Powolski.

“I knew you weren’t ill. You’re trying to cut me out of the investigation.”

“It was just more efficient for one person to—”

“Save it, doll. I’m the lead reporter—”

Cassie set a hand on his forearm, her gaze drawn across the street. “Wait. See that man entering the Walkers’ apartment building? He’s being followed.”

Powolski scanned the street until he located the man she was referring to. “Who do you think it is? Tiatellis keeping track of Walker?”

“No, I recognize him. Ruiz. He’s from the police. And if the police are following that man, it must mean that man is from the Tiatellis.”

“And if the Tiatellis are visiting Walker, that means…” he whistled.

“Tommy was right. Walker is in collusion with them.”

At that moment, with his prey now inside and out of view, Ruiz glanced across the street. He did a double-take when he saw Cassie.

“Oh no.” Cassie turned her face away.

“What?”

“He’s recognized me.”

“I told you I should have done this.”

“You wouldn’t have known who that man was to make the connection.”

Footsteps approached. “The boss won’t be happy that you’re here, Miss Woods.”

Cassie turned slowly around to face Ruiz. “How good to see you again. I—”

A gunshot rang out from the building across the street. All three latched their focus onto the top floor where the Walkers’ apartment was located. No other sound emerged. The other people on the street paused and looked around, but seeing no further immediate threat, continued on their way.

“What do we do?”

“I’ll call for back up, then I’m going in. You two stay here.” Ruiz ran to the nearest police call box. A couple of minutes later, Cassie and Powolski watched him ease his way into the building, his own pistol at the ready.

“Do we really just stand here?” Cassie asked impatiently.

“What else are we going to do? We’ll just get in the way.”

Cassie looked up at Powolski, trying to determine if he really believed this or if it was cowardice. The firm set of his jaw gave nothing away. She remembered that he had a wife and three small children at home. She shouldn’t ask him to do anything that would put his life in danger. He was right. They should stay out of it.

Except…an awfully long time went by without Ruiz emerging or backup arriving. Cassie wiped her sweaty palms on the sides of her skirt, growing antsy.

“At least there hasn’t been another gunshot,” Powolski finally said.

Cassie didn’t bother to respond.

Just then a carriage pulled up to the curb in front of the apartment building. A trio of men emerged from the building, two holding up a bloodied Ruiz between them. The men entered the carriage, which set off at as brisk of a pace as possible in the mid-morning traffic.

Cassie didn’t hesitate. She stepped into the street and raised her hand to hail the nearest carriage. She leaped inside, and Powolski followed, though he cursed as he did so.

“Follow that carriage,” she said, pointing to the one ahead.

***

“Stop here,” Cassie said. Traffic was thinning out as they neared the docks, and soon it would be too obvious to the men who held Ruiz that they were being followed. She thanked the driver, giving him a generous tip, and stepped onto the sidewalk.

“I saw a police call box the next street over,” Powolski said. “We need to call and let them know to come here.”

Cassie nodded. “You go. I’ll keep an eye on them.”

“Miss Woods—don’t do anything rash.”

It was the first time Powolski had actually addressed her by her name. Cassie gave a curt nod. “Ask for Mr. O’Neill. He’s probably already on his way to the Walkers’, but at least they’ll know what it’s about. The man they kidnapped is Ruiz.” Without further ado, she headed in the direction the other carriage had taken.

Cassie crept along the brick walls of the buildings throughout the complex the henchmen had entered. She peered around the next corner. Two men loitered outside the entrance to a low warehouse across the way. The carriage Cassie and Powolski had followed stood off to one side. Ruiz was nowhere to be seen.

Engrossed in deciding her next move, she didn’t register the footsteps approaching behind her.

“Miss Woods,” a man’s voice said.

She turned.

And came face-to-face with Mr. Walker.

After an instant of panic, she forced a composed smile. “Hello—”

“Cut the small talk. I told Greene a woman reporter would be too meddlesome, but he assured me that his little warning message would be just enough to keep you onto the Tiatellis so you would out them as the culprits. Yet here you are.”

“Here I am.” Over Walker’s shoulder, she saw Powolski approach. She gave him a barely perceptible shake of her head. Better to not drag him into this and risk both of them disappearing with no trace before the police arrived. She forced bravado. “Is your wife inside? I’d love to meet her.”

Walker reacted instantly, spinning her around and hooking an arm under her chin so she was held against him by the neck. She clawed at his jacket sleeve, but the two men keeping watch rushed over and took her by the arms.

Walker released her. “These men will show you where my wife is being held. You’ll get your wish.”

She dead-weighted herself against the men to no avail. They dragged her easily across the cobblestone courtyard and inside the building.

In the distance, she heard a police whistle.

She could only hope they were coming for her.

Five

Every footstep echoed through the empty warehouse space. The men dragged her across the vast main hall before navigating around a partition, which revealed a makeshift jail cell built into a corner. One of her captors helped the other wrestle her into his grip so his partner could unlock the door. The men pushed her inside so forcefully she landed on her knees. When she locked up, she saw a beautiful woman perched on a cot. A pair of boots approached from the other side. She followed the legs up to see Tommy Tiatelli.