people who never change the factory settings, which are the same in a lot of places. That’s one thing you got to do.’
‘Oh, I do everything that has to be done,’ said Blake. ‘I keep closing the gate and the horse has bolted so long ago…’
‘You do whatever you need to feel safe,’ said Danny.
‘Thanks for coming. I guess I’m lucky I can hole myself up here and not have to face the world if I don’t want to.’
Joe thought of Anna and felt a stab of guilt for making a link. ‘Thank you for your time, Mr Blake.’
‘Yeah,’ said Danny.
‘No problem,’ said Blake. ‘Take care.’
THIRTEEN
Rufo sat in his office chewing cherry Gas X, thinking it was time to give up on raw broccoli. Just because something was good for you, didn’t mean it tasted good. Or that your body reacted well to it.
‘So,’ he said when Joe and Danny walked in. ‘How did Brooklyn Heights work out for you?’
‘The guy’s name is Blake,’ said Danny. ‘Rencher did a work-up on him and he’s clean. Lives in a nice house – he’s got a foyer. He has never been in trouble, pays his taxes. He looked expensive-’
‘Yeah, but did you see those Target bags in the hallway by the bike?’ said Joe. ‘Maybe he doesn’t like to spend his money too much.’
‘Either way,’ said Danny, ‘he’s another rich guy who finally realizes it doesn’t protect you from shit. I feel sorry for him, don’t get me wrong. There’s something just so fucking tragic about him.’
‘Gay, straight?’ said Rufo.
‘Straight.’
‘What makes him think he was a victim of our perp?’ said Rufo.
‘He talked about letting the guy into the house,’ said Joe, ‘no struggle, he was bashed off the corner of a work surface, guy had a gun-’
‘But,’ said Danny, ‘the wallet ruse wasn’t used on him – the guy said he was a realtor.’
‘Yeah,’ said Joe. ‘But it’s just not like on TV. No-one is going to work the same way every time. It’s not natural. Like no-one does anything exactly the same way every time…’
Danny nodded.
‘I think what’s important to the perp is bashing in the vics’ faces and finishing them off with a twenty-two,’ said Joe. ‘They’re the two things that have not changed in each homicide. He doesn’t care how he gets there. So he chooses one mode of entry, restrains them one way, one time, another way the next.’
‘Maybe the only thing he cares about is bashing in their faces,’ said Rufo. ‘And shooting them is just to make sure they’ll never identify him.’ He shrugged.
‘Jesus, Blake’s face was something else…’ said Danny. ‘I mean, I was firefighting.’
Rufo looked at him. ‘You were what?’
Joe answered. ‘Firefighting. It’s when there’s a bunch of reactions Danny wants to have, but can’t because they’re not appropriate. He imagines them as fires inside his mind that he has to put out-’
Danny nodded. ‘First I wanted to shout out “Holy shit!” Then I wanted to puke. Then I wanted to reach over and just feel that weird skin. Then I wanted to take a picture with my phone. So,’ he said reasonably, ‘I had to put my energies into controlling these impulses. Firefighting.’
Rufo shook his head. ‘Do you have one of those firefighter’s poles inside too so’s we can get the happy pills into you quicker? You’re a fucking nut job, Markey. Really, I’d like to know what one of New York’s finest looks like to another human being when all this firefighting shit is happening.’
‘Don’t worry about it, boss,’ said Joe. ‘He’s worked it into some sort of sane-looking stare.’
‘Sometimes I tilt an eyebrow,’ said Danny, ‘touch a few fingers to the chin area.’
Rufo shook his head. ‘I spend my whole time shaking my head around you, Markey. It’s an impulse I just can’t control.’
‘Hey, I think I can work with you on that,’ said Danny.
‘Get out, get out of my office,’ said Rufo, smiling.
Victor Nicotero was sitting at his kitchen table with a beer, a notebook and a silver pen. Joe walked right in.
‘Nice security system,’ he said.
‘Patti,’ said Old Nic shaking his head. ‘The woman is like a force of nature. Closing doors, turning off lights, they’re just not things she thinks about.’
Joe laughed. ‘It was wide open.’
‘Your serial guy could have butchered me to death.’
‘I think he likes the city too much.’
‘Let’s go out on the deck. I’m done here.’
‘You’re writing it all longhand?’
‘Longhand,’ said Nic. ‘I’m writing it. That’s what it’s called – writing. Whether my hands are long or short doesn’t come into it.’
Joe took a beer from the fridge and sat out beside him.
‘Would you like to move in?’ said Nic.
Joe smiled. ‘And live with your grumpy ass? No. I’ll take my chances with an out-of-control teenager.’
‘Easy when there’s a beautiful French woman tied into the deal. How are things there? You take my advice?’
‘Course I did. And things were better,’ said Joe. ‘And then she storms out of dinner last night.’
‘Hormones,’ said Nic. ‘They go nuts. Every frickin-’
The kitchen door banged open behind them and heavy footsteps tracked through to the sliding door. Joe and Nic looked up. Bobby leaned out, a cheap bouquet of flowers in his hand. He frowned, then glanced around the garden.
‘Is ma here?’ he said. He barely nodded at Joe.
‘She’s at the store,’ said Nic. ‘Do you want a beer?’
‘Uh – no, thank you. Ma wanted me to fix some door in the bedroom, there’s some problem-’
‘I took care of it,’ said Nic. ‘Sit down, it’s a nice evening.’
‘You took care of it?’ said Bobby. ‘When did you do that?’
‘This afternoon. She’s been bothering me about it for weeks.’
‘Yeah, which is why I came over,’ said Bobby.
‘You were here with her at the weekend – why didn’t you do it then?’
‘What are you talking about? You were the one who was supposed to-’ Bobby glanced towards Joe who had picked up a magazine from the table.
‘Have you eaten?’ said Nic.
‘No,’ said Bobby and Joe at the same time.
‘Sorry,’ said Joe. ‘I thought you meant me.’
‘I meant both of you,’ said Nic.
‘I can’t hang around,’ said Joe.
‘No, you stay where you are,’ said Bobby. ‘I’m going to go see the kids, now that I’m out here. These are for ma,’ he said, raising the flowers. ‘I’ll leave them by the sink.’
‘OK,’ said Nic. ‘You take care.’ He let out a breath and turned to Joe. But Joe sat in silence, staring into the distance, thinking about Shaun.
The next morning, Joe made it in to the office early to get his suits ready for the dry cleaning service that
