“I see. And how old is Mikey?”
“Three and a half.” She glanced over at Finn, sensing there was more to these questions than mere curiosity. “Why do you ask?”
“No reason.” Finn grinned and, ironically, the softening of his features made him all the more appealing. “Sorry I was playing twenty questions. As a cop, it’s my nature to be nosy.”
“Occupational hazard, huh?”
“Yep.” Finn expertly navigated the busy Queens traffic as he drove to the K-9 headquarters. Eva paid attention to the streets they passed to familiarize herself with the area.
“I really appreciate you taking the time to do this, Eva.”
She did her best to smile, hoping it didn’t look too forced. “I want to find the man who took Cocoa as much as anyone.”
“How’s the cheek?”
“I’ll live.” Truth was, her face was tender and sore to the touch, but not bad enough that she needed medical care.
Finn drove until he found a parking spot in the tiny lot adjacent to the building. She climbed out of the white SUV while he released Abernathy from the back. With Abernathy between them, she followed him through the double glass doors that led into the main lobby area. Finn punched in the code that allowed them access so they could go inside.
A woman in uniform sat behind a large U-shaped desk wearing a headset. She appeared calm despite the never-ending ringing of the phone.
Finn waved at the officer, who handed a visitor badge to him while still talking on the phone. He clipped it to Eva’s collar, then led the way inside. The interior of the police station smelled like old coffee, animal hair and the faint odor of gun oil. There were cubicles separating the desks, but she could still hear cops talking at the same time, some on the phone, some to each other. The din made it difficult to hear specific conversations, and the entire place seemed to be one of perpetual chaos.
“Is Joey Calderone around?” Finn asked the officer closest to him. “He’s supposed to meet us here.”
“I’m here.” A man about her age came over. He also had a visitor badge clipped to his collar. “What’s going on?”
“Joey, this is Eva Kendall, and she saw the man who dognapped one of Stella’s puppies.”
Joey, a man who was as short as he was wide, looked horrified. “That’s awful. Why would anyone steal a puppy?”
“No clue, but I intend to ask when I find him.” Finn’s jovial tone held an underlying note of steel. “Have a seat, Eva. Joey is a master at getting sketches done from witnesses just like you. This shouldn’t take too long.”
Eva sat down in the uncomfortable plastic chair, thinking that Joey hadn’t ever had to work with someone with such limited vision as hers. Still, she was determined to give this her best shot.
The questions started out easy, the shape of his face, his build. Eva relaxed as the drawing materialized in front of her. But when it came down to identifying details like the shape of his eyes, his nose and his mouth, helplessness washed over her.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t remember.” She sensed Joey’s frustration, but he kept his tone light and easy.
“It’s okay. Just close your eyes for a moment, see if anything comes back to you.”
She closed her eyes, forcing herself to remember the brief flashes she’d got of the attacker’s face. After several long moments, she opened her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “But other than a unibrow over his eyes and the five-o’clock shadow, I can’t tell you anything more specific.”
“That’s okay. It’s better to have something than nothing,” Joey assured her. He put a few finishing touches on the drawing, but even she could tell the face lacked depth.
It could have been anyone. Even Joey.
“How does it look?” Finn and Abernathy crossed over to see the portrait. She imagined Finn was disappointed, but he didn’t say anything. “Thanks, Joey.” He took the drawing and handed it to another officer. “Calvin, I need you to spread this sketch around to the rest of the precincts, so all cops can keep an eye out for him. He’s the one who stole one of Stella’s puppies.”