Chapter 4

After hearing about this from Ryan and finding the shelter documents in the first victim's computer, Kate took her jacket and took a few steps to go talk to the shelter owner, but her husband stopped her outright.

"Kate, we'll take care of this tomorrow!" The writer said while taking his own jacket. "You're pregnant, it would be better for us to go home, I'll give you a little massage to relax you and you can think about the investigation in a nice bath! Before you say anything, I know you want to rush to interview the director without thinking about your own health, but it's my job to think about your health when you don't! So, I suggest we take the file home and study it!"

"All right, it may make me upset, but I think you're right!" Kate replied as she took the file home. "Furthermore, when a baby will be waiting for us at home, we won't be able to work that late, so we have to practice!"

"That's a wise decision, Miss Beckett!"


When they arrived in their apartment, Kate slumped down on their couch while Rick prepared a lemongrass and berry infusion for them and then joined her with two full cups to discuss the investigation.

"The main question is to find out why they went to check why there were so many animal deaths overnight!" Rick asked

"There must have been something special that night! Otherwise, they could have just gone to the director to ask her the reason since Scott West knew her!"

"This is undoubtedly the crucial point of this investigation: Scott West was perfectly familiar with the shelter and the operating processes. It's probably because they went there at night because events were happening there!"

Kate opened the documents they had found in her computer, carefully analyzed them and then reflected on them.

"I just found something pretty interesting. Last night, a company came to evacuate the bodies of dead animals."

"Do we know where the corpses are being transported to?"

"Apparently, according to the various contracts on Scott West's computer, the bodies are sent to Montreal, Canada!"

"So, this morning, a truck full of dead animals left New York for Montreal? It's the best idea in the world if you want to send something to Canada: no customs officer is going to check a bunch of dead animals! Do we know which company handles the transport of animals?"

"A company named DMG Transit." Kate said as she was reading the documents on her computer. "It is headed by a Pietro Domingo!"

"Do we have any information on this man?"

"I'll check the NYPD database." She looked at her computer for a moment. "So, according to the anti-gang squad, Domingo is known to be a close relative of the Versini family, which is one of the big mafia families in New York! He's been arrested about ten times for drug trafficking!"

"We now need to establish the link between the Versini family and the shelter. This link is probably the reason for the death of our two friends! I know who can tell us about the link: the shelter director!"

"That's the best idea!"

"You know, it was for those moments that I decided to have a child with you! You know I love you, right?"

"Yeah because I love you too!"


The next morning, at the earliest hour, Kate and Rick arrived in front of the shelter manager's office.

"Ma'am, we have a few questions to ask you!" Kate began

"Yes, of course! Make yourself comfortable!"

"We would need some information!" Kate asked. "First, how do you explain the fact that there are many more animal deaths in your shelter than in other shelters in New York?"

"I have no idea. I don't know anything about that. You should ask the chief veterinarian, David Wharton. He oversees everything related to animals, whether it is their health or the treatment of dead animals. I mainly deal with administrative aspects such as accounting or recruitment."

"How long has David Wharton been working with you?" Rick questioned

"For ten years, he was there when the shelter was created. He is the one who implemented all the processes that are in place here!"

"And where can we find David Wharton at the moment?" Rick asked

"I have absolutely no idea." The owner of the shelter explained. "I have to tell you, he sent me his resignation letter this morning!"

"Fine, ma'am! If you have any contact with David Wharton of any kind, you should let the NYPD know!"


Kate rushed to her car before calling her lieutenants to ask them to do as much research as possible on David Wharton. It was at this point that the young woman received a call from Lanie.

"Kate, I'm calling to tell you that I managed to identify the DNA that was under the second victim's fingernails!"

"Whose is the DNA?"

"An Antonio Versini. What is interesting about this person is that he is the son of one of the big mafia families in the city, but ten years ago he disappeared completely until last night."

"Fuck, we're finally solving the puzzle but we're still missing the central piece of the puzzle!"

Kate hung up and went back to the precinct. When she arrived in front of the whiteboard, she had a direct backward movement.

"Ryan and Esposito, I think you made a mistake in the pictures: you installed two pictures of David Wharton!"

"No, I didn't!" Ryan defended himself. "This is a picture of David Wharton and the other one is a picture of Antonio Versini!"

"That's the element we were missing, David Wharton is Antonio Versini!" Kate reacted. "By the way, what information did you find out about David Wharton?"

"Nothing until ten years ago!" Ryan answered. "He appeared at that time and started directly as a veterinarian in the shelter."

"What the hell is going on in this shelter?" Kate questioned herself