Chinatown Beat by Henry Chang Read Free Book Online

questions, okay?"
    "Okay," the girl answered, her voice barely audible.
    Speaks English, Jack noted as he turned toward the front door.
    They took the stinking elevator up, then the hallway stairs, climbing the steps up to the landing, the old woman leading the way.
    Grandmother pointed to where the girl had sat, bleeding, on the cement floor. She had feared her granddaughter was dead. In the waning light of the afternoon, Jack could see no visible clues, no articles of evidence left behind anywhere, only the stillness of the cinderblock enclosure. Crime Scene Unit. They might have the resources and the equipment to take it further. Sex Crimes Unit, maybe. Break out the bloodlights, and all that high-tech gear… But there was nothing here.
     
    They were walking back down the graffiti-tagged stairwell, Jack keeping an eye out for evidence, when his radio blared. It was Sarge Paddy's voice over the static.
    "SCU's down by you. They need to know what apartment."
    "Sixteen," Jack barked, "apartment sixteen."
    They stepped over the puddles of urine, past hypodermic needles and empty beer cans, until they reached their landing.
    SCU came out of the elevator just as they approached the apart ment, two white female undercover detectives, one more mannish than the other. Jack introduced himself, gave one his detective's card and handed over all the information he'd jotted down. The one with the short spiky haircut looked over the sheet of paper and complimented Jack on his thoroughness. Jack explained that he hadn't interviewed the victim yet, but believed the girl spoke English.
    "We'll take it from here then," the taller one said. "Thanks for your help."
    "Sounds like the same perp from the case in the 0-Six," the other added. "Another Chinese girl, about the same age. But this was in the projects on the West Side. The Varick Houses, near the Holland Tunnel."
    "Can you get me some composite sketches?"Jack asked, showing interest. "Also a picture of the victim?"
    "Be in your mailbox at the 0-Five," said the taller one. "First thing tomorrow."
    "Thanks." Jack nodded. "I'll see what I can squeeze out of the neighborhood."
    "That's a bet," she said, breaking a smile.
    All together, they entered the apartment.
     
    The father stepped forward, away from the mother who remained near the small kitchenette, and stood squarely in front of the white gwai por, women detectives.
    "Don't be nervous," Jack warned him in a loud enough voice to command him to back off. "These are policewomen. Detectives. They will help take your daughter to the hospital. They will spare you the paperwork."
    The father watched Jack silently.
    "Sometimes women understand women better," Jack added. The father took a breath and silently gave in, stepping back as the female detectives followed the grandmother to the far bedroom.
    "Go with them," he said to the girl's mother.
    Jack stood with the uncle and the father, the three men quiet in the kitchen area. Jack could see the detectives working the girl in the bedroom, reassuring her. He saw the panda's legs swinging, shifting in the girl's embrace.
    In five minutes they'll have her enroute to Downtown Hospital or Gou- veneur General. Administer a rape kit. CaptureDNA. One of the SCU would process the crime scene, double-check with a flashlight, and again in daylight.
    The girl hugged the panda as she left with the tall detective, throwing Jack a sorrowful look, on her small face a sad and fearful smile. The mother went along.
    Alone with the uncle at the door, Jack said, "I'll need a photograph of your niece." The uncle gave him one from his wallet, a school picture with a sky-blue background.
    "Her father is talking about going to the elders of his village association," the uncle said, "to get something going."
    Jack knew what he meant, that they'd do their own investigation. He gave the uncle a Detective's Endowment Association card. "Call me if you hear anything," Jack said, before he entered the elevator. The