by Robin Mahle
“I don’t see a car in the driveway.” Kate peered through the windshield as they rolled to a stop in front of the small, Craftsman-style home that had been neglected over the years. “You think she’s here?”
“I don’t know. She might not own a car.” Sharpe opened his door and began to step out. “There’s only one way to find out.”
Kate checked her sidearm and exited the vehicle, moving closer to Sharpe. “You said she was pretty freaked out when she saw that guy. You think she’ll talk to us?”
“God, I hope so. She’s the only one who can tell us what the killer looks like. We need to make her feel safe and protected.” Sharpe reached the front porch and pulled open the screen door to knock. “Raquel Garcia? This is Detective Sharpe, LAPD. Can you open the door?” He glanced at Kate while they waited and listened for movement inside the home.
Several moments had passed and Kate shook her head. Sharpe extended his hand, suggesting she should try.
“Raquel, my name is Agent Reid with the FBI. We just want to talk to you about the other day. It’ll just take a minute. Please, Raquel. It’s very important.”
They almost gave up when Kate spotted one of the front window curtains pull back just a hair. She turned to Sharpe and revealed a thin smile. Within moments, the dead bolt unlocked and the door opened a crack.
“Raquel Garcia? I’m Agent Reid. May we talk to you?” She turned to Sharpe. “You remember Detective Sharpe?”
“How did you find me?”
“Well, miss, you called the news station. They tracked the number back to you.”
“You can’t be here.” Raquel’s eyes darted back and forth. “You have to go—now.”
“Raquel, we just need to ask you to come back down to the station and meet with a forensic artist so we can get a better idea of the man you saw the other night. The man who might have killed that other young woman?”
Raquel closed her eyes. “If I agree, will you leave?”
“Yes, of course. But we can protect you, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Sharpe said.
“Maybe you can protect me, but you can’t protect mi familia. You think showing up here is helping anything?” She cast her eyes beyond them once again, in search of anyone who might be witnessing the exchange. “Look, I can come back today after work. I can’t miss another day ‘cause I’ll get fired, okay? So I can’t go with you now.”
“Okay. What time so that we can make sure we’re back at the station?” Sharpe asked.
“Six o’clock. I get off at five, but I gotta take the bus down there.”
“Thank you, Raquel. We know how hard this will be for you, but you’re doing a good thing,” Kate said.
“You don’t know shit, lady. I said I’d come and I will—later. Now please leave.” She closed the door.
The two began walking back to the car.
“Looks like me being a woman didn’t help as much as you thought.”
“You got her to open the door.”
♦ ♦ ♦
Agent Vasquez had come through with a few juicy details, Dwight saw as he read her email. “My agent in D.C. got back to me with a few things.” He made his way to Sergeant Moore’s desk. “Looks like we got a few bad guys on there, but nothing that makes me think they’re anyone worth looking at.”
Moore reached for the sheet of paper in Dwight’s hand. “Why not?” He began to review the names.
“They’re in the system for robbery homicide. Two were paroled a couple years back and one just went back inside. Used a disguise to hold up a jewelry store. He was caught on surveillance. Wore a mask too but ended up killing one of the employees. Anyway, no other sheets on anyone else.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s not on here.”
“No, it doesn’t. Just means we’re going to have to look a little deeper. Anything on your end?”
“No. Most of these were purchased around Halloween. Guess blonde male wigs are popular for costumes.”
“Should we consider cash buyers? It’d make sense. Guys like this—blatantly displaying their handiwork—they don’t make mistakes like using credit cards.”
“Maybe you’re right, but we need to keep looking. At least until Sharpe can get to that girl. Get her to give us a better description. We need that to compare to any surveillance videos we get from the stores. Otherwise, we’re still shooting in the dark.”
“We’re shooting in the dark with these names. Without a face, any one of these people, male at least, could be the guy we’re looking for.”
“Yep. We’re just hoping it’s someone with a record to make it easier on us.”
“Worst case, Sharpe doesn’t get anywhere with the girl, we’re gonna be knocking on some doors to see for ourselves. I need to check in with my team. I’ll be back in ten.”
Moore nodded and Dwight went on his way, back through the impressive building and over to Sharpe’s office.
“Dwight, hey.” Kate had just emerged from beyond the corridor. “I was just coming to see how things were going. We just got back.”
“Any luck with the girl?”
“I think so. She’s coming in around six, after her shift, to talk.”
“Good. We need her to give us more to go on.”
“Not much luck with the names?”
“Not yet. It’s a hell of a long list, but we’re working through it. Good guys over here.”
“They are. Have you seen Nick?”
“Not since this morning.” Dwight scanned the area. “Last I heard, he was with the captain, trying to appease the beast.”
Kate chuckled. “I saw him briefly as we were leaving, but that was about an hour ago. Wonder if I should try to track him down?”
Dwight regarded Kate with skepticism.
“What?”
“What’s going on with you two?”
She turned her sights to the floor. “Nothing—I don’t know.”
“Kate.” He shook his head. “This isn’t the time to be hashing up whatever it is you guys have going on. People are dying out there, being put on display like some kind of freak art show.”
A flash of heat rose beneath her collar. “I know that. You think I don’t know that? What the hell, Dwight? I thought we were friends.”
“Calm down. We are friends. But I’m telling you, Nick is messed up, okay?”
“And that’s my fault?”
“Don’t pretend that the relationship between the two of you hasn’t been contentious. I work with both of you, remember? I’ve seen how he reacts to you and vice versa. Shit’s gotta end, Kate. One way or another. Both of you are stringing the other along and it’s not right and it’s not fair. To you guys or to me. And I’m sure Vasquez has picked up on it too.” He held her gaze, which seemed to grow darker by the moment. “Look, don’t get pissed at me. You know I’m right.”
“Yeah, well, looks like he’s not going to be around much longer anyway. So problem solved.” Kate turned her back on him and walked away.
“Kate. Agent Reid, hold up.” Dwight waited for her to respond, but she didn’t. She just kept walking. “God damn it.”
♦ ♦ ♦
Raquel checked the time. “Oh shit. I gotta punch out.” She approached her manager. “It’s time for me to go.”
“Okay, Rocky. Have a good night.”
She removed her hat and walked through the kitchen toward the employee locker room. With her fingers on the combination lock, she turned it until it popped open. Inside, she reached for her purse and then placed her hat on the hook. A quick change back into her regular clothes and she was ready to leave. But she’d begun to reconsider her plans.
Raquel stood still for a moment, staring at the inside of her locker. “If I don’t go, they’ll come back. They can’t come back.” A deep breath and she closed the metal door and walked through the employee exit out of the back of the restaurant. It was always nice when her head cleared from the scent of fried chicken and she could actually start smelling othe
r things, like car exhaust and smog.
She walked around to the front of the building and headed south to the nearest bus stop that would take her back to the station. As she waited, Raquel began to feel as though she was being watched. A subtle turn of her head, just enough that her eyes could see to her left. No one. Another turn to her right and a man who was twenty feet ahead pushed off the building he was leaning on and flicked his cigarette to the ground.
He began to approach.
Raquel’s heart jumped into her throat. She was alone at the stop and considered bolting but would still have to go home eventually. She looked at his wrist; he had the same mark she did on her thumb. A casual step to the left, slow and calm. And then another one.
“Hey, Rocky, where you going?”
She looked to the guy and smiled as if unaware he’d been heading her way. “Omar, what the fuck you doing here? I just got off work. I’m going home.”
“Really?” He moved to within inches of her face.
She could smell the cigarette still on his breath. “Yeah.”
“What the fuck you doing at this stop, then? You can’t get home from this bus. This bus takes you downtown.”
“I have to stop and pick up something for my moms. She has to work late and then I have to get my little brother.”
“Oh.” He nodded. “‘Cause it looks like you’re going to go see them fucking cops that came to your house today.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” She rolled her eyes and tossed her head. “Ain’t no cops come to my house.”
Omar smirked. “I fucking saw them, Rocky. What business you got with them, huh? Is it about your ex? You got some kind of beef with your ex?”
“No, I fucking told you, Omar. I gotta get some shit for my mom, okay? Shit. What’s wrong with you?”
He grabbed her arm and began to pull her alongside of him. “Don’t fucking lie to me. This ain’t no fucking joke. You know the rules.”
“I swear, Omar. I’m not talking to no cops. Let me go. You’re hurting me.”
“I’ll make sure of that.” He continued to pull her along until they reached a faded red Pontiac Grand Am. “Get in.”
“No.” She tried to wriggle from his grip.
Omar pulled a gun from his waistband and pushed it into her ribs. “Get in the fucking car, Rocky. Now!” He shoved her into the front passenger seat.
Tears began to stream down her face as she waited for him to get behind the wheel. What choice did she have now? If she tried to get out and managed to get away from him, he’d only wait at her house. He’d hurt her mom and maybe her little brother. “Fucking cops,” she cried under her breath.
♦ ♦ ♦
Sharpe walked into the communication room where Kate remained alone, still searching for the owner of the car.
She checked the time. “Is she here?”
“No. I called the number, but no one answered.” He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.
“It’s only 6:20. She’s probably just running late. Busses.” Kate noticed the look on Sharpe’s face. “You don’t think she’s coming. You think we should go back?”
“No. We’ll give it until 7:00. She doesn’t show, I might have one of the task force drive by her house. We can’t go back there.”
“Okay. I understand.” Kate watched as he backed out and closed the door behind him. There was something in his eyes that brought her concern.
Within minutes, she couldn’t take it any longer. He was thinking something and it was eating away at her. She left the room and walked toward his office, but he wasn’t there. Kate continued to the captain’s office, where she spotted Nick still working inside. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but have either of you seen Detective Sharpe?”
“’Fraid not,” the captain replied.
“Neither have I. You need something?”
“No. I’ll track him down. I just saw him a few minutes ago. Sorry for the interruption.” She continued on and checked a few other areas, but still no luck. Finally, an officer stopped her. “You looking for Sharpe?”
“Yes.”
“He’s with the Gang unit.”
“Thank you.” Kate remembered where that was located and continued to walk for a few more minutes until she finally reached the unit. She spotted him speaking with another officer whom she didn’t know by name, but had seen earlier in the day.
“Excuse me, Detective Sharpe?”
He turned to her and Kate knew. “She’s not coming, is she?”
“No, Agent Reid. She’s dead.”
The other officer turned his attention to Kate. “One of my patrols got a call. She was shot in the head and tossed out of a car. Her body was found about a mile from her house lying in the street.”
“Oh my God.” Kate stumbled back a step and covered her mouth.
“Agent Reid, don’t blame yourself.” The officer said. “It’s the nature of the business. Happens all the time around here. She was associated with a gang. Once you’re in, it’s not easy to get out.”
“Someone saw us there today.” She looked to Sharpe.
“Probably.” He walked away.
“You might be used to dealing with serial killers, Agent Reid,” the officer began. “But what we deal with around here? Might not be serial killers, but they are killers and there are a lot of them.”
CHAPTER 15
The death of the girl, and only known witness, was a blow to the investigation as much as it was to Kate, herself. Every word she’d spoken to Raquel Garcia faced fresh scrutiny in her mind. Could she have said something differently to change the outcome? Second-guessing her actions, however, wasn’t going to bring Raquel back, nor would it find her killer. That would now fall into the hands of the LAPD. So Kate did the only thing she could do and that was to bury herself deeper into the search for the person ultimately responsible.
Alone in the makeshift command center, Kate continued the task of finding the owner of the green car. It was their only real lead now, and a poor one at that. The door opened and Sharpe entered. “Agent Reid, you should call it a night. It’s getting late.”
“Are you calling it a night, detective?” She noted his expression. “I didn’t think so.”
“Look, I appreciate the work you and your team are doing to help us, but it’s time to focus our efforts on another avenue. I don’t know how much farther you’ll get trying to find the owner of a car without a plate, without a location. We’re starting to chase our tails here. I think you and your team, myself and the captain should meet and discuss our options.”
“Sure. That’s probably a good idea.” She met him at the door. “Agent Jameson is still with Sergeant Moore, and Scarborough, I think, might still be with the captain. He said they had a conference call with the mayor.”
“Let’s round them up and have a talk.” Sharpe waited for Kate to walk into the hall. “I know what you’re thinking Agent Reid, because I’ve been thinking the same thing sitting in my office for the past hour. There’s nothing either of us could’ve done to change what happened to Raquel Garcia.”
“You sure about that?” Kate eyed him as he let the door fall shut.
“I have to be.”
♦ ♦ ♦
“I heard what happened to Miss. Garcia,” the captain began. “I’m very sorry and I’m certain Ray and Agent Reid feel they are to blame, but as Detective Sharpe is acutely aware, this is the sort of thing that often happens around here. It was no one’s fault. This young woman tried to do the right thing and it cost her her life. But we still have a case to solve. It’s been two days since the killer has acted. I’m afraid he’s probably due, given what we know of him.” The captain folded his arms across his chest. “So I’d like to ask all of you, with only a vague description of this man, minor physical evidence that has yet to prove beneficial, and now no witness; what are our options here?”
“The only good thing to come from all of this,” Sharpe began, “is that we kno
w who Raquel Garcia was. I think we now need to find out who her friends are. Find out if she confided to any of them about our killer. It’s highly probable she wasn’t alone when they crossed paths. Whoever she was with when it happened is the only one who can help us now.”
“I’ll search her online profiles: Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter. Anywhere I can find her and see who she communicated with the most,” Kate said.
“The problem I see now is that we have conflicting information.” Dwight pointed to the forensics report. “Miss. Garcia’s account doesn’t coincide with the blonde wig; an indisputable piece of evidence. We have to be certain about what this guy looks like.”
“Do you think it’s possible then that the wig belonged to the victim?” Kate asked.
“I don’t think so. Not in speaking with the family and not from what I read in the report.” Sharpe began to pace around the front of the captain’s office. “He has to be using multiple disguises. I like your idea of examining social media. She most likely wasn’t alone at the time, or she might well have been his next victim. Whoever was with her that night, that’s who we need to find. And until we do, I think we’re at a standstill.”
“Unless our unsub is getting restless and strikes again,” Nick said. “If your plan doesn’t pan out, we may not get anywhere until he does.”
♦ ♦ ♦
Dina walked down the stairs and returned to the living room, where Andre watched the ten o’clock news. “They’re finally down.” She sat next to him. “I’ll tell you what, Andre, we need to crack the whip on those two. Fighting us for an hour before they finally get to bed. It’s getting ridiculous.”
“I know, honey. We’ll figure something out.” He continued to keep his eyes glued to the screen.
She pursed her lips. “Mmm, hmmm. Sure. I can see you’re wanting to jump right on that. What’s going on with you lately? It’s like you’re completely preoccupied. Work going okay?”