“I’m sorry,” Seelah said. “You know he doesn’t behave like this.”
Donavan waved away her apology. “He’s a married man with a baby on the way. Rafael saying he’s out to destroy everyone has him uptight. I think he’s acting pretty normal.”
“Do you think we should be worried, Donavan?” Seelah asked then reached for the ringing telephone. “Hello. Yes, he’s right here.” She held out the phone to Donavan.
“Lieutenant Hays,” he spoke into the receiver, his gruff voice softening as he heard the voice on the other line. “No I haven’t forgotten about you, Christina. I planned to give you a call in the morning. No, now’s fine.” He gave Barbara a sheepish grin. “We found some clothing on the estate I think belonged to your daughter and the boy she went out with.” He paused to listen for a moment before continuing. “I can’t say for sure if the clothes belong to Tina, but….” His voice trailed off as she interrupted him. “Yes, we can do that. What time do you want to meet us? Eight o’clock will be fine. Alright, Christina, I’ll see you then.” He hung up the phone. “Tina Crawford’s mother wants to meet us at the station in the morning to identify the clothes.”
Jack sat down on the couch beside Seelah and after taking a long pull off his beer, reached out to take her hand. “Sorry ‘bout spoutin’ off like that. I guess havin’ all this open up again has me a little spooked.”
“It has us all spooked, Jack,” Donavan told him. “I hadn’t planned on talking to the kids’ parents until all the results came back from the lab. I guess now we’re going to have to.”
“Are we gonna give the Statler’s a call and have them come in too?” Jack asked.
“Might as well. That way we can get it over with in one fell swoop.” Donavan glanced at his watch then reached for the phone.
Barbara got to her feet. “I don’t know about you, but all this talk about murder and threats is getting to me.” She held out her hand to Seelah. “Let’s go in the kitchen and whip up something to make us feel better.”
“Your sure-fire-chocolate-pick-me-up?” Seelah laughed, as Barbara nodded. “Sure, why not?” She let herself be pulled from the couch. “What’s another few pounds?”
Donavan hung up the phone. “Statler isn’t happy about having to meet with us at the station. When I informed him that Christina Crawford would be there he got upset.”
“Afraid he’ll get a boner in front of the wife?” Jack finished his beer, set the empty bottle down on the coffee table.
Donavan grinned, easing some of his tension. “He feels we should have come right over as soon as we found the clothes. When I tried to explain the importance of chain-of-evidence, he said we needed to get our priorities straight.”
“Speakin’ of chain-of-evidence, how’s that gonna work with the parents checkin’ the clothes before they go to the lab?”
“All I’m going to do is pull out the clothes, let them look at what we have, then bag it back up. Done deal. Besides, I think their giving us a positive ID on the clothing is going to boost our case.”
“At the same time, they can also tell, from the smell, if the clothes have been washed in the kind of detergent and softener they use. How much do you wanna bet they smell a different brand?”
“I just bet on a sure thing, Jack. Statler allowing his wife to use a top-brand detergent and softener isn’t even probable.”
“Statler allowin’ his wife to do anything ain’t probable. I’ll bet she ain’t even allowed to be at the station in the mornin’.”
“I won’t touch that bet either. Statler’s a man who needs to be in command. Allowing his wife to be around a woman whose very presence sends him into a fit of arousal, isn’t even a possibility.”
“I shouldn’t say this, but I’m gonna.”
“You can say anything you want.”
“From the few times we’ve been ‘round the parents, we can tell Paul’s life had to be anything but joyful. If he’s dead and I think we can assume he is, at least he went out with a bang.”
***
The next morning as Donavan and Jack pulled into the parking space at the station they could see Statler and Christina waiting for them in their vehicles.
“Looks like our mornin’s ‘bout to get off to a great start,” Jack said.
“Yeah, I thought we could at least get a cup of coffee and go back over the evidence before we got started.” He slid out of the jeep, slammed the door.
“Good morning, detectives.” Christina walked up to them. Dressed in a black suit, white blouse and black heels, she looked every bit the respectable mother of a missing child.
“Christina,” Donavan said, holding out his hand to her. “You look very nice this morning.”
“Yeah, real nice,” Jack told her, his voice low and respectful.
“Thank you.” She smiled then looked across the parking lot as she saw Statler step from his car. “I don’t look forward to being in the presence of that man, but under the circumstances I guess it can’t be helped.”
“Don’t worry ‘bout it,” Jack assured her, “you’re among friends.”
“Reverend Statler.” Donavan shook the older man’s hand. “I guess we may as well get this over with.”
Jack nodded in Statler’s direction, before taking Christina’s arm to usher her into the station.
Donavan pushed open the door to his office. “I’ll go get everything ready,” he said as Jack directed Christina to a chair nearest the desk. “While I’m gone, you can get us all some coffee.”
“I didn’t come here to hob-nob, Detective Hays. Just get the clothes so I can get done and be on my way,” Statler said, refusing the chair Jack pulled out for him.
Ignoring him, Jack walked over to the big coffee urn, withdrew some coffee-filters from a drawer and proceeded to make coffee.
“All right then, since you have everything under control, Jack, I’ll go get what we need.”
“Everything’s fine.” Jack pushed the button on the coffee urn, took down four cups from the small cupboard. “Do either of you take cream or sugar?”
Donavan flipped on the light in the evidence room and proceeded across the floor to the shelves lining the wall. When he came to the shelf where he had placed the sealed bag, he stopped.
“What the hell!” The words shot out of his mouth as he stooped to look through all the bags still lying on the shelf.
“Oh shit! Don’t tell me it’s not here!” He continued to search through all the bags, but the ones he needed could not be found.
“I don’t believe this! I put them here myself!”
He looked through all the shelves, hoping against hope they had been moved elsewhere. After fifteen minutes of futile searching, he knew he had a right to be worried.
Grabbing his cell, he punched in the numbers to his office. When Jack answered, he tried to keep his voice low and calm.
“Jack, I need you to come down to the evidence room right away. Don’t ask why, just get down here! Now!” He turned off the phone and even though he knew he would be wasting his time, went back to searching the shelves.
Within moments, Jack came through the door. “What the hell’s so urgent?”
“The evidence is gone, Jack.”
“What the hell you talkin’ ‘bout?” His heart bounced inside his chest. “We put it here ourselves. Somebody’s just moved it.”
“I’ve been over every inch of these shelves and it’s not here! Jesus Christ, I don’t believe this!” He slammed a fist down hard on one of the shelves.
“Who manned the desk last night?”
“I don’t know. We’ll have to check the duty roster. Why the hell would someone move evidence? It doesn’t make any sense!”
“I want to see the videotapes from last night. There’s a clear shot of everyone who comes into the station. I don’t think we need to worry ‘bout the back entrance, anyone comin’ in that way has to have the code.”
“I want everything checked! Front, back and the windo
ws! I want to know the names of everyone on duty. I want to know who came down here! I want this place gone over with a goddamn magnifying glass, if need be!”
“Donavan, no one could come in here and remove evidence without bein’ seen. Somebody knows what happened. We’re gonna find out who that somebody is!”
“In the meantime, what the hell do we tell the two people waiting upstairs to see their kid’s clothes? Oops! We don’t know how it happened, but sometime during the night the clothes disappeared!”
“We don’t know that yet! It could be that someone just…” He threw up his hands at a complete loss as to what could have happened.
“Two people I can think of, that would not want those clothes checked, is Lawrence or Rafael Hindel. But there is no goddamn way either of them could get into a locked evidence room in a sheriff’s department!”
“All right!” Jack smacked his hands together. “Here’s what we’re gonna do. We’ll tell Christina and Statler the clothes need to be checked out by a Medical Examiner before they can be shown to anyone.” He held up a hand as Donavan drew in his breath. “I know it’s lame, but it’s the best I can come up with. ‘Sides, they don’t know anything ‘bout police protocol.”
“All right that will work for now. But if the clothes don’t turn up, what then?”
“Donavan, for Christ sake! Let’s deal with one problem at a time! All right?”
“I’ll go give the parents the news. While I’m doing that, you can get started on checking out the videotape from last night.”
“Don’t you want to look at the tape?”
“Hell yes, I want to see the tape! I don’t think we’re going to learn anything from it. But right now, I’m willing to try anything.”
“I’ll go get everything set up.”
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll join you.”
When Donavan came back upstairs, he could hear the raised voices coming from inside his office. Without hesitating, he pushed open the door. “What the hell is going on in here?”
They both turned as Donavan came through the door.
“What is going on does not concern you, Detective Hays,” Statler informed him, his voice haughty and impatient.
“The hell it doesn’t, Statler.” Donavan turned on him. “In case you don’t know it, you’re standing in my office!”
“I’m sorry for this, Detective Hays,” Christina told him. “Reverend Statler seems to think all this is somehow, my fault.”
“All what is your fault?”
“My daughter and his son being missing. I tried to tell him that I am as much in the dark about what has happened as he is, but he won’t listen.” Christina’s soft voice rose with her anger.
“Mr. Statler, I realize you are upset, but I am not going to allow you to take out your fear on someone who is every bit as afraid as you are.”
“You’re mistaken, Detective Hays. I’m not afraid. Yes, I am worried about my son. However, fear does not enter in here. I know the Lord will bring my son back safe. But, if He doesn’t, then I know without a shadow of doubt, I can hold this woman, with her loose morals and the loose morals of her daughter, responsible.”
“Don’t you dare talk about my daughter like that!” Christina shouted.
“I will talk about your daughter any way I see fit, madam.” His voice slurred over the way he addressed her, leaving no doubt, how he thought about her. “If my son had not been with your daughter he would be home right now where he belongs!”
Christina lunged, her long red nails raking a blood-path down Statler’s cheek. “You hypocrite son of a bitch!” she spat the words in his face. “You think you’re so holy! But, we both know you’re not. Don’t we? If you thought you could get away with it,” she jabbed a finger into his chest, “you’d straddle me right here!”
With some effort, Donavan stepped between the two. “All right! That’s enough! Mr. Statler, I think it would be a good idea if you left. I’ve been informed we can’t let you see the clothes until they’ve been checked by a Medical Examiner, so there isn’t any reason for you to stay. I’ll let you know when you can come back in.”
Grabbing a handful of tissue from a box on Donavan’s desk, Statler held them against his bleeding face. “And what do you plan on doing about the way she attacked me?”
“You brought on that attack, Mr. Statler. When I came in I heard what you said to her. However, if you are intent on pressing charges, then all I can do is take your statement and we can go from there. I would just let it drop.”
With a look of pure hatred, Statler yanked open the door to stomp out of the room.
Donavan eased Christina into a nearby chair. “I’m sorry about that. He should keep his feelings to himself.”
“Do you think he’ll press charges against me?” Her voice dropped to a mere whisper.
“I wouldn’t worry about it. I heard what he said and if need be I can testify about the attack being justified.”
“I heard you say we can’t see the clothes. Is the reason you can’t show us the clothes because they are covered with blood?”
“I give you my word, Christina, the clothes aren’t covered with blood.”
For a long moment she gazed at him, then seeing the truth in his eyes, she got to her feet. “Then I’ll be going. Please call me when I can come back in. And, if you will, make it so I don’t have to be here at the same time Statler is.”
“I can’t promise you that, but one thing I can promise you is that when you are in the same room with him you won’t be left alone. If I hadn’t needed Jack earlier you would never have been left alone with him.”
“Thank you, Detective Hays.” To Donavan’s surprise, she brushed a kiss across his cheek.
Donavan waited until he saw her walk out the door of the station house before leaving his office.
Jack had everything ready when Donavan walked into the room. “Did you find out who worked last night?”
“Yeah, Jamison pulled the night shift. He’s got a little surprise for you. I told him I’d let him tell you himself though.”
“Right now, Jack, I’m not in the mood for surprises. If you know something that’s going to piss me off, I suggest you tell me about it.”
“All right,” he slid the video into the machine, hit the play button, “I got a feelin’ this is gonna give you a little hint.”
Donavan leaned his bulk against the desk, folded his arms across his chest. “Why the hell are you fast-forwarding? We want to see everything.”
“Jamison told me what time the party got started, so I thought we’d get to the good part without wasting time. There,” he stood up straight, moved back away from the television, “that should be pretty close.”
As they watched the screen, Donavan drew in his breath. “I don’t believe this.” He pushed himself away from the desk.
The images on the screen showed Lawrence and Rafael Hindel strolling through the front door of the station.
“Look at those pompous pricks!” Donavan said. “They want us to see them.”
“Sure, sets up a great alibi. Don’t you think?”
“Yeah, as long as they stay in plain view. If they get out of sight of the camera, then we got them! What I want to know is, why the hell they came here in the first place.”
“Oh you’re gonna love this!” Jack laughed. “Accordin’ to Jamison, they came in to see how the search for the missin’ teens is comin’ along.”
“In the middle of the night?”
Jack grinned. “I thought it a little outta character too. ‘Course Jamison said he couldn’t tell them anything. He let them know, right up front, you and I are the lead detectives on the case so anything pertainin’ to the search has to go through us. Which, I’m sure they already knew.”
“You can bet your ass they did!”
“Jamison said, they went into great detail ‘bout everything said while the kids partied on the property. Like, how Lawrence came outside and told the kids to leave. How th
e one boy got so scared he fell off the porch. I mean they didn’t miss a lick ‘bout what they claim went on that night.”
“Except to say what happened to the two who stayed behind. I bet they didn’t mention a fuckin’ word about that!”
“Not accordin’ to Jamison. He said he kept tryin’ to get rid of them, but every time he thought the conversation to be over they’d come up with somethin’ new.”
“Their entire plan centered on buying time. The thing I don’t understand is why.”
As they continued to watch the screen, Donavan leaned forward. “Did you see that?”
“What?”
“Hit the rewind!” Donavan walked up close to the television, as Jack rewound the tape. “Stop! Now hit play!”
Jack stepped back, gazed at the screen.
On the video, they could see Rafael look up, smile, then in a very straight and forward manner bring two fingers up to his forehead to snap off a jaunty salute into the camera.
“Look familiar, Jack?”
“Yeah,” Jack breathed. “‘Cept he used two fingers.”
“Okay, let’s check out the video on the back entrance.”
Donavan felt anxious now; sure he could catch the Hindels in something that proved their involvement in the missing evidence.
Jack hit the eject button. “What the hell’s that gonna show? We’ve already agreed no one can get in the back without knowin’ the code.”
“That’s right and that’s why I want to see everything we got on tape last night.”
“I’ll have to go get it,” he growled, as he slipped the tape into its case. “I figured this tape would be enough. I didn’t bother to grab the others.” He turned at the door. “Guess you’re gonna want the ones showin’ the parkin’ area, too. Right?”
“If we got a tape showing someone taking a piss in the men’s room. I want it!”
Within moments of his leaving, Jack came back with the tapes. This time they didn’t bother with fast-forwarding.
The camera’s eye and what it showed, left no doubt as to why Lawrence and Rafael Hindel came to the station in the wee hours of the morning.
“They had someone else with them,” Donavon breathed; as he watched a man, dressed in black, open the back door to walk into the station.
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