By seven pm they were saying goodbye at the door. It was back to work for David and Janice. However, it was time for AJ to take a break in his recliner. Alex had the cover ready for when he nodded off.
IX
After reporting to the mayor and captain, assigning orders to his team, David and Janice spent the evening hours doing busy work. Both of them had a bad feeling about St. Pat’s holiday coming tomorrow.
On the other hand, March 17th, St. Pat’s day, Dr. Zee was ecstatic. A holiday to remember; his disguise, ironically, was Robin Hood, the take from the poor, give to the rich hero of Sherwood Forest. Well, today, it was true; he would take from the rich, but alas, not give to the poor.
Dr. Zee’s order of events was laid out for him. A wake up shower at the Holiday Inn, a taxi ride to the bus station, a change of attire for the party, a bike ride to the residence of the Green Beer Party, lock and hide the bike, then slip out of the party and go to the park. At the park he was assured of about ten minutes of pure rush bordering on orgasmic.
Both Inspector Cockrun and Detective Janice were on the job at daylight hoping for a break in the case, but expecting the worse. Because of the holiday, nobody was examining the video tape of Dr. Zee’s session with the victim. The search for Dr. Zee proved fruitless. The surveillance on Donald Longstreet was simple as he spent the night with his mistress.
David was reading the ME report on the victim. Nothing was revealing that they didn’t already know. Bloom was waiting for instructions, remaining discreetly out of the way.
Janice got up and paced the floor in front of the white board. A glimmer of hope was the fact they had located the wife of Dr. Zee parents. She would be the one to call and talk to the mother. It would be about a four hour drive or more to Detroit.
As seven rolled around, David gave her the nod to call. Seven was a decent hour to call. Twenty minutes later Janice reported what transpired to David. She said, “Mrs. Lois Baker has readily agreed to meet me. She said they’ve waited a long time to tell the police a story they will never forget. I’ll meet them around noon or so. Our car is fueled and ready to go. I’ll report in later. Hold the fort while I’m gone,” as she rushed out the door.
David sat down and reread all of the reports looking for something or anything they missed. On the plus side, he felt calmer than ever before. He gave a quiet thanks to Dr. Jones. No matter what happened in the ensuing days, he would remember this good feeling he now possessed.
By noon nothing was pressing so he and the new plain clothes D. Bloom went to lunch. David found a deli he liked, just off the beaten path not far from Dr. Jones’s building. For some reason he felt the need to eat something substantial. A big fat roast beef sandwich filled up the empty space below his ribs, where not long ago, Janice playfully slugged him. For some reason he still felt that love tap.
Two thirds through his sandwich he said, "Bloom, what are your aspirations in life, concerning work. Personal shit can wait for now."
"Inspector, you don't beat around the bush. I like that a lot. My goal or dream is to be a homicide detective. Police work runs in my family. I have a degree in criminal science from the University of Chicago. I'm on a learning curve that the further up it goes the better I like it. I know I will screw up, but won't make the same mistake twice. If I do, Inspector, I would expect you to kick my ass."
David was looking at him with a keen eye. The mustard from his sandwich hung from each corner of his mouth. He saw the Inspector looking at his mouth. Bloom took a napkin and wiped his mouth then sporting a big grin, looked like a little kid to David.
David said, "Tell me what you think about this case we're working on."
"I'll not speculate at this time Inspector. I've spent hours studying the parking lot video tapes. The best I can come up with it's a male with a long sharp nose. I've also studied the Dr. Zee tapes. Somehow I think he discovered, or someone discovered, a way to cut and paste like we do on a computer. However, this cut and paste is a live motion picture, rather than a computer. Or maybe, just maybe, its computer driven. After the experts have inspected it, then we will know; I hope."
"How about the idea of a serial killer Bloom?"
"I've read the reports more than one time. In all three cases, as you well know, the women are big and black. If you look at the time line, it's about every four months. But that doesn't mean the killer has a time schedule. Maybe it's a coincidence, but I really don't believe in coincidences. Here in Chicago the same MO with a little different twist. The victim being white, rich, high society so that part being incongruent, but with the killing action and weapon, no doubt it’s the same killer."
"And your take on the lawyer husband?"
"Ah, now you are cooking Inspector. His financial status is not what it once was. This sweet deposit of five million will pay off some lingering debts I've read about. I'd think it takes a lot of cash to uphold his standard of living. That's about it for me."
"Let's get back to the office as I've a bad feeling about the remainder of the day."
*~~~~*
"I want to thank you Mrs. Baker for seeing me under very difficult conditions," said Janice.
"Please call me Lois. I think it best if you have a tape recorder for the record. This story is not short, nor pleasant. I know you are a homicide detective Janice, if I may call you Janice. This story will shock even you I think. I was a nurse for thirty years. I've spent many a shift on emergency duty. However, when it your daughter who is bleeding, that sheds a very different light on the matter."
Janice told her she would be right back. In a few minutes she was back with a recorder and fresh tape. Before they began the story, coffee with an egg salad sandwich was gratefully accepted by Janice.
Mr. Baker was not present. He would not listen again to the horrible story and pain inflicted upon his daughter. He drove off to visit a friend. Janice and Lois sat chatting about life after retirement and her daily letter writing to her daughter Linda.
For Janice her sandwich seemed to stick in her throat. Lois must have noticed because she poured Janice a glass of bottled water. Janice drained the glass with a smile to her hostess.
Recorder on, both sitting at the kitchen table in a typical urban community of fifty year old houses, Lois started talking:
“Janice, this report is mostly for my sanity and for our family to put some closure to the events involving Linda and her husband, Kenneth Zee.
Our daughter, Linda, is what is commonly known as a wall flower. She is not beautiful, but highly intelligent. As an only child we spoiled her giving her whatever she wanted. She never asked for much, but wanted to attend an Ivy League university. Linda chose Brown for its medical school. She wanted to become a doctor. Brown has a connection with an African country. Linda wanted to help the people fight the ravages of HIV. While Linda was in her third year, she met Kenneth Zee.”
“As it turned out, this was the first serious relationship for both. Moving forward in time, they decided to get married. Both would continue their education living apart. However, both were so busy with their respective educations, it wasn’t until Linda was thirty one when she got married. It was a lovely wedding and his parents were rather stoic, but we had no problems with them. We are middle class and they were, well, wealthy.
The honeymoon was going to be just a weekend as both had career things to do. It was here in Detroit that they got married. I thank God for that, as you will soon see. At the reception, they seemed so happy and in love with each other. Our Linda is fairly tall, which runs in our family. Kenneth was slightly shorter, but, like I said, they looked pleased with each other.”
They were to spend the night at a nice hotel here in Detroit. Contrary to this day and age, both were virgins. I suspected my daughter was a virgin, but as a doctor she was not ignorant of the reproductive process. The happiness ended that night in the hotel. I received a phone call at six am the next morning from a hospital near their hotel.”
As a nurse, I knew whe
re the hospital was. My husband and I quickly dressed and drove to the hospital. Janice, I’m not prone to panic, especially in a medical situation, being a nurse, but when its your daughter, well, I was a little more than anxious. The head nurse recognized me; we were friends, but not close friends. She gave me a reassuring smile telling me Linda was doing fine, but had lost a lot of blood. She was resting comfortably having been given a sleeping sedative. I asked a ton of questions but she refused to tell me what happened. She told me the doctor would see us in his office. My friend led the way while I tried not to swallow my tongue.”
Janice had never seen a woman so outwardly calm, but she left no doubt she was tied up in knots on the inside. Janice mentally calculated that this medical emergency was about ten years ago. With that being the case, Lois Baker still had her own demons to deal with after a decade passing by.
Lois said, “The doctor was nice and made us feel that we were special and so was his patient. As gently as he could, he told us that Linda had lost a lot of blood from a tear in her vagina. It’s not unusual for a virgin to bleed from her first intercourse, but, Linda seemed to have bled more than usual. It took as many stitches as a woman giving birth to a baby for the first time.”
To try and make a long story short Janice, Linda would not talk about it. She told me she had no idea why her vagina tore and the pain was horrible she said. I told her to be brave and all the usual stuff a mother would tell her daughter. Strangely all was well for the next two years. All of us thought the sad event of the wedding night was all but forgotten.
One weekend night, about midnight, I was woken by my daughter crying into the phone. She was home in Chicago when she called to tell me she was on the way to the hospital again with a tear in her vagina.”
By the time I arrived in Chicago she was hysterical. The doctor had given her a sedative, but she was still crying her eyes out. Her husband was nowhere to be seen. In her hospital room there were the doctor, a nurse and me. My husband stayed home to take care of the house. Linda was starting to calm down when she raised both hands to show me a size of what could only be assumed of a penis. My eyes opened wide. I shook my head. Linda was adamant of the size both in length and girth. All of us thought she was exaggerating. However, Janice, I can tell you she wasn’t telling a fish story. Apparently Kenneth Zee has an exceptionally large penis.”
Linda was never a really strong person. She stuck it out for a few more years and then mentally lost it. Kenneth thought it best if we put her in a sanatorium to improve her mental and physical condition. We agreed, but he, Kenneth, made us pay one thousand a month for part of the cost. At first we thought that only fair, but after we retired, that cost was a burden. I haven’t seen my daughter in more than two years. We do get letters, but they really don’t say much. From what I suspect, Janice, is Linda is afraid he, her husband, would do harm to either her or us.”
Janice, her thoughts racing, reached over and turned off the recorder. Lose stood up and made a fresh pot of coffee. Janice was still in a bit of shock. This was by far the strangest story she had ever heard. Janice stood up, walked to where Linda was fixing coffee, then took her new friend in her arms. Both had a nice cry. Soon thereafter Janice left with a promise to keep her informed of the progress in the case.
During the next more than four hours, driving back to Highland Park, Janice listened to the recording more than two times. She had called into the station house to report she was on her way back from Detroit. A glance at her watch noted three pm.
X
Like before, with the Ms. Longstreet murder, the call came in around four pm to report a dead person at Millard Park. The note Inspector Cockrun received said, a female Caucasian, confirmed dead, had a knife sticking out of her back behind the restrooms at Millard Park.
Inspector Cockrun called for quiet in the situation room. He announced a homicide at Millard Park. For some reason, Bloom was chosen to be his partner, as David asked him accompany him.
Nothing was said during the short ride to the park. Bloom never felt happier in his life. To partner up with the Inspector was beyond his dreams. For Bloom, the thrill of the event was on. He was not oblivious to the fact someone had been murdered. However, he was excited to be part of the team to solve this homicide.
Inspector Cockrun found a suitable parking place outside the taped off entrance to the park. Bloom had a new ID to hang around his neck. He proudly wore it with chest sticking out walking alongside the famed Inspector Cockrun.
A taped off pathway led to the restrooms along an indirect path so as to save any evidence. David noticed a large crowd of green clad holiday visitors to the park. BBQ smoke still filtered up into the air. He walked up to the front of the restrooms, where the same uniform policeman stood with thumbs hooked into his wide black leather belt. Once again, looking like one needed a secret password to pass by.
The constant barking of a small dog assailed David ears. He wondered what the hell a dog was barking for. When he rounded the corner he saw a uniform policewoman holding a small poodle. A leash hung from its collar. Looking from the dog to the ground, he saw a female laying on her side in a semi fetal position. A shiny silver knife stuck out of her side at an angle that led to the heart. Bloom was standing slightly behind and to the left of Inspector Cockrun.
“Happy St. Pat’s day Inspector,” said a familiar voice. David continued looking at the body, then he said:
“I’m wearing green underwear Dr. Glitter. Also I have my new right hand man to save me from a pinch.”
“I think,” said, Dr. Glitter, “we have another case damn similar to our last victim. I’ll be with you in a little while Inspector.”
“Bloom,” David said, “see if there’re any witnesses to the crime. Mostly just snoop around to see what transpired around the park in the last hour or so. Also, take that uniform with you that’s holding the barking dog. No doubt the dog belongs to the victim.”
While waiting for the ME to finish up, the CSI team arrived. They were very efficient these days with all the CSI TV programs so popular. Real life crime lacked what was produced for viewers exciting scenes of discovery with hi tech equipment.
Dr. Glitter walked up to David with his black bag and said, “She’s been dead for about an hour and half to two hours. The knife is similar to a fish fillet variety, but more facts to follow. She’s all yours now.”
David was careful where he stepped. He squatted down on his haunches for a better look at the victim. Sad was the case, as usual; he was angry from what he viewed laying dead before him was a very nice looking woman. She was similar to Ms. Longstreet as to age, wealth, and looks. Even in death this woman with sightless green eyes was lovely. Once again robbery was out. Her jewelry was all silver and diamonds to off set her green attire. David carefully looked at the stainless steel knife buried to the hilt between her side and back.
David could almost feel the power that went with the thrust of the knife. Also he could almost hear the gasp of the victim as she realized, perhaps just seconds before she died, something painful in her side. He said, just under his breath, “I’ll get you bastard. This is your last one. I’ve a plan and soon, you will be six feet under.”
Inspector Cockrun stood up and walked away, leaving the CSI team and the morgue team to take care of the rest of the crime scene and body.
D. Bloom was more than ready to talk to his new boss. First he said, “From the collar on the dog, it says the dog owner is Gail Steward. Her address and phone number are also on the tag. I circled around and more than one person said a guy dressed all in green looking like Robin Hood turned a bunch of green balloons lose yelling happy St. Pat’s day. No one saw anything after that because all were staring at the balloons rising into the air. Clever bastard.”
“Let’s see what comes from the interviews. Until Janice arrives, chose a picnic table for interviews. Don’t let anyone sneak out of here. Verify by ID their names and etc. also hang with the interviews to see if one witness stand
s out over the rest. If so I want to talk to that witness.”
David went back to where the body was behind the restroom. He speed dialed Janice. She told him it would be about an hour before she arrived. The traffic was terrible on a holiday, she related through what he knew were clenched teeth. Next he called Dr. Jones. Alex answered and told him to hang on a minute.
AJ said, after a few minutes wait, “Inspector, I fear you’ve bad news this fine St. Pat’s day.”
“Not much gets by you Dr. Jones. I’m at Millard Park with another victim with the same MO. Unless I’m sadly mistaken our killer has struck again. The victim appears the same type as our Ms. Longstreet. She is around thirty and visibly affluent. I’ll call you later with more details. I’m not sure if you’re aware or not we lost our surveillance on Dr. Zee. As for our attorney Donald Longstreet, he is shacked up with his girlfriend. Do you have anything you want to add or suggest Dr. Jones?”
“Yes, get a picture and ID of the victim to Dr. Zee’s secretary soonest you can. I’ll wait here for your call or visit.”
It was around five thirty when Janice finally arrived at the park. David was sitting at a picnic table talking to a witness. Certainly it wasn’t a detective all decked out in green he was talking to. If you were to take away the detectives and what remained would be park visitors, it would, indeed, look like Sherwood Forest. As she walked to the picnic table a thought flashed through her mind. These holiday visitors never expected to be involved in a murder case on a lovely St. Pat's.
David rose to signal the end of the questioning of a witness. He stood tall looking at her walking towards him. If she did not know him very well, his look would have been a little frightening, it was so intense. As she approached, his face changed to a smile and much warmer eyes.
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