FORGOTTEN (21 page)

“Of course not.”

Pat and Ken found a
seat  far away from the other passengers. Ken had been right about the light loading. There were few passengers. It occurred to Pat this was not the first time it had been used for such a meeting. They quickly got to the business at hand.

“So what can I do for the NYPD?”

“We’re looking for a very dangerous man who may have left the country. We’ve tried Interpol, and the U. S. Marshals are beating the bushes, but he’s not to be found. He has millions of dollars in US banks, but hasn’t touched it in over a year. He was originally wanted for being an accessory to the murder of an NYPD Detective last year, but we’ve now linked him to the murders of a retired detective, a state court judge and an attorney. He tried to add me to the list, but his hired gun was killed by the state police over in Jersey.  He was involved in some courthouse corruption, and these killings were to silence witnesses. He’s an attorney.”

“What do you have for me?”

Pat handed Ken the poker chip. “This has everything we have on Daniel Pellegrino. Reports, photographs, fingerprints, known associates and a few email addresses we think he may be using.”

“What makes you think he’s out of the country?”

“We think someone would have
ratted
him out if he was in New York, but we could be wrong. Also our computer forensics examiners feel some of the email addresses may be foreign, but I know these things are easy to disguise.”

“What do you want us to do?”

“Just find him. We can handle the rest. I’d like to say kill him, but for now just try to find him.”

“I think I read somewhere that we aren’t supposed to kill people anymore, anyway.” Ken joked.

Pat laughed at the joke and thanked Ken Helms for the help. He was encouraged by his response.

“If he can be found, we’ll find him. We have a few resources not available to law enforcement. If we’re successful in helping you find him, it was from an anonymous tip.”

“Understood.”

“My dad thought the world of you, Pat. He’d want me to do anything I could to help you.”

“I thought the world of your dad, Ken. If you inherited his instincts, I know they serve you well.”

“Doing what I do is quite different than being a cop, but human nature is the same and there are things I learned from dad that make a difference in my work.”

“They’ve made a difference in my life as well. I owe him a lot, Ken.”

Pat and Ken stepped off the ferry and grabbed hot dogs and sodas. In a few minutes they boarded the return ferry and rode outside catching the sites on the way back to lower Manhattan. Lady Liberty was still impressive guarding the harbor. Although he had lived in New York for over 30 years, the Statue of Liberty still hit the soft spot in Pat’s heart. Back at the terminal, Ken and Pat shook hands. He promised to let Pat know if anything panned out. Pat hoped it would be soon.

Chapter 54

Tuesday, March 1 - Day 42

Chief of Detectives’ Office - One Police Plaza

Borough of Manhattan, New York

1600 Hours

P
at had been back in his office for a few minutes when Bryan Flannery came to see him.

“Are you busy, Chief?”

“No, come in, Bryan.”

Bryan pulled the door to and sat down in front of Pat’s desk.

“What’s on your mind, Bryan?” Pat asked.

“I just need to think out loud for a minute. How much longer do you think we can keep the task force mobilized without new leads?”

“Are the commanders giving you grief?”

“Well, Mary and Mike O’Neil work for me, so that’s not a problem. The Marshal’s task force could really use Wilbur and Karla back. George
McBain is already handling other cases. Dickie and Angie aren’t very busy either, but they’re also wearing two hats. You know, Chief, it’s your call, but we have no leads to follow and I know they could use the manpower.”

“I’ve been thinking about this case as well, Bryan. I still have some lines thrown out, but I really don’t want to waste the manpower either. Let’s make sure that all of these reports are completed, and we’ll have a discussion with the troops tomorrow and wind things down until we get new leads. I want Mary McDonald to hang on for a few weeks and
Dickie Davis and Angie Wilson can run leads as needed.”

“I appreciate it, Chief. I know you’re disappointed.”

“Just because we’re toning down the task force doesn’t mean that we’re any less determined to catch Daniel Pellegrino.”

“That goes without saying.”

“What does your gut say? Is he dead, in jail or just slick?”

“Probably the latter, but I could be wrong. I think he’s fled the coop and is held up somewhere.”

“So then, where should we look?”

“Planet Earth!”

Chapter 55

Wednesday, March 2 - Day 43

Major Crimes Conference Room - One Police Plaza

Borough of Manhattan, New York

1500 Hours

P
at had made it a point to get back into his pre-Margaret Butelli visit routine. He had spent extra time today talking to detective commanders around the city and getting back to the basics of being the Chief of Detectives. He made it a point to reach out around the city and check up on a few things he had put on the back burner while he had been preoccupied with the Butelli case.

Pat had thought a lot about his meeting with Bryan Flannery yesterday. He knew Bryan had handled the issue with kid gloves, but a part of him felt like maybe Bryan had thrown in the towel, as well, and had given up on bringing Daniel Pellegrino to justice. That would be unacceptable, and he could not tolerate it. However, Pat realized he had become obsessed with the case and might be losing objectivity. He quickly dismissed the thought as he prepared to talk to the task force.

Pat walked in the room and was surprised to see Manhattan District Attorney Tom Bronson in the room. Pat felt a twinge of emotion as he started.

“Captain Flannery and I had a conversation yesterday about this task force and whether we should continue it, or turn it down a notch or two. I have to be honest; I hate the sound of that, because it sounds like defeat and I’m a terrible loser. I also have to be realistic and know that we haven’t had a decent lead on the whereabouts of Daniel Pellegrino in a year. I know there’s a lot going on, and you’re needed in your regular assignments. I’d like to just go around the room and poll each of you and ask that you give me your honest thoughts about our usefulness. Karla, why don’t you start?”

“I want Daniel Pellegrino as much as anyone, Chief. We’ve put so many hours in and have gotten absolutely nothing out of it. I mean his money is flagged. We have cameras on his relatives. We’re up on their phones. His passport is flagged and we have nothing. If he steps out of his cave and does something, we should be in good shape. There’s really nothing else we can do but wait. I know that the Marshals can use Wilbur and me as soon as we can get back.”

“Thanks Karla. Do you have anything to add, Wilbur?”

“No sir, Chief. Karla is on the money with her assessment.”

“Sergeant
McBain, what do you think?”

“I’m a multi-
tasker anyway, Chief. I have a different role. We have most of the lab work back. There are only a few DNA examinations left.  If something develops, I go to work. If not, I do my normal grind.”

“Mike O’Neil, give me your thoughts please.”

“I’ve just been bouncing around helping everybody else, Chief. I don’t have anything else to go on.”

“Thanks, Mike. Angie, you and
Dickie are kind of stuck with me, but I’d like to hear your thoughts.” Angie Wilson spoke first. “I’ve loved getting to do some real police work, Chief, but I think we’ve reached a dead end. Dickie and I are kind of like George. We do our normal jobs anyway. We’re here when you need us.”

“
Dickie?”

“I needed this assignment to get me out of my rut, but I haven’t chased a lead in several weeks, Chief. It’s mostly
hurry up and wait
, as you well know.”

“It’s your case, Mary. What’s the verdict?”

“I probably need about a week to finish all my paperwork. There really isn’t anything to go on, absent a miracle. I’m sure the captain needs me back at Manhattan North.”

“Any final thoughts, Bryan?”

“I think the investigation has run its course. We’d be spinning our wheels to continue unless more information is developed.”

“Mr. DA, I’d like to hear your thoughts and any direction.”

“What we have is a largely circumstantial case, but it’s a damn good one. We may have problems getting some things admitted, but I’m willing to fight for it. You bring me Daniel Pellegrino and I’ll prosecute him.”

“Thanks, Tom. As much as I hate it, you guys can all return to your normal jobs on Thursday. Mary, I’m going to leave you assigned to this office for another couple of weeks.
Dickie, you can turn your car in at the motor pool tomorrow and you’ll be back at the wheel of the Chrysler. I appreciate all the hard work. We got to the bottom of this case and put an amazing number of facts together for a cold case. I’m not ready to let go of this case, but I also have a big city to protect that requires us to move on. Maybe we’ll have some luck turn our way, even though I believe we often make our own luck. I’ll miss the chase, you ugly mutts.”

Pat shook each of their hands and walked back to his office. He felt like Daniel Pellegrino had just won the war.

Chapter 56

Wednesday, March 2 - Day 43

Mid-Town Patrol Area

Borough of Manhattan, New York

1600 Hours

A
fter the meeting, Pat did something he hadn’t done in a while. He grabbed his briefcase, turned out the lights and left the building. He got in the black Chrysler and just rode around
his
city. He had several radios on just listening to the traffic and was going through the entire Butelli case in his mind. Disbanding the task force bothered him more than he would ever admit. He knew that as Chief of Detectives, it was his decision. He could have kept the task force together longer, but he knew it was the right decision. There were no leads to pursue regarding the whereabouts of Daniel Pellegrino.

Pat heard a 10-13 (Officer Needs Assistance) go out a few blocks away. He cut on his lights and siren and was the first officer on the scene. When he arrived, a beat cop was trying to handcuff an unruly prisoner. The prisoner was resisting. Pat jumped out of the car and grabbed one of the
perp’s arms and put it in a wrist lock until the handcuff secured it. The officer was grateful and somewhat nervous when he recognized the Chief of Detectives.

“Aren’t you the Chief of D’s?” The officer asked.

“Yes sir, young man, but right now, I’m just one cop helping another cop.”

“Thanks, Chief.  I’ll never forget this.”

“Just lock him up. Thanks for doing your job.”

Other RMP’s were screaming into the area. Pat used his portable to let them know the 10-13 was over. It felt good to do police work, and it also helped Pat get away from the
Butelli case. Pat enjoyed being unpredictable and just showing up around the city. One night, he left his apartment after hearing a 10-13 in his block. He had been to a formal dinner and still had his tuxedo on. When he stepped around the corner in his tuxedo, two suspects who were trying to escape just froze looking at the man with a gun so formally dressed. One of the suspects turned to the officer and said. “Who in the hell was that? James Bond?” The story made it through the department like wild fire. Things like this had contributed to Pat’s reputation as being a
cop’s cop
.

He spent several more hours riding around the city. Stopping in a couple of precincts, he chatted with detectives in the squad. Pat realized he felt a little guilty for having been so obsessed with the
Butelli case, but he also knew this case would never go away until Daniel Pellegrino was arrested. The case might be on the back burner for now, but it would never come off of Pat O’Connor’s radar screen.

Chapter 57

Thursday, March 3 - Day 44

Police Commissioner’s Office - One Police Plaza

Borough of Manhattan, New York

0900 Hours

P
at O’Connor went to Commissioner Longstreet’s office unannounced. The commissioner was in and motioned for him to come into the office. Commissioner Longstreet stood up and greeted him. “It’s good to see you, Patty. Are you keeping my city safe?”