Hooked

they exchanged names. “Martell is supposed to pick up his kid from school on Thursdays to take her to dance class while his wife gets her hair done. When he didn’t show, his kid called the mother, and she called over here. When Martell didn’t answer, she drove over, probably to tear into his ass. Martell’s Caddy’s parked outside, and the door to the office was unlocked. That scared her because it’s always locked. That’s the way she found him.”
    “Where is she?”
    “She gave a statement and one of our guys took her and the kid home. They were pretty shook.”
    “No wonder.”
    Martell’s massive torso spread over his desk like a beached whale, one hand holding the gun, the other outstretched. A Mont Blanc pen lay to the side of the gun. Linc took in the office. “Where’s the computer?”
    “Gone, and there’s nothing here to connect him to the mob. Our computer specialist said his files are most likely backed up and stored somewhere, ’cuz they ain’t here either.”
    “This is as phony as that end-of-the-world charlatan,” Dennis said.
    Linc studied the body. “Time of death?”
    “M.E. said sometime late yesterday morning.
    “Anyone check on Russo?”
    “First thing. He was having a chemo treatment, not that he’d leave himself without an alibi.”
    “Where’s the note?” Shute pulled a plastic bag from a folder. Linc glanced at Dennis. “What’d I tell you?”
    “Printed, but it’s signed.”
    Linc looked closer. “It’s an accountant’s stamp. Still, it doesn’t add up. All these years, everything Russo’s been involved in, including murder, hasn’t bothered Martell. Now, all of a sudden, he grows a conscience? I don’t buy it.”
    “How the hell did they think they’d get away with this?” Dennis said.
    “Who?” Shute asked.
    Dennis shrugged. “That’s the question. Russo has to be involved. No one takes out one of his people without his consent unless they want to start a war.”
    “Any bruising on the body?” Linc asked. “Martell wouldn’t put a gun to his head and shoot himself because someone told him to. They’d have to put him out first.”
    “Have to wait for the medical examiner for that one,” Shute said. “But I’d guess you’re right. Someone caught him off guard, knocked him out, and set him up while he was unconscious.”
    Linc circled the body. “It’d have to be some blow to put this guy out. Whoever did this was big and very strong.”
    “That lets out Cooper,” Dennis said. “I can’t see him tackling Martell.”
    “Neither can I.” Two men came in with a gurney and body bag and started to move Martell. Linc turned to Shute. “Have the M.E. check for Taser marks. That’d be one way to put this guy down.”
    “If they’re there, the doc will find them. Divers will start the search for the girl’s body around the park area in the morning,” Shute said. “Won’t find anything tonight. With the currents, maybe never. Whoever dumped her would have to drive into the circle. Might find something there.”
    “If the note’s the way it happened,” Dennis said.
    Linc moved toward the door. Dark shadows covered the street as dusk turned into night. “You ask around if anyone noticed anything out of the ordinary?”
    “Couple of my men are doing that now, but it’s after hours. Most of the shops are closed.” Shute pointed to the street. “Here they come.”
    The three detectives met the two uniforms outside. “What’d you find?” Shute asked.
    Linc listened, but it took a minute for him to register what he heard. When he did, cold sweat sprouted from his pores. He turned to the detectives. “Can we keep a lid on this for a few hours?”
    “Jeez, I don’t know. Probably already leaked, with the M.E. and everything.”
    “Try. Someone’s life could be at stake.”
    Shute shifted from one man to the other, then shrugged. “I’ll do my best.”
    Linc turned to Dennis. “We need to get back to the city,” he said, pulling out his cell. “Now.”
    As they walked to the car, Dennis said, “Both the taxi driver and the store owner described Tawny Dell.”
    “Sure as hell sounded like her. And I didn’t like the sound of the other person they described. I’m getting a bad feeling.”
    “Shit, I hate when you get those.”
    “Me too,” Linc said. “This time more than ever.”

Chapter Thirty
    Digging Deeper

    T hat morning, Benny picked up two other children and took them all to day camp. Thursday was