A TWISTED MIND (Clean Suspense) (Detective Jason Strong Book 21)
Page 7
Ellard handed it back. “This can’t be real. It has to be a sick joke.”
Jason accepted the note and scowled. “I wish we could know for sure. When was the last time the office was open?”
Ellard looked at Destiny. “Were you here yesterday?”
“No.”
“Then it would have been the day Janet got sick?”
Destiny nodded. “Not long after I spoke to you on the phone.”
Ellard turned back to Jason. “Around five that day.”
Jason nodded. “Destiny, what time did you get here this morning?”
“Just before I called you, so ten-thirty.”
“Doctor Ellard, can we look at your security camera footage.”
“Of course.” Ellard went toward the back of the office. “This way.”
Jason followed and Vanessa trailed him. Destiny seemed frozen in place, which was just as well. He didn’t want her viewing the tape if it wasn’t necessary. The poor girl was already shook up.
They came to a wide stairway with an ornate railing and wooden steps. Ellard paused and turned back. “Destiny!”
“Sir?”
“Make sure I locked the door, please.”
“Okay.”
Ellard then led them up to the first room on the left. “We don’t use the upstairs for anything but storage, so I put the recording equipment up here.” He unlocked the door and pushed it wide. The room was bare except for a shelf with a DVR on it, and a desk holding a keyboard and monitor.
Ellard flipped the light on then propped the door open. “Gets stuffy in here.”
He crossed to the desk and pushed the power button on the monitor, which began to boot up. Ellard had dropped into a desk chair. Jason and Vanessa took up spots behind him. Within just a moment or two, the screen was divided into a four shot grid, three of which were filled with the view from a camera, while the bottom right frame remained blank.
Jason tapped the screen. “Take it back to when Destiny closed the office for the last time.”
Ellard nodded and hit rewind. The three views moved rapidly in reverse while the time stamp spun backwards. After less than ten seconds, Ellard froze the shots. An empty lobby, a vacant alley, and Destiny on the front stoop locking the door.
Jason’s hopes grew. “Can you give us just the front door shot?”
Ellard punched a couple buttons, and the screen filled with the front door angle.
Jason nodded. “”Good. Let it roll, and you can go one step faster than real-time.”
Ellard tapped the space bar on the keyboard twice, and the video moved forward. All three stared intently, waiting for anyone to approach the door. Jason loosened his tie and straightened up. The first night passed without any sign of a letter drop.
The picture grew lighter as the sun came up, eventually turning to full daylight. Sometime after ten in the morning, the postal carrier came onto the stoop, spent a moment shoving mail through the slot, then walked away.
Day turned to dusk and dusk to night for the second time. The doorway overhead light came on automatically, but no one approached. Vanessa let out an anxious sigh. Jason sensed his blood pressure rising. They had to have the delivery on camera. There seemed no way for the note to get inside the door without being seen by the security system.
The sun started to rise again, and as dark turned to gray, the overhead light went off. Traffic on the road in front of the office picked up. Then, in the same instant, they each pointed at the screen.
“There!”
A man in a hoodie, wearing shorts and sunglasses, crossed the lawn and stepped onto the stoop. In his hand, a single sheet of paper. Moments later, he walked away empty handed.
Jason touched Ellard’s shoulder. “Back it up.”
The note deliverer marched backwards into the shot and spun around to face the door.
“Freeze it!” Jason guessed the man to be five-nine or ten, medium build, with thick brown hair. They had their note author and deliverer.
Ellard stared at the image. “That’s Michael Wise.”
“Who’s Michael Wise?”
“A patient.”
Vanessa took out her notepad. “Are you certain?”
Ellard’s head bobbed decisively. “No doubt.”
“What can you tell us about him?”
Ellard swiveled in the chair to look at her. “Both Janet and I have treated him. He’s been a patient for three or four years.”
“Who was currently seeing him?”
“Janet. He claimed I wasn’t listening to him in our sessions, and requested a change.”
“Has he got violent tendencies?”
“You know I’m not supposed to talk about a patient’s care.” Ellard glanced at the door. “If you repeat any of this, I’ll deny it was ever said.”
Jason nodded. “You have our word it won’t be repeated.”
“Okay. Michael has some paranoid delusions, but there is no indication of violence in his clinical background.”
“Did Janet ever mention having trouble with Mr. Wise?”
“Not to me. He could be argumentative, but nothing out of the ordinary.” Ellard sighed. “Look, I’m sure you of all people can understand, in our line of work, you’re going to run in to some troubled individuals. That’s one of the reasons for the alarms and cameras.”
“Can you give us an address for him?”
“Sure. We’ll have to go downstairs.”
“I’ll need a copy of that video, too.”
“I can print the screen. Will that do for now?”
Jason nodded. “That’s great.”
Ellard pushed some buttons. “It’ll print in my office.”
He rose from his chair and they descended the stairs. At the bottom, Ellard turned left and entered his office. It struck Jason as very much like Noah Hatcher’s office, with a sleek modern design, except it lacked the white walls. The printer in the corner finished up, and spit out the photo, which Ellard passed to Jason.
Next, Ellard opened the file cabinet behind his desk and extracted a manila folder. Opening it and laying it on his desk, he ran a finger down the first sheet. “Here it is. 1253 Winnipeg Avenue in Palm Heights.”
Vanessa still had her pad out and wrote it down. “Do you know if he is married or lives with anyone?”
Ellard shook his head. “As far as I know, he’s a loner.”
Jason stared at the face in the photo. Was this their killer?
He waved the picture in the air. “Don’t mention the note or this photo to anyone for now.”
“Okay.”
“One other thing.”
“What?”
“The milk Mrs. Ellard used to make her protein shake. Is it still in the fridge?”
“I suppose.”
“Can we look?”
“Sure.”
Ellard led them toward the back of the office and into a small kitchenette. He opened the fridge and extracted a quart of almond milk. “She preferred this to cow’s milk.”
Vanessa accepted the bottle.
Jason shook Ellard’s hand. “Thanks for your help. We’ll be in touch.”
Chapter 6
On the way to the address on Winnipeg Avenue, Vanessa called central dispatch. “I need a ten-twenty-nine on a Michael Wise. Address is 1253 Winnipeg Avenue.”
“Copy that, Detective. Standby.”
Jason exited I-35 and turned into the Palm Heights neighborhood. Though one of the older neighborhoods in the city, the homes there were neat and cared for.
Vanessa had her pad out and pen poised for the information. The radio crackled to life.
“Dispatch to Detective Layne.”
“Go for Layne.”
“Information on Michael Wise, age thirty-eight, driver’s license is valid, no traffic tickets. Record shows two arrests—one for disturbing the peace, second for assault—charges dropped in both cases.”
Vanessa keyed the mic. “Copy that. Thank you.”
�
�10-4. Dispatch out.”
Vanessa stared at her note. “Assault. Interesting.”
“Big jump from simple assault to murder, if we have a murder. And the M.O. doesn’t match. Janet Ellard wasn’t attacked.”
“Still, most killers start somewhere.”
Jason stopped in front of Michael Wise’s home. Sitting on the corner of Desoto and Winnipeg, the green house with white trim was small, even for this neighborhood. A chain-link fence encircled the tiny yard, and white wrought-iron bars covered the windows. The grass was mowed, but there was little in the way of landscaping.
Jason got out into the searing afternoon heat and came around to Vanessa who had already opened the front gate, and together they walked up to the front door, also covered with iron bars.
Jason rapped on the door.
From somewhere inside the house, he was answered by the yapping of a small dog. They waited more than two minutes before Jason checked the storm door. It was open, so he pulled it wide and banged on the wood front door.
The dog, now apparently directly on the other side of the door, yapped louder, but no one opened the door. He was about to knock a third time when a gunshot rang out.
Jason and Vanessa both pinned themselves against the wall and drew their weapons. Jason keyed his radio. “Dispatch, this is Detective Strong. We have a ten-thirty-one at our location. Requesting immediate back up.”
“Copy that.”
Jason gestured with his gun toward the car. “You first, I’ll cover.”
Vanessa nodded then sprinted for their vehicle, ducking on the far side. She popped her head up and raised her weapon. “Go!”
Jason traced her path to the back side of the car, and hunkered down beside her. “I only heard one shot.”
“Me, too.”
“See any damage to the house?”
She shook her head. “The shot didn’t exit near us.”
“It sounded like it came from inside, near the back.”
“Think he shot himself?”
Jason nodded. “A distinct possibility.”
“He might still be alive.”
“Dale Ellard said Wise was a loner, so it’s unlikely anyone else is inside. We need to breach the door.”
“Should we wait for back-up?”
“If he dies while we do, it will be on us. I say we risk it.”
Vanessa nodded. “Let’s go.”
Sirens echoed in the distance as they rounded the vehicle and ran in a crouched position back to the porch. With Vanessa covering him, Jason turned backwards and donkey-kicked the door. It rattled but held. He tried again, harder his time.
The doorframe shattered and the door popped open.
Jason turned, his weapon raised and stepped into the entrance. “San Antonio Police! If anyone is in here, show yourself now!”
Directly behind him, Vanessa covered his back as he took another step in. “Michael Wise! Are you in here?”
Evidently, the shattering door had scared the dog, because the barking had fallen suddenly silent.
To his left was a bathroom, to the right, the living room. Jason pushed the bathroom door wide and checked behind the shower curtain. “Clear.”
Vanessa entered the living room, this time with Jason at her back. She scanned back and forth, gun in one hand and flashlight in the other. “Clear.”
Jason retook the lead position and moved down the tight hallway. At the back, the kitchen was to the right and what appeared to be the lone bedroom to the left. The bedroom door was closed.
Jason pinned himself against the wall next to the bedroom door, and gestured for Vanessa to check the kitchen. She moved past him, scanned the small room, then backed out. “Clear.”
Jason nodded, then reached for the bedroom door handle. Turning it ever so gently, he waited until the lock released, then leaned back against the wall. Using the butt of his gun, he slowly pushed the door open until he could see the interior of the room.
Lying on the bed, partially propped up by pillows, was Michael Wise. Blood seeped from his head, and his eyes were fixed in a permanent gaping stare focused on nothing.
Jason pushed the door wide and entered the room. A twenty-two caliber pistol lay on the bed, partially covered by Wise’s slumped torso.
Jason checked for a pulse, then looked back at Vanessa and shook his head. She holstered her weapon and keyed her radio. “Dispatch, cancel ten-thirty one. We have one person, ten-sixty. We will need the coroner at our location.”
“Copy that.”
Several patrol cars arrived on scene, and Vanessa went to tell them the scene was secure while Jason looked around. A folded piece of paper lay on the side table.
Jason wriggled on a latex glove and lifted the note open so he could read it. He immediately recognized the writing.
IF YOU ARE THE POLICE AND YOU IS READING THIS, THEN I AM DEAD.
EITHER I COMPLETED MY MISSION OR DOCTOR DALE IS STILL ALIVE AND
I FAILED
THEY HURT ME SO MUCH
THEY HAD TO DIE
YOU WILL FIND THAT THE SAME GUN I USED TO KILL THEM IS WHAT I AM
USING ON MYSELF
MW
Jason’s heart sank.
Vanessa arrived back in the room. “A couple officers are putting out crime tape and forming a perimeter.”
Jason turned toward her without a word, but his look must have said volumes. Vanessa’s eyes flared. “What is it?”
Jason held the note for her to read. As she finished, her shoulders sagged. “Crap.”
He nodded. “Michael Wise was not our killer.”
“Then why kill himself?”
“Dale Ellard said Wise suffered from paranoid delusions. Maybe when Janet Ellard died, he saw himself as the killer.”
“Maybe. Let’s hope Dale Ellard can shed some light on it.”
The sounds of a commotion carried through the small house. Jason put down the note and headed outside with Vanessa behind him. As they exited the house, the source of the uproar was immediately apparent. It came with flaming red hair and a writing pad.
“Vanessa! Tell this goon to let me through.”
Jason glanced at his partner. “I’ll handle this.” He moved swiftly to the curb where Libby Turner, the city crime reporter for the San Antonio News, was being restrained from going under the crime tape. “Miss Turner!”
She stopped. “Detective Strong. Hi.”
Jason gestured toward the officer holding the reporter at bay. “I would like you to meet Officer Kelly Gwinn. He’s been with the San Antonio Police Department for nineteen years, and I don’t think he has ever gone by the nickname Goon. Am I right Officer?”
Gwinn smirked at Libby. “You are correct, sir. However, I was called several similar names by a prostitute once.”
Libby’s green eyes flashed angrily toward the officer. “Are you suggesting I am on par with a hooker?”
Jason stepped between them. “No, Miss Turner, you are suggesting that by calling a career officer a goon.”
She stared hard at Jason, anger roiling in her eyes, then a wry smile curled her lips. “Oh, I get it. Very clever Detective Strong.” She peered around Jason at Officer Gwinn. “My apologies, officer. My temper sometimes gets the better of me.”
“Apology accepted, but you still can’t cross the perimeter line.”
“Jason, will you talk to me?”
“About what?”
Libby scowled. “Come on! What happened here? I heard on the scanner there were shots fired.”
“Miss Turner, while I won’t deny what you heard, this scene is still way to new for me to comment on. Even you can understand that.”
“What do you mean by even…oh, never mind.” She turned back to her cameraman who was standing by the news van. “Donny, get some photos of the house while I go talk to the neighbors.”
With that, she marched off.
Jason returned to where Vanessa stood. “She makes her presence felt, that’s for sure.”
“Yes. Then we need to reach out to Dale Ellard. We don’t want him finding out about this from the news. After that, we’ll go talk with Savage. I’m guessing our case will be shut down for real this time.”
*******
Jason and Vanessa went by the precinct and briefed the lieutenant, as well as dropped off the almond milk to forensics for testing. Well past lunchtime, they arrived at Dale and Janet Ellard’s home.
Unlike the day before, there were no cars in the driveway at all. Jason parked on the street and they walked up the cobblestone path to the front door. Vanessa pushed the doorbell, which chimed for nearly ten seconds.
After several minutes, she pushed it again, and after several minutes more, they gave up. Jason tucked a card in the door jamb and they returned to the car. On the way to the precinct, Jason called Dale Ellard. It rang multiple times before being picked up.
You’ve reached Dale. Can’t talk right now, but leave a message and I’ll get back to you soon.
“Dr. Ellard, this is Detective Strong. Please call me as soon as you get this. Thank you.”
Jason disconnected the call, then dialed the doctor’s office. This time it rang just once before being picked up.
You’ve reached Ellard Mental Health. The offices of Doctor Dale Ellard and Doctor Janet Ellard are currently closed. If this is an emergency, please hang up and dial nine-one-one. Otherwise, leave a message and we will return your call on the next business day. Thank you.
Jason opted not to leave a message this time. He hung up. “Wonder where Mr. Ellard is?”
“He was dressed nice when he showed up at the medical office this morning. Maybe he had a golf date or something.”
“The day after disconnecting his wife from life support? Seems exceptionally cold.”
Vanessa nodded. “True. Maybe he’s making arrangements for the funeral.”
“Possible, I suppose.”
They arrived back at the precinct and went immediately to Lieutenant Savage’s office. Savage glanced up from his desk with a look of relief. “Glad to see you two unharmed. I heard you had shots fired.”