“Yeah, on my way.Where should we meet?”
“I’ll pick you up.”He names an intersection that’s a few blocks away from the precinct.“Save me a wait in traffic.”
I grab my coat but don’t do anything to alert my bodyguards.They’ve been lying low, but the department won’t look too kindly on me taking them to a crime scene.I want to text Rex, but what would I even say?‘Hey, I have a feeling something big is about to happen.I actually have these feelings all the time, but I’ve been too afraid to tell you about them.’
No, I’m not going to share all that.But I do text Ivan that I’m headed out on police business and will be back by end of day.
Forty minutes later, I’m in the passenger seat of the department car Burgess got from the lot.There’s a tension radiating from him, as if he’s uncomfortable just being in my presence.He’s barely looked at me, and I’ve kept quiet because I want as little to do with him as possible.
We pull into a deserted alley, and Burgess kills the engine.
“This it?”We’re in the warehouse district.The alley is full of trash, but there’s no sign of another cop car.“Where is everyone?”
“We’re first on the scene.”There’s a distant wail of sirens, but they seem to be receding.
Something isn’t right.
“Body was found in that building.”Burgess points to the warehouse.He exits the car and I follow more slowly.
“Who called in the tip?”I ask.
“Anonymous call to the desk sergeant.He passed it to us.”
Strange that the desk sergeant would call Burgess when I’ve been sitting in the bullpen all day.Maybe he wanted to light a fire under Burgess’ ass, but it’s weird he wouldn’t at least give me a head’s up in person.
Burgess looks up and down the alley, muttering.“This place gives me the heebie-jeebies.”
“Same.”But I’m here, and I might as well do my job.I search for an entrance to the warehouse.Finally, in between two stinking dumpsters, there’s a solid metal door left cracked open.
“In here?”I ask but don’t wait for an answer.I lean into the door, pushing it open.It yields with a ghastly creak, revealing a carpet of dead birds.There are too many here for it to be a coincidence.
Burgess sees and starts swearing.
“Shhh.”I motion for him to shut up.“I think I heard something.”It was faint, but it sounded like a bang from deep inside the building.
We wait in silence.A breeze sweeps past me, stirring the feathers.
Another banging sound.Like a door shutting.
I draw my gun and call, “Hello?”I signal to Burgess, who nods and readies his weapon.
“Police.Show yourself!”I shout.I move inside, leading with my gun, peering into corners.“Clear,” I say and cover Burgess as he moves forward.We sweep through the dark warehouse, following the trail of dead birds.There’s a faint sawdusty scent along with the smell of something rotting.Maybe it’s the birds?Their tattered wings tell me they’ve been here a long time.But maybe it’s something else.
I breathe through my mouth and move swiftly through the building, clearing each room.This warehouse hasn’t been used in some time.There’s still some machinery pushed into the corner like oversized insects.Everything is covered in a layer of dust.
The trail of birds ends at a three walled room, some sort of office cubby with a desk but no chair.It’s open on one side, with a metal gate that serves as a door.
There’s a dead bird on the desk, illuminated by a stream of light that comes from the narrow windows by the ceiling.Because of the metal gate, the sunlight falls in a barred pattern, making the bird look like it’s lying in a cell.
A cage.
“Any sign of the body?”Burgess asks.
I step inside to investigate.I check behind the desk, but there’s no body.“No.Are you sure they said there was a body in here?”
A harsh clanging sound makes me turn.Burgess is behind me, sliding the metal gate shut and locking it.
17
