Roger opened his phone, “Ray? I know they are killing me too. I have to pass it on. We have another one. Run this Visa number for me.” Roger read off the number and waited. “Thanks, I had a hunch. Send that to me would you? Thanks.” and he snapped his phone shut. He was calling in the plate number as Paul walked into the garage. The voice on the other end of the line gave him a name and address, he wrote it down. Roger looked at Paul, “You okay?”
Paul nodded, “What you got?”
Roger answered, “Visa receipt in the kitchen belonging to Jack Simpson and a beer bottle that probably will have his prints on it. Car belongs to Sara Huffman, Notre Dame student, and student housing address. I’ll send officers there now and have the family notified.”
Paul went into the house, looked around, came out, and asked the detective to point out the person who found the body. The officer pointed to a man near the street holding a laptop and a small stack of file folders. Paul introduced himself and asked him to repeat what he had told the detective. Roger had joined them and was taking notes.
“Well, like I told that officer, when a house is in foreclosure, if it was an FHA mortgage, and the asset manager is ready to put the house on the market, I get called to do an appraisal for the lender. I got the call this morning to do this appraisal, but the HUD key box lock wasn’t on the door. I had to jimmy the garage service door there. That happens a lot lately. Anyway, I saw this car in the garage which is really unusual. When I opened the kitchen door,… the smell…. Anyway, I thought an animal or something. I just called the cops. Never even went in the house.”
Roger and Paul thanked him and walked away, so they could talk. Roger dialed Kim, “On a foreclosed home the asset manager is usually what?”
Kim answered, “Usually a law firm, sometimes a local attorney”
Roger interrupted her, “Would a HUD appraiser know who the asset manager is?”
Kim answered, “Yes, the asset manager would actually order the HUD appraiser to go to the house and report back to him.” Roger hung up. Kim sat looking at her phone, “Goodbye to you too. Geesh.”
Roger walked over to the appraiser and asked, “What asset manager ordered this appraisal?”
He looked annoyed at Roger, but looked at his phone for an Internet App. “Here it is,” he said, “Law Firm of James Devon.” Roger said thanks and walked away.
He looked at Paul and said, “I have a real bad feeling. There are a lot of foreclosed homes around here. If Devon has control over when they can be entered, he could stash women for months, and no one would know. He wanted this one found to set up Jack.”
Paul was nodding and said, “You know the Chief is looking for you, but I am about to pass out from hunger here. Pub?”
Roger looked at his watch, “It is 4:00 already, and I haven’t eaten yet either. Good call.”
Roger remembered that Detective Ed Mars had been watching Jack Simpson since 5:00 a.m.. He dialed him as he drove, “Ed, I’m sorry, I just left you out there hanging. You wouldn’t believe the day we are having… oh, you heard, well… just got another body… really. Look - if you can get someone to relieve you, I still want eyes on Jack but more for security than surveillance. It looks like Jack may have a target on his back. Thanks Ed.” Paul had his eyes shut and his head back against the headrest. Roger glanced over, “We’ll find her.”
They were at the Pub and found their favorite seats at the end of the bar. Larry came over for their orders, “You guys have a good Christmas?” Then he lost his smile and said, “Of course not. Sorry guys, I wasn’t thinkin’.” They each ordered two burgers and soda.
Paul looked at Roger, “You know I have felt better and slept better since Christmas Eve.” They both chuckled. That was the last they spoke until the burgers got there. Paul said, “Remember earlier today when you said you felt privileged?” Roger nodded. Paul continued, “We wouldn’t have found Sandy in that house for at least another week.”
Roger said, “I was thinking that.”
About five minutes later Paul looked at Roger and asked him, “Why us? There is so much going on in the world.”
Roger took a drink of soda and answered, “Kim says our guy is evil, her mom’s word, not hers. Maybe they know we need help.”
Paul looked serious and then smiled, “You know that last time you called her, you didn’t say Hi, Bye, nothing; just hung up. Got to work on your technique there buddy.” Roger shrugged and kept eating his burger.
Roger looked at Paul, “If Devon is an asset manager for HUD, using foreclosed homes to stash women, your guess where this may end up?”
Paul answered, “That doesn’t count the fax from Kim of all the properties Devon owns.” Roger said he was going to call headquarters and get more agents on this. Paul just shook his head, “You know the headaches we are going to have with new guys.”
“Yup, let’s start with the Chief.” Roger put money on the bar, and they left. On the way to the center Roger called Ray again, “I’m surprised you are still taking my calls. (A laugh.) One more favor, get someone at HUD. I need to know how many properties, and the addresses, of foreclosed homes that Attorney James Devon is the asset manager on. I am serious. Yes, HUD. Ray! I’m sure there is ONE brain there somewhere….. There isn’t another way.” He hung up.
Paul looked at him, “Like that, no goodbye.” Roger shrugged.
They were about a block from the center and Roger’s phone rang. It was Detective Sal. “He just pulled in. I will call you when he leaves.” Roger clicked the phone shut.
Paul said, “I’m afraid to ask.”
“That was Sal. Devon just got to the house. She’ll call when he leaves. I think we should be in the neighborhood.”
“Right,” Paul said. Roger put the light on his dash —no sirens.
* * *
Betty and Ellen had a short meeting with all of us to give us our assignments. Ellen told Teresa to go stay with Sal and Sandy at the house. She told Mary and me to go to all of the houses on the tax list from the county clerk’s office.
I raised my hand, “What are we supposed to do at these houses?”
Betty answered, “Look for dead mortals, dear.”
Mary and I looked at each other. This can’t be right… EEE GADS. Mary asked, “What is Linda going to do?” I think she was hoping for a trade.
Ellen answered, “Linda is going to be with me watching Devon.” I read Mary’s thoughts. She was thinking for once she would rather be with me. Huh.
* * *
Teresa was outside the house checking things out when Devon pulled in the driveway. He sat in the car a couple of minutes and then got out carrying a paper bag. He went into the house through the back door, and Teresa went into his car to see if she could find anything useful. Lots of garage door openers, a whole bag full. The rest was trash, used food bags, a couple of pairs of shoes, maps. She went inside to watch over Sal and Sandy. Devon had come into the bedroom where Sandy was and just stood in the doorway. “I’d like to say you are more trouble than you are worth, but that’s not actually true is it wifey?” Sandy had her bandaged hands hidden under the blanket.
There was such a sneer in his voice it made Sal’s skin crawl. She was in the closet with her gun drawn. She had loosened the trim around the door just enough to give her a sliver of a peep hole. She could see most of the left side of his face, ugly bastard. Teresa was smacking him on the back of his head, but he couldn’t feel it. It made Teresa feel better though.
He dropped the paper bag on the floor next to the TV. “Sorry I can’t stay and chat. Got a date!” He walked over to the window by the bed and tested the boards. They were secure so he left the room. She heard the kitchen door shut and the lock click. A minute later his car started, and he was gone. Sal came out from the closet and checked out the kitchen and living room windows. She didn’t see a car. She yelled, “All clear” for the benefit of Patrolman John Douglas who was in the basement. She then called Roger, “He’s gone. Dropped off a bag o
f food and said he had a date. Sandy was right. He doesn’t even come near her.”
Roger said thanks to Sal as he and Paul watched Devon’s Buick turn onto the highway. “We can’t risk him spotting us,” he said to Paul.
Paul was grinding his teeth, “I know.” Roger called to the center and spoke with the team leader. Roger instructed him to have observation points between the exit Devon just entered and Devon’s office at home, and to report. No tailing, just observation. Teresa was sitting on the bed watching Sal and Sandy play cards. She kept yelling out moves, but no one could hear her.
Ellen and Linda were in the backseat of Devon’s car. Ellen was sending Linda filtered thoughts from Devon. They were already filtered for Ellen from Granny. This was one sicko. The first thought Linda heard was “Fine… Just let them starve”, and he was laughing. “Bored…. I‘M Bored…. where are you pretty girls? Where are you? At the mall? Should we go shopping?” and he was laughing. Then it sounded like he was talking to someone, “You didn’t think I could do it did you? BITCH!” He slammed his fist on the dash. “BITCH! PRETTY MOMMY! UGLY boy! PRETTY MOMMY! UGLY BOY!” Yikes! Linda was looking for a seat belt, every time he said pretty mommy he was banging his hands on the steering wheel. His eyes looked crazed. He reached into his glove box and laid a Taser gun on the seat. Then he started giggling like a child.
Linda was in full panic mode and looked at Ellen, “We can’t just watch him do this, can we?”
Ellen looked back at her, “We’ll do what we can.” He made a sharp turn on to an exit ramp, and they saw a sign for University Park Mall, next exit. Ellen winked and a tire blew, and then another. She looked at Linda and said, “Let’s go to police center. He is going to be at least two hours getting back on the road, and he will probably go home.” Ellen said, “You might call Kim and have her let Roger know where Devon is.”
Linda was grateful for a chance to talk to Kim. “Yes,” Kim answered.
“Did the ring tone work?” Linda asked.
“Yes, but I thought only mom was using it?”
Linda said, “Guess not… Ellen just told me to call you. Why do you sound funny, are you at work?”
“Yes, what do you need? It’s okay.” Linda told her what she wanted, and she said she would call Roger in about five minutes. She had a break coming up.
In addition to being a mortgage loan officer, Kim was a dealer at the Great Lakes Casino. The Gaming Commission probably wouldn’t be thrilled if they knew she had ‘spiritual’ friends. When she heard the “Help me Rhonda” ring tone she just started talking. She was dealing Black Jack and the old guy at her table kept thinking she was talking to him. He kept saying, “Yes, what?” “What? What did you say? Who’s mom? Do I need something? What’s okay?” She convinced the old man she hadn’t been talking, and he left for another table. A couple of minutes later Kim was tapped off to go on break. She called Roger and told him what Linda had said. He thanked her and called to stop the observation points. No sense wasting manpower. There were thirty people dedicated to this case and calling in more. Not to mention the staff of back office people running data checks, etc….. unbelievable.
* * *
Mary and I arrived at our first address. The house was dark and didn’t look like anyone had been there in a long time. I said, “Cool, nobody here, let’s go!” Mary frowned at me, no sense of humor. We walked through the garage door, our way, and –yup, a car…. not liking this. We walked into the house, adjusted our sensors to “high,” something didn’t smell right. We walked down the long hall to a bedroom where the door was cracked open a bit. We both peeked in and saw a body of a woman. She had been bound with duct tape and rope to a chair, tipped over and her skin and body tissues were oozing out everywhere. I looked at Mary and screamed, “Meet you in the garage.” I took off.
In the garage we spent about five minutes holding up the walls while we hyperventilated and eventually composed ourselves. We made note of the vehicle type, plate number and connected it to the address in our memory guide. I looked at Mary; neither of us looked very chipper.
“One of us should go back in and see if there is a purse or anything that says who she is.”
Mary looked at me with one eyebrow up and her hands on her hips, “One of us should probably do that.” She wasn’t moving, and her chest was still heaving.
I said ‘fine’ and went in. One minute later I was back. “No purse,” I exhaled as I got back to the garage. I was leaning on the hood of the car trying to get that image out of my head and asked Mary, “Well, where do we go next?” Mary took out her copy of the list, and like a sick version of “Trick or Treat,” we made our way around South Bend.
We called Ellen when we were done, and she told us to meet her at the Police Center. Ellen asked me to call Kim and give her a message for Roger about what we had discovered, ASAP. I called Kim and gave her the message. She wrote it down and said, “I don’t think Roger can take this Mom.”
“Roger has to know. We’ll do everything we can honey.”
Kim called Roger just as he and Paul reached the parking lot of the police center.
“Hi Kim,” it was Roger answering.
Kim said, “I am feeling like a stalker, but Mom said I had to get this information to you ASAP. She and her friends are doing a lot of work trying to cut through red tape to make it easier for you.”
Roger paused and said, “It sounds like you are trying to prepare me for bad news. Paul is here. Can I put you on speaker?”
Kim said yes, and Roger told her to go ahead, “Mom says that the fax you got today with the nineteen legal descriptions, you really wouldn’t have mortal knowledge of those addresses until tomorrow. So there is no way you can pass on this information until they think up something.”
Roger said, “Okay.” He had a bad feeling in his stomach.
“Mom says of the nineteen houses they went to, thirteen have dead women, been dead a while, starved, and ten have cars in the garages. They have the addresses and vehicle info they will get to you somehow tomorrow morning. Mom said to tell you the houses that have utilities turned on are the ones they found the bodies in.”
Roger and Paul were speechless. Finally Paul spoke, “Did you say we have thirteen more bodies?”
Kim answered, “Yes, Roger, does it make sense to you that you would have no mortal way of knowing this tonight? Mom said it was crucial that you understood how important that was.”
Roger answered, “Yes. Tell your Mom thank you. I have a lot of decisions to make in a very short time.”
Kim said, “I’ll tell her, and no offense, but I hope I don’t talk to you again for a long time!” Roger said goodbye.
Paul said, “I think I could cry.”
Roger looked thoughtful, “Do you remember that conference we went to last year in Arlington?”
“Yeah.”
Roger continued, “They had some pretty ridiculous statistics, we thought, about how the average serial killer victim numbers were increasing. Unprecedented, and would keep getting worse. Today’s serial killer was so much more driven. Remember? We thought they were grand standing.”
“Well, Devon will be a great example for the next conference.”
They were walking toward the building. Roger asked Paul to keep the Chief busy about fifteen minutes, and then he would deal with him. In the meantime, he was going to call headquarters and try to get some people here by tomorrow morning.
Roger went into his office, shut the door, and dialed FBI Central Headquarters in Quantico. When he was connected to the Director, it appeared from Roger’s expression that he had gotten what he wanted. He walked into the room where Paul was speaking with Chief Doyle. Roger could tell the pressure had pushed the Chief to his breaking point.
Roger felt bad for anyone in the Chief’s position because the law enforcement side of this kind of problem was equal to the political pressures. They seldom played out without casualties. Roger explained to the Chief that he had just hung up from
his Director at the FBI, and additional resources were being brought in tomorrow. This should give his people some much needed relief. He also explained to the Chief they had positively identified James Devon as the perpetrator, and their goal was to keep Devon under control until they could safely extract the location of his known live hostages, one of which was a federal judge. He hoped the situation would play out in about two days and be done, except for cleanup.
Roger wasn’t sure how up to date the Chief was. Things had been moving pretty fast. He was inserting as much information as he could without risking insult. He told the Chief about Devon planting evidence against Jack Simpson in his truck and at the last crime scene. Roger’s plan now was to contact Jack and bring him into the plan as a Person of Interest to keep Devon feeling like he was winning.
The Chief said, “Hardly seems fair to ask this Simpson guy to ruin his life to help us.”
Roger said, “This is where I really need your help and that of your people. I want to keep his name off the radar. I want everyone to refer to him as POI. He may not cooperate, but that is my plan.”
Chief Doyle said, “So my homework assignment is to explain to the DA and the Mayor that we know who the bad guy is, but we don’t want to arrest him. Instead, we want to hold a guy we can prove is innocent? Have I got that right? How do you propose to word this to this press?”
Roger looked thoughtful, “I want to talk to Jack Simpson myself tonight and make sure we can trust him to contain the plan. He has a history of having drinking issues.”
The Chief rolled his eyes and said, “Oh great.”
“I will get back to you yet tonight or first thing in the morning. Are we good?”
The Chief looked at him, “You boys have done an unbelievable job since you’ve been here, so yes, we are good. I just hope my heart holds up ‘til this case ends. I will call the DA and the Mayor.” With that he left the room, noticeably tired and feeling more than a little out of touch.
Alcohol Was Not Involved : A Shallow End Gals Trilogy Page 16