A Face to Die For (Forensic Instincts 6)

“No problem,” Dani assured her. “It’s a beautiful night. While you have your meeting, I’ll stroll down to Rockefeller Center. Google Maps told me it’s a four-minute walk. I’ll hang out there and wait for you.”

“Perfect.” Gia waited as the uniformed waiter placed a glass of white wine in front of each of them.

“I’ll be back shortly with your appetizers,” he said before politely vanishing.

The moment he left, Dani leaned forward, her eyes still filled with an endearing childlike excitement. “What club are we going to? My feet are about to fall off, but I don’t care.”

“You wanted trendy? Well, we’ll pick a place where the rich, famous, and beautiful people hang out—and where we can get in without a reservation. My professional ties won’t help us. Anyway, we’ll find somewhere we can dance and people watch.”

“I’ll do a Google search while I wait for you. And if I fall in love with Rockefeller Center, I’m coming back here in December to see the tree, the display of angels, and to go ice skating.” Dani rolled her eyes in self-admonishment. “I sound like a ten-year-old, huh?”

“You sound like a first-time visitor to the most dynamic city in the world,” Gia replied. “That’s how it should be. Now let’s savor a meal to die for and then work it off on the dance floor.”

* * *

Dani strolled past Radio City Music Hall, soaking in the lights, the noise, and even the crowds. She was sure that those same crowds would be annoying as hell during the morning commute. But tonight they were part of a vibrant city, and she was loving every minute of her walk. The pedestrian arcade leading to Rockefeller Center was just ahead, and it would be pleasant not having to deal with traffic but just to be a gawking tourist.

She never saw him coming.

In a flash, her purse was yanked violently from her arm, the strap snapping under the strain. She was shoved—hard enough for her to topple forward onto the sidewalk. Dazed, she forced her head around in time to see what looked to be a teenage boy wearing a black hoodie taking off like a bat out of hell, pushing his way through the crowd and vanishing into the night.

A few people stopped beside her, helping her to her feet and asking if she was all right.

Reflexively, Dani glanced down at herself, shaking like a leaf as she did. Physically, she seemed fine. Her slacks were torn, and she was covered with dirt and grit from the spalled concrete. And, yeah, her hands were scraped, bleeding a little and throbbing from where she’d hit the ground. But none of that was severe. Her nerves, on the other hand… She was so rattled she could barely focus.

“I… I guess,” she replied, vaguely aware that, seeing she was basically fine, the bystanders were now dispersing and heading on their way. “I’m just…” She had no idea who she was talking to.

“Do you need me to call the police?” a female voice asked. “I’m guessing your cell phone is gone with your bag.”

Dani turned to see a college-aged girl in jeans and a T-shirt squatting down beside her. She looked sympathetic but not particularly surprised. She was the only person still hanging around the scene.

“You’re clearly from out of town,” the girl explained. “Nobody but a tourist leaves her purse swinging freely on her arm. And nobody strolls around staring at Rockefeller Center like they’re about to start taking pictures. You’re a walking target.”

“I suppose.” Slowly, Dani was starting to collect herself. “And, yes, I’d appreciate if you’d call the police. Also, one more call—to the friend I came into Manhattan with. She’s just a few blocks away at a meeting.”

“Sure. No problem.” The girl took out her phone. “I’m Michelle, by the way. And I wish I could say I’d be your witness, but all I saw was a teenage kid in a black hoodie blow through the crowd with your bag. I’ll gladly tell that to the cops, but all they can do is check trash cans for your empty purse. That kid is long gone, and so is anything of value you were carrying.”

“I’m Danielle, and yeah, I know.” Dani rubbed her arms, cold despite the fact that it was a warm night in early June. She was probably overreacting, but she’d never been mugged before. Not only was the experience miserable but she’d now lost all her cash, her credit cards, her cell phone… the whole thing sucked.

The girl, Michelle, was kind enough to stay with her until the police showed up. Two minutes later, Gia came bursting onto the scene, visibly thrown by what she’d been told on the phone.

“Are you okay?” she asked, gripping Dani’s forearms and eyeing her torn clothes and bleeding palms.

“Fine.” The trembling in Dani’s voice said that she was anything but. “I just want to answer the policeman’s questions, futile as they might be, and get out of here. I have to cancel my credit cards, change my passwords, and God knows what else.”

“Excuse me, miss?” A middle-aged man made his way over, holding up her tattered purse. “I saw a kid drop this in the trash two blocks down. I was here when he grabbed it. I doubt there’s much left of value inside, but I assumed you’d want it.”

Dani took it on autopilot. “Thank you so much.” A hint of a smile. “The muggers in New York City are outnumbered by the kind people. I appreciate you retrieving this and bringing it to me.”

“No problem.” He turned as the cop asked him a couple of questions, all of which he answered with the same ambiguity as Michelle had.

With Dani’s property having been returned and a report containing what flimsy details there were in his possession, the cop was ready to call it a night. He told Dani he’d contact her if he learned anything and then got in his squad car and drove away.

Dani muttered a thank you, but the truth was, she was barely listening. Something was off. Her purse was still zipped and it weighed too much to be half-empty.

She unzipped it and began fumbling inside, her puzzlement increasing as she pulled out one object after another. “My wallet’s still here,” she said in amazement. She went quickly through it. “So is my cash and all my credit cards. They don’t even look touched. And my cell phone is here, too. I don’t get it.”

Gia peered over her shoulder. “There’s nothing missing?”