"A Broken Promise" Mystery book 3

NYCPD
Precinct 33 roles


Precinct Commissioner: Ellen Ricks - 45 years old, female, worked at Precinct 33 for 20 years
Technical crime scene investigation officer: Jesse Brookes - 35 years old, male, worked at Precinct 33 for 15 years
Medical examiner: Karen Elles - 56 years old, female, widowed, worked at Precinct 33 for 30 years
Crime scene investigators:
Denissa Williams
Jason Garcias

Character card -

Name: Denissa Evelyn Williams
Occupation: Detective/Crime Scene investigator
Partner/Fiancé: Jason Garcia
Hair color: Blonde to dirty blonde
Eye color: Hazel
Father: Tristan Williams [Deceased: Cause of death; Took a bullet to protect Denissa]
Mother: Emily Williams [Deceased: Cause of death; Died during childbirth]
Suffer from: PTSD[Post Traumatic Stress Disorder]


Story:
After years of working on cases in Precinct 33, years of her engagement with Jason, Denissa finally commits herself into actually going through with starting that next level of her relationship. She’s trained Sparks, a former stray german shepherd puppy she found on her way to the precinct, to be part of the K9 unit, but really, he was her own dog to take care of. With the recent birth of their first child, Jacob, Jason and Denissa find it a bit difficult to manage their work and their family at the same time. Especially with how stressed Denissa already is with her PTSD, putting her in charge of trying to find a babysitter for hers and Jason’s kid. But how long would that last until it all starts going south.

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"Wait wait wait.. You do realize that moving to an entirely different part of the precinct is something that could affect the line of work I put in, right? Because maybe you should've told me before that someone from upstairs offered you a promotion, instead of dumping it on me last minute while I've been stressing just to find Jacob a babysitter." Denissa said, holding Jacob in her arms, Sparks sleeping on the bed behind her. "I didn't realize it would make you more stressed, I just thought I might as well tell you. Interview's tomorrow evening, by the way." Jason said. "Gee, Thanks for that, that makes me so much better." Denissa rolled her eyes, her voice laced with sarcasm. Suddenly, the phone rang, interrupting their argument.

"Precinct 33, what's the emergency?" The urgency in the voice on the other end made Denissa's heart skip a beat. "We've got a 10-54 at 23rd and Lex, possible homicide. Need CSI and K9 unit on site immediately." It was dispatch.

Denissa looked over to Jason, who was already halfway out the door. "You're not going anywhere without me." She said firmly, placing Jacob in his crib. She knew the risks of their job, but she couldn't help the protective instincts that surfaced when she thought of him facing danger without her. "I've got it." He said, giving her a quick kiss. "You stay here with the baby." But she was already changing into her gear, Sparks jumping up and alert.

They arrived at the crime scene to find the usual chaos: flashing lights, yellow tape, and the murmur of uniformed officers talking in hushed tones. Denissa took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. The smell of blood and antiseptic hung heavy in the air, and she could feel the familiar tightness in her chest that came with the job. "Elles is already here." One of the officers called out. Karen looked up, her face drawn and tired.

"Hell of a way to start our weekend." She said, gesturing to the body sprawled out on the sidewalk. It was a young woman, probably in her early twenties, with a single gunshot wound to the chest. "Looks like a professional hit." Karen added. Denissa nodded, her mind racing. "Jesse, can you get some samples?" She called over to her partner.

Denissa took out her notepad, scribbling down details as she studied the scene. Sparks sniffed around, looking for any clue that might lead them to the perpetrator. It wasn't long before he found something. He barked, and when Denissa followed his gaze, she saw a glint of metal in the gutter. "Got something." She called out, pointing to the object.

Jesse rushed over, carefully picking it up with gloved hands. "Looks like a casing. Could be our shooter's signature." He said, placing it in an evidence bag. Denissa felt the weight of the case pressing down on her, but she knew she had to push through for the sake of the victim. She took a moment to compose herself, then turned to the officers gathering around. "Alright, let's get to work. Canvass the area for any witnesses, check the nearby security cams, and make sure we don't miss a single detail."

The team sprang into action, each of them a well-oiled cog in the machine that was Precinct 33's response to crime. Denissa and Jason worked side by side, their rhythm unchanged by their new roles as parents. They'd been partners for years, and their unspoken understanding was a thing of beauty in the chaos of a crime scene.

As they processed the scene, Karen began her meticulous examination of the body. "Judging by the angle of the wound, she was shot from a distance, probably a car passing by. Clean shot, no struggle." She spoke with the cold precision of someone who'd seen too much death. Denissa couldn't help but think of the life that had been so brutally taken. Who was this girl? What had she done to deserve this?

The hours ticked by, the adrenaline of the initial discovery fading into the methodical routine of their work. Denissa cataloged evidence while Jason questioned the few witnesses they'd managed to track down. Sparks remained alert, his nose to the ground, searching for any scent that could lead them to the killer.

Finally, they had enough to start piecing together a profile. The gunshot wound indicated a skilled shooter, likely with a silenced weapon. The lack of personal items on the body suggested a quick, efficient hit. "This isn't random," Denissa murmured to herself, jotting down notes. "Someone knew her."

They found a few potential leads: a dropped wallet with a fake ID, a discarded cigarette butt with DNA, and a partial license plate from the getaway car. It was a start, but they needed more. The tension grew as they worked, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on their shoulders.

Ellen Ricks, the precinct commissioner, arrived on the scene, her sharp eyes assessing the situation. She nodded to Denissa and Jason, a silent acknowledgment of the seriousness of the case. "Keep me updated," she said, her voice firm and low. Denissa knew that the commissioner had faith in them, but that didn't ease the pressure.

Back at the precinct, they poured over the evidence, comparing notes and running tests. Denissa's PTSD didn't just vanish because she was a mom now; it hovered in the background, a constant reminder of the horrors she'd seen. But she had a job to do, and a family to come home to, so she pushed through it.

The case grew more complex with every new piece of information. The fake ID led them to a human trafficking ring, and the DNA on the cigarette butt matched a known enforcer with ties to organized crime. The partial plate led to a rental car, the trail going cold after that.

The following evening while Denissa was cleaning up a bit in Jacob's room, she picked up one of the stuffed animals, and looked over at Jacob, who was still sleeping in his crib. She looked at the stuffed animal closely. Something always felt off about it. The babysitter left it here about four nights ago while they were here, but what could possibly be throwing Denissa off? She turned it over and found a little strand of a wire sticking out of the seam. "That son of a bitch.." She whispered, realizing what it was. "Jason, I need you to watch Jacob. I gotta report something to the commissioner." Denissa quietly yelled out, being careful not to wake up Jacob. "Denissa, My interview's in like an hour, just leave him with the babysitter." Jason walked in. "The babysitter is the killer, Jason..!" Denissa pointed out, still holding the stuffed animal. "Great, So we've got two things handled." Jason said. "I'm not putting our baby into the care of a serial killer..!" Denissa panicked. "Calm down, love. I'll stay. Just tell me what's going on."

Denissa sat down at the kitchen table, her hands trembling slightly as she recounted her discovery. "It's a GPS tracker, I'm sure of it. They're watching us." She slammed her fist down on the table. "Why would anyone do this to us?" Jason looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. "We need to tell Ricks." He said firmly. "We can't ignore this, especially with everything we know now."

They called the commissioner, who arrived at their apartment within half an hour, her expression grim. "We've been compromised." She said, taking the stuffed animal from Denissa's hand. "But why?" Jason asked, pacing the floor. "It's because of the case, isn't it?" Denissa said, her mind racing. "This is too personal, too close to home."

Ellen Ricks nodded. "The trafficking ring we've been digging into has connections to some very dangerous people. They could be trying to send us a message." She paused, looking at the sleeping Jacob. "We need to keep him safe. I'll arrange for a detail to watch over the house."

Denissa felt a cold dread wash over her. "But what about the babysitter?" She asked, her voice shaking. "We'll handle it," Ricks assured her. "You two focus on solving this case. We can't let them win."

The days turned into a blur of long hours at the precinct and even longer nights at home with Jacob. Denissa and Jason took turns watching him, their sleep deprivation adding to the tension that was already thick in the air. The case grew more tangled with every lead they followed, every suspect they interrogated. They were getting closer, they could feel it.

Denissa sat in the corner of Jacob's room, cradling him in her arms so she could keep a closer eye on things, when she suddenly heard something or someone bang on the door, sending her into a panic. She looked at her phone, hoping that Jason messaged her that he was almost home. Nothing. Denissa got up, holding Jacob close to her, and close the bedroom door and locked it, sitting down in front of it, her heart racing. Sparks, who had been sleeping, immediately jumped up and started barking towards the door. "Shh, boy, it's okay." She whispered to him, but the dog's protective instincts were already on high alert.

The knocking grew more insistent, and she recognized the voice of one of the officers from the precinct. "It's alright, Sparks, it's just work." She said, trying to calm herself as much as the dog. She opened the door to find two uniformed officers standing there, looking equally as stressed. "What's going on?" She asked, her voice tight with fear.

"Ma'am, we've got an emergency. We need you and Detective Garcias to come down to the precinct immediately." The younger of the two officers said, his eyes darting nervously towards the sleeping child in her arms. "What's happened?" She demanded. "It's about the case." The older officer spoke up, his voice gruff. "We've got a suspect in custody, but it's a mess down there."

Jason arrived home, looking as tired as Denissa felt. He took one look at the officers and the expression on her face and knew something was wrong. "What is it?" He asked, taking Jacob from her. "They've got someone in custody for the case." She said, her voice trembling. "But they wouldn't say what happened."

They left Jacob with one of the officers they trusted and rushed to the precinct. The atmosphere was tense, and the air was charged with the energy of a storm about to break. As they walked into the interrogation room, they saw a man in his mid-thirties, bruised and bloody, sitting at the table. The sight of him made Denissa's stomach turn, but she steeled herself and stepped forward. "What do we know?" She asked, her voice firm.

The suspect looked up, his eyes meeting hers with a chilling coldness. "I didn't do it." He said, his voice surprisingly calm. Denissa could feel the rage bubbling up inside of her, but she pushed it down. She had to stay focused. "We have a witness who says you were at the scene." She said, laying out a photo of the young woman they'd found on the sidewalk.

He didn't flinch, just stared at her. "You're lying." He said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Or maybe you're just trying to pin this on me because you can't find the real killer." He smirked, and she could see the malice in his eyes.

But Denissa wasn't going to let him get to her. She had a job to do, a baby to protect, and a partner who was counting on her. She took a deep breath and leaned in. "You're going to tell us everything you know, and then we're going to find out who you're working for." She said, her voice low and steady. "Because if you don't, I promise you, you're going to wish you had."

The interrogation lasted hours, the suspect playing games with them, trying to throw them off track. But Denissa and Jason were relentless. They had to find the person behind this, the one who had brought this horror into their home. They pushed and pushed until finally, the man broke. He gave them a name, and it was a name that sent chills down their spines. A name that was linked to some of the most notorious crimes in the city's history.

They knew they were onto something big, something that went far beyond a simple murder. They were dealing with a monster, and they had to bring him down before he could hurt anyone else. As they left the precinct that night, the weight of the case pressing down on them like a leaden blanket, they looked at each other and knew that this was just the beginning.

Their personal lives were now intertwined with the job in a way they'd never wanted, and they had to decide if they could handle the risk. But for now, all that mattered was finding the truth and keeping their family safe. They walked into the night, Sparks by their side, ready to face whatever the city had in store for them.

The name the suspect had given them was a high-ranking member of a notorious crime syndicate, one that had eluded the law for years. The implications of their involvement were staggering. "We need to tread carefully," Jason warned, as they climbed into their car. "This guy has more resources than we can imagine."

Denissa nodded, her mind racing with the new information. "We can't do this alone," she said, her eyes reflecting the streetlights as they passed. "We need to bring in the feds."

Jason agreed, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "First things first, we get home to Jacob." He said, his voice a mix of anger and protectiveness. "Then we figure out our next move."

The drive home was tense, the silence between them speaking volumes. When they pulled into the driveway, the house was dark, and the shadows played tricks on their exhausted eyes. They entered cautiously, Sparks on alert. The babysitter had been a plant, a way to keep tabs on them and their investigation. The realization was a cold slap in the face.

Once inside, they checked every room, every corner, ensuring that Jacob was indeed safe. He lay in his crib, peacefully sleeping, blissfully unaware of the danger that had come so close to him. They stood watching him for a moment, the gravity of the situation settling heavily on their hearts.

Denissa turned to Jason, her hazel eyes filled with determination. "We can't let this go on." She said, her voice a whisper. "We have to end this."

Jason nodded, his own eyes dark with resolve. "We'll get him," he promised. "But we have to be smart."

They decided to keep the tracker discovery to themselves for the time being, not wanting to alarm the precinct or risk tipping off the syndicate. They'd handle it themselves, together. It was a dangerous game they were playing, but they had no other choice.

The next few days were a flurry of activity as they worked around the clock, gathering intel on the crime lord and his operations. They had to be careful not to leave any breadcrumbs that could lead back to them. They knew that one wrong move could mean the end of their lives and the lives of their colleagues.

But as the pieces started to come together, so did the picture of the monster they were hunting. The crimes he'd orchestrated were heinous, and the thought of him being anywhere near Jacob was enough to fuel their rage. They couldn't just take him down; they had to dismantle his entire operation.

They worked in secret, using their skills and their trust in each other to build a case that would bring him to justice. Each clue they found brought them closer to the truth, and with it, the fear that they were being watched grew stronger.

But Denissa and Jason were not the type to back down. They had each other, they had Sparks, and they had the unshakable belief that justice would prevail. They'd faced danger before, but this was different. This was personal.

And so, with a baby to protect and a vendetta to settle, they plunged headfirst into the dark underbelly of the city, determined to make sure that no one else would suffer at the hands of the man they were now hunting. The stakes had never been higher, and the line between their personal and professional lives had never been more blurred. But they had each other, and that was all they needed.

The nights grew longer, the days shorter, as the case consumed them. They barely slept, living on adrenaline and coffee, their every waking moment dedicated to bringing down the enemy that lurked in the shadows. They knew they were being followed, the feeling of being watched a constant companion.

One evening, as they were leaving the precinct, they saw a shadowy figure lurking by their car. Their hearts racing, they approached cautiously, only to find that it was one of their trusted colleagues, who had been keeping a discreet eye on them. "You two need to be careful," he warned, his voice low. "They know you're onto them."

Denissa and Jason exchanged a look, the gravity of the situation finally sinking in. They were in too deep to turn back now. They had to see it through, no matter the cost.

The tension grew with each passing hour, until one night, as they sat in the quiet of their living room, surrounded by the warm glow of the baby monitor, they knew they had found what they were looking for. A hidden file on the suspect's computer, accessed through an anonymous tip, pointed to a warehouse on the outskirts of town. It was time to move.

They suited up, leaving Jacob with the most trustworthy officer they knew. Sparks sensed the shift in their mood and sat by the door, his eyes focused and ready. "We're going to get him, boy," Denissa whispered, stroking his fur. "We're going to make sure no one ever hurts our family again."

They approached the warehouse with caution, their hearts pounding in their chests. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the abandoned streets, a stark contrast to the cries of the city they knew so well. The building loomed before them, a silent sentinel of the secrets it held within.

Denissa and Jason had been over the plan countless times, but now that they were here, the reality of the danger hit them like a freight train. They had no backup, no safety net. It was just the two of them, Sparks at their side, and the burning need to end this nightmare.

As they entered the warehouse, the smell of mold and decay filled the air. The place was a labyrinth of shadows and half-seen forms, the perfect place for a monster to hide. Sparks took the lead, his nose to the ground, sniffing out the scent of their quarry.

Their eyes adjusted to the darkness, and they saw movement up ahead. The suspect was there, surrounded by his goons. The sight of them brought a wave of anger crashing over Denissa. She knew that the man responsible for the fear in her baby's eyes was right there, taunting them.

They moved in swiftly and silently, taking out the guards one by one. The sound of their takedowns was muffled by the thick silence of the warehouse. The suspect looked up, surprise and fear flashing across his face when he saw them.

"You should've stayed out of this," he snarled, reaching for a gun. But Denissa was faster. She tackled him to the ground, her strength fueled by rage and fear. Jason was right behind her, cuffing the man's hands behind his back.

Sparks barked in victory, and the suspect looked up at them with a snarl. "You think you've won?" He spat. "You have no idea what you've just started."

Denissa leaned in, her voice cold and deadly. "This isn't the start of anything. This is the end."

They called for backup, the sound of sirens growing louder as the minutes ticked by. The suspect was taken into custody, the fear in his eyes a small victory amidst the chaos. But they knew it wasn't over. The crime lord they were after was still out there, waiting, watching.

As they left the warehouse, the sun began to rise over the city, casting a pale light on the scene of their victory. But the shadows still lurked, a reminder that there was more work to be done.

They returned to the precinct to a round of applause, their colleagues proud of the risks they'd taken to protect the innocent. But the joy was short-lived. The real battle had just begun.

The case grew legs, reaching into the highest levels of power and corruption. They had to tread carefully, navigating a minefield of lies and deceit. But Denissa and Jason were not just detectives anymore; they were parents with a vendetta. They'd stop at nothing to ensure their family's safety.

Their lives had changed irrevocably, their roles at the precinct now intertwined with the dark world they'd brought into their home. But they were ready for it. They had each other, they had Jacob, and they had the truth on their side.

And as they held their son, watching the sunrise from their apartment window, they knew that together, they could face whatever the city threw at them. The war was far from over, but they'd won a battle. And for now, that was enough.