“I’ll call maintenance.” She picked up a walkie-talkie from the other side of her computer and spoke into it. “Rob? This is Abigail. Where are you, Rob?”
There was a moment’s hesitation before a man’s voice came over the scratchy speakers. “Building five. There’s a leaky air conditioner in 512.”
“The Robinsons’? Is it bad or can it wait for a few minutes? I need a health and safety done on 403 as soon as you can.”
“Roger. I’ll head right over there. I was just putting everything away.”
“I’ll go meet him,” Jack said. “Thanks for all of your help.”
The woman held the walkie-talkie to her chest. “Can you ask Rob to call me right back?”
“I will. Thank you, again.” Jack hurried out the door and jogged for the apartment.
As he neared the building, he saw a man in his early twenties driving an old golf cart with a ladder strapped to the side.
Jack waved as the man parked. “Hi, Rob. I’m here for the wellness check on 403.”
Rob got out of the cart and nodded but when Replacement and the dog came around the corner, his eyes narrowed. “Wait a second. Let me see some ID.”
“Rob. My name’s Jack Stratton.” He flipped open his wallet for Rob to see his license. “I’m here about Daniel Branson. We found his dog. Abigail just called. She wants you to call her when we’re done.”
Rob’s eyes went wider when he saw Jack’s old business card. “You’re a cop?”
Jack paused. Replacement came to stand almost next to him as she struggled to hold onto the dog.
“I was.”
“He…retired,” Replacement added.
“Abigail didn’t say you were on the force.” Rob’s voice went way up. “I’m fourth on the list to get in the department. I’m just working this job, waiting for a call to go to the training academy.”
Jack looked the eager young man up and down and then cleared his throat. “Good job, checking my status. Are you sure you can get us in the apartment or should I call back down to the central office?”
“I can get you in.” Rob held up a huge key ring that also had an assortment of fobs. “I’ve got access to everything here. I’m kind of security too.” He walked toward the entrance.
“Do you know Daniel?”
Rob shook his head. “I’ve seen him. Big, big guy. No complaints or nothing.” He headed for the door and held the key ring up against the buzzer. “You don’t seem too old.”
“Excuse me?”
“To be retired. You look young,” Rob said.
“It was a medical retirement,” Replacement offered up, and then she whispered, “Gunshot.”
“Really?” Rob’s eyes went wide.
Replacement nodded and then gave Jack a wink.
“Do you know if Daniel has a roommate?” Jack asked.
“I don’t think so but that’s important, right?” He looked at Jack expectantly. “I really only saw him walking the dog. There was a chick—I mean I saw a girl with him once.” Rob fumbled with the large key ring as he looked for the master key.
“Let us go in first.” Jack glanced back at Replacement. “Don’t either of you touch anything.”
“Got it.” Rob nodded curtly.
Jack walked past Rob as Rob held the apartment door open for them. Jack fought the impulse to take out his gun and sweep the room the way he was trained to. Still, he slid to the side of the doorway as he scanned the modest one-bedroom apartment. The living room consisted of a couch, recliner, coffee table, and a large TV surrounded by shelves of DVDs. There was a computer desk with a PC still on in the corner. Jack saw the empty kitchen as he silently moved into the apartment.
“Mr. Branson?” Rob called out and Jack glared. “Sorry,” Rob mumbled. “They said we have to announce ourselves if we need to do this.”
“That’s fine.” Jack held up a hand. “It just—”
Replacement huffed as the dog strained on the leash and then pulled free. All three of them followed the dog around the small apartment, but it only took a minute to determine no one was there.
“No one’s home,” Rob announced.
Jack looked into the living room and saw a computer in the corner. “The computer’s on.”
Replacement walked over to it and looked down. “There’s an old drink here.” She pointed at the cup on the desk. “I think it was coffee. It’s half full.”
Jack walked over next to Replacement and then whispered, “Don’t touch the computer.”
She frowned but nodded.
Rob stood in the middle of the kitchen and peered around. “Are you trying to figure out when he left?”
“Yes.” Jack looked at the cup filled with a curdled layer of cream. “No mold. It’s not that old.”
“That’s good.” Rob nodded. “What’s that mean? Like he’s only been gone a few days?”
“At least that’s what happens to my coffee,” Jack said. “I forgot a cup for a few days and it looked like that but after a week—you get mold.”
“Wow. You were a detective, huh?” Rob nodded his head and looked impressed. “They teach you that stuff?”
“They teach you better than that. That’s just a rough observation. I’m sure a CSI team would take measurements: the amount of cream, the temperature in here, and a bunch of different things and then they could tell you exactly when that cup was poured. I’m just going by the old trick, like putting your hand on the hood of the car to see if—” Jack spun around. “Is his car here?”
Rob’s eyes lit up. “He drives a big blue truck.”
Jack lowered his voice. “Rob, if you’re up to it, I need you to sweep the perimeter of the parking lot and see if the truck is still there.”
Before Jack finished speaking, Rob headed for the door. “I’m on it.”
“Rob, I need you to do at least two circuits and look for any vehicles that you don’t recognize.”
“Yes, sir.” Rob stood at attention and gave a quick nod before he hurried out.
The door shut and Replacement asked, “That was good, but why are you getting rid of him?”
“I want to look around without him hovering over my shoulder. Don’t touch anything. I’ll check that bedroom. Can you look around the computer?” Jack headed down the little hallway.
The bedroom was a small, typical, single guy’s bedroom except for one thing—the bed. Jack leaned his head horizontally as he looked at it. I wonder if Daniel made it. It’s like seven and a half feet long.
The bed was made out of two-by-fours and two mattresses were set one atop the other. Blankets lay pulled back and clothes had been tossed in a corner. The place was slightly messy and a little on the sparse side. He opened the closet. On the top shelf were a box and two closed suitcases.
Single guy probably owns only two. He didn’t pack.
He headed into the bathroom and took a quick inventory.
Toothbrush. Shaving cream. Razor. Deodorant. All out. If you were going out of town, you’d take them.
He flipped open the medicine cabinet.
Pill keeper. Today’s Thursday; last one open is Sunday.
Inside one of the transparent panels was a little white pill. It had been stamped with some code, but Jack had no idea what type of medicine it was. He headed back to Replacement.
“Get anything?”
“Gold mine.” Replacement pointed to a desk drawer. “He has a little notebook where he keeps his passwords.”
“I said don’t touch anything.”
“I didn’t. I used a pen to open the drawer and the notebook. I saw that on TV.”
Jack repressed a smile. “Did you copy the passwords down?”
“No.”
Jack exhaled. “I know you have a good memory but—”
She looked back at him. Her green eyes sparkled, and her dimple popped. “I took a picture of them with my phone.” She wiggled her butt.
“One point to you.”
“That should be worth three.”
“Don’t get cocky.” He pressed his lips into a tight line and headed back to the bathroom.
He opened the medicine cabinet and snapped a picture of the stamped pill.
That was definitely worth three points.
When he got back into the living room, he listened for the motor of the golf cart. Satisfied it was far out in the distance, he continued his search. The kitchen was clean. A small stack of mail on the counter looked to be bills, and they were all recent.
The two moved quickly through the apartment and carefully avoided touching anything.
His head snapped up when he heard the golf cart approaching. “Time’s up, kid.” Jack moved toward the door. “Wrap it up.”
“We’re good,” she said.
The door opened and Rob marched in. He stood at attention as he addressed Jack. “The tenant’s blue Chevy truck is parked in space 404. I did two perimeter sweeps of the parking lot, but I did not see any suspicious vehicles or non-resident cars parked in the visitor spaces.”
“Nice job, Rob.” Jack took out one of his cards. “I need you to do me another favor. If you see anyone here or if Daniel comes back, I need you to call me right away.”
Rob beamed. “Like a stakeout?”
Jack nodded. “Exactly.”
Replacement rubbed the dog’s head. When Jack started for the door, the dog whimpered, jumped up and trotted into the bedroom. A few seconds later, she came back with a rope pull toy flopping in her mouth.
“Ohh…” Replacement gushed as she patted the dog, “she wanted her toy.”
As they started to leave, Rob stopped in the doorway. “I’m not sure if the dog should remove anything.”
Jack took one look at the dog and shook his head. “I think we should let the dog take its toy. Do you really want to try to take it back?”
The dog growled.
Rob’s grin vanished. “It belongs to the dog so I guess that’s okay.” He quickly held the door open and stepped out of the way. Once they were all outside, Rob turned and asked Jack, “Can I use you as a reference for the police academy?”
Jack and Replacement exchanged a look.
“Why don’t I do you one better,” Jack said. “Email me your information, and I’ll see who I can personally talk to.”
“Awesome!” Rob’s hand shot out and he shook Jack’s. “I really appreciate it.”
“Call me the second you hear anything.”
“I will. You can count on me, sir.”
As they watched the golf cart drive away, Replacement turned to Jack. “Where do we look now?”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Holly Road
Jack drummed the steering wheel as he drove toward downtown.
“Where are we going?” Replacement asked.
“The police station.”
“Why? Because of what happened with Sandra?” Replacement’s eyes went wide. “Are we turning ourselves in?”
Jack laughed. “No. She doesn’t know who we are and if anyone asks, I’ll just say the dog freaked her out.”
“Then why are we going to the police station?”
Jack’s jaw clenched, and he lowered his eyes to the road.
Replacement sat up. “You think something happened to him.”
“Daniel has no family so someone has to report him missing—just in case.”
Replacement didn’t say anything for a few minutes. “He could be okay, right?”
His truck’s still at his apartment. No one’s heard from him for several days, and he left his dog tied to a fence. “I’m worried, kid.” He handed her his phone. “Can you look up what kind of pill that is?”
Replacement typed into the phone. After a couple of moments, she hung her head and her voice sounded flat. “It’s high blood pressure medication. You’re supposed to take it every day.” She turned her head and looked out the window.
Jack felt his throat tighten when he pulled in the visitor parking lot of the police station. He shut the engine off, but his hand lingered on the keys as he stared at the parking lot for police officers across the street. “Last time I parked in the visitor’s lot was for my interview.”
Replacement leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Can I come in?” He lifted an eyebrow and she held up a hand. “I promise I’ll be good.”
Jack lowered the windows for the dog before he got out.
As they headed up the steps to the police station, Officer Donald Pugh walked out. Donald was Jack’s age and height, but in his summer uniform, the man looked awfully thin. When he saw Jack, he grinned and hurried down the steps.
“Hi, Alice.” He gave her an awkward hug and then shook Jack’s hand. “How’ve you been, Jack?” He pushed his hat farther up on his sandy-brown hair and then put his hands on his hips.
“I’ve been okay. Are you getting off work or are you heading out?” Jack asked.
“I’m calling it a day. What brings you by?”
Jack exhaled. “I’ve got to file a missing person’s report.”
Donald looked from Jack to Replacement and then back again. He cleared his throat before he asked, “Who are you filing the report on?”
“His name’s Daniel Branson. He’s been missing four or five days.”
“Are you related?”
Donald straightened up and Jack saw his eyes darken. Jack’s heart plummeted. Every cop has had to deliver horrible news. It’s never easy, and you try to mask your face when you do it. Jack recognized Donald wore that mask.
Jack turned to Replacement and tried to keep his expression neutral. “Can you give us a second, Alice?”
Her eyes rounded in concern while she looked back and forth between the two men. Jack reached out and touched her shoulder. Her hand went to her stomach before she turned and then slowly walked back to the car.
When she was out of hearing distance, Jack spoke. “What do you know, Donald?”
“A jogger found a body out on Holly.”
“Do you have a description?” Jack asked.
“No, but I heard it was bad. Morrison’s out there now.”
“Thanks for letting me know.” Jack started back to the car.
“Jack,” Donald called to him, “if you’re going out there, you want to leave her in the car.”
When Jack got back into the Bug, Replacement stared at her hands.
“We need to go out to Holly Road.”
As they drove, Replacement didn’t say a word and neither did he. Through the trees, off in the woods, he saw emergency lights. He turned off Holly, down a fire road, and stopped behind Morrison’s car. The medical examiner was there, as well as two cruisers and a sedan.
“You need to stay in the car,” Jack said.
He was surprised when she nodded. When he got out, the fresh smell of pine trees greeted him. It was such an odd mix of dread and pleasant memories that he paused with his hand on the door. He looked just off the road to Undersheriff Robert Morrison, who spoke with a patrolman. Morrison, a tall African-American man in his late fifties, nodded when he saw Jack approach. He wore the tan uniform of the sheriff’s department without the hat. His curly black hair was short and graying at the temples.
“Undersheriff.” Jack nodded and came to attention.
“Don’t do that, son.” He stretched out his hand. “What brings you by?”
Jack stayed at attention. “I’m here because I stopped by the police station in order to file a missing person report, and I heard that someone reported finding a body.”
Morrison reached out, put his hand on Jack’s shoulder, and then walked partway around him.
He’s keeping my eyes away from the crime scene. It must be bad.
“The missing person,” Morrison began. “How do you know him?”
“I don’t. A woman found a lost dog and hired Alice to find the owner. The owner’s Daniel Branson. He’s twenty-seven. He’s been missing for four or five days. I did a wellness check at his residence, but he wasn’t there. I did find out that he takes medic
ation, but he hasn’t taken it since Sunday.”
“Do you have a description?”
Jack reached in his pocket and handed Morrison the printout.
“He’s a big guy. Six seven, six eight,” Jack said.
Morrison rubbed the back of his head and exhaled. He studied Jack’s face for only a moment before he turned and then nodded for Jack to follow. “Jogger found the body up here.”
They walked toward the top of a small hill. On the other side, the ground sloped off. The woods were almost all pine trees so there was very little underbrush. A twenty by twenty yard section had been surrounded by crime-scene tape. Inside the grid, the ME, two techs, and a man stood, looking down. Their bodies obstructed Jack’s view.
Jack tipped his chin toward a man about his height who talked with the medical examiner. He wore a light-gray suit that looked as if it would’ve cost Jack a week’s pay. The man’s light brown hair was moussed and styled.
“Who’s the suit?” Jack asked.
“Ed Castillo. I don’t know if you heard, but Joe Davenport retired. Sheriff Collins hired Ed.”
Jack thought he detected disapproval in Morrison’s voice, but he didn’t press the issue. “What do you have?”
“Not much.” Morrison stopped. “I need to ask you a favor. I still hear Collins mumbling your name around the office. Let me do all the talking?”
Jack nodded. “I won’t say a word.”
Castillo noticed Morrison on the hill, lifted the police tape, and walked over to them.
“Give me a minute, Jack?” Morrison walked down the slope to intercept Castillo.
While Morrison brought Castillo up to speed, Jack watched the crime-scene techs and the ME. Cameras flashed, measurements were taken, and the ME spoke into a voice recorder, but Jack started to become more puzzled by how little they moved.
One tech squatted down in front of what Jack assumed to be the body, but he couldn’t see it. The other tech and the ME walked around in a small circle.
Daniel’s six eight. How are they walking around a three-foot circle?
Just as Jack was about to shift over to try to see, Castillo walked down the hill and called for the ME. As he and the techs stood up and then moved toward Castillo, Jack saw what they stood around—a green trash bag. It was partially torn open, but Jack couldn’t see what was inside.
JACK AND THE GIANT KILLER Page 11