The moment he heard the detective’s voice, Ted started talking. “What the hell is going on? Why did you pull protection on Ms. Zielinski?”

“Who’s speaking?”

“You know who this is, Detective. Ted Molloy, and you screwed me, and you left McKenzie Zielinski lying there for those assholes to come in and finish what they started last night.”

“Hello again, Mr. Molloy. I did not pull protection on your friend. I don’t make those decisions.”

Ted didn’t want lessons in police bureaucracy. “Suppose for the moment that you are not jerking me off again. I’ll bite. What happened?”

“As of oh-nine-thirty, the NYPD is no longer pursuing a case involving Ms. Zielinski.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Orders from on high. Nassau County has jurisdiction now.”

“What? Why? Fuck it. Let me talk to Duran—”

The detective cut him off. “I’ll let him know you called. Meanwhile, I will tell you this: we made our argument for keeping the case and were told in bold capital letters to back off.”

Ted tried to swallow his anger; it wasn’t helping his case. He tried persistence. “She needs protection.”

“Are you listening? Providing protection for a crime victim outside NYPD jurisdiction is not standard procedure around here.”

He made it personal. “What are you going to do for her?”

“Nassau County Police believe their investigation will show this was an accident resulting from a carjacking gone wrong.”

The hell with being reasonable. “That’s bullshit.”

“It’s their case.”

“What about the bribes? The fraud on Barbara Miller? Reisner and Pak and the fat guy?”

“We have no evidence of any crime.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? Shit. I can’t talk to you. Get me Duran.”

“We are working the murder of Richard Rubiano, but we have other active investigations, and his case is now over a week old. As a close associate with motive, you are considered a possible suspect and will be until we find closure.”

“What about the big Greek? Nicky.”

“Being sought as a person of interest. We are investigating multiple scenarios.”

“McKenzie Zielinski was attacked because she got involved in this. If anything happens to her, it’s on you.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Molloy. But it’s not my case.”

-53-

-53-

Releasing anger and frustration on Detective Kasabian was an indulgence. Ted had enjoyed it, but he was left with more problems than solutions. Short of calling in a bomb threat, he had no idea of how to protect Kenzie while she lay all but dead to the world.

He found himself retracing his steps down the staircase to the street. The whole structure seemed to groan with each step, echoing his encroaching despair. He was running out of options, and when none were left, where would he be? He was losing, and he hated it.