The Fire Witness

116

Joona follows the footprints to the metal door and takes out the keys he stole from Tobias’s apartment. He unlocks the door and finds the switch for the ceiling light. The heavy door shuts behind him. It’s dark for a moment and then the ceiling lamp flickers on. The walls stream cool air and the putrid odor from the garbage room reaches him from one of the vents. He stands still and listens before he keeps walking down the stairs.

He reaches the bottom and sees an overflowing bike-storage area. He squeezes past bicycles, sleds, and baby strollers and starts down a long hall lined on one side with wire-mesh cages that serve as storage lockers. Insulated pipes run directly below the ceiling.

There’s a loud rumble as the elevator motor starts up. The odor of urine permeates the still air.

He hears someone move at the far end of the basement.

Joona remembers the photograph of Vicky, which was used for the general alarm. It’s hard to imagine that shy, blushing face contorting with uncontrollable rage. The only way for her to be able to swing that hammer would be with twice her natural strength. He tries to imagine her standing in front of him, swinging the hammer and rubbing blood from her eyes before striking again.

Joona tries to breathe quietly while he uses his left hand to unbutton his jacket and pull out his weapon. He’s not yet used to its heft and balance.

In one of the storage cages, there’s a brown rocking horse with its nose pressed against the wire. Behind it there are steel-edged skis, poles, and a brass curtain rod.

He shudders as he realizes that Vicky could have hidden among the heap of sleds he’s already walked past and could be sneaking up behind him.

There’s a rustling sound and Joona turns.

The hall is empty.

The sewage pipes rattle in their place against the ceiling.

As he turns back, the ceiling light goes off automatically. He can see nothing and reaches out with his hand until it touches the wire mesh of a storage locker. Farther away, he sees a small light glow against the plastic case of the circuit breaker. It’s a yellow flicker, just enough light for someone to find the button for the ceiling light.

Joona waits for his eyes to adjust to the dark and then starts to walk.

The light disappears. Joona stands still and listens. It takes him a moment to realize that someone has walked in front of the yellow light.

He squats down to make himself a smaller target.

The elevator machinery kicks in. Then the switch is visible again.

Joona moves back and at the same time hears someone shuffling down the hall toward him. Someone is there. Someone is at one of the storage lockers in front of him.

“Vicky,” he says into the darkness.

The door is opened to the basement and voices are heard from the top of the stairs. Someone is heading for the bicycle-storage area while the ceiling light flickers.

Joona uses the moment. He takes a few quick strides to the end of the hall and aims his gun at a huddled figure.

The light comes on and stays on. The basement door closes and the voices fade in the distance.

Joona holsters his pistol and kicks the door to the storage locker open. He hurries inside.

The figure inside is much smaller than he’d thought. The bent back heaves with her breathing.

Vicky Bennet is the girl huddling there.

Her mouth has been taped shut and her arms are tied to the wire mesh behind her back.

Joona reaches her and tries to loosen the ropes. Her head is bent and she’s breathing hard. Her matted hair is hanging in front of her face.

“Vicky, I’m going to get you free-”

She kicks him hard in the forehead just as he bends forward.

The kick is so hard he stumbles backward. She keeps kicking him in the chest. Her shoulders are going to be dislocated by the force she’s using. She kicks again, but this time Joona blocks her kick with his hand. She’s screaming underneath the tape and throws her body forward. An entire section of wire mesh gives way. Vicky is pulling with both arms and is trying to reach a sharp steel lathe when Joona knocks her to the cement floor.

He holds her still with one knee and puts handcuffs on her before he unties the ropes and rips off the tape from her mouth.

“I’m going to kill you!” screams Vicky.

“I’m a detective at-”

“So rape me, go ahead, I don’t care, I’ll find you and kill you and all you-”

“Vicky,” Joona repeats in a louder voice, “I’m a detective inspector and I need to know where Dante is!”