"Me too," said Stacy approving of what her eyes saw: a youngish late thirties man with dark good looks. "Please let's sit down and get right to the point."
"Now Marshall what can I do for you," asked Carl.
"As you know there've been three murders all victims murdered in the same way. Also the victims have all been homeless people in Greyhound Bus Stations. If these killings were of a higher social status, the news media would be flooding the waves, along with newsprint, with outrage. However, because of who they are, it's barely second page news. One victim was a two tour veteran of Afghanistan. Our duty is to apprehend killers of citizens and put them behind bars. I think Carl you know where I’m going with this," said Stacy with friendly eyes.
"What you want is for my paper to run stories of the victims and show them for who they were and are. You need citizens to help you find this killer, is that right?"
"Yes, we need some help from anybody who has seen something out of the ordinary or just the ordinary time and place. It's my experience that homeless people are loners. Rarely do they run in pairs. If someone has seen any homeless people in a bus station, or a commonly dressed person talk to a homeless person, alert the law enforcement agency nearest to them."
"I'll do what you ask Marshall. However we'd like firsthand news from you in return. Is that acceptable?"
"Not a problem for me. I have no qualms about giving you first the news of the case when I feel it's necessary though. I can't give many details of our ongoing investigation, but you'll be the first to receive it."
Hands were shaken in agreement and Carl was given the background on one of the victims to show her good faith. Stacy walked him out and then went back to work.
Rory came back with an armload of files that contained case reports faxed from each case. He and Stacy sat down and read each one carefully. Stacy took Bret Farber from Medford, Oregon while Rory read the recent homicide in Portland. Not much was known about Andy Farmer, but he read with interest the interviews that the police had taken.
An employee and ticket agent had reported seeing, he thought, a person standing in front of the derelict talking to him. Upon further questions he said the person was of average size with a long overcoat and fedora for a hat. Nobody else saw anything of interest.
Stacy was reading the interviews from Medford. One interview told about an insomniac old man who regularly came to the bus station to read his pocket books at night. He swears that he saw a fairly well dressed man talking to the eventual victim, but that his interest was not held long. Stacy made a note to call him about a better description, she hoped. They exchanged cases and soon they were finished. Rory said, "Rhonda is running back ground checks on these two victims. I've been thinking Super that the why this killer is targeting the homeless?"
"Maybe the FBI would lend us a profiler to answer that question. Call them Tall Man and see what happens. It sure can't hurt to have all the help we can get on this case. While you're doing that I'll call Connie. Maybe she has an idea or two."
"I'm calling from Portland Connie at Rory's office."
"Good to hear from you and how's it going?"
"So far so good, but I've a sinking feeling it'll be awhile before we catch this person. What we do have going for us is place and time is about all."
"I understand you're looking for a profiler to help out. The FBI folks called me after Rory called them. I like that idea. What can I help you with," asked Connie.
"Nothing at the moment, but if something happens can we use the helicopter for quicker traveling?"
"I'll leave word at the FBI office that to keep the pilot on standby until you dismiss him. I feel that even if these victims are homeless, they're still human beings and citizens of our country. Use what you need to solve it Stacy."
"Thanks and I'll stay in touch," said Stacy hanging up.
-3-
Stacy went for a walk. First she took her bearings and then took off in one line so as not to get lost. Along the way she found a small park with a few hardy kids playing on a swing. It was a fairly cold day with a southwest wind blowing off the ocean. She sat down on a bench to watch the kids play. Like most adults it brought back fond memories of their own carefree day of growing up. She remembered while going to school in Bandon, which lies on the coast in Southwestern Oregon, the cold rainy days, but all kids were bundled up having escaped from school for a little while.
Sometimes her mother would take her to school due to a storm hitting the coast. Other times, if the weather permitted, she could walk the short quarter mile to school. A cry from a little guy who fell off the swing broke her thinking. Stacy rose to help, the mother was right there to take care of her kid. Stacy sat back down to give her entire attention to the case at hand.
First she thought about the perperatrator. Why choose a bus station to attack and kill a homeless person. For some reason she could not see why a person would use the bus system for business. That left you without transportation at her end of the journey. She tossed that idea to the back of her storage area for, if need, future reference. That left a person traveling by a vehicle of sorts to commit the crimes. Or, was it a new, or a method unknown to them, to go from point to point. This last one was the key to the case. They must think outside the usual and think unusual.
She left the park and went back to the office. There really wasn't much they could do at this point. Rhonda was checking the background on the victims. Rory was locating a profiler. Dan was checking the passenger lists. Ron was undercover snooping for some clues that might be floating around the cardboard jungle. Besides it was close to time for Rory to fill up his cavity without a bottom.
Inside she had to wipe her dripping nose from the cold outside. Meanwhile, Rory told her a profiler was coming around 7 pm. Ben was at the conference table making comparable list from passengers. Of course it was not a complete list as names were not always given, but some credit card folks could be traced. Lois said Dan had called to say he had the bus station covered for the foreseeable future. Rhonda had the back ground reports on the other two victims.
The Medford, Oregon victim was Bret Farber fifty nine years old. Rhonda said he was a victim of the crash of 2008. He was a California high level employee who got laid off. He lost his house first and had a divorce second. He hit the booze and the rest is history. Most of the information came from his ex wife who had remarried, but felt sorry for her ex-husband. She told Rhonda that he just fell apart after losing his job and the house.
The other victim, Andy Flounder who was killed in Portland, had a history of mental illness dating back twenty years. He had been without family and homeless for more than two decades. He was sixty five and had a small pension from the government. How he received the pension was anybody's guess.
"Well, I know without him saying it It's time for dinner. Rory what is your suggestion?"
"Let's take the convict van to a nice eatery I'm familiar with not so far from here. Let's lock the door and hit the trail."
As usual Stacy was quiet and just played with her food with a fork. Meanwhile Rory ate like there was no tomorrow. Ben realized what Stacy was doing, but Lois and Rhonda did not know what or why Stacy was so quiet. Later they asked Rory and he told them of her special talent of seeing the case from a perspective unknown to anybody except her. Rhonda had suspected something to that notion from what others had said about her solving cases walking around in a daze. She wished she had that kind of talent, but she also knew she was darn good at the job she was hired for.
After dinner Lois went home and the remainder went back to meet the profiler. Barbara Lindy was waiting at door. Stacy could see she wasn't happy at all. The pacing back and forth depicted her body language. On top of that she was lovely to look at. She focused on Rory as they greeted her. Rhonda opened the locked doors and they went inside where it was considerably warmer. She said, "I was on time and expect the investigators who require my services to be on time as well."
Rory looked at his
watch and say it was only three minutes past the appointed time. He said, "My apologies Ms. Lindy. It's a rare occasion when we are three minutes late. It's usually a half an hour. Stacy looked down and could not help but smile at Rory's profound remark about being late.
"Well, let's get to business, shall we," said a frigid Ms. Lindy with her head held high. Stacy realized she lost her position of strength against a man. However, she also knew this was not the end of the tussle between her and Rory.
Moving into the situation room, Barbara, as she preferred the use of her first name, eyed the whiteboard with interest while the rest of them sat down at the conference table. She spent an inordinate amount of time digesting the information. Stacy's mind went to Eugene and Dan staking out the bus station. For some reason she felt that would be next the site of the next murder.
Finally, after the others were become impatient, she returned to the conference table. Meanwhile, Rory was checking her out from head to foot. She was a shade over average height with just a slight bit of extra pounds around the middle. She was dressed in casual jeans and a smart coat over a plaid shirt. She almost appeared gay, but Rory could detect the female in her coming on slowly.
Looking at Rory she said, with dark eyes, "Tell me what you think about the person who is murdering homeless people?"
"I think it's someone who maybe was homeless at one time himself. He would know how miserable a life it was or is. Maybe he thinks it's a mercy killing. That's what I think Barbara."
"Interesting for sure Marshall Caltex. Now, Marshall Foreham, what's you take on this case?"
"At this point, Barbara, I've not a clue nor do I speculate while on a case. I deal in facts first then take a look at possibilities. Right now we have few facts other than the murder weapon."
She looked around and finally set her eyes on Ben. "Detective do you have any ideas about this case or more specifically, who might want homeless men dead?"
"We've very little to go on Ms. Lindy. We're hoping you might help us narrow our search for the type of person who might commit such crimes."
"Very well put Detective Razor. I'll need some time to think and do some research, but I can say that it's probably somebody close to the Greyhound Company. He's probably a loner. Single and not many friends, if any. I'm considering what Rory said about a mercy killing for reasons of his own. Now if we can adjourn and resume tomorrow morning, I'd like that. I've not had dinner and was hoping that Marshal Caltex might take me to dinner and find a motel for me."
Stacy rolled her eyes and a tight set of lips flew across the table at Rory. He lowered his and then said, "I'd be happy to take you to dinner Barbara."
-4-
It was just after 2 am when her cell phone went off. At first, like a lot of us, she wondered where she was. A sleepy voice said hello to the caller and waited for a response. It wasn't long in coming. "Stacy this is Dan. We've got another one here at the bus station."
"Okay, I'm awake now. Tell me what particulars you have at this point."
"It had to have happened between 1 am and 1:10. My man was taking a restroom break and when he came back, a homeless man was in the throes of dying from poison. He noted the time and had it written down when he returned to the main waiting area from the restroom. He also said a bus had just arrived from Portland. The bus was only there for a few minutes before proceeding southbound. That's all I've got at the moment. I called Cathy and Marsha who are both on their way now."
"Okay, we're flying down as soon as I can get organized. Pick us up at the airport I'd say in about two hours or so."
She rang Ben and then called the pilot who answered on the first ring. He told her he's ready when they get there. Next was Rory who sleepily said he'd pick her and Dan up in fifteen minutes.
Stacy hit the shower for a five minute wake up and called the desk to check out. Ben was waiting for her at the desk and Rory was at the door when they exited the hotel. Stacy had forgotten about Barbara Lindy when Rory said, "I left a note on her cell to follow us to Eugene when she woke up."
Stacy wondered, just a for a second or two, if they had slept together last night, but then returned to the job at hand.
Dan was waiting at the airport noting it was just after 4 am. In a short time they were on the way to the downtown bus station with word to the pilot to please stay on standby. He told Stacy he was at their command.
At the bus station they found Marsha and Cathy waiting for her. Marsha said, without any preliminaries, "Hemlock for sure Stacy."
Cathy said, "The pint of gin was the weapon of death. Other than that, no other evidence was found. Ben left and began his own investigation as usual.
Stacy asked, "What about the victim any ID on him?"
"Surprisingly yes," said Dan, "He's Alvin Whooter age 54, but no address only an ID card. Also inside his wallet was about four hundred dollars in various denominations. I've called ahead to Medford to hold the bus there until we arrived. Somebody might have seen something."
"Good work Dan. I think you, Rory and Ben fly down there and interview the passengers. The pilot is waiting at the airport."
"We're on our way Super," said Rory.
"Call me when you've something to report. Rhonda will run a check on this victim to see who he was."
Cathy said, "You can ride with me. How about the three of us go have some coffee and breakfast?"
"Good idea Cathy,'' said Marsha.
~~~~~
At the local 24 hour famous restaurant that for many years did not have any locks on the door, the three professional women sat down to visit. Orders were taken; coffee for Cathy and Marsha, tea for Stacy they discussed the case. Stacy said, "It seems our perpetrator drives up and down I-5 killing homeless people for what reason we have no idea. We've got a profiler on the case and she should arrive around noon if my guess is right. How about you guys? What do you have to say?"
"Hemlock is easy to obtain if you know what you're looking for. It can kill within a minute or so if ingested. I'd say the killer hands the victim a bottle in a paper sack and walks off. I'm surprised the security cameras haven't seen something. I understand you had an undercover person watching the bus station," said Marsha raising her cup to her mouth.
"Yes, but even a security person needs relief once in awhile. It so happens he must have been watched as soon as he left, the deed was done. Also as Dan said, a bus from Portland had just arrived. Let's hope that something good turns up from Medford," said Stacy.
Cathy said, "Most crime scenes leave some sort of evidence but in these cases, all we have are the containers of poison. I've found out that it's always a pint bottle of gin or wine. The brand is ubiquitous."
"Ah here come sustenance girls. Let's dig in," said Marsha. Stacy did just that; dig in. She was hungry for some reason which is rather unlike her especially while on a case. Over breakfast she told her friends about the profiler coming onto Rory. Both shook their head at her mention of going to bed with her. "Stacy, that guy wouldn't do anything to show his unfaithfulness to you."
Stacy wondered later if indeed it really mattered to her whether or not he went to bed with the profiler. He was a male after all. It would have been pure sex; she knew that much. Anyway Cathy dropped her off at her office which was cold and dark inside. However, Sharon would be here soon, she thought.
In her office she felt a little drained and need a boost of sorts. She decided to call her father down in Bandon and see what the retired police chief was doing. He picked up on the second ring. "Hello daughter of mine. I was just thinking about you and wondering if you're involved with the homeless murders."
"Yes. I'm up to my cute little ears, as Rory would say. How are you and Fran doing?"
"I keep looking out the door to see when spring will come, but alas, rain and more rain come to us here on the southern coast. Actually Fran has been staying busy doing some baking at the restaurant for charity events. As for me I'm staying busy stoking the fire while working on some way past due orders."<
br />
"I get the feeling dad you don't care when they are due."
A laugh was heard and he said, "Bingo girl. I set my own pace and if they don't like it – well – find someone else. Oh, Smiling Sam has been stopping by about once a week to see what you are up to. He misses working with you. I'm afraid he's going to commit murder just to be with you," he said jokingly.
"After this case is over I'll come down for a spring break and visit him. I might even bring Rory," she said with a chuckle.
"You're mean, but like your mom, there's a purpose to who you are."
"Dad got to now. Love to you and Fran."
Sharon walked in just as she hung up. "Hi Stacy. I thought you were in Portland."
"Another murder at the bus station Sharon. It's the same guy killing a homeless man."
"What can I do to help," Sharon asked.
"How about doing this for me. I want to know the bus schedule for the Portland to where ever the termination is for express or semi express using I-5 only. I want to know how many stops and where up and down say from Sacramento to Portland."
"Got it and I'm on it," she said turning and leaving.
Rory and the others got lucky as the bus was still in Medford. It was breakfast time and they just caught it before it left. Needless to say the driver and passengers were not happy, but afterwards understood the need for the wait.
Inside the bus station the passengers were split up into three groups. Names were taken and contact numbers as well. In Dan's group one lady said she saw a well dressed long coated man with a fedora stop and briefly talks to a homeless man. She thought he felt sorry for him and gave him some money. The others saw or heard nothing.
Ben's group was the same as the others: did not see anything.
Rory had better luck with his group. One single man said he saw exactly what the other lady had seen. Only this time he added black shinny shoes. He too thought the man gave the victim some money. Last was the bus driver. Rory took his name and phone number. He told Rory his shift began in Portland and would end in Redding. Then it would be rest time for eight hours and then again driving south to Sacramento. He'd be replaced and take over another bus back up to Medford.
Murder Mysteries Series Seven Page 9