“What does it say?” Randy asked, indicating the forensic report.
“Here, you read them. I can’t trust my eyes,” Logan said, handing the folder over to him.
Randy scanned each of the forensic reports and looked up at Logan with a shocked look.
“This doesn’t make any sense. We are right back where we started,” he said after looking the reports over a second time.
“No, it’s worse. I don’t even know where to start really. None of the three match any of the DNA we found at any of the crime scenes. I was sure it was one of the three,” Logan said, shaking his head.
“So where does that leave us?” Bull asked.
“Up the proverbial creek without a paddle,” Logan said.
They all just sat there for several moments. No one had anything to add to the conversation.
Finally, Logan said, “What about Marcia Burton?”
“What about her?” Bull said.
“We got a DNA sample from her right?”
“Well ya, but it’s still at the lab. It wasn’t put in as a rush job like the other three,” he said.
“She went back to the apartment once. Do we know why?”
“I would think to get some of her personal belongings. She has been griping every day about not having enough clean clothes” Bull replied.
“Boys, we may have dropped the ball here. We were so focused on the Professors we haven’t really given Marcia Brown the same attention. That ends now,” he said, picking up the phone.
He dialed the forensic lab and had the DNA sample from Marcia Burton placed in the rush category.
“I want all of us to go through that apartment with the inventory list and see if she took anything. I mean I want to leave nothing unturned. Suck up the dust bunnies if you think it is a clue,” he said, only half kidding.
They went in two different cars. Randy was relieved when Logan made the suggestion that he drive. The last thing he wanted to do was ride with Logan after a concussion. When they arrived at the crime scene it appeared that no one had gone inside. All of the tape was still intact. But why had she come back to the apartment? Certainly not to just look at the door without trying to get inside.
“Where is she living now?” Logan asked.
“Another girlfriend. She moved in with some other girl while you were in the hospital,” Jonas told him.
Logan studied the door for a second, “Could she have crawled under the last row of tape?”
“Even if she did, she couldn’t open the door,” Jonas said.
“Why not?”
“Not enough room to stand up and get the key in the door to unlock it.”
“Look,” Logan said, unlocking the door and shoving it open, “Now all she has to do is get on the floor and crawl under tape.”
“I don’t think she’s that smart. I see her more as a 100 watt bulb operating on a twelve volt system,” Bull said.
“You never know,” Randy said.
“Look guys, I interviewed her. She isn’t sharp enough to think of that.”
“So why did she come here? Just to have a look at the door? I think you’re wrong Bull. She went in. I don’t know if she took anything, but just standing outside doesn’t make a lick of sense to me,” Logan said.
“Well, let’s go in and see what we shall see,” Bull said, defensively.
Logan cut the tape and the four men entered the apartment. Everything appeared the same, just as when Adriane Thompson was carried out in a body bag. The blood on the floor, as well as the walls, had turned to a dark black stain.
“You take the kitchen,” Logan said to Jonas, “Bull, cover the front room and Randy you take the bedroom. I’ll take a peek at all the other places.”
“What other places?” Bull asked, looking around the tiny apartment.
“Closets, heater room, bathroom and the small storage shed on the patio out back,” Logan said.
Bull shrugged. He was still stung by Logan’s refusal to take his assessment of Marcia seriously. Each of the men went off on their assigned task. They knew it wasn’t going to be a long search even if Logan had made it clear he didn’t want them to miss anything. It was during the second hour that Logan ran across the loose molding around the baseboard in the closet.
He probably wouldn’t have noticed it if it hadn’t been for him putting his hands on the floor and resting his head in them. His headache was causing him to see spots and he needed to rest. That’s when he noticed small pieces of drywall on the floor. They were in front of a cut out piece right in the middle of the molding strip. It was only about six inched long.
It was strange way of doing finishing work. He pulled on the piece and it easily came off, held only by some sticky tape. A small hole was behind the molding. He tried to get his big hands in the small opening but couldn’t do it. He pushed a little harder and it slid inside the hole.
“Hey Randy,” he called out.
“Yah? What’s up? You find something?”
“I need your help. I think I found something but I don’t know what yet,” he yelled back.
Randy opened the closet and saw Logan on his hands and knees with his big hand wedged in a hole.
“What the…”
“Just help me get my hand out. You got a knife?”
“Yeah, but I don’t think it will be necessary to amputate,” Randy chuckled.
Logan just gave him a dirty look.
“I want to cut the wall board from around my hand you duffus,” Logan said.
He took the knife from Randy and pushed it into the wall board about an inch above his hand. It was hard to do and the last thing he wanted to do was cut himself. He would never live it down. It took a few minutes but at last his hand was free.
“So what have you got?” Randy asked.
“Apparently it’s just a hole now, but I think it was a hiding place for something. What could fit in such a small space?”
“A small gun, a knife, money, hell, any number of things.”
“Take a good look. It’s no more than four or five inches wide and maybe three inches deep. A small gun maybe, but not much more than that,” Logan said.
He had scrapes on the back of his knuckles and was rubbing them.
“It’s almost too small even for a gun really. A derringer maybe but not many guns are only three inches across,” Randy said.
“A stun gun,” Bull said looking down at the two men.
They both looked up, and then at each other, “A stun gun,” they said in unison.
“That’s what she came back for. She needed to get the stun gun to go after Dr. Ryan,” Randy said.
“It would make sense. She probably blames him for all of this. He wasn’t going to give in to Sharon and that set everything into motion,” Jonas said.
“No. That’s not it,” Logan said, “That explains her going after Ryan but that still leaves us with who killed Sharon initially and then bumped off Adriane. And there is the small matter of Dr. Pratt,” he said.
“Well it’s more than we have had to go on so far. Maybe if we can get her DNA to match we can put some pressure on her to find out just what role she played in all of this twisted mess,” Jonas said.
The four men continued to search the entire house but found nothing out of place or missing. Whatever was hidden behind the molding strip had to be what she came for.
When they got back to the station, Logan brought the Captain up to speed on what they had so far. He included the negative DNA samples for the three professors, expecting to get a chewing out. Instead the Captain just listened.
“What next?” he asked.
“We are going to take a run at Marcia Burton again. The lab will have our report tomorrow and we will bring her in.”
“Even if the DNA is a negative match?”
“Yes. We need to see why she went back to the apartment at the very least. If she tells us clothes or anything else, we will know she is lying.”
“It doesn’t sound prom
ising,” the Captain said.
“We have to keep digging,” Logan said on his way out the door.
“Well don’t forget to let the University know their people are cleared,” was the last thing he heard as he closed the door.
The hell with that. He would call the attorneys and let them tell their clients. He didn’t want to face the smug looks they would have on their faces.
CHAPTER FORTY- OUR
It was 10:30 a.m. the next day before the report from forensic landed on Logan’s desk. He quickly opened it. There were two reports inside.
He read them quickly and then said, “Hey, listen to this. Marcia Burton’s DNA was found in Dr. Pratt’s home. Not only that, so was Adriane Thompson’s.”
“What? They were both at Pratt’s place?”
“So it says here. Wow. One day a total strike out and the next, we get a hit,” Logan said.
It was the first time he wasn’t thinking about how badly his head hurt.
“I hear you, but what the heck does it mean?” Jonas asked.
“It could mean several things. Maybe she found Adriane with Pratt. Got jealous, shot Adriane in a fit of rage. Later she decided to kill Pratt as well,” Randy said.
“What about Sharon Lewis?”
“Well, she started the whole thing didn’t she? She killed her first. When Adriane couldn’t give her up, she just killed her. Then it went on from there,” Logan said.
“And Terry Ryan?”
“Same thing. He started the whole ball of wax rolling so he had to go too.”
Finally Bull spoke up, “I’m telling you. You are giving her too much credit. She isn’t smart enough to do all of this and I don’t see her as a mass murder. I spent a few hours with her and I’m telling you she is just a few IQ points above a cucumber.”
“Alright Bull. Let’s say you’re right, and I can see your point about how sharp she is. I also doubt if she had the knowledge of how to inflict the damage done to Sharon Lewis. I agree she doesn’t fit the profile of a mass murderer. Even if she is none of those things, she is a piece of the puzzle. Maybe a weak link. If we can get her to talk she just may give up who is behind this,” Logan reasoned.
“Okay, sure. I think that will work,” Bull said, glad he had saved some face.
“She is still living with the other girl I presume?”
“Yep,” Bull said.
“Good. Call her and tell her we will be releasing the apartment today and will come by and get her. Don’t let her turn down the ride offer. When she gets in the car, bring her to the station,” Logan told him.
“If she doesn’t want us to pick her up?”
“Tell her there are policies and we must escort her to verify the place is in the proper condition and that nothing is missing.”
“Man, you can sure come up with them on the fly,” Bull said, shaking his head.
“Logan, I need to see you,” the Captain said as they were making their final plans.
“I’ll be right back,” he said and headed to the Captain’s office.
“What’s up?”
“You are. The Commissioner wants to do a big ceremony with TV coverage and the whole works.”
“Oh man. Captain you know how much I hate that kind of stuff. Can’t he just send me the damn thing? Better yet, e-mail a nice note and keep the damn medal. I have enough of them already.”
“Sorry, no can do. You are his fair haired child at the moment and he wants to make a show of how much he appreciates the men in the field,” the Captain replied.
“Why? Is he getting ready to run for office?”
The Captain just grinned and shrugged his shoulders.
“Son of a gun. Politics. Does it ever end?”
“Apparently not. It is a political world we live in today. Look, all you have to do is put on your dress blues, shine your shoes and smile for the camera. You know he will do all of the talking. He always does. You’ll be lucky if he gets your name right,” the Captain said.
It was very unusual for him to say anything negative about any superior. He must be as frustrated as Logan. There was no use busting the Captain’s chops about it. It was a done deal and he knew that all he could really do was go along with the program and get it over with as quickly as possible.
“When?”
“Tomorrow. 1:00 p.m. in the rotunda of the Capital Building. You need to be there at 12:30 P.M. for instructions.”
“That’s just great. We finally have a solid lead and we are due to bring her in tomorrow.”
“Can’t be helped. You have good men; they can do the leg work. They can just let him cool his heals until you get back,” the Captain said.
“Her. He is a her,” Logan corrected.
“He is a her what?”
“You said…never mind. I’ll just have my guys hold him and or her, until after the ceremony,” Logan said, giving up. He just wanted to get out of the office at this point.
“Whatever. Is your head okay? ” the Captain asked?
“It will be after tomorrow’s ceremony,” Logan replied
“Ooooh, you were a bad boy, you got called to the Captains office,” Jonas teased when Logan came back.
“Don’t push your luck. They are looking for meter maids. I might just have to suggest you for that job,” Logan said.
“Can I drive one of those cute three wheelers and wear a skirt?”
“Oh God. Another gay,” Bull said.
“Knock it off you two. I have to go to a ceremony tomorrow. You, on the other hand, do not. I’m going to have you pick up Marcia and bring her down her. Don’t let anyone talk to her. Just sit her in the room and don’t say a thing until I get back.”
“Okay boss,” Randy said.
“Stop it. I’m not your boss,” Logan said irritated. His head was thumping.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Logan took a sneak peek at his watch. It was still fifteen minutes to go before the ceremony started. The rotunda had been set up with chairs in a semi-circle on a raised platform. The TV crews had strung wires from one end of the building to the other.
Logan thought it would be a gas if they blew the circuits and everything went black. Time seemed to creep by and finally the Commissioner arrived with his entourage of lackeys. He talked to the Captain and after a few words was brought over to where Logan was standing.
“Detective Logan, nice to see you again. I am so glad you are up and around, back on the job I understand from the Captain. It is quite an honor. You are a true hero. This is a great day for the police department and the fine men and women who wear the uniform. I will deliver a speech and then at the appropriate time have you come forward and present you with the medal. Any questions?”
“Do you want me to say anything?”
“Say anything? Well, I suppose if you want to, I guess that would be all right,” he said.
It was clear he did not want to relinquish the spotlight. Logan chuckled to himself. Politics. The Commissioner took his place and on cue, he was off and running. Running at the mouth mostly. The cameras rolled and the tape recorders recorded.
Finally, it was time to present the Distinguished Service Medal to Logan. The Commissioner pinned it on him and shook his hand so the newspaper reporters could get their shots. John decided it was not the time to make any kind of speech so he just thanked the Commissioner, shook hands with the Captain, and sat back down.
The Commissioner spent another five minutes just wrapping up the ceremony. At last it was over and John tried to get to his car but several reporters blocked his way.
He spent the next fifteen minutes on banal questions. Only Carrie Brown stood to the side, watching with an amused look on her face. John looked over and glared at her. She was enjoying this way too much.
He managed to get into this car and honking his horn, was finally able to get on his way. He drove back to the station, still in his dress blues. John didn’t want to take the time to go home and change. He took off the medal, placed it
in the box and tossed it in the back seat when he got to the station and hurried up the steps as fast as his legs would let him.
He went straight to the interrogation room. Randy and Bull were sitting outside. Jonas was in the space between the rooms, watching through the one-way glass. Logan poked his head in.
“What has she been doing?”
“Mostly just playing with her hair. She hummed for a while but that’s it.”
Logan opened the door to the room and went inside. “Hi Marcia. Do you remember me? I’m Detective Logan.”
“I don’t remember your name but I recognize your face. Why am I here?”
“Well, we have a few questions that I am hoping you can help us with. Are you willing to do that?”
She just shrugged.
“Here is the thing. You went back to the apartment while it was still a crime scene. What did you want from there?”
“I didn’t go back. You guys have tape all over the door so what good would it do me?”
“How do you know we have tape on the doors?”
“Well, I don’t. I just assumed you did. They always do it in the shows on TV.
“Alright. But you did go back. Here is the statement from the cab driver and he has identified your picture. We had a tail on you as well. You went back,” Logan said.
She sat looking at the table for several seconds before saying, “Okay. So I went back. I just wanted to take a look at the apartment. I needed some clean clothes so I went in and got them.”
“What clothes did you take with you?”
“Just some things. You know. Girl stuff. I was all out and needed some clean ones.”
“Underwear?”
“If you must know. Yes.”
“Now that brings us to another problem. You see we did a total inventory of everything in the apartment. Right down to the number of socks, underwear and everything else. We went back and checked later and nothing is missing. Not one thing. Well, maybe one thing,” Logan said.
“You’re wrong. I took several pair of underwear. You just made a mistake,” she insisted.
“No we didn’t. Why don’t you just tell me what you really took from the base board in the closet?
BLONDE DECEPTION - The Logan Files Page 17