I arrived at the police station in less than half an hour. Brandon was eager to tell me what the police had discovered. “We found the body of the dead laundry worker in a large duffel bag. The bag was securely tied and thrown into a large bin of dirty clothes and bed linens to be washed. Someone in that area noticed a strange smell coming from the bin. We also identified the Colonel’s accomplice as Malcolm Brewster. He was recently hired as a security guard. He was found outside the jail in back of the building. Security personnel located his body in the dumpster.”
“I suppose you found the special keys to exit the maximum-security isolation block on him.”
“Yes.”
“Did you find anything else?”
“No, but security cameras did capture a single man dressed like a laundry worker leaving the parking lot. The man on surveillance videotape was clearly seen, casually walking away from the jail at about the time of the Colonel’s escape. The man had his back to the camera.”
“You think he was the Colonel?” I asked.
“Yes, I do. Everyone else in that department was accounted for.”
The Colonel’s accomplice, Malcolm Brewster, was seen on surveillance tape making numerous visits to the isolation block where the Colonel and Caroline were held. It came as no surprise, in learning that Brewster had experience operating surveillance video camera equipment. The police lab eventually determined that Brewster’s fingerprints were found on the camera equipment that was tampered with in the main control room. The wily Colonel must’ve promised Brewster a king’s ransom in helping him escape. I was intrigued with how the Colonel got this man to cooperate.
The name of the dead laundry worker was Bryden Merrill. He’d been a trusted and dedicated laundry worker for many years. Brandon was planning to attend his funeral. He asked me if I wanted to attend, but I bowed out. The Colonel was still on the loose, and I didn’t want to take any unnecessary chances. Soon I left the police station and returned to my home where Angie was patiently waiting. We shared a sweet and tender moment with a glass of Bordeaux.
These discoveries shared with me at the jail confirmed my theory about the Colonel’s escape. It was clear this devious devil insisted on leaving no witnesses. I wondered where the Colonel was. He had to be hiding somewhere. One thought was his old abandoned house in Chilblain. That house had been abandoned for several months. I was sure by now it looked haunted, with overgrown shrubs and high grass everywhere. I decided to check it out.
The next morning, I asked Brandon if he and some of his men would be willing to accompany me to go out there. He agreed. The trip to Chilblain was planned for early the next day. I spent time with Angie at home. We played Scrabble and listened to music. After dinner, I helped Angie with the chores in the kitchen, then we watched some television. After a while, we went to bed.
We cuddled together in bed like sweethearts, sharing intimate secrets. The bedroom was our special place. Here we could unwind and feel at ease with each other. We even shared difficult conversations about parenthood. These discussions produced painful and mixed feelings for me. Circumstances had changed since the days when I worked in the Bureau. I was now independently wealthy thanks to my uncle’s inheritance. Sometimes I thought I might make a good father, despite the relationship I had with my father. I had undergone significant emotional changes, and now felt content with my life. I considered seeing a specialist to find out if my sterile condition would likely ever change. If not, I’m sure there were other options available, like adoption. Angie reminded me that there’d be plenty of time to do everything that we wanted, including parenthood. I felt reassured by her loving words.
I awoke early the next day and ate a little breakfast. Brandon and several officers arrived at my home to greet me. I introduced the officers to my wife, who had baked some fresh muffins for us to take on the trip. I think everyone liked that. I left Highgate with the officers, headed for Chilblain. We drove there in two unmarked cars. For personal protection, I always carried my gun when I went out in public. If the Colonel tried to kill me in the street, at least I’d be able to defend myself. I never felt afraid of walking the crowded streets of the city, even late at night.
It took about an hour to reach the Colonel’s house. The two unmarked cars screeched to a halt in the long driveway, parked, and officers ran out and surrounded the house with guns drawn. The thick overgrown bushes and high grass really did make it look like a haunted house. Brandon and I exited our vehicle and walked up to the front door. Surprisingly, it was unlocked. I distinctly remembered that this door was locked when we took the Colonel to jail. Evidently someone had been here since then. Before entering the house, I thoroughly examined that lock, then rejoined the others inside the house.
The dark interior, with shades drawn, looked exactly as it did many months ago. I remembered the vivid and terrifying image of the Colonel as he tried to shoot me. The living room was cleaned up from the commotion of the Colonel’s capture, and all of his treasured objects had been removed and put away in safe storage. Since that time, detectives and forensic units had gone through the entire house looking for evidence. Brandon and I checked every inch of the house, searching for the Colonel. There was no trace of him anywhere, unless he was hiding behind some secret panel in the walls. I thought it might be a good idea to keep the house under police surveillance. If the Colonel did make a guest appearance, I wanted the police ready to capture him. With nothing more to accomplish, we drove back to police headquarters. Several officers stayed at the house, working in shifts to watch for him. I didn’t think my former boss was stupid enough to return to his home, but in case he did, we’d get him.
On the way back to headquarters, I had an open and honest discussion with my friend. “Brandon, I know he’s somewhere in the city. I can feel it.”
“That may be true, but, where is he?”
“I honestly don’t know. All I know is the Colonel is a fool and very arrogant. He’s out there, waiting for his chance to kill me. He may be wandering around the city in disguise.”
“What if he is?”
“It’s just that he’ll be harder to find. In his own way, the Colonel is very clever. He’ll come after me in his own good time, but he won’t wait forever. He’ll wait until the odds are more in his favor.”
“Why doesn’t he just escape the city and be done with it? I’m sure he has money hidden away somewhere. He could leave the city and easily hide anywhere in the world,” the Captain said.
“The Colonel has a score to settle with me. For someone like the Colonel to be humiliated is a personal affront. He doesn’t like to admit that he was outsmarted. I’m positive he’ll seek revenge for that humiliation.”
Soon we arrived downtown at police headquarters. One of the officers drove me home. When I arrived home, I was surprised to find my wife entertaining guests from the Wilshire Club. I was greeted by Angie as I entered the main living area. “Jimmy, I’ve waited patiently for you to arrive. I want you to meet some of my friends from the Wilshire Club.” My wife took me by the hand and introduced me to her guests. “Mimi, this is my husband, James Watson.”
“I’ve heard so much about you,” she said. “Your kind and generous support of our efforts to help the poor and homeless living in this city have become legendary. You’ve taken over so generously where your uncle left off.”
“Mimi, it is indeed a pleasure to meet you. My wife tells me that you head one of the most important organizations helping the homeless people of our great city. This, as you know, is a charitable act of giving that I wholeheartedly support. I’m most appreciative of all the work that this great organization is doing to help people in need.”
I stopped talking for a moment and was abruptly pulled by my wife into another room. “Come here, darling, I want you to meet some of my other friends,” my wife said.
“I will, dear, all in good time. Did the mail come?”
“It arrived earlier today.”
I went into my stud
y and quickly glanced through the mail. It was the usual stuff, nothing unexpected or out of the ordinary. After several minutes, Angie walked in. “I forgot to tell you that a package came for you today by special delivery. It’s over there on the table.”
“Thank you.” After a moment, she left my study and returned to entertain her friends in the main living area. I walked over to the table and looked at that small package with deepening suspicion. “Angie,” I called out loudly, “please come in here.”
She entered my study. “What is it?”
“When did this package arrive?”
My wife looked puzzled. “It came early this afternoon by the post.”
“Did you happen to notice who the mail carrier was?”
“He didn’t look familiar to me, but there are so many of them.”
“I’m sorry, but I must ask your friends to leave at once. There’s nothing to panic about, but they all must leave now.” My wife looked frightened but did as I told her. In less than ten minutes the apartment was cleared and empty. I called Brandon and asked him to send the bomb squad to my apartment. I didn’t like the looks of that small package. Angie and I decided to wait in the street.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Within minutes, the bomb squad arrived at Highgate and entered the building. Soon Brandon arrived. I told him about the package in my study. I said I thought it might contain explosives. He went into the building and spoke to Doug Russel from the bomb squad. Angie and I patiently waited outside for any news. Finally, the Captain exited my building and walked over to where we were standing.
“You were right in being suspicious of that package. It was from Colonel Richards,” the Captain said.
“How do you know that?”
He handed me the opened package. “Here, see for yourself.”
Inside the box was shredded, thick newspaper and a note. The note read as follows: “Fooled you again, Jimboy. Maybe next time.”
“See, I’m right. The Colonel is not only in the city, but he’s attempting to terrorize us right where we live. Brandon, for God’s sake, can’t you see how this man’s mind works? I know this monster and what he’s capable of.”
“You could’ve been killed today. Please accept police protection. Next time, he may try to hurt Angie.”
“Angie is a strong woman. We’ve been through a lot together. I’ll protect her, but in my own way. If you send police officers here to protect me and my wife, the Colonel will never show. He may even try to kill Angie. We will not live like prisoners in our own home.”
“But Jimmy, please!” he said, but I still refused. After a while, he left with his men. The crowd of onlookers slowly left the area, and Angie and I went back inside our home.
When we were inside the apartment, I had a talk with my wife. “Angie, I know how difficult this must be for you. To live with this kind of fear must be enormously stressful and emotionally taxing. I plan to catch this killer, even though I realize it’ll probably take a toll on both of us. I won’t allow this man to hold us prisoners in our own home. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“What can we do?”
“I don’t fear for myself; it’s you that I’m worried about. I’ve decided to hire people to protect you as you go about your daily business. You’ll have an armed security officer who will accompany you wherever you go in the city.”
“What about you?”
“I have my gun and wits about me. I’ll be safe until Colonel Richards is caught. He may even be captured before he becomes a danger to either of us. I promise that no harm will come to you from this evil man.” My wife smiled and walked into her office to complete a project she was doing for the city.
I went into my study for further contemplation. How long would the Colonel wait before trying to kill me or Angie? It was Angie that I was afraid for. She was so loving and trusting of people, and innocent of the workings of the criminal mind. I called Brandon from my study. “I’ve changed my mind. I want one police officer to accompany my wife everywhere she goes in the city. I want that officer to be a woman, one of your finest.”
“I’ll send two of my best officers to your home tomorrow.”
“Just send one officer to protect my wife. What I told you before still stands.”
“Why are you being so stubborn? This man wants to kill you. We have every available man in the force hunting him down. Let us do our job.”
“I told you before that I’ll get this guy, but in my own way. I’ve studied his behavior. He is cunning and very dangerous. Please respect my wishes. I believe that soon he’ll come for me.” I said goodbye and hung up the phone.
The next day a female officer was sent to Highgate to protect my wife. I hired a personal assistant to do the food shopping and other necessary chores until Colonel Richards was either killed or captured. I felt confident that now he’d stop at nothing to get revenge on me.
Meanwhile, while all this was playing out, I planned Caroline’s funeral arrangements. I tried contacting her brother Daniel in Switzerland, but he was nowhere to be found. Apparently, he’d left that country soon after Caroline was jailed for the Shadow Stalker killings. I arranged a simple burial and service in the Jackson Hill Cemetery, near her apartment. I remembered driving by this cemetery many times on my way to visit her. When the trees were stripped of their leaves in the colder months, the cemetery was visible from her living room windows. Those large bay windows provided such a panoramic view of the city. I remembered the wonderful times I shared with Caroline in her apartment.
The service and burial for Caroline was a graveside affair. There were several people in attendance, including myself. After the mourners left the cemetery, I stayed for a few minutes to make peace with the woman I once loved. During our long relationship, I knew her as a gentle and loving spirit who brought happiness into my life. This was the woman who helped integrate my heart and mind. I stood above her grave and silently prayed for her soul, but I didn’t shed a tear. I couldn’t. Instead, I asked the Lord to have mercy on her soul. I threw a small handful of dirt into her grave and left the cemetery. I returned home to my wife, sharing the painful memories of the day. She tried to comfort me as I wept for my former girlfriend. Tears and memories flooded my mind. I felt angry that Caroline betrayed my trust, but in her death, I had finally accepted it. I realized that now I was home and at peace. This home was the temple of love I built for myself and lovely new bride, and it was destined to last forever.
The next morning, we got up early. Angie prepared a breakfast of hot cereal, fresh fruit and assorted goodies. After breakfast, I read the newspaper. The phone rang. It was Brandon. It was good to hear his cheery voice. “Hello, Brandon, how have you been?”
“I’ve been fine. I just called to see how things were going with Officer Blakemore. Janice is one of the finest female officers we have on the force.”
“Janice is working out very well. My wife likes her and she’s really good at what she does. You know, it occurred to me that the Colonel may have decided that the price of vengeance is too high. It’s been weeks since he escaped. No one has seen or heard from him. I’m beginning to think he may have left the city.”
“Don’t let your guard down. I still have a small army of law enforcement personnel searching for him. I’m sure he’ll be captured.”
“I appreciate your efforts in trying to find and capture this killer. Anyway, I’m sure the hunt will wear him down. The massive dragnet combing the city has to be taking its toll on him. The more time that passes, the more likely he’ll be seen and jailed. The Colonel is only marginally brilliant; he can’t hide indefinitely. He won’t let this drag out much longer. Besides, he’s probably in disguise to elude capture, and he may still be getting help from an unidentified source.
“The Colonel is a smart man. I feel that he’s already made plans for his escape. From the beginning, he’s been pressured to make those plans under the growing threat of capture. He cannot come and go as he pleases. Al
l of the conventional means of exiting the city are being closely monitored. He must carefully consider every move he makes. He’ll make a mistake; I’m sure of it. Besides, I’m positive he’s getting help, even now. Someone entered his house in Chilblain. That house was locked up tight when the investigation there was completed. When we recently searched his house looking for him, the front door had been opened by someone. I was sure of this when I examined the lock. I’m convinced someone used a key to enter his front door. This person may be an unknown accomplice. We must consider that there may be others involved as well.”
“I don’t know what to think anymore. The sooner we get this lunatic in jail the better,” the Captain said.
“You’re right. Don’t worry, it won’t be long now,” I said. After some brief additional conversation, I wished him a good day and hung up the phone.
Several more weeks passed in quiet reflection, with no word on the Colonel or his whereabouts. The stress of waiting for him to make his move was taking its toll on my emotions. The police had an army of law enforcement personnel combing the city, searching for him. I began to wonder if he’d already left the city. Perhaps he had decided it was too risky to kill me. Then I thought about his determined arrogance. I remembered how he bombed the T5 subway train, even with Caroline locked up in jail and charged with those crimes. This arrogant fool would come after me. Why not? He was probably hiding and waiting for his chance. He’d wait for the perfect opportunity. This was the killer I knew so well.
I decided to stop thinking about death and the Colonel. I got dressed and went outside for a walk in Colgate Park. There were many people walking and children playing in the open areas. I walked along, recalling the memories of how this park meant so much to me as a boy. I felt comfortable here, observing people and nature. It was my sanctuary and escape from the overwhelming movement of city life. This park was nothing like the vast beauty of the Cathedral of the Pines, but it still provided daily relief, being minutes away from my apartment. I lingered a bit longer, then returned to Highgate.
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