The building we entered was one of those family owned stores that survived on loyalty rather than those commercialized franchises. They were the neighborhood one-stop shop. Andy was close behind me. He’d handled meeting Benji better than I thought, but we had a few more stops today. I wondered what he’d think about the world I was more comfortable in and how he saw that meshing with me as a former cop. Benji bringing up the career ending frame-up for the bribe made me anxious, and I wondered when Andy would start to ask questions.

A tall thin guy with a comically rounded beer belly stood up from behind the counter. He was chewing on a stubby, fat cigar.

“Hey, name’s Ray Clancy, I’m a private investigator. I wanted to ask you about a recent purchase. You got a minute?” I asked as I stopped, and Andy moved to my side.

“I might.”

“Someone purchased several prepaid phones, I was wondering if we could look at the surveillance videos.”

“It’s a twenty-four-hour loop, those things overwrite themselves every day.”

Shit, just what I needed. A lot of smaller shops hadn’t upgraded to twenty-first century equipment, hell, I’d worked enough robberies to know some of the cameras were dummy ones with a watch battery to run the red recording light.

Another complication and I had to hope this guy had a long memory.

“Well, do you remember the person, maybe a description?” I asked.

“Do you know how many people come in here every day, man?”

“How many come in to buy several phones at once?” I was getting agitated.

“Guy came in, but in this neighborhood, you don’t ask questions.”

“Tall, short, my age, younger?” I asked.

I didn’t know what I expected. A half-assed description would be better than nothing.

“If I remember right, wasn’t a big guy. Kinda soft looking. He wasn’t chatty. Paid in cash, wallet was fat.”

“You see him around before?”

“No, only time. He had a baseball cap and kept his head down.”

Again, not helpful, but if the guy wasn’t a regular then that would mean this wasn’t his home turf. I’d held out some hope that the killer lived in the area because at least that would narrow down our search.

“Any distinguishing marks, tattoos, maybe a scar?”

“None of those either. Just a guy, man, nothing special. Like about a dozen other people who come through here every day.”

I thanked him, placed my hand on Andy’s lower back, and led him back outside.

“That wasn’t helpful.”

I chuckled at Andy’s frustrated tone.

“You wouldn’t make a good cop. Patience is a virtue. Well, I can’t fault you too much I don’t have many virtues. We’re going to ask about the newest vic. I know a few people in the building.”

“You did this for a living?”

I couldn’t hide my amusement. “Baby, not all police work is like what you see in those TV shows. It’s a lot of hit and miss.”

“Clancy, you back on the streets, man?” Jules Monahan, an old informant of mine, called from his spot on the steps where he smoked.

“Jules, you still on the streets?”

“My old lady told me one more stint and I could pack my shit. You know she’s the only one who can put up with me. I’m straight-ish.”

I nodded, “Jules, this is Andy, Andy, this is Jules.”

I waited while they exchanged greetings, and I stole a glance at Andy. I could see the curiosity intensifying and knew I was going to have to answer some questions when it was just the two of us. Again, I was a good cop, never took any bribes or looked the other way unless it would benefit me later. Like I did with Finn and Benji.

“He don’t look like a cop.”

“No, he’s a client I’m helping out with a little something.”

Andy’s sudden tension would’ve gone without notice if I hadn’t paid closer attention. But to be honest, what was I supposed to say? It was one night and I didn’t know what to call Andy. Whatever my personal feelings, I’d prefer if rumors didn’t start circulating, especially about a relationship between me and Andy. I was well-liked but that didn’t mean I didn’t have enemies, and perps loved to hold grunges. I’d make it right later.

“Any newcomers to the neighborhood?” I wanted to get away from Jules’ focus on who Andy was.

“Other than then the killer that murdered the guy in the apartment above mine, not that I’ve noticed. Did see a guy hanging around a few times before though. About your boy’s height.” I rolled my eyes at Jules waggling his brows. “Softer though. Didn’t look like no criminal. Jeans and t-shirt, baseball cap. Had some logo on it.”

The clerk mentioned a baseball cap, but the guy hadn’t mentioned a logo, so I was interested if Jules remembered anything.

“Recognize it?”

“Naw, man, some sort of generic thing.”

“Remember anything else?”

“He knew where all the cameras on the street were. A few years back, you know they upgraded that shit all big brother. He kept his head down. I wouldn’t have noticed at all…” Jules paused.

I made note of that and wondered if Benji would help me out with hacking into the cameras. If nothing else, I could get a general description and maybe the guy fucked up. Maybe would give us even a glimpse of his profile. You could also tell a lot about a person by how they moved—held themselves.

“What caught your attention?” I asked.

“I got a little paranoid. Between you and me, I pulled a job last month and, well, I thought he might be an undercover, but after watching him for a few days, I don’t know.”

“Have you seen him again?”

“Not since Chad got taken out.”

“Chad, what can you tell me about him?”

“Kid should’ve had a revolving door on his apartment and he didn’t seem too particular. Although, there was this one, damn, I woulda taken that one for a ride. Seemed to be Chad’s favorite.”

“What about that one?”

Jules laid out a perfect description, and I made mental notes to put in my notebook later. “Don’t know, like one of those too good-looking motherfuckers. He definitely wasn’t from around here. Been coming by for a few weeks maybe. He didn’t give us mere mortals much attention when he came to see Chad. Although, walls and shit are thin around here, they did have an argument and the door slammed. About three hours later, that’s when the cops showed.”

That didn’t work with the time of death and the shitty response time. Donnelly told me Chad was only dead about an hour prior to the discovery of the body.

“Did you hear anything between the door slamming and the cops coming?”

“Not really, man. Sounded like the dude might have come back for one helluva rage bang, but it wasn’t unusual. Chad seemed to like it rough. My old lady complained enough about the noise from upstairs. After a while, you know you start ignoring that shit. Around here, we mind our own business.”

“Anybody I should talk to?”

“Mrs. Jenkins, she lives across the hall, and you know that woman is nosy as fuck.”

Mrs. Jenkins was an elderly lady who lived in the same apartment for fifty years. Every person in the neighborhood feared her and she didn’t take any shit.

“Thanks, man.”

“That was fucked up shit that went down when you left the force. You were hard-assed, man, but fair.”

I brushed it aside as quickly as possible and made my way inside, Andy right behind me. I opened the old-fashioned lattice work metal doors of the elevator.

“That’s the second time I heard about you leaving the force.”

“I was framed for taking a bribe.”

“They actually thought you did it?”

I didn’t know what to say for a minute. Everyone instantly thought I was guilty, even my friends had looked at me with suspicion. He barely knew me and he had more faith in me than I did myself. When I opened my mouth to speak the words wouldn’t come, but I cleared my throat and took a deep breath, then forced them out. “Thanks for believing me without an explanation.”

“Maybe you can tell me later, when we go home?”

“Definitely.”

In the privacy of the elevator, I grabbed Andy around the waist and pulled him flush to me. I gave him a quick kiss, it was supposed to be quick, but as soon as the curves of his lips gave under mine, I gave in to deepening the kiss. Memories of the night before and the shower this morning came back to me. I groaned as I forced myself to release him. Every small smile Andy gave me tempted me to taste him.

“Just a little longer and we can go back to the house. I know this isn’t fun for you.”

“I’m having fun and I’m not trapped in the house or apartment. Not to mention you have some interesting friends.”

“I did say I wasn’t always on the straight and narrow, but I’ll tell you all about it later.

The conversation with Mrs. Jenkins took longer than I’d planned because she’d insisted on making us tea. She was like a lot of elderly ladies I knew from New West’s rougher areas. Hard as nails, but wanted to make sure you were fed. I let her fuss over Andy and me, she pretty much repeated everything Jules had.

I thanked her, and we left; half-hour later we were pulling up to a brownstone.

“Who lives here?”

“Come on, I want to introduce you to a few people.”

The door opened, and a big bruiser of a guy stepped out onto the stoop. As always, the guy had a don’t fuck with me expression. I exited the car and walked around to open the door for Andy. I ascended the steps, squaring my shoulders and waiting for a fight.

“What the fuck you doing here? You ain’t got no badge, so, you ain’t got no business with the boss.”

Richie Callaghan crossed his thick arms over his broad chest. Andy was peeking around my shoulder as I stopped in front of the bald, mean looking man.

“Do I gotta kick your ass again?” I asked.

A big fist connected with his shoulder and Richie snorted. “Man, you ain’t kicked my ass since we were sixteen. Boss, didn’t say you were coming around?”

“Surprise visit, I’m calling in a favor.”

“You’re doing that a lot lately.”

I didn’t like the arrogant smirk on Richie’s face.

“Didn’t think there was a time limit.”

“Get your ass in here, boss is out back.”

I grabbed Andy’s hand and laced our fingers. I gave it a reassuring squeeze as we walked through the brownstone which was decorated with the richest of tastes. Shit, I hesitated walking on the area rugs or leaving a scuff on the dark hardwood floors.

Thankfully, the door for the back patio was open and I walked through it.

“Ray, what a pleasant surprise.” The man I came to see stood wearing a broad friendly smile.

Even casually dressed, Theodore Bradford was an imposing man. He exuded a power that not many could come close to. While Finn was happy running downtown, Bradford aimed to control it all and did. I had a respect for the man. I worked for him in my teens and early twenties when he was just starting out. Bradford had everyone in his pocket from beat cops to the mayor.

“How you doing, Bradford?”

“Can’t complain, please, come and have a seat. Can I get you and your…friend something to drink? Maybe something to eat?”

I gestured Andy into one of the patio chairs and took the seat beside him as I introduced him to Bradford. Everyone knew who he was, and Andy looked shocked. Bradford’s housekeeper poured Andy and I coffee.

“So, I’m sure this isn’t a friendly visit, what can I do for you?”

“You heard about the killer that’s targeting young men?”

“Who hasn’t? The cops are being obtuse as usual. Weren’t you working on a similar case before you left the force?”

“Yeah, Andy’s roommate was one of the victims, and he’s being targeted for witnessing whatever. I can’t keep my eyes on him all the time.”

“I can take care of myself, Ray.”

I caught Andy glaring at me with a stubborn tilt to his chin. Of course, I didn’t mean to act as if I didn’t think Andy could take care of himself, but this was what I did.

“I know, I really do, but this would make me feel better. Can you please do this for me?”

Andy nodded, but I knew that wasn’t the end of the conversation. Andy was in a fucked-up situation, but he was a strong-willed man. That didn’t change the fact Andy was in danger, and I couldn’t leave him unprotected when I had to go places he couldn’t. The phone call was enough to show me that whoever the killer was he wasn’t going to stop until he found Andy.

“You know how I feel about you and the loyalty you’ve shown over the years. I’ll send Richie to watch your young man’s back, and my home is always open to you.”

“I appreciate that, Bradford.”

“Explain the situation to me.”

And I did, I told Bradford what I knew, and he asked Andy questions, too. It was getting late and I accepted the invitation to dinner even though I just wanted to take Andy home. Bradford was doing me a solid. Even with the favor, Bradford didn’t have to help me. My association with Bradford afforded me a level of protection, but that didn’t seem to work with the man who targeted the young men of New West. It wouldn’t stop the killings; the only thing that would end those was to find the killer however I could.