The Bone Harvest

by Stacy M Jones

  We declined. Jack sat on an antique sofa while I sat nearby perched on the edge of a red chaise. Michael took a high-back chair near the fireplace. He appraised us. “How can I help?”

  Jack asked, “Do you remember the murder of Amanda Taylor? She was a Russell Sage student found murdered in Forest Park Cemetery.”

  Michael pressed his fingers together in his lap. “I recall. I think I might have even known the girl, not well, but through school.” He turned to look directly at me. “I have a Ph.D. in Civil War studies. I’ve always been fascinated by history. The heroes and villains and especially how it can repeat itself if we are not careful.”

  I don’t know if it was the way his dark eyes were piercing mine or how he spoke in clear, clipped sentences but a chill ran down my spine.

  “You did,” Jack confirmed, bringing Michael’s attention back to him. “You had met with her a few times. I had interviewed you after we found Amanda’s body.”

  “That’s right. Someone thought I might have been the last one…” Michael’s voice trailed off. His phone had chimed. He excused himself and looked at it.

  His phone wasn’t expensive looking. It was a cheap pay-as-you-go phone.

  Michael held it up after reading. “Just a friend. The games they like to play.” Michael laughed a deep mirthful laugh like we were all in on the joke.

  CHAPTER 72

  Jack looked at me as Michael laughed. I could tell he felt as unhinged as I did at the moment. We were there to discuss murder, and he was cackling. We watched the man until he stopped laughing.

  “Back to what you were saying, Detective,” Michael said, finally reining himself in.

  “We think you might be able to help us with Amanda. We have reason to believe someone stalked her before they killed her. Given you met with her several times, are you aware of anyone stalking her in the weeks leading up to her disappearance?”

  Michael stared off into space. I wondered what was going through his head. I knew he stalked her, picked her up that night and drove an ice pick through her heart. I knew it as surely as I was sitting there. I wondered if he relived the details.

  Michael looked at me. “She had a boyfriend as I recall. He was a bit jealous. We had a meeting downtown at a restaurant and he came storming in once. Is that the kind of thing you’re talking about?”

  “Anything you can recall is helpful. Amanda was a pretty girl. She was young. I’m sure there were many men interested in her.”

  “I’m sure. I don’t know of anyone besides the boyfriend. Amanda was a sweet girl that I recall. She was very focused on her studies. The boyfriend seemed to be an unneeded distraction.”

  “When was the last time you saw her?” Jack inquired.

  Michael’s phone chimed again. He read it and smiled. He typed a quick reply back and tucked the phone back in his pocket. When he looked back at us, Michael fumbled for words. “Saw her? I think it was a couple of days before. I don’t really remember. It wasn’t important at the time.”

  “You didn’t by chance see her the night she disappeared? Maybe you had given her a ride home?” I pressed.

  Michael looked at me with a blank expression on his face. “That doesn’t sound like something I would do.”

  “You have no idea who could have done this to her then? Nothing that might help us?”

  “I don’t know who, but didn’t say I couldn’t help.” He smirked.

  “Amanda’s murder was graphic and brutal. Given your study of history, do you have any idea what kind of person would do something like this?”

  Michael was quiet for several moments. When he spoke, he looked directly at me. “Those murder experts, you see on television, would probably tell you that it was someone full of anger. Someone who hated women, who took his rage out on an innocent. Given what I know of history, isn’t murder always brutal? Love, lust, and money are your common motives. I think this was different. If I had to guess, and it’s only a guess, it’s someone who loves women. Someone who maybe wanted to preserve her innocence for an eternity.”

  Jack leaned forward on the couch. Red flamed up his neck and face. I shot him a cold stare and interrupted. “That’s an interesting theory. By killing her, he is letting her stand still in time.”

  Michael nodded. “Take how she was killed or at least the rumor of how I heard she was killed. I don’t think that’s ever been released. I heard she was stabbed in the heart.”

  “She was,” Jack said, his voice strained. His expression was firm, mouth in a solid line, his eyes boring into Michael.

  I wished I could reach over and smack Jack and tell him to relax. I knew Jack saw something in Michael he had missed the first time. It was unnerving him, but I needed him to keep it together.

  “The heart is a symbol of love, Detective. Maybe the killer loved Amanda in his own way. He pierced her heart in a way he couldn’t do otherwise.”

  “And her fingers?” Jack asked his voice booming and angry.

  “What about them?”

  “They were missing. The three fingers on her left hand cut off.” Jack held his fingers up and pressed them down one at a time. “Middle, ring, and pinkie. What kind of sick creep does that?”

  Michel inched forward in his chair and turned so he was fully facing Jack. He said angrily, “I don’t know that I’d call him a sick creep. Maybe the fingers meant something to him. It is after all the ring finger. Maybe he wanted to be married to her even in death.”

  We had ruffled him. The tension in the air was thick and prickly. I watched Jack and Michael square off without either of them saying another word.

  It was Michael who relaxed his posture first. He laughed and waved his hand. “Of course this is all just conjecture. I’m just a history professor. I study murder in the context of the time. I don’t think we have any romantic killers like that today. Amanda probably just rejected the wrong man.”

  “It wasn’t just Amanda,” Jack slipped. We had made the decision not to talk about any of the other victims. We were going to stay focused on Amanda only.

  Michael narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

  “Nothing. He didn’t mean anything,” I assured, trying to recover quickly. “We heard some chatter from some detectives down south that this case might be connected to others, but we have no proof of that. Just some wild and crazy speculation.”

  Jack stood. “We appreciate you talking to us. If you remember anything else, let us know.”

  “Definitely. As I said, anything I can do to help.” Turning to me, Michael said, “You want that tour now?”

  Jack shook his head at me. I knew he wanted to get out of there. I wasn’t going to let an opportunity pass. I wanted to see the basement. “Sure, a quick one.”

  “I’ll wait here,” Jack said sternly.

  Michael walked me through the home. Each room was as grand as the next. I lost count, but I thought there were five bedrooms in all and at least four full baths. There was a library, a billiards room, and a large dining room. There was also a large modern kitchen that had been updated at some point. A set of stairs off the kitchen I assumed led to the basement.

  Michael caught me looking at them. “I don’t go down there much. There is an old kitchen and some storage, but feel free to have a look around. I’m going to ask Jack a question.”

  I smiled at my good fortune and made my way down the old wooden steps. Down about ten steps, I hit the basement floor. The dirt floor and low ceiling gave a cramped, cold vibe. The space was enormous. The heating system took up an entire corner. Cobwebs hung from nearly every beam. Liv would freak out completely. She’d have already turned and run back. I had a mission though.

  I made my way to the back of the basement, which is what I would have been seeing from the outside. I stood in front of the shelves with my back to the windows. Stacked rows of wooden shelving that seemed as old as the house lined from floor to ceiling. The women’s clothing and mask weren’t there. The shelves had been wiped clean. Even the
dust was gone.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket. I knew I had missed a few calls while we spoke to Michael. I pulled it out to see who it was. Luke had called five times and now text. It read:

  The killer is in Troy. I’ve been texting him for the last hour from Katie’s phone. When he responded, we got a close location. Near Route 2. I’ll be in Troy tonight.

  I looked around unsure of what to do. I knew now for certain I was standing in the killer’s basement. I stared at the text for another moment, trying to fight the wave of panic that washed over me. I moved around the shelves to go back upstairs but slammed right into Michael. His large frame knocked me back. I stumbled and landed on the cold dirt floor.

  He reached out a hand to help me up. I didn’t take it but got myself upright.

  “Jack is ready to leave,” Michael said, as I brushed past him.

  He called to my back, “You like those shelves? They are original to the house. I just cleaned them. They are too close to the windows and you never know who is looking in.”

  I ran up the basement steps. As I ran past, I grabbed Jack, who had been waiting for me in the hallway, and pulled him out of the house.

  CHAPTER 73

  “Riley, calm down. You’re safe,” Luke said into the phone, as he moved around their bedroom, pulling clothes from the closet. It had been an eventful day, but he worried about Riley. “You’re home now. Let me talk to Jack.”

  “Is Riley okay?” Luke asked when Jack got on the line.

  “She’s okay. We were in the house when you sent that last text. She was standing in the basement. Michael Bauer startled her. He’s a weirdo. He said some pretty messed up things. It shook me, and I’ve been a homicide detective longer than you’ve been alive.”

  It was a significant lead no doubt, but Luke didn’t want to jump the gun. “We don’t even know for sure he’s the killer. I’m waiting for confirmation from the prints and DNA we pulled from university housing.”

  “If he’s not the killer, then he’s one sick freak on his way to be. What’s the plan?” Jack asked, but he was distracted. He said something to Riley, who responded that she was fine and everyone was overreacting.

  “I’m not sure yet. I’m waiting for the prints to be pulled. I’m heading up there on a four o’clock flight. I’ll be there at eleven. Cooper will be in earlier. Let’s all meet in the morning and go over the plan. Is there anyone who can do some surveillance on Bauer?”

  “You think he’s going to run? He’s tied to this community. That’s his house. I don’t think he will go far.”

  “I don’t know. I want to be cautious,” Luke said absently as he arranged clothes in his suitcase. “Thanks for paving the way with Troy PD for me. I appreciate them giving us the professional courtesy to handle this. Do you have the interview with Michael set up?”

  “Yeah, I’ve arranged it at the Troy Pub. If you look it up, it’s called Brown’s Brewing but everyone knows it as the Troy Pub. We have a private room upstairs. Riley knows some people, called in a favor. It’s private and out of the way. Casual.”

  That was exactly the kind of spot Luke needed. If this guy was The Professor, he’d be shocked to see Luke. He wanted the element of surprise. Michael Bauer wouldn’t see Luke until he stepped into the room with him. They didn’t have enough info to arrest him, and Luke figured calling him to the police station would be too suspicious.

  Jack cleared his throat. “Listen, Luke, just remember, the Troy PD courtesy only goes so far. If he gives you access to the house, that’s one thing. If he balks and you need a warrant, you’ll have to bring in a detective. I ran it by them. They are on board with whatever you need. If it solves one of the city’s worst long-standing cold cases, all the better. We just have to do it the right way.”

  “Trust me, Jack. The last thing I want is this psycho getting off on a technicality. I’m doing this by the book, but first and foremost, I need hard evidence. You think this guy will confess?”

  “Today he came pretty close. He gave one of those serial killer confessions in the third person. He detailed all his reasons why someone would kill like that. But we caught him completely off guard when I mentioned other murders. His face turned white. His eyes shifted around. He was spooked. Riley played it off well enough. I think he’s probably suspicious but doesn’t know for sure. Either way, the faster we can move the better.”

  “I’m on it. Heading to the airport now. Can I talk to Riley?”

  “She just headed up to take a shower. I’ll have her call you when she’s out.”

  Luke ended the call. He gathered his things and raced back down to the first floor. The day had been a whirlwind. After finding that Hayes Bauer had taught a lecture series at the university in Little Rock, Luke and an entire crime scene unit had raced to the campus. He had received no hesitation from the administration who opened the apartment and gave Luke full access.

  Luke couldn’t believe his luck when he found the apartment uncleaned. The bed was unmade. Trash still in the can. There was even toothpaste still in the sink. The man had left a week earlier than planned, and the room wasn’t scheduled to be cleaned for another two days. There wasn’t a visiting professor using the space for another month so there had been no rush.

  While Luke stood in Bauer’s former temporary residence waiting for the crime scene techs to do their jobs, Katie’s cellphone had chimed. Learning the lesson from the first time, Luke hadn’t gotten excited. His heart had raced when he read the text.

  I’ll expose your father, and then I’ll kill you like I did your friend. I know where you live.

  Luke had immediately sent Det. Tyler to put Katie in protective custody. Luke had not expected the man to be so direct, given the tone of the previous texts. Luke expected a threat but not to that extent. He had responded back, hoping to deescalate.

  I won’t tell. I need your help with what to say. That cop won’t leave me alone.

  A few minutes later, Luke had received a text asking if the detective was Det. Lucas Morgan. Luke smiled as he typed back that it was and how much he was harassing the victim’s friends for information. Luke had loved that he got a text back explaining how clueless the killer thought Luke was and that Katie had nothing to worry about. That had been the last text.

  Luke had called the phone carrier and received the ping location. After pulling it up on a map, Luke’s heart beat even faster. The dot blinked on a street, not even a couple of miles from Riley’s mother’s house. He warned her immediately having no idea where Riley was at the time.

  Luke made his way through security and into the waiting area. Once seated, he called Riley’s cellphone again. There was no answer so he sent her a sweet text and told her he’d see her soon.

  Luke watched the passengers come and go. For a moment, he wished to be as carefree as most of them appeared. He knew that most people had their own life problems. But probably none of them were on their way to hopefully not only confront their sister’s murderer but bring him to justice. Luke could only hope that was going to be the outcome.

  He had very little solid evidence to go on. It was all circumstantial related to the Little Rock case only. Luke had no idea how he’d ever connect the man who called himself The Professor to the other murders. Being at a university at the same time wasn’t alone a reason even to be labeled a suspect. No one even believed the cases were connected outside of a handful of them.

  There was no evidence related to the letters that Luke received. There were no eye witness accounts of the murders. Seeing a person with the victim, even if they were last to see them alive wasn’t a crime. Maybe someone would remember something once the killer was identified, but most cases went back so many years that it was unlikely.

  There was no DNA evidence that they could find, even in the Little Rock case. If the DNA from the room matched Michael Bauer then they’d know for a fact he was the man who gave the lecture in Little Rock. They’d also connect him to other universities where he used the alias. They c
ould make a strong circumstantial case, but those were won and lost with juries. Justice would hinge on the opinion of twelve people.

  According to Riley, even the items she saw in Bauer’s basement were gone. Luke was stymied on how to bring The Professor to justice. He needed more than luck on his side.

  CHAPTER 74

  I pulled right up to the curb at the Albany Airport. I didn’t have to wait more than a minute and Cooper made his way out. I popped the button and the hatch opened in the back of the SUV. Cooper threw his bags in. “You’re right on time.”

  “I’m never late you know that.”

  Cooper slid in the passenger seat and buckled his belt. “It’s been a long couple of days. Confusing, too.”

  “Was the case in Atlanta confusing? It was so long ago. I don’t know how you found anything at all.”

  “It wasn’t the case. It was the victim’s sister,” Cooper deadpanned. He shot me a knowing look.

  My eyebrows raised. “What about the victim’s sister was confusing exactly?”

  “I had dinner with her last night.”

  “I don’t have time to do this verbal jig. Just spill it.”

  “I’m not really sure how it happened,” Cooper explained. “The victim’s sister, Adele, is beautiful. I’ve never seen a woman so striking, but it’s more than that. She’s smart and kind. She’s hardworking and dedicated. We just clicked from the start. I felt comfortable with her even at the most uncomfortable times.”

  I stopped at a light and looked over at him, a bit perplexed. I’d never heard Cooper talk about a woman like this. Actually, Cooper never talked about women. “What’s gotten into you? You never mix professional with personal. She must have been some girl.”

  “Woman,” Cooper corrected. “She’s all woman. She carries herself with such…” Cooper struggled to find the right word, starting and stopping. Finally, he settled on, “Grace, maybe. In the face of such tragedy, she’s held it together on her own. She’s really successful.”