Brooklyn Chronicles

* * * * * *
The next day Detective Rice, acting on another one of his many hunches, waited until the cover of darkness to drive back to the crime scene alone. His heart raced a mile a minute as he tried to picture the events that led up to the double homicide. Walking around the yellow tape he tried to envision the circumstances that led to the men demise.
The initial report speculated of gang warfare for turf along the pier. The diversified criminal elements had rival ethic groups battling for control of certain part of the pier where boats docked to unload their merchandizes.
Detective Rice was thoroughly familiar with the history of the Brooklyn piers as far back to the early part of the 20th century when a variety of Italian, Irish, and Jewish gangs murdered each other for control of the piers. Today, new ethnic groups, Russians, Chinese, Africans, and Latinos, and a host of other crime families joined into the battles for turf control. Each group had their own heinous ways of operating, and obtaining respect from the different clans that fought for control of the piers.
Alone in his thoughts, the approaching headlights took him by surprise. The car was closer than he had expected. “Think fast,” He told himself, as the car came to a screeching halt alongside him.
Three well-dressed men exited the car and immediately encircled him with guns drawn.
Chapter 2
* * *
“Can I help you gentlemen?” Detective Rice nervously inquired.
No words escaped their lips as the two men grabbed him by the arms. The sound of another vehicle slowly drifted into view.
Detective Rice recognized the approaching van, but showed no emotions as the vehicle slowly pulled alongside of them.
Alone, and away from his car, Detective Rice had no way of calling for backup. Apparently these were the same men who had spotted him a few days ago. A phone call from the pier had tipped them off of his presence tonight.
The third man quickly opened the sliding van door. The two thugs pushed Rice inside onto the floor of the van. Both men jumped in after him. The van sped off into the darkness of the night.

* * * * * *
Rosa; Detective Rice’s wife had not heard from John after expecting him home three hours ago, but she knew not to worry because he often had to work overtime when he was called on a special case at the last minute. Earlier Rice had shared with her that he hoped to advance to another department where he might have more of a regular schedule, but he still enjoyed the excitement of investigating and apprehending crime figures after starting a new criminal case. After ten hours had passed, she tried reaching her husband at his desk.
“May I help you?” Detective Finn asked over the phone.
“I was trying to reach my husband, John. He hasn’t came home yet, and I was expected him almost ten hours ago,” Rosa said to the desk sergeant.
“No, he hasn’t checked in yet, but when he does Mrs. Rice, I’ll have him call you immediately,” Finn offered.
“Thank you.” Rosa replied in return.
“Don’t worry Mrs. Rice, as soon as I hear anything, I’ll let you know. I don’t know where he is. He is due to check in later,” Finn reassured her.
“Can you check into this? I know he’s on different cases most of the time, but normally he calls and let me know when he’ll be late,” Rosa said anxiously.
“Sure, I’ll be glad to check around,” Finn reiterated reassuringly.
“Thank you Detective Finn.” Rosa said, as she pondered any additional information she could think of.
Her thank you was only politeness because she now felt more anxious for John’s safety. Walking to the sofa, she turned on the television and sat there looking absent-minded at the screen. Nothing appealed to her, as she surfed the channels. Her mind could not focus on anything with the exception that she simply wanted John to come home.

* * * * * *
The interrogation was intense and straight to the point. Although Detective Rice was blindfolded and cuffed to a bar in the back of the van, he knew that his assailants were pros. They had connections somewhere with certain higher ups in the political arena. Their main inquiry was “who assigned him to the pier assignment, and why?” No threats were made, and Detective Rice considered the possibility that he would be dropped off at some unknown location once the interrogation was completed.
Convinced that he had no more information to give them, the two men stepped out of the van and slammed the doors.
Silence surrounded him. Were they leaving him on his own to get out of this situation, or what? He wondered as the minutes ticked away. “Damn, how am I going to get out of this mess?” He whispered out. No feedback reached his ears. Maybe he was alone, he didn’t know if five minutes or 20 minutes had gone by. Convinced that he was alone, he flecked his fingers to get his blood circulating from the handcuffs.
His thoughts turned to Rosa. He knew she was worrying about him not calling her. As soon as he was free he would call her to let her know that everything was alright.
The unseen movement was swift and sharp.
Thump...!
Detective Rice eyes squinted tight as the pain shot up from his chest to his brain. It felt as if a ton of steel had fallen on his chest, and was crushing him.