Stacey

  "Please, detectives watch where you step." Iris was looking at the wall. Someone had written something above the woman’s head. She glared at the words that words; they sent a chill down her spine.

  "A hacksaw was found in the sink; prints were all over it," The ME said. Iris look around the room. Small, bloody footprints crisscrossed throughout the apartment. “We also found a mound of cellophane in the bathroom."

  The hairs on the back of Iris’ neck stood up. "Who was the victim?" Iris asked.

  "Amy Jordan."

  "Oh my God!" she said as she looked at Toni.

  "Who the hell was Amy Jordan?" Cannon asked.

  "We told you about her involvement in the McHill case, without her help, we might never have caught Stacey and Jannifer McHill," Iris said.

  "So, what you're telling me is that our UNSUB committed this crime."

  "Yes, I am." Iris pointed to the words that were written above the victim's head. They were written in the woman's blood. The script read: She told on us now I’m coming after you two, I'm Gonna make you Crazy Like us.

  Agent Cannon looked at Iris and said, "What does she mean by us? Her sister's dead...right?”

  "Have we've have witnesses?" Iris asked the medical examiner.

  "Yes, we do. Mrs. Littlefield. She's in apartment 2d."

  The witness was standing in her doorway. Mrs. Ann Littlefield was eighty-two years old. She was a short woman, about five-feet-one. Her skin was pale, almost translucent. Blue veins coursed through her hands and face. "How are you doing, Mrs. Littlefield? I'm Detective Williams, and this is Special Agent Cannon. I would like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind."

  Mrs. Littlefield focused her attention on Special Agent Cannon. "You are freakin' beautiful," Mrs. Littlefield said to Cannon. Her voice cracked when she spoke.

  Cannon blushed.

  "Mrs. Littlefield, can I ask you some questions—"

  "Let him ask me," she said, cutting Iris off. "You can ask me anything, doll face." Mrs. Littlefield winked at the red-faced FBI agent. Cannon glanced at Iris, cleared his throat, and then asked Mrs. Littlefield about her neighbor.

  "I think she was part lesbian, like this one here." She was pointing at Iris. "There were men coming in and out of Amy's apartment all the time, but on occasions, like the other night, she needed the hand of a woman."

  "What did the woman look like?" Cannon asked.

  "She was a sexy looking young woman; actually, she was a teenager posing as a grown woman. She reminded me of myself when I was her age, hot as hell." Mrs. Littlefield winked at Cannon again. "She was a mulatto, about five feet-six inches tall. She had short, brown hair and cold black eyes, but the eyes didn't take anything away from her beauty...."

  "What was she wearing?" Iris asked the old woman.

  "She wore a black leather jacket, a pair of black jeans, I think they were Calvin Klein, and a pair of black Reeboks. You know, if I'm not mistaken, Amy had the young lady over before, with another girl about six or seven months ago, if I'm not mistaken..."

  "About a year ago?" Iris asked.

  "Yes, about a year ago. The girls looked like they were sisters. They beat Amy up and robbed her. They'd looked a little too freaky, you know how freaky those lesbians can be," she said to Iris. "You're a lesbian, right?"

  "Mrs. Littlefield, please," Iris said.

  "I'm sorry." Mrs. Littlefield unbuttoned the first two buttons on her robe. "It's getting hot in this hallway.” Special Agent Cannon cleared his throat again and averted his eyes. "Agent Cannon, do you know an agent by the name of Troy? He worked at the Federal building. He was one of my best clients. I was the hottest hooker in town back in the day.” Mrs. Littlefield shook her hips; then she grimaced from the pain that shot through her leg. Iris fought back her laughter.

  "Mrs. Littlefield, can we please get back to the questions?" Cannon asked. Mrs. Littlefield buttoned her robe back up to the neck. "All work and no play... Anyway, the girl said that she was a friend of Amy’s—"

  "You spoke to her?" Iris asked.

  “Yes, I did. But she wasn't much for talking."

  "Did Amy say anything to you?" Iris asked.

  "No. She just smiled at me..." Mrs. Littlefield's voice cracked from anguish. She removed a handkerchief from the pocket of her robe and dabbed her eyes. "That was the last time I saw her face..." Iris gave Mrs. Littlefield one of her cards.

  "If you see this woman again, just give me a call."

  Mrs. Littlefield wiped her nose and took the card. She looked up at Agent Cannon. "Do you have a card you want to give me—"

  "No, I'm fresh out."

  Chapter 56

  TWO DAYS LATER.

  April fool's day began with a soaking rain. Iris drove while Toni spoke with the ME Michaels from the Amy Jordan crime scene. Amy Jordan had managed to scratch her killer. The DNA found under her nails proved that the murderer was indeed Stacey McHill.

  Iris thought about her family as she drove, then the thought of Casper invaded her mind. "She's not trying to hide the fact that she's the killer," Toni said.

  Iris smiled.

  "What're you smiling about?" Toni asked as she opened her laptop.

  "I was just thinking how Casper loved this day; he was the king of April Fool's Day." Iris glanced at Toni and instantly changed the subject. "After I killed her sister, Stacey stopped caring about if we knew; all she wants now is revenge."

  "We'll get her, don't worry."

  Iris shot Toni a look. "How in the hell can I not worry? I killed her sister, now she’s promising to glue our asses to the wall and do what she did to Billy Madison and Amy Jordan." The thought made her shiver. Iris turned her truck onto 124th Street. "Out of all the murders that Stacey and her sister committed, only those two were mutilated in such a..." Iris stopped at the light. "... in such a vicious way...and what's really driving me freakin' crazy is the fact that she can change her appearance so effortlessly..."

  Iris pulled her Durango into the parking area. Agent Cannon had arrived a few minutes before. Iris watched him as he disappeared into the command unit. When Iris and Toni entered the unit, Cannon was shaking his head; the rain water expelled from his hair like a wet dog.

  "Hey!" Iris shouted. "Watch it." Agent Morrison shot to his feet as soon as his comrades entered the mobile unit. He waited for someone to recite the secret pass phrase; he looked at Iris. The pass phrase that Iris came up with was ‘All is good on the western front.’ Iris, Toni, and Cannon recited the words. "Relax, Morrison, it's us," Toni said.

  "Good," Morrison said as he sat back down. "Anybody care for some donuts? There's some decaf in the pot." Iris took off her wet jacket and NYPD cap and placed them on top of her desk; Toni placed hers neatly on the coat-rack.

  Cannon ordered Morrison to pour him a cup of coffee. "I gotta use the can," he said as he closed the door to the restroom. Iris was on the phone with her sister when the fax machine came to life.

  "I got it," Toni said as she walked over toward the machine. ME Michaels had sent over an autopsy report on Amy Jordan; Toni read it. "Exsanguination. That poor girl bled to death as Stacey McHill cut her body into pieces." Iris told her sister that she would call her back later; she switched off her phone. Toni continued, paraphrasing this time. "She taped up Amy's head after she cut it off...." Toni shook her head.

  "Son of a bitch!" Iris shouted as she jumped out of her seat. Toni and Morrison watched as Iris paced back and forth; she wrung her hands as she paced.

  The toilet flushed, and Cannon exited the restroom. "What's up?"

  Iris was still pacing. A little voice inside her head was saying: She's gonna make you freakin' crazy like her. You killed her sister. Imagine what she's gonna do to you and your girlfriend. You should've listened to Doctor Patterson's warning and killed Stacey when you had the chance.

  "Williams, what's wrong? You don't look so good," Agent Morrison said.

  "Sit down, Iris." Toni stood in front of her partner and stopped her from
pacing. “Greg, bring me a bottle water from the fridge."

  Iris stared up into Toni's eyes. "We've got to stick together, Toni..."

  Greg handed Iris the water. "Here, drink it slow."

  Iris looked as if she'd seen a ghost. "What the hell is wrong with her?" Cannon asked. Iris grabbed Toni's hands. "We've got to make sure Stacey doesn't get—"

  "What the hell is goin' on out here!" Cannon’s booming voice brought Iris out of her mini hysteria. Her head shot in the agent's direction. She stood, ran her hands across her face, then she took another sip of water. "I'm o.k."

  The morning went quickly. Iris, Toni, and the FBI agents looked over all the photos from the crime scene. At 11:45, Agent Morrison announced that it was time to eat. "Anybody up for some Chinese? I'm buying."

  The Chinese food from Ming's had arrived twenty-two minutes later. A young Asian American man, who was wearing a full-length raincoat, stood in the doorway carrying two large plastic bags. He placed the bags down and began clapping his hands. He unsnapped his raincoat and removed a receipt book from the inside pocket. He clapped his hands again, then he started signing; the delivery guy from Ming's Chinese Restaurant was a deaf mute.

  Morrison approached the delivery guy and snatched up the bags. The delivery guy signed out the price and then pointed to the receipt book. "He wants his money," Toni said. Toni signed back to the delivery guy. He had beautiful green eyes and a pencil thin mustache. He wore an official N.Y. Knicks warm-up suit underneath his raincoat (the breakaway kind). Toni signed to him, asking him about the suit. The delivery guy smiled and signed back that he was the team's number one fan; they both laughed. Morrison took the bags to the nearest table. "How much did he say it was?" Morrison asked as he pulled out an eggroll. "I hope you brought enough duck sauce."

  "Fifteen twenty-five," Toni said. Morrison removed his wallet. He stuffed the eggroll into his mouth as he removed a twenty-dollar bill. Toni and the delivery guy were signing big time; they were in a deep conversation.

  Morrison walked over to the signing couple and gave the delivery guy the twenty. "Keep the change—tell him I said that he can keep the change." Morrison went back to the Chinese food. He ripped open a packet of duck sauce with his teeth and poured it all over the eggroll. He closed his eyes as he took a bit. “Mmm.”

  Cannon, who was sitting by his desk with his shoe off, rubbed his bunion said, "Be careful you don't choke, kid." Morrison paid Cannon no mind as he pulled another eggroll from out of the bag. He took another packet of duck sauce out from the bag, ripped it open with his teeth, and poured it on top of the eggroll. Toni signed to the delivery man that her friend was in seventh heaven; they both laughed.

  After Morrison had swallowed the last bit, he began to cough.

  "I told you to be careful," Cannon said as he pulled off his sock. Morrison’s coughing became worse. His face turned crimson. "Is he choking?" Cannon asked.

  Toni skipped over to where Morrison was and placed her hand on his back. "Are you o.k., buddy?" A large blood clot hit the gray industrial carpet when Morrison coughed again. "Oh, my God!" Toni said.

  Iris looked over her shoulder. "Is he going to be all right?" Agent Morrison dropped to his knees. He grabbed Toni's leg and squeezed it with all his might. Iris jumped out of her seat and ran over to Morrison. He slammed his fist on the carpet. Agent Morrison's body started convulsing.

  Chapter 57

  FIVE SECONDS LATER, Agent Gregory Morrison was dead. “What the fuck happened to him? Is he dead?” Cannon shouted.

  Where’s the delivery guy?” Iris shouted.

  He was gone.

  "Holy Shit! That was her. That was Stacey!" Iris and Toni ran toward the door. "Lock down the streets, Cannon!" Iris shouted as she and her partner ran from the command unit. Charcoal colored clouds hung low in the sky as a thunderclap exploded over the city. The rain was coming down fast and heavy.

  So fast that exploded when it hit the pavement.

  So heavy that it would've ripped an umbrella to pieces and pounded its carrier to the ground. Stacey McHill exited the parking area and ran down the middle of the street toward 2nd Ave. "We've got your ass now!" Iris shouted as she and her partner blasted away from the command unit like two shotgun shells. Stacey McHill who was carrying a large backpack on her back, proved to be no slouch when it came to running. Iris was amazed at the teenager's speed. As the two detectives raced down 124th Street toward 2nd Ave., Iris shouted stop, but Stacey kept running.

  The ungodly rain fall made it impossible for Iris to see. It was like a shower head had been turned on full blast inches from her face. She squinted as she ran. The rain also made it hard for her to catch her breath. Stacey turned the corner at 2nd Ave. and almost lost her footing on the slick blacktop. Her body bounced off a car. Iris watched as the teenager collected herself, then sped down the street. How in the hell could she run like that carrying that damn backpack?

  The rain attacked the streets violently.

  At the intersection of 124th Street and 2nd Ave., Iris slipped and fell. Her midsection hit the ground first, knocking the wind out of her. Her arms flew out in front her. She looked as if she was sliding toward home plate. The tires on the M15 bus stopped inches away from her head. Urine dampened the detective's crotch. Toni, who was running directly behind her, jumped over Iris’ fallen body. She stopped a few feet away from Iris. "Iris, are you all, right? Are you hurt?" she shouted over the thunderous rain. Stunned, Iris nodded her head. Toni helped her to her feet. Iris rubbed her left knee and realized that a piece of glass was lodged in the palm of her hand. "You're bleeding," Toni said. She reached into her back pocket and removed a handkerchief. She wrapped it around Iris’ hand. "Are you o.k.!" she shouted in Iris’ face.

  Iris nodded again.

  "Then get your ass in gear, Detective!"

  Iris wiped the rain from her eyes. Stacey was nowhere to be seen. Oh, God, please don't let me lose her...please! Through the downpour, the detectives ran. They stopped in the middle of the 125th. Cars were honking, but the detectives paid the drivers no mind. "Where the hell did she go?" Iris asked. She whipped her head to the left, then to the right. She noticed a man standing in the doorway of a pizzeria. He pointed at the building adjacent to the pizza shop. Iris and Toni burst through the door of the tenement. The door slammed into a young girl who was trying to exit the building. The girl fell, and she blocked the detectives’ way. Her dark sunshades were knocked off her face and her red, and white walking cane had broken in two when the door slammed into it. Iris maneuvered her way around the frightened young lady and jetted up the steps.

  Toni looked down at the girl and noticed that her pupils were milky white. The young girl was blind. "Oh, my God! We're so sorry," Toni said as she helped the girl up.

  "What's going on? You're the second person that bumped into me."

  Toni picked up the girl's cane. "I'm sorry, your cane is broken."

  The girl reached out for her cane. Toni placed the broken cane into her hand. "The other person kept right on going. I think she was headed toward the roof." Toni thanked the girl, asked if she was o.k. again, then she bolted up the stairs.

  When Toni reached the roof, Iris shouted, "Where the hell did she go?" Toni looked around, then she thought about something the blind girl had said... She ran toward the roof. How the hell did she know that the perp was a she? Toni ran to the edge of the roof and looked down. The blind girl was running down 125th Street. "Holy Shit! Stacey—she's getting away."

  Iris ran to where Toni was standing and peered over the edge. "How the fuck..." Stacey was heading toward the 125th Street and Lexington Ave. subway station.

  Iris heard a train arriving as she and Toni raced down the subway steps. A man was helping a woman up the steps with her baby stroller. The stroller was large and had a plastic covering to protect the baby from the elements. Iris almost tripped down the concrete steps trying to maneuver herself around the couple. "Police business, move the hell out of the way!" Th
e detectives jumped over the turnstile. "Cover the downtown landing and I'll take the uptown!" Iris yelled at Toni. The number 6 uptown train slowly pulled out of the station. Iris trotted along with the train; bumping into the passengers who were standing on the platform. She glanced at the straphangers that were on the moving train, then she saw her. Stacey McHill smiled as she finger-waved at the detective. "Goddammit....Stop this train...!"

  Iris ran back up the stairs. She met Toni, and they both headed toward the clerk's booth. Iris flashed her badge. "I want that uptown 6 train stopped at the next station," she yelled at the clerk. "And when it pulls into the next station, I want the doors to remain closed. Make the call." The female clerk stared at Iris. Iris patted her pockets for her cell phone. "Dammit, I left my jacket back at the command unit," she said to Toni. "You got your phone on you?'

  "I left my jacket, too." The female clerk was still staring at the detectives.

  "Make the freakin’ call now!" Iris screamed at the frightened clerk.

  Iris and Toni exited the subway station. Iris jumped in front of an Uber. She told the driver to take her to the next train stop along the number 6 train route. "That's 138th Street and the Grand Concourse, and don't you freakin' stop. This is official police business.” Iris showed the driver her gold shield. "Now move it..."

  Chapter 58

  THE UBER DRIVER ARRIVED at 138th and Grand Concourse six minutes and thirty-two seconds after leaving 125th Street. There was a massive police presence on 138th Street. The men and women at the 40th precinct, which was a few blocks away, were in full force. Four EMS vehicles were parked on the street. There were also two trucks from the FDNY at the scene. A sergeant from the 4-0 approached the detectives. Iris shook the sergeant's hand as she made her way toward the subway entrance. "Did you keep the doors on that train closed?"

  The sergeant told Iris that the train was kept on ice. "Nobody got on and nobody got off., detective."