Page 47 of NYPD Red 7: The Murder Sorority

“Yes,” Kylie said, pulling out her phone and showing Millstein the sketch Theo thought could be the hit man known as Barbara. “Do you recognize this man?”

Millstein took one look and inhaled sharply. She knew him. And she quickly figured out that if the cops wanted him, her life was about to get even more complicated.

“Yes, he’s been here,” she said. “He was a friend of Mr. Sheffield’s.”

“Do you know his name?” Kylie asked.

“No, but guests are required to sign in. I have a digital record of everyone who visited. We log it by resident, so all I have to do is pull up Mr. Sheffield’s file,” she said, turning to her keyboard and typing.

“Here it is. He was here three times over the past four months. Sadly, he’s the only visitor Mr. Sheffield ever had.”

“Do you have a photo of his driver’s license?” I asked.

“No. We only require people to sign their names. It’s an honor system.”

I felt like screaming,Shit, lady! Sheffield’s friends were anything but honorable.

“His last name is Berra. Like Yogi Berra,” Millstein said, as if that might help.

“First name?” I asked.

“Robert.”

Robert Berra. Bob Berra. Bobberra. Barbara.

Our hit man had a devilish sense of humor.

CHAPTER 31

“I told youshe was a jerk,” Theo said once we were back in the parking lot.

“Don’t keep me in suspense,” I said. “Which one are we talking about? Millstein orK-Mac?”

The kid laughed. “Kylie really is a piece of work, isn’t she? It must be so cool to work with someone like her all day,” he said.

“And if bycoolyou mean exasperating, then yes,” I said.

Another laugh.

Theo and I were alone. It had been Kylie’s idea. “He just lost someone he cared deeply about, and his father is ten thousand miles away,” she said. “He needs some qualityone-on-oneman time.”

She was right. All I had to do was ask him how he felt, and he opened up.

“It’s sad. I wish I’d met Mr. Sheffield before the dementia. I wanted to get his story on video, but he would never let me. He said, ‘Let’s keep it old school. Just two guys talking.’ So all I have is what’s up here,” Theo said, tapping his head. “Plus whatever I wrote down later on.”

“Kylie and I are going to want to go over those notes, but right now we have to get to the funeral home,” I said. “Can you meet us at the station house around lunchtime?”

“Sure.” He hesitated. “Zach... do you think this is real? Do you and Kylie think Mr. Sheffield was murdered?”

“Theo, we’re homicide detectives. And you know what they say. When you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” I took a card out of my wallet and handed it to him. “Here’s my cell number. Anything you think of, anything you need, call me.”

“Thanks.” He got on his bike, and I watched him ride off. I really liked him. Travis Wilkins was a lucky man.

“What did Theo say?” Kylie asked as soon as I got in the car.

“Not much. Mostly he talked about you and how patient and understanding you are when you deal with difficult people like Mrs. Millstein.”

“Well, I’m gladsomebodygets me,” she said, pulling out of the parking lot too fast.

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