Her phone went straight to voicemail.
I tried again. Same result.
Something cold settled in my stomach. Diaz had been the only cop who treated Ava like a witness instead of a nuisance. She'd pushed through the Langs' interference, gotten the traffic footage, and made the arrest happen.
I called the precinct directly.
"114th Precinct, how can I direct your call?"
"Detective Diaz, please."
"One moment. What is this regarding?"
"An active investigation. I'm a contact for one of her witnesses."
"Case name or number?"
"The Kevin Lang case. Hit-and-run homicide. Victim was Derek Edwards."
A pause. Keys clicking. Then: "I'm sorry, sir. Detective Diaz is no longer assigned to that case."
The cold in my stomach spread, slow and heavy. "Since when?"
"I don't have that information. Would you like me to transfer you to the detective currently handling the case?"
"Yes."
"One moment, please."
The hold music was tinny, generic. I stood in the firehouse kitchen, phone pressed to my ear, and tried not to think about what this meant. Diaz had been their best shot. Their only shot.
And now she was gone.
"This is Detective Morrison."
The voice was young. Uncertain. Nothing like Diaz's steady confidence.
Not the voice you wanted when someone’s life was on the line.
"Detective, my name is Brian Torres. I'm calling about the Kevin Lang investigation. The hit-and-run that killed Derek Edwards."
"Right. The Edwards case." Papers shuffling. "What can I help you with?"
"I'm looking for an update. The witness in the case, Dr. Ava Rothwell, was threatened outside her workplace three days ago. Someone grabbed her, told her to recant her statement."
"I see." More shuffling. "Well, Mr. Torres, I appreciate you calling, but these things take time. We're working through the evidence?—"
"What evidence? The traffic footage that disappeared? The witnesses who've been paid off or scared into silence?"
"Sir, I understand you're frustrated, but?—"
"Frustrated doesn't begin to cover it." I kept my voice level. Barely. "A woman is being terrorized, and the people responsible are walking free because their daddy has money. What exactly is being done about that?"
Morrison's voice went defensive. Tight. "The investigation is proceeding according to protocol. If you have additional information to share, I'm happy to take a statement. Otherwise?—"
"Otherwise, what? Wait for the Langs to make good on their threats?"
"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to?—"
