The Lady Killer

by Paizley Stone

  “I don’t think that Sheila had anything to do with the first murder. I think the key was planted on her ring, by the killer, to throw us off. What if he’s just testing our intelligence? Or worse yet, this is just part of his elaborate psycho game. Julia White was deliberately placed at the same site as Tamara. He wanted Tamara found now for some reason, which is logical only to him. Is this key just part of the cat and mouse game, what about it, Burns?”

  “I’m in complete agreement with you on every point. That’s amazing about the padlock. How did they figure that out? What made them even put that together?”

  “You know how they say that timing is everything in life? Well, I just happened to walk into the lab right after they got through dusting the padlock for prints and saw the word Yale written on it. If I hadn’t gotten there before it was put in Tamara’s evidence box, I might never have seen it. There was so much to take in with two bodies and a dog; I didn’t even look at the padlock while we were at the scene. Now I have to decide if it was just a clue to the next crime scene, or if there is some link between these three women.”

  “In all the years we have worked together, I’ve always been amazed at the way you put crimes together and solve cases. You just have a natural knack!”

  “Thanks, Roy, but it isn’t solved yet. We still have a long way to go. Have either of you got plans for tomorrow?”

  “One of my kids has a major softball game that I would hate to miss, but if you need me I’ll certainly be here.”

  “That’s okay, go and have fun. I have a feeling this is going to be a tough week coming up. How about it, Murphy? Feel like spending your Saturday working with me on these files? I’m beginning to think there are a bunch of subtle links that we haven’t caught yet.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it. I’ll see you here around eight.”

  CHAPTER 6

  Dan Murphy woke up to an Al Green song playing on his radio alarm clock and thought it was somehow appropriate. He shut it off and laid there watching the sun shine through a crystal, which he had hanging in his window. As it made little, dancing rainbows on the wall next to his sofa bed, he started to daydream about Laura. She had been his fantasy since he first saw her, but a woman who was that confident and secure probably wouldn’t look at him twice as a romantic partner. He wondered if he was destined to always be reliable, old Murphy the “gopher”. Being low man on the totem pole didn’t bother him. All he knew for sure was that they were working alone together that day, and he better get his sorry ass in the shower, or be late.

  When Dan walked into the break room, she was already there dressed in jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. His decision to dress casually had been the right one. Now, all he had to do was be his usual charming self. “Good morning, Detective Peterson. I brought bagels, is the coffee on?”

  She smiled up at him warmly. “Yes it is, and you’re right on time.”

  “I hope you look upon punctuality as an admirable quality in a man.”

  “Actually, I do. Get some coffee first, and then we’ll dig in. I’ve pulled all of the files and placed them in the order we found the bodies. Each month, the date and time of death estimates are within a few days of the eleventh.”

  “Now that we found Tamara’s body, we know the significance of that date.”

  She rubbed her chin slowly with one finger. “Yes, but do we really?”

  “What are you getting at?”

  “Did he kill her on the day he found her, or did he wait until the eleventh to abduct her for some other anniversary, like when they met, first kissed or the day she left him? Or, is there really some kind of connection to terrorists and his terrorizing women? Burns said that to catch him, we would have to think like a psychopath.”

  “Wow, now there’s a scary thought! If I start to think like this guy, I will immediately go have myself committed. But I kind of understand what he means. To catch this guy, we have to get inside his head.”

  She looked directly at him. “Okay, go with me on this one. You are the ex. You have just found your girlfriend again, and you want to punish her for leaving you. What’s your next move?”

  Dan made a disapproving face. “Okay, but this isn’t me talking, it’s the killer. I’d have to find a time, place and method without being discovered.”

  “Do we know who owns the building she was found in?”

  “I talked to the realtor myself. She said it was some big corporation. The utilities are paid out of an escrow account they set up through her office. They wanted the electricity kept on, so the building could be maintained, and it would be comfortable for prospective buyers to look at. She told me that they weren’t in a hurry to sell and were more concerned with getting the price they wanted, which she thought was too high.”

  “Murphy, he had to know about the place before the abduction. My guess is that she must have been taken straight to the freezer.”

  “Sandy’s story about the ice stuck with me. He must have been making a statement about her being a cold bitch, again his thoughts not mine, and so he froze her. Did he plan to do that all along, or did he just stumble onto the freezer and think it was a good idea?”

  “Good point. I say he planned it. Who maintains the building? I mean who physically does it? Can you call the realtor and find out?”

  Murphy picked up his cell and called Amy Montgomery. She was very helpful and informed him that she had a permanent crew, which handled all of her properties. When she checked her logbook, she told him that they were scheduled to clean there every Saturday morning.

  Dan and Laura ran to the car and headed for the warehouse. Half way there her phone rang. It was the surveillance guys, telling her that they were seeing three people in the building who were cleaning. She told them to stay put, and she would be there right away. When they pulled up to the front and got out, one of the workers came to the door. She showed him her badge, “I’m Detective Peterson, and this is Murphy. We would like to ask you a few questions.”

  “Certainly, I am Louis Gonzales, at your service. My boss told me you were coming.”

  “Thanks, Louis, how long have you been cleaning this building?”

  “For about nine months or so.”

  That fit into the time slot she was looking for. “Has that freezer in the back always been locked and running?”

  “Yes, until this morning. I called Miss Montgomery to ask if we should do anything about cleaning it. She said it was a crime scene, and to leave it alone until we heard from the police, so we haven’t touched it.”

  “How did you guys get in here?”

  He pointed toward the warehouse. “Through the back door, like we always do. There is an ally in back, and we come in our van.”

  “How long have you worked for Ms. Montgomery?”

  “About ten years now. She is a great lady, good realtor and sells a lot of property.”

  Laura was impressed by how cooperative and earnest he was. “How many are on your crew, and how long have they worked with you?”

  “There are six of us all together, and three are at another location working. The least amount of time is Maggie, and that would be two years. That is her over there cleaning windows. The other four have been with me for a long time now.”

  “Thank you, mind if we have a look around?”

  “No, Detective Peterson, go right ahead. I want you to catch this guy. I have a wife and two sisters. I worried all the time before. Now, to find out that he strikes so close to me is frightening! He doesn’t go for Hispanic girls, right?”

  “Not so far, Louis, but I don’t consider any woman safe until this guy is put away.”

  Peterson and Murphy walked back into the warehouse. A man worked quietly cleaning fingerprint dust off of the backdoor. She had a feeling they needed to look around. When she opened the freezer door, she was shocked to see a rose and an envelope addressed to her. She yelled for Murphy to get a CSU team and the surveillance people there right away. In the mean time, she stopped the third cl
eaning person and tried to save any fingerprints that might be left on the door.

  One of the surveillance guys was the first to arrive. Needless to say, she wasn’t very happy with him. “Who was here last night and why wasn’t someone watching both the front door and the ally? How did someone get in here to deliver this rose without being seen?”

  “Sorry, Detective, they were told to set up in that building across the street and to watch the front of this building only. When I got here this morning, I was wondering about that myself.”

  “Who gave the directive for the set up?”

  It came down from our boss, Sergeant Bill O’Reilly. You would have to talk to him. The realtor who takes care of this building watches that one also and her assistant offered it to us.”

  “Peterson, CSU is here.”

  “Thanks, Murphy, have them re-dust that freezer, back door and the envelope. I’ll open it when they’re done.”

  He was trying to tread lightly. “Do you need surveillance any more?”

  “No, tell them they might as well pack up and go home. I don’t think psycho boy will give us a second chance to catch him. We blew it!”

  She called dispatch, told them to track down Sergeant O’Reilly and have him call her right away. While she waited for CSU to finish, she just paced. Murphy was watching her. He felt so helpless. Her hunch had paid off. She had been right all along, and another department had let her down. He approached her cautiously. “Can I get you anything?”

  She looked like she was ready to take someone’s head off. “Yes, a bomb, so I can blow up that surveillance team and their boss!”

  “I’m not taking you seriously. Hey, I can understand your frustration. You had him! You knew he would be back here. I’m sorry they didn’t catch him. He might have waited for a shift change, or something, when they weren’t paying as much attention.”

  “They weren’t watching in the right place, Murphy! Any idiot would know that this guy isn’t going to just walk in the front door! I can’t be everywhere at the same time. I have to depend upon other departments. And your remark about the shift change, do you think he knew about the surveillance?”

  “Yes, and I know you do also, or you wouldn’t be tracking down O’Reilly right now.”

  “We know the ex is a cop. Could he possibly have infiltrated our ranks this quickly? Could he actually be one of us?”

  “You must be reading my mind again, Peterson. That’s exactly what I’m afraid of. Think about it. New people transfer in all the time from other cities. It isn’t as difficult as trying to get on the force for the first time, with no experience. Here comes the CSU guy with the letter.”

  “Hi, Detective Peterson, could you please open this with gloves on, and give it right back to me when you’re done. There were no prints on the envelope, but you never know, we might get lucky on the letter.”

  “That’s providing he got careless, which he never does. Thanks, Jim, you can wait right here. Got some gloves?”

  He gave her the gloves and waited. She realized her hands were shaking, as she tried to open the envelope. It was closed with sealing wax that had a rose stamped into it. The envelope and paper looked old like parchment. She unfolded the letter and read the one short paragraph.

  “You have taken away my love. From now on this will be our anniversary, and every new body will be dedicated to you. Be careful how you treat others. I will be watching.”

  She was in a state of shock. Murphy had been reading over her shoulder. He grabbed the letter out of her hands and gave it back to Jim, telling him that they would need copies, ASAP! Then he took Laura by the hand and walked her to the car. “Let’s get out of here. He may be watching, and you don’t want to show weakness.”

  Laura got in the car and let him drive. He took her to a quiet coffee shop and made her go inside and sit down. After their coffee had been delivered, he took her hand in his and spoke softly. “Are you going to be okay?”

  Her hands were shaking so hard that she didn’t dare pick up her mug. “He’s after me and knows who I am, Murphy. He knew that I would be there today. How did he know that? Is he really watching me? He could be anyone in our precinct!” She pulled her hand away quickly. “He could be you or Burns!”

  “Whoa, hold on there! I know that you’re scared and really freaked out right now, but don’t let it destroy your sense of direction and trust. You’ve known Burns for years, so he couldn’t have slipped off to have an affair in another city. And the only thing he stalks is a meatball sub. I may be new to this department, but I’ve lived in this city all of my life, with no recent detours. You’re looking for someone who moved here within the last year. Think about it, Tamara lived here six months, and she has been missing for another seven. That gives us a time line to go on. You’ll be more logical, after the initial shock wears off.”

  She put her head down on the table and sobbed for awhile. Dan knew enough to just be there for her, and let her cry it out. When she raised her head up again, she looked directly into his eyes. “Dan, I will not let this guy win!”

  “There’s the boss I fear! You know that you’re not alone in this, Laura. You have friends who care for you, and they will help you every step of the way. I think the first thing we should do is bring Captain Rutledge in on this.”

  The look she gave him was extremely resentful. “Because now you think I’m a baby for crying, and I can’t handle myself? You know, it’s only the fictional lady cops on television who always have perfect hair, run in high heels and never cry!”

  “No, silly woman! This is a direct threat, and we are following the department protocol on threats. Need I quote the section to you about notifying your superior officer?”

  She realized that she was being irrational. “You must think I’m acting like some scared little girl right now.”

  “I think you are human and acting like a woman who has been through a horrific six months with this guy. You have a right to be concerned for yourself, as well as all the other women in this city. He just told you that he’s not going to stop.”

  “Not unless we stop him!”

  He didn’t want to upset her, but he had to say it. “You seem to have a great fear of letting people know that you’re vulnerable. It takes more courage to admit that you need some help, than to stand there stubbornly and try to do it all on your own.”

  “It comes from my childhood. My father used to beat us every day over something. In my head, the only way I could win was to not let him know that he got to me. That’s why I became a cop, to get the guys who pick on the innocent and helpless. I can’t let this guy know he got to me, or he will win!”

  “This killer is a worthless scumbag, who isn’t winning no matter what he does. He’s brutally murdering women to avenge whatever war he has going on in his head. You will catch him and make him pay for his actions. Although, personally, I don’t think our penal codes have a proper punishment for his crimes.”

  “Thanks, Dan, for getting me out of there when you did and putting things in perspective for me. These cases have brought up a side of me that I like to keep buried.”

  “You can’t be the tough guy all the time. Sometimes it’s just okay to be a woman, with all that encompasses, even crying. Since these are brutal crimes against women, I can understand why it’s bringing these feelings to the surface for you.”

  “How did a big, tough, Irish cop become so sensitive?”

  “Being raised by my sisters helped. They used to complain to me about their problems with boys. I quickly came to realize that what women want, and what men give them, are two entirely different things. Because I grew up being loved and cared for by women, I have respect for them and their special needs and problems. Life isn’t easy for any of us, but I think, unfortunately, women have a far more perilous existence.”

  “Thanks for not judging me and letting me vent on you. You’re right! Let’s go meet with the Captain, and then get this guy off the streets!”

  Whe
n they got to the precinct, Captain Rutledge was waiting by her desk. “Where have you two been? CSU said that you left that warehouse over an hour ago!”

  “Sorry, Sir, Murphy took me for coffee, so that I could calm down.”

  “Are you alright now?”

  “Yes, Sir, I will be. I had a breakdown. You already know about the letter?”

  “I certainly do! Ralph called me as soon as he found out. What do you mean you had a breakdown?”

  “I cried. I couldn’t stop myself. The past several months just collapsed in on me all at once. Sir, I think we are dealing with someone who works on the inside. Her ex was a cop. He must be working somewhere that he can watch what’s going on and knows our next moves.”

  “I tend to agree with you on that point. O’Reilly called me after he heard that they blew the surveillance. He said my assistant called him and told him that we barricaded and secured the back of the place, so only monitor the front. He was just following what he thought were my orders. The problem is that I don’t have a direct assistant, and he didn’t get a name. Also, Detective Peterson, crying does not constitute a breakdown. You’re entitled to react. That psycho gave you a direct threat. Which brings me to my next question, what are we going to do about protecting you?”

  She looked at him defiantly. “Sir, I don’t want protection, I want to catch this guy!”

  Captain Rutledge shook his head and let out a big sigh. “That’s what I was afraid you would say. We are dealing with a ghost here, Laura. He sneaks around, gets his victim and no one who has seen him lives to tell about it. If you are correct in your assumption that the killer is someone on our force, then I wouldn’t know if I was assigning the killer to protect you! That’s unacceptable as far as I’m concerned. We need to start to narrow this down. I’m ordering a readout of all male personnel who have transferred to this city during the last fifteen months. In the mean time, I don’t want you to go anywhere without either Burns or Murphy accompanying you and letting me know where you are. Do I make myself clear?”