Sergeant Nick DeBenedito, driving with great skill, drove up the ramps until he reached the fourth floor. Then he stopped by the stairwell.
"Martinez," he ordered calmly, "you go up the stairs. I don't think we're still going to find anybody up there, but you never know. If you hear somebody going down the stairs, go and yell down at the district guy." He pointed to the side of the parking garage, where a line of windows were open.
"Got it," Martinez said, then got out of the car and went to the stairwell. DeBenedito saw him take his revolver from his holster and carefully push the stairwell door open and go inside. Then DeBenedito stepped on the accelerator and started up the last ramp to the roof. As he drove, he drew his revolver.
Jesus Martinez listened carefully inside the stairwell for any noise and heard none. Then he went up the stairs, taking them two at a time, until he reached the door opening onto the roof.
He listened there for a moment, heard nothing, and then, standing clear of the door, pushed it open. He quickly glanced around. Sergeant DeBenedito was out of his car. He was holding his revolver in both hands, aiming at someone out of sight.
Christ, Jesus Martinez thought in admiration, he's already got the son of a bitch on the ground!
He trotted between the parked cars, staying out of what would be the line of fire if DeBenedito fired his revolver, until he could see who was on the ground.
There was the body of a girl in a fancy dress, lying in a pool of blood, and a man in a tuxedo, lying facedown.
"Put cuffs on him, Martinez," DeBenedito ordered.
The man lying facedown moved his head to look at Jesus Martinez.
"Hay-zus, tell him I'm a cop," Matt Payne said.
"Sergeant," Martinez said, "he's a cop."
DeBenedito looked at him, more for absolute confirmation than in surprise. He started to holster his gun.
"Sorry," he said.
Matt Payne got to his knees.
"Is there a wagon on the way?"
"Martinez, yell down for that wagon to get up here," DeBenedito ordered. Jesus ran to the edge of the roof and did so.
"There's a body, white male, head blown away, over by the stairwell," Payne said, pointing. "I think the doer, doers, were long gone when I drove up here."
"You look familiar," DeBenedito said. "I know you?"
"My name is Payne," Matt said. "I work for Inspector Wohl."
Oh, shit!DeBenedito thought. And then he knew who this guy in the tuxedo was. He was the rookie who had blown the brains of the Northwest Philly serial rapist all over his van.
FIVE
"What the hell happened here?" Sergeant DeBenedito asked Matt Payne as he dropped to one knee to examine the woman on the floor.
She was unconscious but not dead. When he felt his fingers on her neck, feeling for a heartbeat, she moaned. DeBenedito looked impatiently over his shoulder for the wagon.
If we don't get her to a hospital soon, she will be dead.
"She was on the ground, the floor, when I drove up here," Matt said. "When I saw she was shot, I sent my date down to call it in. Then I found the dead guy."
"Any idea who they are?"
"Her name is Detweiler," Matt said. "Penny-Penelope- Detweiler. I guess she was up here with her car-"
"Brilliant," DeBenedito said sarcastically.
"She was going the same place we were," Matt said. "She's a bridesmaid-"