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6:45 p.m.

The power to the third rail had to be shut off before they could remove the mugger’s body. Dimitrios stood near the edge of the platform, gauging the distance to the third rail. The burnt scent of electrocuted flesh still wafted through the air. Dimitrios backed away from the platform’s edge and stepped into something wet near one of the brick columns. Did someone spill something? There were lumps of melting ice in the puddle. A soft drink?

Cody was questioning the witness, Angela Thorne. She huddled on one of the platform benches. Once Cody finished questioning the woman, Dimitrios walked over and knelt in front of her. “Ms. Thorne, I’m Detective Apostolou. How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts,” Ms. Thorne replied with a weary expression. The left side of her face was scuffed.

“She said she was heading home from the library when the deceased attacked her,” Cody said, giving Ms. Thorne a sympathetic gaze. “She doesn’t know how he ended up on the tracks.”

Ms. Thorne brushed her fingertips over her cheek and winced. “He pushed me against a column. I don’t remember anything after that.” She kept her eyes lowered.

Dimitrios called a police officer over. “Ms. Thorne, this officer is going to drive you to the hospital to be checked out. We want to make sure you don’t have a concussion.”

Ms. Thorne gave a slight nod and stood up. “Is it okay if I call my uncle?”

“Of course.” Dimitrios stepped aside and allowed the police officer to escort Ms. Thorne to the escalator.

“Detectives,” one of the forensic analyzers called. Dimitrios and Cody walked over to him. He was examining a dark-red stain on the floor. “We got some blood over here.”

“The victim’s?” Cody asked.

“Possibly,” the forensic expert said, collecting a sample.

A uniformed officer approached them. “We have a weapon.” He presented a clear plastic bag with an FN Forty-Nine pistol inside. “It was next to the victim, and it’s been fired recently.”

Dimitrios thanked the policeman and forensic expert, then made his way to the exit, Cody following. They rode the escalator, and Dimitrios fiddled absently with his ring, turning it back and forth around his finger. The amethyst gemstone glinted beneath the overhead lights. “How much do you think the deceased weighed?”

“About two hundred pounds,” Cody estimated, buttoning up his brown leather overcoat as they drew closer to the subway exit.

“And most of that was muscle,” Dimitrios pointed out. “How about Ms. Thorne?”

“I’d say under one-thirty. Why?”

“Do you think someone that small could fight off a two-hundred-pound man?”

Cody shook his head. “Unlikely, unless the gun was hers.”

They came out of the subway just as the patrol car carrying Ms. Thorne drove away. Dimitrios watched its departure until it rounded the corner. The rain had stopped, but the air was still damp and chilly, and Dimitrios closed his tan trenchcoat against the cold.

“Hey, what do you suppose his deal is?” Cody nodded toward a disheveled man staring at them from across the street. He was middle-aged, rosy-cheeked, and wore a dirty green duffle coat and baseball cap. He backed away when he realized the detectives had noticed him.

“Excuse me, sir.” Dimitrios walked across the street. The smell of alcohol struck him when he reached the stranger. “Sorry to trouble you, but may I ask you a few questions?” He showed his police badge.

The man stared at the badge and adjusted his baseball cap. “I guess. Whad’ya want?” He seemed a bit tipsy but appeared to be of sound mind—mostly.

“Were you down in the subway earlier?” Dimitrios asked. Cody came up beside him.

The man shook his head. “Nah, I wasn’t. Why? Somethin’ happen down there?”

Dimitrios frowned. “Someone was killed.”

“Wow, hey, I had nothin’ to do with it.” He raised his palms.

“Easy there. We’re not accusing you of anything. What’s your name?”

“Josh Dodson.” He adjusted his dirty coat as if trying to look more presentable.

“Mr. Dodson, I just want to know if you noticed anyone suspicious entering or leaving the subway?”

Josh glanced at the subway, then sneered. “Maybe I did, but my memory’s kinda fuzzy.”

Cody was about to rebuke Josh, but Dimitrios cleared his throat and pulled out his wallet. He handed Josh a twenty, ignoring Cody’s disapproving look. “Does that clear things up at all?” Dimitrios offered a pleasant smile.

Josh pocketed the money. “Yep, I saw one guy come outta the subway. He was wearin’ a nice suit an’ coat, an’ he had on fancy black-an’-white shoes like you see mobsters wear in those old movies. He seemed off.”

Dimitrios’s eyes narrowed. “How so?”

“He was holdin’ his side like he was hurt.”

“How long ago?” Cody asked.

“Dunno. Ain’t got a watch, but it wasn’t too long ago.”

“Where did you see this from?”

Josh pointed with his thumb at a bar up the block. “I was sittin’ by the window. Saw him drive off in a black car.”

Cody’s eyes lit up. “You saw his car?”

“Yep, he parked over there.” Josh gestured to a line of parking meters.

“What was the car’s make and model?” Dimitrios pressed.

Josh shrugged. “Dunno, but I caught his license plate. I thought maybe I should get the number and reach out to you guys, seein’ the fella was hurt an’ all. I was concerned, y’know?” He paused.

Cody waved his hand in exasperation. “The plate numbers?”

Josh grinned. “Memory’s still fuzzy.”

Dimitrios handed Josh another twenty. “Your concern is heartwarming.”

“Right,” Josh continued, “his license number was 1 … Or did it start with a 9? No, no, it was 1 9 B 4 … Sorry, that’s all I remember.”

Dimitrios waved it off. “A partial’s fine. Can you recall what this man looked like?”

“Well, he was big, had long girly hair, a beard … Actually, he kinda looked like Jesus.”

Cody rubbed his forehead. “For the love of—”

“The Eidolon City Police Department thanks you for your help,” Dimitrios interjected, nudging Cody with his elbow to silence him. He pulled out a business card and handed it to Josh. “I’d like to keep in touch, Mr. Dodson. You can reach me at this number if you remember anything else about the man you saw.”

“Okay, I guess.”

“Is there a number we can reach you at?” Dimitrios asked. Josh provided his own phone number, which Cody jotted down. “All right, we’ll be in touch if we have any follow-up questions.”

“Sure, whatever.” Josh trudged past the detectives.

“The guy’s wasted, Dimi,” Cody said once Josh was out of earshot.

“What, you don’t think he really saw Jesus dressed as a mobster?” Dimitrios chuckled and adjusted his glasses. “He gave us something to start with. 1 9 B 4. Let’s run that partial and see how many plates come up.”

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