Snuff

by E. L. McKenzie

  It was now time to ensure the full team was as focused as he was. With all the people assigned to the Governor’s task force, Nick had over forty people working directly for him on this case. In addition, the FBI and CBI were providing additional resources as required, including twelve people full time. It was his responsibility to drive the plan and find this killer. Every moment this monster remained free more lives were in danger.

  After finishing, he drove the short distance back to police

  Mike Smith sat transfixed and stunned. This production was magnificent. Clearly The Doctor was becoming more adept at his craft. The video was a horrific masterpiece, the acts of violence so realistic Mike chilled at the thought. But this time, The Doctor had perfected what he had struggled with previously, and that was the audio. Particularly striking was the exchange between the killer and the woman who survived until the end. Smith quivered as the chills ran up and down his spine.

  “Hello,” Smith said into his newest cell phone.

  “You got it?” The Doctor asked.

  “It’s stunning, absolutely magnificent.”

  “You think I should raise the price?” joked The Doctor.

  Smith laughed. “My friend, I believe you have a nice arrangement here.”

  “Indeed, I do,” The Doctor concurred. “The price does not change for this transaction.” The Doctor gave him cryptocurrency transfer instructions and rang off quickly.

  After leaving Bosworth’s office, Nick grabbed a large cup of coffee and headed to his cube. He had updated the investigation plan and communicated with each of the key team members. Now it was time to meet in person to ensure no detail was falling through the cracks.

  His text message to all team members said, “If you are currently in the office, plan to meet in the war room at 1:30. If you’re out of the office but have the time, I have set up a Zoom call for you to access. Be prepared to discuss anything critical to your success, or anyone else’s, in moving this investigation forward. We need to be thorough but quick, so let’s keep our analysis sharp and on point. We are closing in on this guy. Now is the time to press hard.

  At 1:25 Nick grabbed another cup of coffee and headed to the war room. At 1:30 sharp he started, noting all team members were present either in person or via Zoom. Strong, committed team, he thought.

  He started in. “I know you’re all busy, so I’ll get through this quickly. First, is there anyone who has not had an opportunity to study the revised investigation plan in detail?” Silence. “Does anyone have any questions or concerns?” Again, silence.

  “Good. We are in sync, and that’s crucially important. Sandy is heading to Toronto to interview Mike Smith. Toronto PD is tailing him. They plan to pick Sandy up when she arrives. They’ll detain Mr. Smith on some Canadian laws that make it a little easier in cases like this. As they are doing that, they’ll execute search warrants on his home and video store with Sandy along to observe. She’s at DIA about to board the plane.”

  Sandy chimed in, “I’m boarding in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Perfect, I’m glad timing worked out that you could join us before you head out. Does anyone have anything to add to her list of questions for Mr. Smith?”

  Burns had worked closely with each team lead to develop the questions and follow ups. There were no additions during this meeting.

  “Sandy, do you need anything from the team before you drop off?”

  “I’m going to be out of touch for the next four to five hours. This is all moving very fast now, especially with Colorado Springs in the mix, too. If anything important comes to light, make sure I’m updated before I interview Mr. Smith.”

  “Great point,” Nick responded. “If any of you think of anything or come across something new, do this. Send an email to Sandy. Copy Kelly and me. Kelly, follow up on anything received to make sure you fully understand and can appropriately prep Sandy. Make sure as she lands she is fully briefed.”

  “Got it,” Barela responded.

  “I know it’s already in the investigation plan, but everyone be prepared for me to return to Denver with Mr. Smith sometime tomorrow. I don’t know if that will happen because Mr. Smith will have to waive his extradition right, but if he does, there is a very good chance we’ll be getting close to The Doctor. Digital forensics will be key if I’m successful. I’m saying what everyone already knows, but I want to cover all the bases.” Burns disconnected to board the plane.

  “I’ll follow up on Gary Knight and the whole Coalition of Values angle,” Burleson said. “He knows a lot. Depending on what I find out, he might even be a suspect.”

  “I seriously doubt that,” Nick said, “but it’s worth looking into. I’ll deal with the young lady in Portland and the missing doctor, Christine Crawford.

  As an afterthought, he added, “Vince, when you do catch up with Gary Knight, you probably should ask him if any other participants have been reported missing, particularly during those weekend events. And let him know we think they should be paying attention, probably even providing warnings at these gatherings.

  “Kelly and his team are working on an analysis of the video. We have to figure out how to find this guy, and one way is to figure out the location from the scenes on the video. He’s been careful, but I’m sure there’s something there.

  “Kelly’s team is also working on finding other videos. We are certain they’re out there. Kelly, any update on that?”

  Barela said, “Right now we are analyzing the video in excruciating detail. I won’t bore you with specifics, but every frame is being analyzed to try to help us locate the killer. As part of that analysis, the technicians are trying to identify sources to see if we can locate other videos. That’s very much a long shot. Right now we believe the key to finding additional videos is finding the retailer. Hopefully Sandy has a successful trip.”

  Nick replied, “That makes sense. We also need people following up on the other victims, including those just found in Colorado Springs. I have assigned Detective Robertson as lead on that task. She’ll work closely with Kelly and his team since they have been working that along with everything else they have going on. She will also coordinate with local law enforcement as appropriate. She’s still building out her team, but it should be finalized by the end of the day. Am I right about that, Detective?”

  Nick knew Detective Lori Robertson to be serious and matter-of-fact. She did not disappoint. “Yes.”

  “What about looking for more missing persons at the other Coalition of Values meetings?” Burleson asked.

  “That is something that falls under Detective Robertson’s responsibility. It’s in the investigation plan. If we get anything from Gary Knight, we’ll make sure to get it to Lori. You’ll see, though, we have made it a lower priority. As large as this team is getting to be, we still have resource constraints.”

  Derrick Rhodes, a team member for only a few hours, spoke up over Zoom. “We’re still in the early stages of working this crime scene. Nick, do you think it makes sense for the Denver coroner to coordinate autopsies with our coroner?”

  Nick looked at Tasser. “Detective Rhodes, this is Dr. Irwin Tasser, Coroner for the City of Denver. Following this meeting I will email Dr. Sturgis all my documentation. She and I have known each other a long time. I’ll make myself available in any way she might need.”

  Urgency drove the meeting. Joking, casual comments, and superfluous banter did not occur. There were no further questions or comments, so Nick concluded.

  “At the risk of stating the obvious, this is a 24/7 operation. Eat, sleep, work. And spend as little time as possible on the first two. Thank you for getting together on short notice. Let’s go get this guy.”

  “Tom, it’s Nick Lynch from the Denver Police Department,” Nick said as Wylie answered his cell phone.

  “Hey, how are you?” he asked.

  “I’m good. I’m calling for two reasons. First, you probably already understood this, but with Marilyn Burg taking over communic
ations on this case for Governor McFadden, I will no longer be handling any of the spokesman responsibilities.”

  “Fair enough, and you’re right, I did assume that to be the case. I do hope we can still stay in touch, and, under the right circumstances, I might be able to count on you, whether it’s off the record or as an unnamed source within the police department.”

  “Of course. I think that’s been our deal anyway. Now that you bring that up, here’s the second thing. I saw your article about Gary Knight returning home. I was hoping you could shed a little light on it for me. The first I knew he was heading back was a few minutes ago, when I read your article.”

  “Sure, like you I’m always glad to help where I can. I don’t know if it’s much, but I’ll tell you what I know and what I couldn’t print. According to one of my unnamed sources, Knight is all beat to hell. I don’t have that confirmed, but if this guy doesn’t make a public appearance in the next day or two, I’m going to assume it’s true.”

  “That’s incredible. What do you think that guy’s been doing?”

  “I have no idea,” Wylie responded, “but I’m guessing it sounded like a whole lot more fun to Mr. Knight than it ended up being.”

  Nick walked the two short blocks to Starbucks and ordered two vanilla lattes with extra syrup. Retrieving the drinks, a piece of coffee cake, and three vanilla bean scones, he found a table opening up in the back. “Hey, baby,” Jenny said happily as she pecked Nick on the cheek. She had called him earlier and explained they were going to trial within days, and she would more or less disappear until the trial concluded. They were estimating ten to twelve weeks for this high-profile case. Nick could not believe how quickly it got to trial, but this was just what Jenny said might happen. ‘Defendant’s prerogative’ was her simple response.

  Busy as he was, he needed a little down time with Jenny. She helped ground him, kept him focused on the fact that there was still kindness and happiness to be found.

  He stood and hugged her tightly. “Hi, gorgeous. I haven’t seen enough of you lately.”

  “Yeah, buddy boy,” she replied, smiling, “that doesn’t get any better any time soon.”

  “I’m glad you called,” he said, smiling too. “We’ll have a nice afternoon coffee, then you can go on with your dragon slaying. This case I have is heating up pretty well, too.

  Jenny and Nick talked frantically, as if they were each required to dump a gallon of information into a thimble of time. They talked over each other, shifting between his investigation to her trial, from professional to personal. The time passed quickly. His heart warmed with the verbal intercourse, realizing that however distant he and Phyllis had grown, he still had the capacity for caring relationships in his life. In less than an hour, they returned to their respective cases.

  Phyllis’ cell phone buzzed, indicating she had a voicemail. Odd, she thought, it never rang.

  “Hi, it’s me.” She recognized the Governor’s voice, primarily by its formality and diction, although it sounded unusual. Given his numerous and ever-changing burner phones, she did not recognize the number. “I need to see you urgently.” She took down the details. As usual, it was an out-of-the-way location. “Please be there at 9:00 sharp.”

  Phyllis bristled. He was typically much more polite to her. She called his cell phone to understand what was going on, but, as usual, it rolled to voicemail. As per their arrangement, Phyllis did not leave a voicemail—too many wandering ears.

  On his way out of Starbucks, Nick had grabbed another vanilla latte with a triple shot of espresso, along with three more vanilla bean scones. Fueled by caffeine and simple carbs, he was working frantically when his cell buzzed.

  “Where are you?” ask Phyllis.

  Nick replied, “I’m working. What’s up?”

  “Listen,” she said, “I need you to get home to be with the kids. I have to go out for work.”

  Nick checked his watch, “Phyllis, it’s past eight o’clock. Is someone suicidal?”

  “No, nothing like that,” she replied. “I’m working on a special commission for the Governor, and we’re trying to get a report finalized. I got a call, and I need to meet with the group tonight. We’re trying to get a final product out by the beginning of the week. I thought it was in good shape, but evidently it requires more attention.”

  “What time will you be home?” he asked.

  “I don’t know, this may be one of the all-nighters.”

  Nick knew it was fruitless to argue. “I’ll be home within the hour,” he said, and hung up without further discussion. He knew she was lying, but there was little he could do, and he didn’t know if he cared anyway.

  Nick stuffed his oversized briefcase full of files and grabbed his laptop. He would continue working well into the night. He stopped by the war room on the way out. Not surprisingly, the room was abuzz with dedicated detectives and civil servants trying to find a serial killer. “Hey, I have to head to the house unexpectedly. I’ll be working, though, so if you need anything, call me or text me. No time is too late.”

  The evening mail run typically arrived by 7:00. On his way out, he stopped by the mail room and grabbed the pile in his box. When he arrived home, Nicky and Michelle were both in their rooms, probably working on homework, playing video games, engaging in social media, or doing any of the innumerable things teenagers do to ignore their parents.

  He dumped the pile of paperwork on the coffee table, realizing how much he had procrastinated the non-essential administrivia over the last several weeks. As he sorted, he smiled, knowing he would continue to ignore this. Nick had never been strong on paperwork, and it only suffered more when he was in the crucial phase of an investigation.

  Nick’s heart stopped when he saw the letter. He could not quite articulate why he was troubled. The envelope was addressed in crisp block letters to “DETECTIVE NICHOLAS LYNCH” with Denver police headquarters address written similarly. It was postmarked the prior day from Englewood, a Denver suburb. He surmised this probably arrived with the evening mail run, an accommodation the Denver Post Office made to law enforcement. Notably, Nick never received personal-looking correspondence like this at work anymore, there was no return address, and everything was written in pencil. He did not know why that last detail bothered him, but it did – probably simply because it was unusual. He dropped the letter quickly and put on evidence gloves. He cleared the coffee table and laid out two clean pieces of eleven inch by seventeen-inch paper to capture any evidence that might fall out of the envelope. He knew he should probably take this to forensics before even opening it, but he could not wait.

  The note was on one page, again written in block letters in pencil.

  DETECTIVE LYNCH-

  Phyllis is lovely.

  Maybe this time she can help, last time she did not.

  She is an arrogant bitch, but I suspect you know that.

  What price to pay if she cannot help this time either?

  What a coincidence we meet in multiple venues.

  Happy hunting, Detective.

  The Doctor

  Nick chilled. His mind was racing, but he couldn’t think. How long had it been since Phyllis called? Who’s The Doctor? What does he mean ‘multiple venues?’ Is this the son-of-a-bitch that killed Alisha? What does this have to do with Phyllis? His mind screamed.

  Within seconds he had dialed Phyllis’ cell phone, but all he got was voicemail, and he hung up quickly.

  He dialed her cell again, fully expecting voicemail, but decided to leave her a voicemail. Based on his reconstruction of timing, this letter would have been delivered before he spoke to Phyllis. It was mailed the prior day. Maybe this was all a hoax, or maybe The Doctor had not found her yet. When the phone was answered, a man’s voice said, “She’s going to be a star.” The man hung up.

  Nick called Jenny. “Sweetheart, I don’t have time to explain, but I need your dad’s phone number, a number I can reach him on.”

  Jenny replied, sounding confused
, “What are you talking about?”

  He knew he had to calm down if he was going to get anything done tonight. “Jenny, Phyllis has been kidnapped. When I talked to her just a bit ago, she told me she was going to work on something for your dad, some study. I don’t think there’s any truth to that, but I need to talk to him.”

  Jenny told him the number. “You’re going to get voicemail, even on this number. He won’t answer except for a very few people. One of his aides will check it, then if they think it’s urgent, someone will call you back, maybe the Governor or maybe someone else.”

  “Jenny, will you do me a favor?” he asked urgently. “Will you call and ask him to call me?”

  “Of course.”

  “You call and I’m going to as well,” he strategized. “Hopefully, he’ll call me back.”

  “You know I’ll do anything you need to help.”

  Sandy Burns slept most of the way on the flight from Denver to Toronto, not realizing how exhausted she was from the grueling investigation. An overachiever from the earliest age, she would put her heart and soul into anything she did. She always remembered her father’s sage advice: “Anything worth doing is worth doing right.”

  She awoke refreshed, deplaning after 8 p.m. in Toronto. Detectives Sherry Cox and Jim Bergmann met her at the gate. After brief introductions, Detective Cox took the lead.