie, I assure you I am taking this seriously. The answer is evident, don’t you think?”

James tilted his head and studied me for a moment. It seemed he didn’t understand what I was trying to say. The answer was crystal clear in my head. It was so simple.

“Dr. Garie, I merely have to exclude myself from the case,” I whispered, to make sure no one else heard me.

“Ms. Montgomery, do you really think that is a good idea?”

“I don’t want to, but it is clear what needs to happen. In the note, he says it took five victims to get me to come out and play. Therefore, he wanted me to be the one who would prosecute. Then he goes on to say ‘before I catch him’ instead of saying ‘if I catch him.’ If I walk away, he won’t have the one thing he has been trying to get.”

James nodded at the conclusion I had drawn. After a couple sips of coffee, his face looked stricken. He seemed to be pondering something that I was unaware of.

“Ms. Montgomery, if you excuse yourself from the case, wouldn’t psychology dictate that he would kill more people to try to get you back? If he thinks of this as a game, then how do you forfeit the win against an unknown opponent in a game with no rules?”

I sat and thought about it for a moment. James was right. He probably would kill more women. He would act out in haste as things would no longer be going his way. It was a frightful thought that others who looked like me would die because I left, but murderers that act in haste make mistakes, and that was what we needed to find him and put him on death row.

I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. I excused myself and walked into my bedroom. The walls were covered in fingerprint dust and my blankets had been taken into evidence. I was tired, and there were too many people around. I packed for a few days and then picked up the phone to book a room at the Marriott Marquis.

I brought out two black rolling suitcases. Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dumber stared at me like I had a horn growing out of my forehead. I rolled my eyes as I walked ahead and parked the suitcases by the front door. Then I went and gathered up freshly dusted case files and put them back in the box.

“Brooklyn, what are you doing?” Mark asked from behind me.

“I am going to a hotel. I need this stuff to get some work done.” I crawled around, gathering up more folders and placing them in the box. I felt hands on me before I was lifted off the floor. I was placed on my feet to face a very angry looking Mark.

“Why don’t you stay with me?” he asked sternly.

“We both know why that would not work. I have a room at the Marriott. You can send my security guards over there to check out the hotel,” I retorted. My patience was wearing thin in my exhaustion.

“Abbott and Costello will take you to the hotel and clear it. I want them in the room with you and a team outside the room until I get there. This is not up for debate. This is how things are going to happen,” Mark growled. I was apparently pushing his buttons tonight, only I really didn’t care at the moment. I just wanted some sleep.

“Fine, but I am taking the case files and my clothes.” I glared at him and placed my hands on my hips for effect.

“No, not until the apartment is cleared. Nothing leaves. I will bring it to you when we are done here. Do not leave the hotel without telling your entire team where you are going so they can check it first.”

I took a second to think about my attitude. Knowing the pressure he is under, I turned to apologize to Mark, but before I could say a word, I heard my name across the room and everyone froze. It was my boss. District Attorney Taylor Cross had bellowed my name, bringing everything to a halt.

“Ms. Montgomery, can I see you and Detective Stone outside in the hallway, please.” It wasn’t a question.

I felt Mark’s hand on my back before I moved, and he led me into the hallway as the other officers went back to invading my privacy. I just wanted sleep, but it seemed no one else wanted the same thing.

“Give me one reason we don’t let the FBI handle it from here.” My boss glared at me. He was a handsome man with black hair. His tanned skin showed the Latin in his blood, but his green eyes contrasted it. He wasn’t much older than me but gained his office through his parents’ popularity. His father had become a judge of the Supreme Court, and his mother had been a trial lawyer until she passed away a few years back.

“Mr. Cross, I can give you a reason,” I said. “He wanted me to chase him. I am not sure why he is fixated on me, but I have an idea. I think he might be an enemy of my father. No one else knows me, and the press release is not supposed to happen until Monday afternoon. No one knows my father’s enemies better than Detective Stone here. At least give Mark a chance to look into it, and at the press release I will step down.”

My boss glared at me, while Mark’s hand rested on the small of my back. Mark hadn’t said anything, but I felt like this was between my boss and myself.

“Ms. Montgomery, it is too late for press releases. A fake newspaper was put out on every newsstand and convenience store this afternoon. It has everything in it, including your visit to the crime scene last weekend. I was not even notified that you went down to thescene!”

Taylor growled at me as he handed me the paper

The front page read,
Mafia’s iconic daughter starts new job at District Attorney’s office by running from the latest Cut-Me-Not crime scene
. The article went on to state everything that had happened. I got about halfway down the article when the elevator to my floor opened and Kate came barreling out.

“Oh, thank God you’re okay,” she rambled, then hugged me and nearly crushed me in her arms.

“Why wouldn’t I be all right?” I asked with confusion lacing my words.

She grabbed the paper and fumbled it a bit until it showed the bottom paragraph.

“The article. Right here under this paragraph, it says, ‘Miss Montgomery is ready to play a round with the Cut-Me-Not killer and see if she can come out on top. Watch her apartment, folks. The blue lights from the NYPD will tell the tale of her fate.’ Then I pulled up and there are blue lights everywhere. The coroner's van is even here.”

Kate wept, and I held her. I saw my boss’s face from over her shoulder. He was looking at Mark and it was clear there was an unease that everyone was sensing, but no one was saying anything.