“I don’t know. She didn’t have her clothes on—I mean, the dress, when I saw her go in, she wore a yellow dress. But inside, she only had on her shimmy. And this…”

She slid her hand into her pocket and withdrew the dirty yellow ribbon. “It fell into the canal. Her body. I saw it float away. That’s when I ran out.”

She waited for them to mock her or laugh. But they just continued to stare.

“Who’d you tell?” Ikie asked.

“No one. Johnny Iacono was working the exit, I told him.”

Ikie shook his head. “Why didn’t you—”

The clamor of the police station’s alarm bell abruptly silenced him. Pin jumped as a man shouted her name.

“Pin!”

Ikie and Mugsy fled. Pin made it only halfway down the alley before someone grabbed her collar and yanked her off her feet.

“I didn’t do nothing!” she protested.

“Who said you did?”

Fatty Bacon peered past her, but the boys had scattered. He lowered her to the ground and clamped a hand around her wrist. He looked grim.

“You know what I need to talk to you about. Johnny Iacono said you told him about the body in the Hell Gate. Were they with you?” He gestured at the overturned barrels.

“No. I just got here. I—”

“Wait till we get to the station.”

“I didn’t do nothing!” she yelped as he dragged her down the alley. “I was the one trying to find her! Ow, leggo, that hurts.”

“Why didn’t you report what you saw?”

Because you’re a fucking copper, she thought, and stared at him with hatred. Fatty’s mouth tightened.

“Well, you can make your report now,” he said. “Stop squirming, no one’s hurting you.”

“Says you,” spat Pin as he hauled her to the station.

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

RIVERVIEW’S POLICE FORCE was housed in a trim brick building near the park’s entrance. A dozen sergeants were on staff, most of them part-time constables. Pin had never been inside before. She recited a silent Hail Mary, praying they wouldn’t pat her down and find her shiv—or discover she wasn’t a boy.

Men mobbed the main room, shouting or talking excitedly. Riverview cops and also Dr. Overcash, who had an office on the premises of the Infant Incubators and often stayed there overnight.

“Francis!” Captain Hickey pushed his way through the room, barely glancing at Pin. “Bring the boy in here.”

Fatty poked her in the back, indicating an office. Hickey looked over his shoulder and yelled, “Get O’Connell in here, I need someone to write this down.”