Splintered (Mike Campbell Series Book 1)

by Rosemary Wilson

Mike headed off to work with a clear mind for the first time since this case began. He was looking forward to comparing the lists compiled by Max and Officer Simonson.

  Several hours later the three officers looked at each other across a table strewn with papers. Because of the geographical separation between the two households, they didn’t find any place where they had crossed paths.

  Officer Simonson was disappointed. “I wasn’t expecting a major breakthrough, but I was hoping there would be some connection, no matter how tenuous.”

  “We’ll have to start from scratch and re-interview the neighbors in both areas. Maybe there’s someone who might know both families”, Max said. “Have you had McGinley’s shirt checked for DNA?”

  “We did send it to the lab. We’re waiting for a report.”

  “We’re not sure our victim was meant to be killed,” Max said. “We know there was DNA on Flanders’ shirt where he was dragged downstairs. I would be surprised if our guy made the same mistake with your victim. He seems to be evolving and not making the same mistake twice. We’ll check with Dr. Dougherty to see if he can determine whether the same weapons were used on both victims, since we know there was a knife and hand ax missing from the Flanders’ house.”

  “I’ll let you know when I get the report on the shirt. Meantime, we’re searching the McGinley house again to make sure we didn’t miss anything.

  “Will you let me know if Dr. Dougherty can tie a single weapon to both crimes,” Detective Davis?”

  “If you don’t mind, why don’t we get on a first-name basis because it looks like we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other. I’m Max, and this is Mike.”

  “Henry, but call me Hank. Everyone does.”

  “Okay Hank. We’ll let you know if we hear anything.”

  Mike headed back to their office with Max as Hank left to check on the investigation at the McGinley house.

  As they settled behind their desks, they were summoned to Lt. Harper’s office for an update.

  Lt. Harper didn’t waste any time asking them for an update.

  “Not a whole lot to report Lieutenant,” Max said. “Officer Simonson just left. We didn’t find any place or anyone in Lancaster County that the McGinleys and Flanders had in common. We’re going to start re-interviewing the neighbors in both areas to see if maybe one of them knew both families.”

  “Sounds like a longshot to me. What have you heard from the coroner?”

  Max took the lead in updating his Lieutenant. “McGinley died the same way Flanders did, his carotid artery was severed and he bled to death. The hands were removed post-mortem. He did have several pre-mortem facial bruises, once again, the same as Flanders. We’re waiting to see if Dr. Dougherty can determine whether the same weapons were used in both homicides. Officer Simonson has sent Mr. McGinley’s shirt to the lab to check for DNA. He hasn’t received a report yet.

  “We should be getting the DNA results on Flanders’ shirt shortly. When we get it we’ll run it through the national DNA database. Mr. Powers has voluntarily agreed to give a DNA sample. That’s pretty much where we stand.”

  “So we have no idea how these two murders are connected?”

  Mike decided to answer that question. “One connection is the way they died and how they were mutilated. The other is the fact both men abused their wives and in the Flanders case Sandy had just asked for a divorce. Mrs. McGinley returned from a weekend with her parents and intended to move out and file for divorce, but her husband didn’t know it at the time of his death. I’m thinking it’s the abusive behavior that’s the key. It’s more important than ever to find the connection between the two cases so we can prevent a third.”

  The Lieutenant looked concerned. “Do you think there’s going to be more attacks?”

  Max nodded his head and said, “I’d be willing to bet the only way these murders will stop is by catching the killer. If I was a man who liked to treat my wife like a punching bag, I’d be very worried right now.”

  Mike looked at his partner and once again was surprised by the comment because it wasn’t the first time Max had shown a kind of dark humor. Lt. Harper raised an eyebrow, and said, “I have a meeting with the chief this afternoon. He’s not going to be happy we have a potential serial killer loose in the county and no leads.”

  “Until we can make the connection, we don’t have much to go on, lieutenant”, Mike said. “Can we keep a lid on the publicity? The newspaper is running daily articles on the killings and the local news shows have a blurb about them on every broadcast. I thought it might help to jog someone’s memory, but that hasn’t happened. We are concerned Jason Flanders might try and use the internet to stir the pot. We should probably have one of the tech guys keep an eye on LancasterOnLine, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.”

  “You know as well as I do Campbell when the media has a hot story they won’t let it go. We’re doing what we can to manage the information, but don’t lose sight of the fact many of these people are good investigative reporters. The chief has a good rapport with both the print and TV reporters and has asked them to forward any information they get before sharing it with the public. We already have someone checking the internet, which will be much more difficult to oversee. We won’t be able to prevent something from being posted. We’ll always be working on damage control.”

  “Do you think the reporters will cooperate?” asked Max.

  “Time will tell. I would hope we come up with the information first because we have more resources than the reporters. Okay guys, get back to work.”

  They returned to their desks knowing they didn’t have much time to find the person who seemed to be determined to rid Lancaster County of abusive husbands.

  CHAPTER 35

  Mike had been awake for hours and was up to his eyeballs in boxes and bubble wrap. He was surprised when his doorbell rang because he wasn’t expecting anyone, but smiled widely when he saw it was Joe.

  “Hi Buzz. Got a cup of coffee for a working man?”

  “It’s Saturday. Don’t you get a day off?”

  “Not when your next door neighbor calls and asks to have an estimate done for some major work. Emphasis on major.”

  “I should have known Rose wouldn’t waste any time getting in touch with you. They asked me the other night for your number. I thought they were interested in some updates to the kitchen. How major is major?”

  “They want to start with the kitchen. New everything. They realize they can’t increase the size, but Rose says the kitchen is ‘just right’ for her. They’re also interested in getting some quotes on the bathroom, increasing the size of their bedroom and adding a master bath.”

  “Wow. They said they wanted to redesign the kitchen, but didn’t mention the other rooms.”

  “Rose told me they’ve wanted to do something for years, but didn’t have the money until they won the lottery. I’m going to work on several options for them, but it looks like I could be working next door for most of the summer.”

  “You’ll probably be long-gone each day before I get home, especially if we don’t make some headway on these murders.”

  “Sounds like you’re frustrated.”

  “Whoever is committing these murders is covering all his tracks. The only evidence he’s left behind is DNA on Dave Flanders’ shirt. Nothing in the CODIS database though, so we’ve got a suspect who can’t be identified.”

  “Now you know why I work in construction. Any surprises that pop up can be managed with money and ingenuity. Mysteries are rare and usually have to do with the history of the building. The biggest variable is dealing with people. They know what they want, but often can’t express it. Or they’ve been watching the decorating shows and want top of the line everything. The best money I ever spent was on the computer program so I can input their ideas and show them what the finished product can look like. Then I have to try and keep them from making too many changes so I can keep them on budget. Now that’s a challenge!”


  During the conversation, Mike managed to find another coffee mug in one of the boxes and filled it for Joe, who liked his coffee black. Relaxing in the living room, Joe asked Mike about his packing.

  “Well, my friendly neighbors suggested if I kept my hands busy, it might free up my mind, so I decided to take step one in the ‘great demolition’. I’m almost finished emptying the upper cabinets. Guess I’ll be living out of boxes and nuking my dinners for months. Here’s the plan I drew up the other night. Will it be possible for me to get your contractor’s discount if I find cabinets and counter tops I like?”

  “Not a problem. By the way, Rose asked if you would go with them when they pick out their cabinets because she wants to make sure they don’t buy the same ones you do.”

  “That’s so like Rose, but I have no doubt their budget will allow them to buy the cabinets they want. My choice will be what I can afford. When do you think you’ll get started on their kitchen?”

  “I have a small job to do next week, so it will probably be the week after.”

  “Okay, let me know when you go shopping with them and I’ll try and free up the time to go with you.”

  “Good. Now what’s happening with Sandy’s decision to scatter Dave’s ashes?”

  “She’s just waiting for you to give her a date. I haven’t talked to her in over a week because of problems Jason is creating.”

  “Sounds interesting. He always could stir the pot. What’s he up to now?”

  “He’s suggesting that Sandy was having an affair and it was her reasons for wanting a divorce. Her lover was angry when Dave attacked her and he removed Dave from the scene.”

  Mike saw the surprise on Joe’s face as he asked, “Let me guess. You’re the vindictive lover?”

  “Bingo.”

  “I thought you hadn’t seen Sandy or Dave since graduation.”

  “I hadn’t until the night of her attack. It’s like facts have no bearing on the way Jason views events.”

  “That’s why you haven’t talked to her?”

  “Yeah. Lt. Harper believes me, but he and the chief don’t want any whiff of impropriety to damage the case, the Bureau or me.”

  “Won’t this last murder kinda take you off the hook for that?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure out what I’m missing. I have a gut feeling about this, but I haven’t been able to pin down what’s bothering me.”

  “With your awesome memory, it’s not a matter of remembering what’s bothering you, but identifying what doesn’t fit. You’ll eventually get it. I’ve lost enough games to you over the years. The only chance I ever had was when we both played something for the first time. After that, you relied on your crazy memory to know exactly how I would react to a given scenario. That, my friend, is why I don’t play anything with you. I’ve lost enough money and I’m quite content to sit on the sidelines as you dismantle some other poor sucker.”

  Mike smiled at Joe’s observation. He had managed to earn lunch money every day by playing poker on the school bus. He never went hungry in four years of high school and actually managed to save a little money from his winnings in college. It also dawned on Mike, Joe might have inadvertently helped him with his current nagging problem. He’d have to run it past his father tomorrow.

  “Is your tape measure on your belt?”

  “You have to ask? “ Joe queried as he unhooked it. “I carry a tape the same way you carry a cell phone. What measurements do you need?”

  “Upper and lower cabinets. For the most part, I want the same arrangement, but I’d like to see if we can squeeze a floor to ceiling cabinet for mops and other cleaning stuff.”

  “I’m at your disposal.”

  Joe got his laptop out of his car and they spent the next hour measuring and playing with different layouts to fit in the new cabinet Mike wanted.

  CHAPTER 36

  While Mike and Joe were working on the plans for Mike’s new kitchen, Jason Flanders was meeting with his lawyer and making plans of his own.

  Tom Wyatt took a seat in Jason’s office and remarked, “What’s up, Jason? Whenever you call me to meet you here, I know you’re planning something.”

  Jason was ensconced behind his huge desk which, as usual, was devoid of papers. He gave Tom the same look he had when Jason first called about Dave’s troubles – a no-nonsense, do it my way or else look. “I’m not ‘up to’ anything, Tom. I am merely seeking your legal advice without your whole office knowing I’m consulting you.”

  Tom’s ‘whole office’ consisted of a receptionist and a paralegal, so Tom knew there was an ulterior motive for this meeting.

  “So what legal advice do you need, Jason?”

  “I’m thinking about filing a wrongful death suit against my daughter-in-law.”

  Of all the things Tom could have imagined Jason saying, that wasn’t even in the top 100. His surprise must have shown on his face because Jason asked “Do you have a problem?”

  “I don’t have a problem with it. I’m just wondering what your evidence is to tie Sandy to Dave’s death. As I recall she had just gotten out of the hospital recovering from a knife wound - a wound inflicted by Dave. I would think if anyone had a reason for a lawsuit it would be Sandy.”

  “I can see she has you fooled too. My daughter-in-law is not without fault in this mess. It’s because of her my son is dead.”

  “Jason, she’s a victim, the same as Dave was a victim.”

  “No, she’s the reason he’s dead. I have reason to believe Sandy was having an affair before the night Dave assaulted her. He told me when he came home from work she asked for a divorce. Why would she suddenly decide to end the marriage unless she had someone else to go to?”

  “It’s all conjecture. Do you have any proof she was seeing someone?”

  “Why do I need proof?”

  “Because that’s the way our legal system works. You can’t just make wild accusations and damage someone’s reputation without a basis for those claims.”

  “I’m convinced Sandy’s lover is the one who killed Dave.”

  “And do you think this mythical lover also killed the McGinley man? And if so, why?”

  “It could be to make the police look in a different direction. After all, her lover is a policeman.”

  Tom couldn’t hide his surprise when he said, “What? Do you know for a fact she was romantically involved with a cop?”

  “Isn’t it convenient how quickly Mike Campbell arrived at the house the night Sandy was stabbed? Isn’t it also convenient he was in charge of the investigation and was the one to find Dave’s body? There are too many coincidences.”

  “So what are you insinuating, Mike Campbell killed Dave?”

  “Makes sense doesn’t it? He’s mad at Dave for almost killing his lover, so he decides to get revenge. Since he’s one of the investigating officers, he can direct the investigation any way he wants. I went to the mayor and demanded those two officers be removed from the investigation. I told him I thought it was unethical for either one of them to be investigating something they probably were part of.”

  Tom stared at this man he had known and worked with for almost 20 years. He had done Jason’s bidding even when he thought it might be a little over the line. When he represented Dave for the attack on Sandy, he truly believed it had been an accident until Detective Davis started asking questions. Now Jason had concocted a bizarre story in which his daughter-in-law was not a victim, but the cause of her husband’s death. Tom wasn’t willing to walk down that road.

  “Listen Jason, you have to watch what you say to people, especially someone like the mayor. There are slander laws in this country. I understand you’re grieving for Dave, but coming up with these ridiculous ideas can have far-reaching negative results. Think of your businesses. What do you think will happen to the reputation of your car dealership if people believe you wrongfully accused someone of something they didn’t do?”

  “I don’t care
what people think about me. I haven’t gotten to where I am by concerning myself with what people think.”

  “But you’ve always been honest in your dealings, even if they could be viewed as harsh.”

  “I didn’t invite you here for a lecture, Tom. I want to know if I can file this suit.”

  As the conversation proceeded, Tom was desperately trying to think of a way to keep Jason from making a big mistake. “I don’t believe you have enough evidence to go forward with a suit at this time. Let me have my private investigator look into this and see if he can find anything we can use in court.”

  “How long will it take?”

  “I don’t know, Jason, a day, a week, a month. We don’t have much for him to go on. I’m also assuming you want this done quietly?”

  “Of course. Otherwise I would go to the newspaper and have them look into it.”

  “Promise me you won’t do that. I’ll talk to Chuck on Monday and ask him to begin immediately. I’ll tell him to give me daily updates. His fees are reasonable, so can I have him send the bills directly to you?”

  “Yes. Let him know there will be a bonus if he comes up with enough evidence to prove Sandy is responsible for Dave’s death.”

  “I’ll give you a call Monday after I talk to Chuck. Don’t do or say anything about this to anyone. Remember, Jason, you can’t just accuse someone of something because you want it to be true. Let’s give Chuck time to do his thing. He’s very good at what he does.”

  “I heard you the first time, Tom. Just get it done.”

  As Tom left the house, he was truly concerned for Jason’s mental health. Dave’s death and Sarah filing for divorce were events Jason couldn’t control, and he was all about control. He would talk to Chuck Boyd about looking into Jason’s accusations, but he had a gut feeling Chuck would be on a wild goose chase.

  CHAPTER 37

  Mike arrived at his parent’s house on Sunday just before 4:00 p.m. with steaks and a bottle of cabernet in hand. His mom, who was super curious about his visit, gave Mike a hug and kiss, laid the steaks out on a platter and told Mike to open the wine so it could “breathe”. “Where’s dad?” he asked.