Thriller Thursday - Excerpt from Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel

Friday September 4th, 10:55 A.M. Washington Heights

West 175th Street - Apartment Building of Carlos Rodriguez

  The ME identified the five bodies from the building. The four men that Kelli didn’t recognize were all Puerto Ricans. Everyone knew that Dominicans and Puerto Ricans had an ongoing rivalry, especially when it came to their turf. The fifth man Kelli already knew, Francisco Trujillo.

  The shell casings were all 9MM and CSU recovered twenty-five of them. The most interesting piece of evidence to Kelli was a set of prints recovered from the door, and a partial on a shell casing. The partial on the casing put Carlos Rodriguez at the scene, and possibly as one of the shooters. It was more than enough for an arrest warrant.

  Kelli and the rest of the squad waited down the hall as the ESU team made their approach. She watched as the tactical unit reached the door and made ready. One man stepped up to the door and broke it in with a ram.

  As soon as the door swung open, the men poured inside, shouting for the occupants to drop their weapons. She could hear several more shouts from inside the apartment as they cleared each room. The lieutenant took the lead and headed for the apartment. Kelli and the other detectives followed.

  When she stepped inside, Kelli saw Carlos and the two men that had run out of the building in Brooklyn. There were four others that she didn’t recognize. The men were on their knees, hands on their heads. She looked at Carlos, and he met her eyes with a scowl, his eyes glowing with contempt.

  “Hey, you okay?”

  Kelli turned her head and looked at the lieutenant. “Yeah, I’m good. I’ve got this dirt bag,” she said, and moved toward Carlos. She took her handcuffs out as she stepped up behind the man. “Carlos Rodriguez. You’re under arrest.” She continued, giving the man his Miranda rights as she placed the cuffs on his wrist.

  The other detectives proceeded to handcuff the other men. Kelli got Carlos up and led him out the door. “I’ve got you this time, Carlos.”

  “You ain’t got shit, bitch.” He turned his head and spit in her direction.

  Kelli lifted up on the cuffs, causing Carlos to pitch forward. “Do that again, motherfucker, and you’ll be going to the hospital instead of the precinct.”