Chapter Thirty Six

I'm the man, I'm the king, I'm the one
That's pure inside
Everyday, everyway I smell of suicide
Bitter sins how they grow within
So you tell me it ain't right
I am...all sins
And you're my reason for life

Soil – Halo

The next stop for me, unfortunately was the morgue. I hated the idea that Millie and Joshua's mother was lying on that slab.

"Hey." I said to Marty striding in folders still in hand.

"You got a Tracey Gibson in here?" I held out the picture for him to see. Marty squinted at it for a second before moving towards one of the metal drawers and yanking it open.

"Yea it's the same girl." He replied as I moved along side him to examine the peaceful blue face.

I need the report, can you walk me through this?" I asked, my words evaporated into the silence of the morgue. Marty obliged pulling the blue sheet further down to reveal the bruising on Tracey Gibson's neck. I stared at the huge hand prints on her throat.

"Cause of death, asphyxiation, the handprints are probably male. Got track marks up and down the arms but their old she hasn't been using for a while now." Marty told me. That was good to know.

"There's skin under her fingernails, could get a DNA comparison from it." I nodded thoughtfully. Marty closed the drawer and handed me a small plastic bag filled with random objects.

"Personal effects." I said taking them from him, Marty nodded in response, before leaving the morgue without a smile.

In the lab I slipped off my jacket ad pulled on the lab coat. After settling down on a stool, I tipped the contents on to the desk in front of me, eyeing each one with curiosity. The first thing I picked up was the small gold locket, opening it I found a tiny picture of a younger Millie, and a more up to date version of Joshua. I sighed putting it to one side. Amongst the assortment of foil wrappers, I found some folded up papers. Carefully I unraveled the paper. It was an enrollment form for a university; I did the same with the next piece, finding some job application form. It dawned on me that that she was trying to get out of that life, she was trying to get off the streets and do the best for his kids. I picked up the cell phone surprised to find it still working, going trough the numbers in the registered calls list I found the name G coming up several times. It didn't take a genius to work out maybe this as Geoffrey. The problem with Geoffrey, O'Brian was explaining was that he had no fixed address. He moved around far too much. I knew that Geoffrey was her pimp, his lead girl had just been killed and I knew he'd be on the market for another. I picked up the cell phone and dialed.

After managing to get myself an appointment with the mysterious G, a "try out" he called it. I decided to check out my options knowing that Flack and everyone else would have my ass if I met with a known felon alone; I dialed his office number off the crime lab phone. As it turned out Flack and Henderson were investigating a triple homicide on Coney Island. I called Vice asking them to hook me up with the nice detective I'd spoken to firstly about the case, called Cartwright, they said they'd be happy to oblige. Ten minutes later I was in the parking lot, staring at O'Brian leaning against the crime lab's vehicle, waiting for me.

"Carmen are you trying to boycott me from our investigation?" he asked feigning a hurt expression I put the key in the lock glaring at him.

"My case you mean?" O'Brian smirked, infuriating me more.

"No doll, I mean our case, the moment you stepped into Vice it became a joint investigation..." I narrowed my eyes at him over the bonnet of the car.

"You're kidding me right?" I said with disgust. He smiled shaking his head.

"No doll I'm not."

"So you seriously have nothing better to do than ride my case?" I exclaimed folding my arms over my chest furious.

"I can officially make it mine, the girl's a pro, she's vice property. You either work with me or it's mine." He stated. I felt my nostrils flare as I fought to keep myself in check.

"You're an assshole…" I began. He cut me off before I could say more.

"Save the profanities, I've heard them all before." I opened the car door slamming it behind me, he yanked open his before I could lock it. Sliding into the seat next to me I felt a mixture of frustration and bitter rage fill me.

"No wonder nobody likes you." I growled snidely. O'Brian shook it off.

"It's because I don't want them to doll."

I banged on the door for the third time, ignoring O'Brian's leering gaze.

"So, how did you get Geoffrey Danvers to agree to a meeting?" I kept my mouth shut and continued banging.

He leaned around the corner out of sight of the doorway.

"You pretended you were a pro didn't you?" I hit the door harder. It swung open as I raised my fist again.

"You're a feisty on aren't ya?" Geoffrey Danvers was 6ft 2, with long brown hair, and a hell of a lot of tattoos. He opened the door wider, giving me a toothy smile.

"Why don't you get along in here and show me what you can do?" he said ushering me inside, O'Brian stepped out behind me as I flicked my suit jacket open revealing the gun and badge.

"You're a cop." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Could of made a lot of money off you." He said looking me up and down. I sneered at him.

"Your coming down the station house Geoffrey I've got a warrant fro your DNA." It was then he tried to bolt, I saw it coming. I threw myself at him, grabbing his wrist and twisting it behind his back as he hit the wall. O'Brian as next to me cuffing Geoffrey's wrists.

"Nice one." He grinned impressed pushing the struggling pimp out of the door. I shrugged.

"I hold my own pretty well." I told him before following him to the car.

"The DNA tests come back as a positive match to you Geoffrey, and your hands are just the right size to put you in the frame for this crime." I slammed my palms on the desk forcing Geoffrey's gaze to meet mine.

"She was coming clean wasn't she? She was getting out of the street life. I found the application forms, she was going back to college, and getting a job." I was yelling now. Geoffrey looked at me calmly before responding with a disinterested.

"You know how much she was worth detective; she pulled in hundreds a night. She would of lost me a fortune."

"You left her two kids parentless." I retorted. "You left them to die in abandoned building,." I couldn't believe that someone could do that. I bowed my head taking a step back reining my temper in.

"I would of taken the daughter, she'd be worth a few books." Something inside me snapped. Before I realized it, O'Brian had me by the arms and was yanking me backwards away from Geoffrey Danvers and the interrogation room. The door slammed shut as he pulled me into the corridor raging. He held me arms pinned, until I stopped. Footsteps echoed down the corridor. I pulled myself out of O'Brian's grasp, leaning against the wall and running my hands through my hair taking deep breaths.

"We have the confession…and the evidence, he's going down. There's no use losing your career over him doll." O'Brian said resting a hand on my shoulder. I raised my head meeting his doe brown eyes.

"I just wish it would bring back their mother." I confessed to him. O'Brian leaned closer towards me, slipping his arm around my shoulders.

"You can give them the answers, they're mother was trying to protect them from that life. You did a good job doll." I covered my face with my hands and then relaxed. It was just another thing I didn't want to face.

"Come for a drink with me?" The question was so out of the blue I found myself staring at him dumbfounded. I mangled to pull myself away, stalking down the corridor away from all the mind games; I called back over my shoulder.

"Nice try O'Brian, I'd rather take my chances with Danvers."