Chapter 3
I know its slow going on this story. So to anyone who is reading it I thank you. I do have ideas and a plan on where this goes just bare with me.
It had been a long night that was going to turn into a longer day. Working the two crime scenes gone well into the early hours of the morning. Riley hadn't even bothered going home. The seventy second had a room with some beds for cops to use. "What was the song I'm much to young feel this damn old?" Bobby Roode asks as he pours himself a cup of coffee. "Anything from the lab yet?" Riley asked as he stuck photos of the victims on the board in the center of the bullpen. "Nope. How is Candice?" Bobby asked. Like Johnny, Bobby was a happily married man and his worst nightmare would be his family being targeted. "Johnny wants her to got into witness protection. She wants him to calm the hell down and freak out. He's a cop worried about his wife she's a doctor worried about her patients," Riley says. "There are other doctors. If Johnny's head isn't the game he could get himself killed,' Bobby says. "Yeah I know. And you don't have to tell me," Riley says. "I'll call and see if the lab has anything yet," Bobby says.
Riley just nods and than looks at crime scene photos. "Maybe there is something I missed," he thinks. Dana has just hung up the phone. "We might have a lead. Traffic unit has a report on a white van parked illegally in a Walmart lot been there since early this morning," Dana says. "Alright have the unit keep an eye on it but don't let them move in until we get there," Riley says getting up. "What about Shawn?" Dana asks. The Sargent was in a meeting giving an update on the limited information they had. Techinally Shawn needed to be informed. But every second lost could be key. "Let him know what is going on he can met us there," Bobby says.
In Orton's Cell
"Breakfast time Randy," the guard passing the tray through slot in the cell door says. Orton has been doing pushups on the floor. He gets up and look at the tray. "The stuff they get away with serving people. I bet that is part of the joy people like Morgan get out of sending guys like me here. You will get yours soon enough Detective," Orton thinks. One of few things he was allowed in the cell was a calendar. His next court date was soon enough.
Parking Lot
Uniforms and had managed to clear the area around the van. "Well it's a workman's van so it could be it," Keith says. The whole team minus Shawn were on site. Bobby was technically in charge. "Look what are we waiting for?" Johnny asks. "Johnny you need to calm down," Mickie says. Johnny looks at her. "Every second wasted is a second he gets away or kills someone else." "We are waiting for a warrant! No one makes a move until we get the all clear. And Riley don't try to say something about looking the windows to find cause about going in before one," Bobby warns even looking at Riley. Riley bites his tongue. Bobby's phone starts to go off. "It's Shawn... Sergeant?... Yes sir... how far are you out?... Understood," Bobby says before ending the call. "Please tell me Shawn has the warrant?" Johnny says. "Shawn wants us to hold on," Bobby says.
Before Johnny can start to Riley drags him off. "John Boy you are losing it. You know how to this work," Riley says. "You of all people telling someone to calm down. If this was one of your cases you would have torn that van open with your bare hands," Johnny says. "Trust me Johnny you don't want to be me. When and I stress when we catch this bastard we don't need have the case bounced," Riley says. "Maybe if I had been more like you I would have taken him down," Johnny says. Riley is about to say something else when Dana approaches them. Next to her is some guy who wearing a dress shirt, tie, with a name tag.
"Detectives this is the manager. He think he had an encounter with Ciampia," She quickly explains. "What happened?" Johnny asks. "Well earlier today I had a man want to speak with me. I thought he wanted to make complaint. When we got to my office he told me something to tell the cops and than walked out. I thought he was some nut or it was a prank but than I see all of this," The manager says. "What did he say?" Johnny snaps. The manager is unnerved but speaks again. "He said well Johnny I got you chasing you tail again. Fine by me... He said he said give me a second," The manger says. "Take your time better to get it right," Riley says as much to Johnny as the witness. "I'm going be okay right he won't come back?" The guy asks.
"You will be fine. Just take your time and tell us what you can remember," Riley says. "When your done playing grab ass in the parking lot find me at... find me at I can't remember," The guy says. "Was it an address?" Johnny asks. "No it wasn't an address it was find me at the place I got my first taste. That's it," The guy says. "First taste a bakery?" Dana asks. "I know where," Johnny says running for the car he and Riley use. "Dana tell Bobby I'll call him when I know where?" Riley says running after he now half cocked partner. Johnny has already reached the car and started the engine. Riley jumps in at the last second as he pulls out. "I should have known," Johnny says. "Johnny where are we going? We might need backup," Riley says as his phone starts to ring he doesn't even need to check the ID to know it's Bobby. "No backup I'm not risking him running," Johnny says.
Meanwhile
Mandy sat at the desk of her temporary office. It was another very busy day. She had a meeting with the Senior ADA's in a few minutes. Alexa Bliss was moving to have charges dismissed on robbery case due to an improper search. And Bliss was good enough to win the hearing. "That damn special election can't come soon enough. Let me get back to what I do best work in a court room," She thinks. The intercom buzzed. "Yes Ember," She says annoyed. "Mandy There is someone here to see you," Ember says. "Is this person on my calendar?" Mandy asks. "Well no but he is really important," Ember says. Mandy was at her wits end. She was to damn busy to take some drop in meeting. Her assistant should know that. "I am so firing her after the special election. If I had any time to interview for a new one should would be gone by now," Mandy thinks. "I really think you are going to want to see this person," Ember says.
"Well who is it?" Mandy snaps. To her shock the door opens and in walks Montel Vontavious Porter the man very likely to be the next mayor of New York City enters the office. "Ms. Rose I apologize for this interruption. But I think we need to speak," MVP says. Mandy took a second. She wasn't running for DA at this time and she was busy as hell. But in her line of work you had to play the long game with politicians. Even if MVP lost this election he could very easily win others. "I am worried I don't have much time but I can spare a few minutes have a seat," Mandy says. "This won't take long have you heard of a man named Adam Cole?"
The Car
"So this is it?" Riley asks as they get out of the car. "Yeah this is where he claimed his first victims. Back than he was find with just killing one member of the family. Theory was he had picked out the Stefanick's because they had bought one of those graduation announcements for there only daughter. Found out Claudia Stefanick usual path home. Dragged her into the ally slight her throat," Johnny says as is about to charge into the ally and is about to draw his gun. Riley stops him. Johnny shakes him off. "John boy I've already lost one partner and had to see him go to jail," Riley says. "You got some nerve Morgan. I was there I heard what the guy confessed to. Than he goes missing. But now you are telling me to calm down," Johnny rants.
Riley has a lot he wants to say but instead he just says, "I don't want to have to tell your wife you are dead," Riley says. "Listen to me Riley I need ot end this case and catch this guy," Johnny says. "We need to wait for backup. Think about his Johnny when you were in the army you didn't just go charging in you waited until it was the right time to strike," Riley pleads. Before Johnny can respond screaming starts to be heard from the ally. "HELP! HELP! HELP ME!" The argument stops part of the reason they worked so well as partners was most of the time they thought a like. Both draw there guns and enter the ally. Riley scans the way he can't be sure if Johnny as aware as he should be. More yelling. "Help me help me!"
"Its here," Johnny says finding a door ajar. One of the few times an officer of the law doesn't need a warrant to enter a building was when they had just cause to believe someone was in danger. Riley was the bigger man so he kicked open the door. "NYPD!" He yelled. "Ciampa!" Johnny yelled. More yelling for help comes off to the left. The building is dark. Johnny goes to move towards it but Riley holds him back taking the lead until. "I'm in here Johnny!" With that Gargano shoves Riley aside and runs. The call came from a room marked storage. Johnny kicks it wide open. "Son of a bitch," Johnny yells. Riley enters and quickly puts his gun back in the hoister. A TV is in the middle of the room video is playing on a lope of a woman screaming and Ciampia's taunt.
"He's not here," Johnny says dejected. "But he was here John Boy. Let's get some lab boys here who know what he might have left behind," Riley says trying to encourage his partner. It was than Johnny's phone rang. "Its Candice... Hello Honey," Suddenly Johnny turns pale white and drops his phone. "Johnny?" Riley says worried his partner is going to pass out. "He's got my wife," Johnny finally says.