by Anne Patrick
"Detective Jamison, can I speak with you a minute?"
"I'll meet you in the garage," she told Kris, and then turned her attention to the lieutenant."Yes, sir?"
"The desk sergeant called awhile ago and said your sketch is ready."
"Thanks. I'll have some copies made up and distributed to patrol. Have some put up at the bus station, truck stops and anywhere else I can think of. Maybe we'll get lucky."
"Did you talk to the witnesses from last night?"
"One of them thought they'd seen the girl before but couldn't remember where. I'll follow up in a few days." She debated about asking him why he came to her location last night. It wasn't common for a supervisor to show up at a crime scene unless they are requested or it has the potential to be a high profile case.
"How's the finger?"
"It's okay. Listen, about last night."
"What about it?"
"Well, I can't recall Lieutenant Reynolds ever coming to a crime scene."
"Afraid I'm checking up on you?"
"If you want to waste your time looking over my shoulder to make sure I'm doing my job, go right ahead."
"Relax, Detective. I heard the call as I was leaving and thought it was your suspect in Mrs. Gyman's murder. Thought you might need a hand since you're notorious for taking unnecessary risks." He sat down in his chair, and motioned for her to have a seat.
"Kris is waiting for me, sir. Can this lecture wait until tomorrow?"
"You asked me for my input on the case, didn't you?"
She nodded.
"Well this won't take long."
"Okay." Gwen sat in one of the two chairs facing his desk.
"In the previous robberies, the clerks were all male. Why shoot this one?"
"Either because she went for the gun or because he didn't score much cash."
"Or it was something else."
Only one other possible explanation came to mind. "You think it was personal? That our guy knew Mrs. Gyman?" It would explain the overkill.
"It's possible." He turned his computer monitor around so she could see it. The footage was paused at the spot where the robber stood over the woman. "My guess is he's killed before."
Gwen didn't tell him that she'd suspected the same thing.
"I think it was personal in the sense that he didn't like being challenged. I don't think he's robbing these places just for the money; he's feeding off the rush he gets. His domination over the victims and seeing how scared they are is his real motive."
"Wow. You got all that from watching the video."
"That's why I get paid the big bucks."
Gwen let out a low chuckle.
"Go home, Detective. I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night, sir." She walked to the door then hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. "When you're finished with the disc, will you drop it off at the lab. CSI Siequest is gonna try and clear it up for us."
He smiled at her. "Yes ma'am."
Gwen stopped off at dispatch for the sketch. Newport and Duncan did a good job. It was a remarkable likeness to the girl she remembered. She added the CID's contact information to it and gave it back to the clerk. "Could you make copies please? Save ten for me and then hand the others out to patrol. I appreciate it."
She took the stairs to the garage, her thoughts reflecting back to her conversation with the lieutenant. She had a bad feeling his profile of their guy was dead on. He wasn't only a thief. He was a psychopath.
CHAPTER SIX
After work on Wednesday, Gwen met her colleagues for dinner and drinks at Rafferty's. The day had pretty much been a bust. No new leads on the robberies or the girl. Earlier in the day, she and Kris had dropped off copies of the sketch to the homeless shelter on Canton Street, bus station, and Department of Child Services. Hopefully, they would get a hit soon.
"Hey, glad you could make it," Nick said, looking toward the door.
Gwen followed his gaze. Lieutenant McKean walked toward them, smiling. He pulled out a chair at the head of the table, which happened to be right next to Gwen.
Nick grabbed a clean glass from the bar and poured Ian a glass of tea from their pitcher.
"Hope I'm not too late." He glanced at Gwen's hoagie sandwich and smiled.
Nick sat back down in his chair across from Gwen. "Not at all. We were just tossing around ideas on Ron's homicide and Gwen's robberies."
"Detective Todd isn't in on the brainstorming?"
"She has a family at home, sir," Gwen said before taking a bite of her hoagie.
"What about the rest of you? You don't have families?"
"Ron does. Gwen and myself are divorced."
"How long have you been married, Ron?"
"Married for twenty years, but we're been together for twenty-seven, and blessed with two sons and three grandchildren"
"That's wonderful. Congratulations."
Gwen smiled at Ron. She recalled talking to his wife, Pam, at last years Christmas party. She had told Gwen that if there were more men like Ron, there would be fewer divorces in the department. Gwen couldn't agree more. He enjoyed his work but his family had always come first.
Jake came over to the table and offered the lieutenant a menu. "Just holler when you're ready to order."
"That hoagie looks pretty good. Just bring me one of those."
"That your black '67 Shelby I've been seeing in the garage?" Ron asked.
Caught mid drink, Ian nodded.
"Sweet ride." Nick poured himself another glass of tea. "You restore it yourself?"
"My son helped."
Gwen recalled seeing a photo on his desk yesterday. His children shared his good looks. She remembered his statement Friday night about his late wife being his childhood sweetheart. To lose someone you had loved that long would be devastating. It had been for Mr. Greer anyway. It was hard for Gwen to imagine ever loving someone that deeply. She had been in love before but never to the point of sharing every aspect of her life. Maybe that's why she had two failed relationships.
"Jamison?"
Gwen glanced up. "Sorry, sir."
"We were discussing our toughest cases. Care to share?"
Gwen realized everyone at the table now looked at her. It didn't take her long to come up with an answer. "Triple homicide three years ago. Mom, dad, and sixteen year old girl murdered in their home."
"I remember that one. The Bartlett family." Nick turned to Ian. "He was a prominent dentist. A co-worker asked for a welfare check when he didn't show up for work. That was a real nasty one. Father shot once in the head and the mother and daughter were each shot three times."
"Is it a closed case?" Ian asked, continuing to look at Gwen.
"No. It's still open." Not for lack of trying to solve it. Had Captain Bradley backed her up, instead of crumbling under the threat of a lawsuit, the murderer would be behind bars right now.
"Suspects?"
When Gwen didn't respond immediately, Nick answered. "Gwen thought the oldest son was good for it but—"
"I haven't been able to prove it yet." Gwen thought about Dawson Bartlett. He was never far from her thoughts. She believed with every ounce of her being that he massacred his family.
"Did he have an alibi?"
Gwen met Ian's gaze. "Said he never left his apartment in Phoenix, but since he lived alone, his alibi couldn't be corroborated."
"What was his motive?"
"Besides being a narcissistic jerk, over a million dollars in insurance money."
Nick chuckled. "As you can tell, Gwen never liked the guy."
"That's beside the point. According to a next-door neighbor, the kid and his parents didn't get along."
"The family was killed with a 9mm fitted with a silencer?" Ron joined in. "I remember canvassing the neighborhood. Nice area. No one heard or saw anything."
"Yeah and then Dawson Bartlett came up with this wild tale about his father having an affair with the girlfriend of some drug dealer who was linked to organized crime, h
ence the silencer. Had me on a wild-goose chase for weeks only to find out the drug dealer in question was gay and there was never any girlfriend."
"What about forensic evidence?" Ian motioned for Nick to pass the salt for his hoagie.
Gwen was impressed by his eagerness to be a real contributor to the unit. Unlike Lieutenant Reynolds, who basically sat at his desk all day pretending to look busy then taking credit for all their hard work. "It appeared an intruder broke out a pane of glass in the back door to gain entry. Parents were killed first then the sister. Jewelry and cash were the only items taken. To make it look like a robbery."
"Their home didn't have an alarm?"
"No." Gwen took another drink of her tea. "One of only two in the neighborhood that didn't."
"Were you able to have a look at the kid's cell phone records?"
"No luck. It never left his apartment. My guess, he didn't take it with him because he knew we could track his whereabouts through cell towers. Traffic cams, and surveillance cameras around the vicinity of his apartment were of no use either. He could've easily avoided them if he knew where they were located. It's only a two-hour drive to Phoenix, he could've driven to Shorewick, committed the murders and gotten back in plenty of time to make his first class that day at ten a.m."
"This Bartlett kid," Ian narrowed his eyes on Gwen, "did he by chance threaten to get an injunction against you for harassment?"
Nick laughed, and Gwen kicked him underneath the table.
"Ouch!" Ian scooted his chair back.
Realizing she had missed her target, Gwen jerked her hand to her mouth. "I am so sorry. I meant to get Nick."
"That's okay. I'm just glad you weren't wearing boots."
They all laughed.
Gwen finished her ice tea. "Let me guess, the captain told you about the injunction?"
"He might've mentioned it."
"Figures. He's the one who shut me down. Even Lieutenant Reynolds thought I was on the right track. It was practically the only thing we ever agreed on."
"If the kid did do it, he was sure meticulous about it." Ron pushed away from the table and stood. "I'd love to stay and brainstorm some more but I need to go pick up Pam from work. I'll see you guys tomorrow."
Gwen considered leaving, too. She had planned to go to the gym tonight.
"Anybody up for dessert? Gwen's buying." Nick smiled at her. "You can use some of that money you won Friday night."
"Next time. I need to hit the gym." Gwen grabbed her purse from the back of the chair.
"Please stay." Nick pointed to the poolroom in the back of the bar. "After dessert I wanna collect on that rematch you owe me."
"Stay and relax, Gwen," Ian added. "You can go to the gym tomorrow."
The use of their given names was a little unnerving, but she liked his laidback approach to bond with them. If the last few days were any indication of how he intended to run the unit, she was going to enjoy working with him.
"Yeah, and Sara will be along shortly and I want you to meet her."
"All right." She removed two twenties from her wallet then gathered the tickets and handed them to Nick. "Dinner's on me. I don't want any dessert, though."
"I'll have a piece of coconut cream pie." Ian tried to hand Nick some money.
Gwen pushed his hand back. "It's my treat, to welcome you to the squad."
Nick headed to the bar and Gwen poured herself another glass of tea.
"Thank you." Ian smiled at her. "I didn't come tonight expecting my dinner to be bought."
"I'm surprised you came. Our last lieutenant didn't think it was appropriate to socialize with us after work."
"That's not the way I tend to do things. I like knowing the people I work with. It's easier to trust friends to have your back than strangers."
Gwen couldn’t agree more.
"After being briefed on the unit's dynamics, I must say I was a little surprised by the great rapport you have with your colleagues.
"I have my good days."
"Don’t sell yourself short, Gwen. If I were to guess, you consider them all like family."
"You're very good at reading people, Lieutenant."
"Not always. Some people are harder to figure out than others."
Gwen had a hunch he referred to her, but before she could ask, Jake delivered Ian's piece of pie. He grinned at Gwen. "Nick said to join him in the poolroom when you're done. He won't give you your change unless you do."
"Oh really." Gwen leaned forward and glanced toward the back of the bar where Nick stood smiling with a pool stick in one hand and a saucer in the other.
"Hey, Gwen, can I talk to you a minute?" Jake asked.
"Sure. Excuse me, Lieutenant." She followed Jake to the bar. "What's up?"
"I've got a huge favor to ask of you." He shoved his hands into his back pockets.
"Let's hear it." Gwen moved to one side so a waitress could get by.
"I need a date Saturday night."
"You're kidding, right?" Gwen had known Jake a long time and he was a good friend, but that was as far as it went. At least on her part.
"I'm serious."
"That's not a good idea, Jake."
"Why not?"
"Come on, Jake. I'm not stupid or blind. Believe me, I'm flattered that you like me but—"
"I'm asking as a friend. That's it. I swear. Please, Gwen. It's my brother's engagement party and I really don't want to go without a date."
"I know of a half dozen female officers who'd be thrilled to go with you. Ask one of them."
"I've asked three and they were either busy or dating someone. Come on, Gwen, it's one night." He cocked his head and smiled. "I promise to have you home before curfew."
He was too adorable to say no to. "Is this thing formal or casual?"
"Formal. It's at Griggs Hall. Dinner and a couple of dances then we can leave."
"All right, but on one condition."
"Name it."
"No bragging in the locker room that we went out on a date. You do and I'll break your leg."
"Deal. I'll pick you up at six-thirty."
*****
Gwen returned to the table wearing a beautiful smile. Ian wondered if she and the young K-9 officer were dating? He remembered the two of them dancing together on Friday night, so it was a good possibility. He wasn't surprised to learn of Gwen's divorce, or Nick's for that matter. Marriage and a cop's career didn't usually blend well together.
"You play pool?" she asked.
"Yeah, but it's been a while." After Isaac left for college their pool table in the basement became a folding table for laundry.
Gwen grabbed her purse from the back of the chair. "I think I'm going to be in need of a partner, if you're interested." She motioned toward the back.
Ian saw Nick with his arm around a cute redhead. "Sure, why not." He finished his pie and followed her.
The paneled room had two pool tables and half a dozen chairs circling three small oval tables. Beer and soda advertisements hung on the walls, and at the back of the room was a rear exit and another door to the left that Ian guessed led to the kitchen.
"Sara, I'd like you to meet my colleague, Gwen Jamison, and our lieutenant, Ian McKean."
Ian stepped back as Gwen shook her hand, then he greeted her. "Nice to meet you, Sara."
The thirty something woman smiled. "You all don't look like cops."
"Yeah, I get that a lot." Gwen grabbed a pool stick from the rack.
"I'm going to the ladies room, Nick. Can I get you a beer?"
"Not tonight, babe. I'm on call."
After she had gone, Gwen nudged Nick. "Don't tell me this is where you brought her for your first date."
Nick shrugged.
"This explains your two divorces," she teased.
"Look who's talking."
"Hey, I've only been married once, and we'd still be together if I hadn't caught him cheating. It was either shoot the guy or divorce him. He's lucky I didn't choose the former."
Ian tapped her shoulder. "Just out of curiosity, was that your ex you dowsed with beer Friday night?"
Gwen reared her head back. "You don't miss a thing, do you?"
"Come on, Detective," he pursued with a smile, "just answer the question."
"Fine. As a matter of fact it was. David made the stupid mistake of suggesting I go home with him to celebrate my birthday."
"In all fairness," Nick added, "the guy is a loser. There's been a time or two I would like to have shot him."
Nick had just confirmed Ian's earlier assumption, that they were like a family. He admired that.
"Can we forgo my love life and get on with the game, please."
For the next hour, Ian and Gwen annihilated Nick and Sara. None to his surprise, Gwen was very competitive when it came to pool and he had a feeling if they were to play one on one, she could very well beat him.
"Eight ball. Right side pocket," she called out. It was their last ball. Nick and Sara still had four on the table.
"You sure you wanna try that shot," Nick challenged. With the angle of the cue ball, Gwen would have to bank her shot to sink the eight ball.
Gwen glanced up with a smirk. "Are you suggesting a friendly wager?"
"Loser covers the other's next two on-calls."
"All right." Gwen leaned over the table and hooked her bandaged finger around the stick using her middle finger as leverage and then took the shot. The eight ball hit the edge of the pocket and rolled down the edge toward the corner of the table.
"Yes!" Nick hit Sara up for a high-five.
"Aw man." Gwen looked at Ian and shook her head. "I can't believe I missed it. I've made that shot hundreds of times."
"Over confidence maybe," Ian teased.
She raised a brow at him. "Whose side are you on?"
"I was only making an observation."
Sara grabbed Nick's stick just as her cell phone rang. She dug it from her pocket and glanced at the screen. "I need to take this. It's my babysitter." Sara handed Nick back the stick and stepped out the back door.
"This is a first." Gwen went to stand next to Nick. "Since when do you date women with children?"