by Carolina Mac
The whole place was blazing merrily as she closed the door and strolled to her SUV. She turned her truck around and left Max to enjoy the cabin.
Saint Michael’s Hospital. Austin.
FARRELL found Blacky in treatment room three. The doctor had finished sewing him up and a nurse was wrapping a substantial bandage around his upper arm.
“I should have been there.”
“I should have shot him,” said Blaine.
Farrell smiled and turned to Misty who was slumped on the only chair, her head in her hands, her long blonde curls covering her face. “You okay, Mist?”
She nodded but didn’t speak.
The nurse finished up, taped the bandage securely in place and slipped Blaine’s arm into a sling.
“You’re good to go, sir. Follow the directions on the pain meds and don’t miss any doses of the antibiotics. You don’t want an infection.”
Blaine nodded and slid off the stretcher. He reached out and took Misty’s hand. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go home.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Monday, September 10th.
Blackmore Agency. Austin.
BLAINE woke next to Misty and her sad blue eyes were wide open and staring at him. He reached out with his right arm and pulled her warm body close to him. He kissed her black and blue face and cuddled her. “Don’t worry. We’ll find Brad and put him back where he belongs. Hoodoo is here with Lexi. It’s all good.”
Shit, I’m such a fucking liar. Brad is slippery, and he’ll be hard to find.
The pain in his left arm lasered through him as he struggled with the sheets. “Stay in bed until I get the coffee made. I’ll take the dogs out back and have a smoke.”
He sat on the porch steps at the back of the house and let the dogs run while he checked his messages. Olivia.
Shit, I should have called her last night. I left in such a hurry.
“Hi, sorry I didn’t get a chance to call you last night. And I want to apologize again for leaving at such a bad moment.”
“Is everything all right? I was worried when you didn’t call back.”
“Okay now, but I had a little mishap and had to go to Emergency for a while.”
“What happened?”
“A guy stabbed me.”
He heard Olivia suck in a breath. “Oh, no. How bad is it?”
“Painful, but I’ll manage.”
“You didn’t have time to tell me who was in danger. Are they okay?”
“Misty, my…sometimes girlfriend. She’s been divorced for a long time, but her ex-husband keeps coming after her. He attacked her last night in her own house, then he stabbed me when I tried to arrest him. We haven’t caught him yet and until we do, Misty will be staying here with me. I can’t let her out of my sight because I know this guy, and he will kill her. I’m sure this is probably ticking you off, but it is what it is, and I can’t change it.”
“Why are you responsible for her?”
“Umm… because she’s my friend, and I care about her.”
“I see.”
“No, you don’t see.” He pressed end knowing he had in all likelihood blown that relationship out of the water when it was barely off the ground. He felt like shit. He hated hurting people.
The pain in his arm increased and he realized he hadn’t taken the meds on time. In the kitchen, he filled a mug with coffee and sat down at the table. Carm fussed over him, tears trickling because he’d been hurt… again. He explained in Spanish what had happened, and that Misty was upstairs in bed.
“Do not let Brad through the gate if he shows up.”
Carm shook her head. “Bad hombre.”
His next call was to Travis. Blaine wanted to catch him before he left his apartment. “Hey, Trav, do me a favor. You’re picking Jesse up for work, am I right?”
“Yep, Annie called me.”
“Good. Bring the dogs from the ranch. We have a situation. Brad Mulligan is out on parole and he tried for Misty again.”
“That guy is a lunatic.”
“True enough.”
“I’m leaving in five.”
TRAVIS and Jesse arrived for the breakfast meeting at Blaine’s around eight fifteen, and Jesse put Red and Bluebelle in the yard with Lexi and Hoodoo. Farrell, Misty and Lily were gathered around the table, Misty still mute and staring teary-eyed into her tea.
Carm served up breakfast tacos as they were the hands-down favorite when the boys had an early meeting. Misty hadn’t eaten a bite. She stared at the bandage on Blaine’s arm and the tears cascaded without end.
“Farrell, you and Travis take the dogs and start at Misty’s bungalow. See which direction Brad went and track him as far as you can. He might have hopped a bus or called a cab. I’ve got a squad parked at his residence, so he can’t go there.” He glanced at Misty and decided not to ask her anything.
“Jesse, you and Jack drop the boys off and follow along in the truck. When the dogs are stuck we’ll take a grid shot and figure out where he might have gone. I’ve got a bulletin out on him, but he might be holed up in a hotel or motel... or with a friend.”
“Lily, find out who Mulligan’s parole officer is and have him email the terms of his release to us. I want him back inside for good.”
“Yep. Who is going to watch Endicott?”
“I’ll have Rick and Andy do it. Gregg is beat from last night.”
Blaine turned to Misty. “Misty, you go into the front room and rest. Carm will make you more tea.”
Carm nodded her head and reached for the kettle.
The men were dispersing when Chief Calhoun called. “Hey, Chief, haven’t reported in this morning, but I have something to tell you.” He went over the details from the night before.
“Jeeze, you got hurt again? I don’t like the way things have been going for you, son. You’re way too vulnerable. I’ve got to think on it.”
“I’m okay, Chief. One-handed, but I can shoot straight with my right. Don’t give it a thought.”
“Shit. I’ve got to give a few thoughts to the safety of my best goddam team.”
Blaine moved on. “I’ve got a couple of men on Endicott, but I don’t know for sure he’s back from his weekend away with his wife. I’ll update you when I know.”
Blaine pressed end and he’d missed a call from Austin Homicide. “Lieutenant Lopez, sorry I was talking to Calhoun.”
“No problem. Got another similar on Sixth street. You might want to take a look.”
“Shit, no. I’ve got my best suspect covered off.”
“Hey, just saying. Got a body and I’m betting it’s your guy. No getting away from it.”
“Fuck,” hollered Blaine, and Lily rushed in from the office to see what was going on.
“All the men are out, Lil. You’ve got to drive me to a scene.”
“Sure, boss. Let me get my purse.” Lil ran to her office at the back of the house, grabbed her purse and met Blaine in the foyer giving instructions to Carm.
He was pointing at the green truck at the gate. “Olivia is here to start work. You and Greg are in charge. If you need Greg for anything, wake him up,” Blaine said in Spanish. He pushed the button on the new security panel and the gate opened for Olivia’s truck.
Misty shuffled out of the front room dressed in shorts and a filmy peasant top, her mass of blonde curls hanging in disarray over her face and red-rimmed eyes. Blaine nodded to her.
“Take Misty and start the truck Lil. I’m gonna speak to Olivia and I’ll be right with y’all.”
Blaine stopped beside Olivia’s pickup as she drove along the driveway and spoke to her through the window. “Listen, I’ve got a crime scene, and I’m sorry for what happened. I just can’t do one fuckin thing about it right now.”
Stone-faced, Olivia pointed at Misty getting into his truck. “Is that her? She looks pretty.”
Blaine felt anger pump up his neck and flood his brain. “Doesn’t matter one goddam what she looks like. Gorgeous or ugly or in the ditch i
n between. She’s my friend and I’m not gonna let her be dead while I’m still breathing. Understand me?”
“Sure do. Loud and clear. Is Carm around?”
“In the house. She knows y’all are here and she’ll get you anything you need.”
Olivia eyed the sling. “I’m sorry you got hurt. Honestly.”
“Uh huh.”
Alleyway. Downtown Austin.
BLAINE grunted as he forced himself out of the back seat of his truck. “Lil, take Misty to Starbucks on the corner and bring me back a coffee when y’all are done.”
“Right, boss. You want me to take notes for you?”
He nodded and touched the sling. “Uh huh, sure.” He pointed at the alleyway that was marked off with yellow tape. “I wasn’t thinking. I can’t think my brain is so fuckin messed up by pain and pills. Let’s do that first, then we’ll get coffee.”
Blaine stood on the sidewalk and took stock of the clubs. ‘Hop’ on one side and ‘JimmyJoe’s’ on the other, a narrow alley in between. Not wide enough for a car. The blue dumpster halfway down between the two brick walls barely left room to squeeze by.
Lopez greeted Blaine and scoped out the latest injury. “Who got you?”
Blaine smiled and said nothing, not wanting another torrent of tears from Misty.
“Howdy, Miss Mulligan,” said Lopez. “We haven’t seen you at the station for a while.”
Misty spoke her first words in the last twelve. “Maybe I can help with this one, Lieutenant. If you happen to need me.”
“Appreciate the offer. You’ve solved more than one, young lady.”
Blaine bent over to speak to Mort Simon who was examining the girl’s body. “Any identification?”
“Yes, Tim has it.”
“Lopez said on the phone this was similar to the one down the street?”
“Uh huh. Almost identical. Strangulation. Big strong hands again. See what we get tomorrow when we get her on the table.”
“Was the time of death close to the others?”
“I’d have to say yes. After closing time.”
Blaine took a step back to where Lil had her notebook ready. “Get the ID from Tim, would you, Lil? Then call Mary and tell her to meet us at headquarters.”
Lopez was listening in and asked, “Does that mean you’re taking this one, kid?”
“Have to, Loot. That’s four if she ticks all the boxes. I’ll go to DPS and clear it with Calhoun.”
“Where was your number one suspect last night?” asked Lopez. “Any idea?”
“I’ve got an idea all right, and it’s putting me on the brink.”
“Shit,” said Lopez. “Better you than me.”
Misty’s Bungalow. Austin.
JESSE and Jack dropped off Farrell, Travis and the two bloodhounds at Misty’s house. Jesse sat in the shotgun seat looking longingly out the window at his dogs.
Farrell noticed and felt so bad for his boss. Jesse loved to work the dogs and he couldn’t anymore.
“He ran through the yard,” said Farrell hooking a thumb over his shoulder, “that’s for sure. Blacky said the cops were out front so he didn’t go that way. The dogs are going to stop at the fence. We’ve got to circle the block and pick up the scent on her neighbor’s side.”
“Let them get the scent first,” said Travis. “Wish we had some of his clothes.”
Red and Bluebelle sniffed around on the patio then ran straight to the back fence. Red pawed at the corner and whined.
“He climbed over at the corner,” said Travis. “Could have gone through that yard or this one.”
“Either one,” said Farrell, “Let’s see where he came out on the other side of the block.”
The boys jogged around the block and Farrell knocked on the door of the neighbor directly behind Misty’s house.
A man answered dressed in a suit, a briefcase in one hand and car keys in the other. “Can I help you? I’m leaving for work, so I’ve only got a minute.”
“Police, sir.” Farrell held up his ID. “Last night there was an incident at the house behind yours and I wondered if you saw or heard anything?”
The man nodded and gave it some thought. “I did hear some yelling. It was late, maybe around midnight. Is Miss Mulligan all right? I don’t know her well, but she seems nice. She’s only lived there for a short time.”
“She was hurt slightly, but her attacker ran from the police and I was wondering if we could let the dogs pick up his scent from your back fence?”
The man looked down at Red sitting solemnly beside Farrell. “Bloodhounds. Right. I get it now. Is the guy dangerous?”
“Absolutely. His picture will be in the paper today. If you see him come around your area, call it in but do not approach him.”
The man frowned. “I don’t like the sounds of this.”
“We should have him by end of day,” said Farrell.
“I hope you do, Officer.”
“Deputy Donovan. I’m a Ranger.”
“Excellent.”
The guy went off to work and Farrell led Red through the gate to the fence between Misty’s property and this one. In the corner of the yard Red alerted. His sensitive nose had picked up the scent.
“We’ve got him,” Farrell hollered to Travis. “We’re running.” Farrell jogged behind Red who led the way down the block, across the street and into a neighborhood park. They passed the playground area and ran straight north until there was no more park. They exited on the next street and Red sat down on the sidewalk.
Travis caught up. “Red lost him?”
“I’m guessing he got into a vehicle here. Flagged a cab or somebody picked him up.”
Farrell called Jack in the truck. “Y’all can pick us up.” He told Jack where they were.
Jack stopped, and they loaded the dogs into the back and gave them both biscuits.
“How did the dogs work?” asked Jesse. He’d rescued both of them from the pound and they’d never let him down.
“Perfect,” said Farrell, “but they can’t go any further when the trail is cold.”
“Let’s cruise Mulligan’s house,” said Jesse. “Just to be sure.”
Ranger Headquarters. Austin.
BLAINE set a large coffee container on the desk in front of Chief Calhoun.
“Tell me about the scene. Are we taking it?”
Blaine winced, his arm brushing the edge of the desk as he sat down. “Almost identical to JoAnne Engels. We have to take it.”
“Okay,” said the Chief, “and where’s Endicott?”
“The boys tracked him out of town for the weekend. Had his wife with him and a lot of luggage. I have to rethink him as the killer.”
“Fuck that,” said the Chief.
Blaine gave him a half smile. “We can fuck it all we want, but if it ain’t the dentist we have to start over at square one.”
The Chief scowled as he sipped his coffee.
Blaine picked up his cell and checked on the boys. “Any luck with Mulligan?”
Farrell gave him the update.
“Okay, take the dogs back to the house. You and Jesse go to the dental office and get a feel for what’s going on. See if you can get a locate on the tooth doctor. Send Travis and Jack to the residence. If there’s no one home, tell them to talk to the neighbors.”
“Got it, boss. Did we take the new case?”
“Have to. She’s a carbon copy.”
“Damn. Where does that leave us with the dentist?”
“Nowhere.”
“Fuck that.”
“It’s been seconded.”
BLAINE left the Chief’s office and joined the girls in the waiting area at the front of the building. Mary Polito looked at him expectantly, questions in her eyes about the new murder.
If the first two were connected to the more recent two, it would be a serial, but it doesn’t have that feel. Just doesn’t. I need more time.
“Mary, I need you to run Brad Mulligan’s picture today. As soon as
you can get it out there. We’ve got to get him off the street. Put a warning note underneath, telling them to call it in, but do not approach.”
“What about last night’s dance club victim?”
“I know y’all’s readers are more interested in her than in an assault, but give me a few hours on that, could you?”
“Sure, Blaine.” Her smile vanished, and she asked the question he knew would be coming, “How’s Farrell?”
“He’s not happy but he’s managing.”
“We’re both not happy,” she said.
Blaine nodded. “I can see that.”
Lily pointed at the door. “You have a bunch of people waiting for you out front, boss. They came in asking me questions and I told them to wait outside.”
“Yeah, okay. Lily come with me.”
With Lil by his side, Blaine stood on the steps of headquarters and fielded questions about the new victim.
“Is there a serial killer loose in the city?” hollered one reporter, shoving a mic in Blaine’s face.
“Y’all are quick to jump on the serial bandwagon because sensationalism is your byword. Y’all want it to be a serial killer to pump up the numbers, but it doesn’t have that feel to it.”
“Could you be wrong, Ranger Blackmore?”
“Of course, I could be. Let’s wait until after the autopsy. I can’t tell you a single thing yet, and that’s the truth. I need a couple of days, and for chrissake don’t print that I’m stalling.”
A couple of the reporters chuckled.
“I’m waiting for the lab work to come back.” He turned to Lily and pointed to the sling on his arm. “What y’all can do, is run a picture for me of a fugitive we’re trying to locate. I’d appreciate the help.”
“What is he wanted for?”
“Attempted murder, assault with a deadly, resisting arrest and breach of parole.”
“Is that what happened to your arm?”
“We were attempting to apprehend him when I was injured.”