“Closer to thirteen,” he said with a nod. “So yeah, I don’t want to mess that up. But asking questions and working the case is fine. I’m off the clock. Considering how this guy has tried to kill you twice now, it’s better that we stick together.”
She looked away, clearly not comfortable with the plan. Then she shrugged and nodded. “Okay, have it your way. If things go south, I’ll do everything I can to cover for you.”
Her offer to cover for him was nice, but he resented the possibility that he’d need to be bailed out of trouble. She was the one who’d been targeted by gunfire. Not the other way around. But as long as she stayed close, he decided not to argue.
“Let’s go.” He swept his house key from the table where she’d left it.
She nodded and fell into step beside him. When she grabbed her duffel, he frowned. She caught his expression and raised a brow. “I’m just keeping it close in case we need to go our separate ways.”
He swallowed a protest and led the way outside. Somehow, he had a feeling Di would bolt the first chance she got. Why she was so skittish was a mystery. Especially since he knew she’d worked with the two narcotics officers just a few weeks ago.
Working this case with him should be no different.
He drove to the area of Gilbert Levine’s last-known address. He parked on a side street a few blocks away, then pushed out of the car. Di did the same on her side, looking around with interest. “Not a terrible neighborhood.”
“I don’t see much in the way of gang graffiti either,” he agreed.
The summer sun was still bright at six in the evening. Dusk wouldn’t fall for several hours yet, which was both good and bad. People were more likely to open their doors during daylight, yet if the gunman was anywhere nearby, he could easily execute another attempt to shoot Di.
“I didn’t get a chance to talk to Ray Bond and his partner, Jeff Schnor.” He glanced at her as they made their way toward the apartment building. “They may know more about what your buddy Gilbert Levine was up to recently.”
“Wouldn’t there be a report on file of Levine being involved in drugs if the narcotics guys knew of him?” Di asked with a frown. “I assume you guys work together on most things.”
“We do, and yes, if they’d caught Levine with drugs, it would be on record.” He grimaced. “I was thinking more about the possibility of this guy being a snitch. We’re assuming the gunshot was meant for you, but if he was a snitch for the gang, he may have been the intended target all along.”
“I don’t think so. He followed me shortly after I left my place to grab lunch. There’s no reason a snitch would do that. And let’s not forget the same gunman was waiting outside my place for round two.”
It was a good point, so he let it go. The first rule of police work was to not make assumptions, so it was important to consider all angles. Maybe the gunman was afraid Levine had said something important to Di? For all they knew, Levine wanted protection from the gang too.
Jarek still planned on touching base with Bond and Schnor, but that would have to wait until morning. For now, he was hoping they’d find something they could use to further their investigation.
Using caution, he approached the main door of the apartment building. As earlier, the main door wasn’t locked. He held the door for Di, then followed her inside. When she paused and glanced around, he gestured toward the stairs. There was an elevator, but he preferred walking. “Second floor. Apartment 211.”
Di didn’t hesitate to head up to the second floor. He stopped outside apartment 210 and knocked. He didn’t identify himself as a police officer, hoping that would garner a better response. There was no answer, and when he listened at the door, he didn’t hear movement inside.
Didn’t mean someone wasn’t in there, but he moved on.
On the third apartment, 213, a woman finally answered the door. She only opened it a crack, and he could see the chain lock was in place. Nothing that would stop a well-placed kick, but he smiled to indicate he was no threat. “We’re looking for Gilbert Levine; he used to be in 211?”
A flicker of something that could have been recognition moved through her eyes, but she shook her head. “Don’t know him.” Without saying anything more, she shut the door and slid the dead bolt home.
“You should let me try,” Di said. “I’m less intimidating than you are.”
He cocked his head. “You think so?” With her scar, he would have thought she would come across as tough and scary.
“Trust me.” She smirked a bit as they moved on. They made their way down the hall, striking out more than they got responses. When they headed down to the first floor, a woman came into the building holding a baby. She eyed them warily as she moved to the edge of the staircase as if to stay as far away as possible.
“Hey, you know where Gil’s been?” Di asked, inserting a heavy New York accent into her tone. “He owes me, but I haven’t been able to track him down to pay up.”
“Nah, he’s been gone a while,” the young mother said. “Probably living with his buddy Stewey.”
“Yeah, okay.” Di played along beautifully. “Figured I try there next.”
“Hope you find him.” The baby in her arms started to cry, so the young mother hastened up the stairs. A moment later, Jarek heard a door slam shut.
“Stewey?” He eyed Di curiously. “Any idea if that’s a first or last name?”
“No clue. But at least we know one person remembers Gilbert.” She frowned, glancing up in the direction the young mother had disappeared. “Could be the others knew him, too, but were holding back.”
