Worst Fears Realized (Stone Barrington 5)

“That’s a break,” Stone said.

“Yeah,” Dino said, “let’s get over there. He turned to Andy. “Make sure that this doesn’t get into the press yet; I don’t want Mitteldorfer to read about it and run.”

“Uh, Lieutenant,” Andy said, “I’m afraid we got unlucky there.”

“Tell me.”

“There was a camera crew from Channel Four in the neighborhood when the patrolmen arrested the guy. They got the whole thing on tape.”

“Do they know who he is?” Stone asked.

“I don’t know.”

Dino looked at his watch. “We’ve got until the five o’clock news”, he said.

“If they don’t do a bulletin at the top of the hour.”

“Andy, you get on the phone to Channel Four; see if you can get them to hold the story for twenty-four hours. Offer them an exclusive, if you have to.”

“Lieutenant,” Andy replied, “they’ve already got an exclusive.”

“Tell them I’ll do an interview if they’ll hold it for twenty-four hours.”

“I’ll be lucky if I can get them to hold it until eleven o’clock,” Andy said.

“Do the best you can. Come on, Stone.”

The building was a run-down pile of bricks with a fire escape hung on the front. There was no Hausman on any of the mailboxes, but one of the keys opened the front door. Dino banged on the super’s door. A small, Hispanic man emerged.

“Yes?” he asked.

Dino showed him a badge. “You have a tenant named Hausman,” he said. “What’s his apartment number?”

“I don’t know nothing,” the man said.

Dino showed him the rent receipt. “What’s his goddamned apartment number?”

“They are in 3D,” the man admitted.

“They? Who’s they?”

“Mr. Hausman and his friend.”

“Male or female friend?”

“Male.”

“What does he look like?”

The super shrugged. “Kind of like Mr. Hausman, but with real short hair.”

“Is the friend in the apartment now?”

“I don’t know. They come and go a lot.”

“Fine; you go back inside your apartment and stay there until I call you.”

The man went inside and closed the door.