MURDER TAKES TIME

Chapter 16 - More Charts

Brooklyn—Current Day

Frankie got to the station before Mazzetti did, before any of the morning shift except Carol. It was tough to beat her in. “Morning, Carol. You’re looking sharp.”

“Compliments are not necessary, Donovan, but yes, I did get your tape. It’s on your desk.” 

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You really are the best.”

Frankie pretended not to see the blush on Carol’s face; instead, he got coffee then hurried to his desk. He was listening to the tape when Mazzetti came trudging in. “What are you listening to?”

“The tape of Renzo’s 9-1-1 call.”

Lou waited while Frankie played it twice more, his ear in close. “Anything?”

Frankie sat on the edge of the desk. “I didn’t tell you this before, because I wasn’t sure.”

“Yeah, I remember. Crazy thought and all.”

“That’s right. And I’m still not sure. I thought this might be a guy I knew leaving me clues. I wanted to see if I recognized the voice.”

“And?”

“I want to say no, but one time I thought I detected a Philly accent.” 

“There are plenty of guys from Philly up here. You can’t pry that accent loose with a crow bar.”

“Don’t I know it,” Frankie said. “Been trying to lose mine for years.”

“So we’re back to the grind.”

Frankie tossed his cup into the trash. “Guess we are, partner.” 

They worked the rest of the day, catching up with the few people they hadn’t interviewed yet from the neighborhood and on pestering Kate Burns about DNA evidence. She had turned up some stuff, but there was an inordinate amount of it at the scenes and the system was already bogged down. By late afternoon, Frankie called it quits. Lou had already left for a dentist appointment. “Going home early, Carol. See you tomorrow.”

#

The chart was where Frankie had left it, hanging on the wall to the right of a poster featuring Bogart and Mary Astor that he picked up at a garage sale. Looked good keeping company with Casablanca. He grabbed a marker and started writing. It was time to find answers. 

Nicky:

Friends—Who are friends? Me, Tony, Suit. Anyone else?

Honor—Don’t ever run. If this is Nicky, he definitely isn’t running.

Girls—There is a girl, but who is she? And what does she have on Tito?

Nuns—Sister Thomas—does she know anything? Would Nicky tell her?

Prison—Have no idea what he did in there.

Fearless—No shit.

Smart—Has us confused. Knows procedure.

Rosa—Her teachings would have affected him.

Tito—What’s the connection with him?

Cleveland—What the hell were you doing in Cleveland? 

Then he stared at Tony’s chart:

Tony:

Friends—Me, Nicky, Suit, Tito, Manny.

Honor—Not sure if it still means anything to him.

Girls—Has wife, Celia. Others.

Nuns—Never had the respect for them that Nicky did.