New York Chief of Detectives Read Online Free

you.”
    “Sure, Chief, I appreciate your confidence.”
    “Make your selections quickly, Bryan, and let Angie Wilson in my office know within the hour. She’s cutting the orders right now.”
    “When do we start, Chief?”
    “0800 tomorrow morning in the Major Crimes Conference Room here at One PP.”   
    “Yes sir, I’ll give Lieutenant Wilson a call.”
    “Thanks, Bryan, see you then.”
    Pat called his driver.   “I’m going to take the car tonight, Dickie. Can you catch a ride?”
    “Sure, Chief, but are you sure you don’t need me to do anything?”
    “I have something I need to handle personally.”

     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 6
     
    Saturday, April 3-Day 2
    Rodriguez Residence
    Borough of Brooklyn, New York
    1900 Hours
     
     
    Patrick O’Connor had never been to Tony and Caroline Rodriguez’s home before. He popped a Chet Baker CD into the dash of the Chrysler as he left One PP. Those beautiful sounds contrasted with the life Baker lived, since he had died a junkie.
    Pat found the Rodriguez home without difficulty. The white frame house was well-kept with a little picket fence around the yard. There were two uniformed cops in front of the house. Pat waved to the officers as he walked up the steps to the front door.  Caroline Rodriguez answered the door. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her face already looked weathered from crying.
    “Thanks for coming, Chief. Tony was so proud of you.”
    “I was very proud of Tony, Caroline. After all these years, please call me Pat.”
    “Tony always called you ‘Chief’ out of respect.”
    “I know how much Tony loved his job and how much he loved you, Caroline. I’m so sorry.”
    “I don’t know what I’m going to do, Pat. He was all I had.”
    “We’ll be here for you, and I promise that we’ll get the person responsible for this.”
    “I know you’ll do everything possible and I appreciate the officers being out front. But it’s so hard to look at them now. I don’t think it’s necessary.”
    “We don’t really know what Tony was working on last night. Until we do, I’m not taking any chances with your safety.”
    Pat hugged Caroline Rodriguez, and they wept together.
    “This is my card. I’ve written all my numbers on it. Please call me if you need anything, twenty-four seven.”
    “Thank you, Pat, I know how busy you must be.”
    “I’ll be in touch.”
    Pat got back in the Chrysler. Chet Baker was still playing above the constant chatter of the police radio.  Pat was sorting through the day’s events as he drove off. New York traffic could be difficult, but Pat had driven these streets in New York long enough that it didn’t faze him. He parked the Chrysler in the loading zone across from the Steamboat Cafe. He threw the placard on the dash that stated; “Official Business NYPD.”
    Pat grabbed his horn from the trunk and walked into the cafe. It had changed little, even after all these years. The sign out front advertised the Warren Downing Quartet. Warren was a better than average clarinet player whom Pat had known for years.
    “Hi Pat, I feel safer already.”
    “Thanks Sam. Warren and the boys are sounding good.”
    “They’ll sound better when you get your trumpet out.”
    “I appreciate the accolades, but I’ll have a burger and just listen for a while.”
    Sam Spicer seated Pat at a table near the band and went to place his order. Sam was an old jazz buff.  He and Pat had traded old jazz records for years.
    Pat finished his burger, and was enjoying his coffee when the band took a break. Warren Downing sat down at Pat’s table.
    “So how’s my favorite trumpet player?”
    “I’m fine, but I guess you’ve heard about our friend, Tony Rodriguez.”
    “I did hear about it, but until now I didn’t realize it was the same Tony who used to come in the club to hear you play.”
    “Yep, he helped bring me on the job. He salvaged me from my dynamic jazz career.”
    “Well, Pat, you were the smart one, and the