Larkin checked the nearby desks before leaning closer and saying, quiet but firm, “I enjoy the privilege of watching my significant other take control of their own pleasure.”
“That’s a very eloquent way to say you like a power bottom, Evie.”
“You woke up and chose violence today, didn’t you.”
Doyle was grinning ear-to-ear as he said into the phone with a voice so smooth, a bartender would charge premium prices, “Good morning, this is Detective Ira Doyle with the Forensic Artists Unit.”
The morning ended up being a flurry of phone calls, as was the veryunsexy reality of working cold cases.A completely smitten lab tech informed Doyle that they’d have the brooch couriered to 1PP no later than noon, while a far less besotted receptionist at the Tombs told Larkin that yes, they had an officer Rodriguez—Devon or Juan?—and after describing the CO to her, he was told that Devon had already clocked out for the day and Larkin would have to call again at 7:00 p.m.if he wanted to follow-up on any conversation they’d had earlier.
While Doyle, now comfortably seated in Baker’s chair, spoke with someone on the Crime Scene Unit about picking up all the VHS tapes from the Wagners’ apartment, Larkin stood at his own desk, absently stretching his back while listening to the same thirty second sound bite of hold music that was so profoundly awful, he’d have preferred chewing on aluminum foil instead.He moved the phone from one ear to the other, keeping it wedged in place with his shoulder, when his cell, resting beside the computer keyboard, lit up with an incoming call.
Noah Rider.
“Marcom Refrigeration Systems, Parts and Services, this is Ben.How may I help you?”Ben spoke with an easygoing and decidedly rural North Carolina accent.
Larkin promptly sent Noah to voicemail a second time and said to Ben, “Good morning.My name is Everett Larkin and I’m a detective with the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad.I have a model and serial number for a refrigerator that I’d like to obtain some manufacturing information on.”
“NYPD?”Ben repeated.
“That’s correct.”
“Well, how’s that for a Friday morning?Not a call about a replacement water filter or a broken hinge pin.No, sir, I get a call about abonafide homicide.I know that’s what cold cases are—I’ve watched those true crime shows.”
“Yes, sir,” Larkin said, like he hadn’t just sat through thirteen excruciating minutes of overly compressed electronic free-form jazz and now needed a Tylenol.
“And a New York City detective to boot!No one’s gonna believe this phone call….You read those numbers to me,” Ben directed excitedly.
Leaning over the desk, Larkin picked up a photograph and read aloud the model and serial from the back of the unit.
“Wooboy—that puppy sounds old,” Ben murmured.“423 means the year ends with a four and the twenty-third week would make that… June.So that’s when this particular unit was built.But the year… might be 2014, 2004, might be1994.It’s not the best system, I admit.I’m gonna put you on hold while I look up that model number, okay?”
“No, please don’t—”
The jazz-like music started playing again.
Larkin turned away, held the receiver down at his thigh, and briefly let his chin dip to his chest.He considered whether another coffee from the breakroom would help, but that’d be cup number five since last night, and Larkin had no desire for a self-induced heart attack or for shitting himself, so he opted to count silently and hoped it would alleviate his edginess.He’d reached thirty-seven when he heard the whine of distorted music come to an end.
Ben was already saying, as he brought the receiver back to his ear, “—top freezer style that we offered in ‘apartment size’ was eleven cubic feet in total.Did you know the average family of four requires a fridge with twelve to sixteen cubic feet?And that don’t include the freezer, which is usually another six to—”
“Mister….”Larkin faltered.“Ben.”
“Brooks, sir.”
“Mr.Brooks.I’m not actually in the market for a new kitchen appliance.”
Ben laughed readily.“No, sir, sorry about that.I’m not even sales, just live and breathe refrigerators!Like I was saying, this unit was offered in either white or cream, weighed a hundred and seventy pounds, and was manufactured between 1992 and 1999.We still got that model, but it’s more energy efficient now.Also available in brushed steel—hides fingerprints real well.Folks like that modern look.This model you got here is more like what my granddaddy had in his garage.He kept drinks in there for us kids during the summer.Y’all got Cheerwine in New York City?”
“Mr.Brooks, can you tell me where this refrigerator might have been sold.”
“Like, what retailer we might’a shipped to?”
“Yes.”
“We don’t have a database to track what serial goes where, I’m afraid.Maybe individual shops keep a record like that for themselves, but I can’t imagine anyone’d be holding on to sales receipts from the ’90s.”
Larkin tapped the desktop irritably before asking, “Do you have record of this unit having gone in for repair.”
Ben drew out his words in a thoughtful manner, saying, “You know what… it’s old, but that don’t mean it’s down and out.Hang on just a second.”
