Necessary Evil

by Janelle Taylor

  “Damn!” Mory swore. “It’s like we’re chasing a ghost!”

  “Worse, my friend,” Henrietta corrected, “You’re after Pure Evil itself.”

  Wednesday afternoon, August 1st

  “Listen, Mory, why don’t you knock off for the day and get home to your wife? Our crazy hours and dangerous situations are what has her steamed all the time. Take her out to dinner. Maybe add a movie. Join her for a bubble bath. Give her some great sex. Treat her better, my friend, or some other man will steal her away.”

  “What about you? Plans with Andi tonight?”

  “Not exactly. I’m pretty tired after the last two nights. I just need to hit the sack. Get some rest to clear my head. I’m sure she’ll understand. That’s one of the things I like most about her. Plus, she’s been working like crazy on a big case with Ray. I’m betting she needs some rest, too.”

  “You two are hitting it off good, aren’t you?”

  “Yep. Half the time that makes me glad; the other half, it scares the hell out of me. Sometimes I’m afraid she’s too good to be real. After Kristi, I’ve never trusted any woman fully. They can seem so sweet and innocent, but be sour or rotten on the inside. When I’m with Andi, I feel good. Most of the time we’re apart, I can’t wait to be with her again. Then, sometimes I wonder where this thing is heading and if I want to risk taking that long walk a second time. Right now, I’m bone tired, but I’m bone hard.”

  “You’re hooked, Dan, so admit it. She’s everything you want and need. I hope she’ll have a good effect on my Janie. Andi never gets mad when you work late or you’re too tired to think straight enough to talk for hours.”

  “Maybe that’s because we aren’t together all the time. We’re dating, so maybe she never lets her hair down completely. We don’t have any marital ropes tying us together, so we treat each other carefully. We don’t take each other for granted, because we know how lonely it’s been for us out there in the dating game. How should I know? I failed at love and marriage the first time around, so I must not know much about either one, or about women.”

  “If you keep working late and ignoring Andi, you’ll be in the same boat I’m in. Why don’t you hang it up for the night? There’s nothing more you can do until tomorrow. At least go home and rest.”

  “That’s what I need: a cold shower, a good scotch and sleep.”

  Dan called Andrea to tell her he’d been working practically around the clock for days, so he was turning in early tonight. “I have a lot to check out tomorrow, so don’t look for me until Friday. Is that all right?”

  “Of course it is, Dan. We do have things in our lives besides each other. I have a lot of things I need to take care of, too. You don’t have to explain to me, but I appreciate you calling. I understand how hard you’re working on this case. Things will lighten up after it’s solved. I saw the newspaper. That reporter is still giving you fits, isn’t he?”

  “Damn that Starr! He tipped off the Avenger about the typewriter at the school library. He interviewed Barney Young, that student who made the connections and printed it. Now, the Avenger is using a different typewriter, so that clue is lost. Hell, I can’t blame Barney. The paper is offering five thousand dollars for news tips and he’s a student who needs money. I just wish he’d told me he talked to Starr, so I wouldn’t have wasted that stakeout.” He told her about the newest crime, what he’d done, and what he was going to do.

  “How clear was the print? Could you tell what kind of shoe it was, or how big the person might be? I know there’s been a lot of advances in those areas, but I have to admit, I’m not as educated there as I’d like to be.”

  “Henri took it back to her lab to see what she can determine from it. She took samples of the mud to see if there’s anything there, too. It seems too small for a grown man, though.”

  “What if it’s a maid? Or a girlfriend’s? Or the victim’s?”

  “It wasn’t Carl’s and I doubt it’s our killer’s, but I’ll check out the others. I’m just wondering if the Avenger has a female accomplice or boss. If so, she could be one of the men’s victims. I’ll check all of them out again.”

  “Oh, Dan, I wish you didn’t have to keep bothering those poor women. Rehashing their cases must be mental and emotional murder.”

  “That’s exactly what it is, Andi, murder for their old cases.”

  “What are you planning to do, play a police prince who’s seeking a criminal Cinderella with a depression sample rather than a glass slipper? Are you going to take that cast to all of the women and ask them to step their feet into it for comparison?”

  “I don’t know yet, but that would eliminate them from my possible suspects list.”

  “At least check out all of the other possibilities first, okay?”

  “I promise, you tenderhearted creature.”

  “Thanks, and your kindness will be rewarded when I next see you.”

  “I’ll hold you to that generous offer.”

  Andrea laughed and said, “I was certain you would. I miss you, Dan, but I want to see you next when we can really and only concentrate on each other.”

  “Me, too, Andi. I want you nestled beside me all night, without worrying the phone will ring and the Avenger will yank us apart.”

  “Catch him, Dan, and uncomplicate our lives.”

  “I’m trying, Andi, honestly I am.”

  “I know, and I promise to be patient. I’ll be here for you as soon as things settle down for both of us.”

  “Heaven help me, woman, you’re perfect.”

  “If only that were true, Dan. But at least, you are. See you soon, and we’ll make up for lost time.”

  Thursday, August 2nd

  “James Starr has a solid alibi this time,” Mory muttered in frustration as they headed towards the apartment Paul Cannon rented with Teresa. “He claimed to be at a party with some friends. They’re all members of the same hunting club, a bunch of good old boys who didn’t hesitate to let me know that they agreed with what the Avenger is doing and the articles Starr is writing.”

  “Do you think they were telling the truth? Was Starr with them that night?”

  Mory shrugged. “I doubt if they even care. They’re convinced this Avenger is some type of hero and their reporter friend is just being picked on by the cops because he’s telling a truth we don’t want told. Or something to that effect.”

  “If I find out those party boys are covering for him, I’ll bust their ass to jail, too,” Dan threatened.

  “I warned them about lying to law enforcers and obstructing investigations, but they didn’t seem concerned. Maybe they figured the Avenger will come bust them out if they’re allegedly wrongly accused of crimes after helping their friend. Who knows? I can’t imagine anyone being loyal to Starr; he sure doesn’t have a faithful bone in his body.”

  “Whatever he’s done, I hope for their sakes, they’re not lying to us. Well, let’s go see what Mr. Paul Cannon has to say about all of this.”

  A man answered the door in jeans and a t-shirt. Their tight fit showed off a muscular physique, Dan noted, one that would be strong enough to overpower those victims. From what he’d heard from others at the department, Paul would be angry enough, too. And stupid enough to flaunt the law in their faces. I’d better be careful with this one.

  “Paul Cannon?” After a nod, he disclosed, “I’m Lieutenant Dan Mallory from the County Department. Would you mind if we come inside and have a little chat?”

  “What are you doing here, Morrison?”

  “We need to talk to you, Paul. It will only take a few minutes.”

  “You here about Teresa’s ex getting fucked up?” Paul laughed at his own joke. When he noticed the other two weren’t smiling, he stopped and taunted, “What the fuck’s got you so uptight? This Avenger ain’t poking you in the night, is he?” Again, he laughed. “Hey, Tee, some cops are here to talk about dickhead getting plugged. Put some clothes on, ‘cause they probably want to talk to you, too. Come on i
n, officers.” Paul held the door open as he slurred the last word, making it sound nastier than the foul ones he’d spoken earlier. After introducing them to his girlfriend, he excused himself to the bathroom.

  “How are you doing, Ms. Whitehead? You still go by that name?”

  “Yes, sir. I didn’t change it after me and Carl, well, after we broke up.”

  “Have you seen Carl lately?” Dan didn’t like the way her gaze cut to the hallway before she answered with a soft “no”. “You wouldn’t be telling me a fib, now, would you, Ms. Whitehead?”

  “Call me Teresa, please. Carl came by my work two weeks ago, but I haven’t seen him since. I didn’t want Paul to find out, because he gets furious when Carl harasses me at work,” she whispered. “Please don’t say anything to him about it. Carl came by wanting some money and he left after I refused to give him any. That’s all there was to it.” She begged them with her eyes to remain silent as Paul swaggered into the room.

  “You done harassing my woman now? She ain’t the Avenger, ‘cause she ain’t got no dick. And as much as I’m enjoying the fact that those pricks got what they deserved, I ain’t stupid enough to put my cock up their ass. No telling what kind of diseases those pricks’ got. Nothing’s worth getting AIDS. That’s some bad shit. I heard somebody say your joystick falls off before you die. Now, ain’t that a pisser.”

  “Can you tell us where you were Monday night?” Dan directed his question to Paul, for whom he felt no respect, but instant dislike.

  “I was here all night long. Ain’t that right, Tee? We was probably in the bedroom having fun while Carl was—”

  “Were you home with him that night?” Dan interrupted him and looked at Teresa.

  “Yes, sir, I was. We stayed home that night and watched TV. There was a movie on HBO that Paul wanted me to see.”

  “What’s your blood type, Paul?” Mory asked.

  “I have no fucking idea. But you can check with personnel. They’d know. They claimed they wanted it on file in case I got shot on the streets and needed some blood. I think they just wanted to know in case they sold my body parts,” he jested.

  Dan’s hold on his nerves was coming close to letting loose. This jerk had been part of their same brotherhood at one point. What had happened to him? What was with his cocky attitude and foul mouth? Maybe he talked that way all the time, but Dan decided he was doing it just to aggravate them. After his dismissal for temper, Paul probably wanted to show that all cops had a breaking point. I won’t let him beat me this way, Dan decided. “Would you mind if we take a look around?”

  “You got a search warrant? You’re gonna need one if you want to go poking around in my stuff. There ain’t nothing here that would interest you.”

  “Is this your house, or Teresa’s?” Dan asked.

  “It’s hers, but she ain’t gonna allow you to go through her private things either. You just want to get your jollies off by going through her panty drawer, but I’m not going to allow that.”

  Dan noticed that Mory was straining to control himself, too, so he spoke quickly. “That’s fine, Paul. If we need to come back with a search warrant, we will.”

  “You ain’t got enough just cause for no damn search warrant. I remember enough to know that. You can threaten us all you want, but you ain’t got jack shit, so don’t pull that crap with me.”

  “Paul, maybe we should let them take a look around. We don’t have anything to hide, and then they won’t have to come back later. Please, Paul, let them go ahead,” she pleaded with him.

  “No! They’re just mad ‘cause they can’t find out who this Avenger is, so they’re picking on me since I was let go from the department. They’re just pissed off because the Avenger is doing their jobs for them, when the courts have tied their dicks in a knot. I hope you don’t catch him, Lieutenant. I hope he kills all the stupid shits out there. The fucker deserves a medal, as far as I’m concerned. Now, get out of my house! And don’t come back until you have a search warrant. Out!”

  “Paul!” Teresa admonished.

  “I want them out. Now! They have no right to be here harassing us. We haven’t done anything wrong, so they don’t have anything to tie us to Carl’s murder. I’m glad his sorry ass is dead, but I didn’t kill him. Neither did Tee. I’m not going to take any harassment or accusations. The department did me wrong just for losing my temper, and rightly so. Get out!” Paul thundered.

  “Let’s go, Mory, before I’m tempted to show Paul what harassment really is.”

  “Is that a threat? Are you threatening me?”

  “Let me remind you, Paul, since you seem to have forgotten: it’s illegal to assault a police officer. Calm down, or I’ll haul your ass to jail and you can cool off there. We’re leaving. We know where to find you if we need to.” Dan walked quickly through the front door, ignoring the curses and shouts coming from the apartment.

  “What a jerk!” exclaimed Mory as he put on his seatbelt. “Thank God he’s no longer representing the Force in this town. It’s cops like him that give us all a bad name. Why didn’t you push the search warrant? I’d have done it just to aggravate him.”

  “He can’t be the Avenger. He’s too angry. The Avenger has executed these murders with a cool head. He’s made sure every loose end was tied up and nothing was left behind. I’m sure Paul is capable of murdering someone, but I doubt he could keep his temper in check to cover all of his bases, as the Avenger has done. Getting into a pissing contest with him wouldn’t have done either one of us any good. It would’ve just tied up some resources we can use elsewhere.”

  “You’re right, Dan, but I’d sure like to have been there while they were tearing up his place. He’d spend some time on the other side of those bars that night for sure.”

  “Yeah, but that still wouldn’t lead us to the Avenger. And that’s who I want. This case is driving me nuts, Mory. I can feel the Avenger looking over my shoulder all the time now. He’s out there and he’s watching us. We don’t have any suspects and very little to go on, and he knows that. He’s laughing at us, Mory. I can hear him. Now, we’re back to square one. Where will he strike next? When? Who? How?”

  “The million dollar questions,” a sobered Mory said.

  “Yeah, the million dollar questions.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Friday night, August 3rd

  Andrea answered the door with a large towel draped around her shoulders and a big smile on her face. “Hi, Lieutenant. You always seem to catch me when I’m washing my hair,” she joked. “You’re early. Eager to see me, right?”

  Dan didn’t smile. The frustration of the last several weeks won out. The last victim hadn’t been under stakeout, because he had been acquitted and released in early spring. Beth had needed time to recover from her injuries last fall before Carl’s trial earlier this year. His case was recent compared to the others, and a child had been involved for the first time. Dan knew exactly where Carl’s case file had been on Monday night, in a chair along with other excluded ones in the DA.’s office. Now, it was on his desk with all the other unresolved Avenger lethal attacks. Yet, Carl was a perfect target for the Avenger. Dan poured himself a drink and flopped into a chair, closing his eyes to relax. “I’m sorry. Maybe we should make plans for another night. This case has me ready to bite anybody’s head off, and I don’t want it to be yours.”

  “I’m sorry Ray and I didn’t think about recent or even pending shaky cases as targets. The strikes have always been from the last several years, and you’ve got the five worst ones under surveillance. Maybe the Avenger is attending court sessions and observing trials; that could be where he gets his information, details and victims. Maybe he’s getting and using the transcripts. Perhaps he’s been collecting them for a long time. Maybe somebody tipped him off about the stake-outs, so he changed his schedule and victim MO. If he’s going to start selecting more recent targets, maybe you can put a detective on duty at the courthouse during rape hearings and trials? Never mind. I’m sur
e Captain Bolton wouldn’t go for that. I’m sorry, Dan.”

  “Don’t blame yourself, Andi. I haven’t even thought about checking out recent cases to see if they’re worse than the old ones I’ve got under study. We’ll get him. He has to make a slip sometime. I can’t match anyone to that footprint. It must have been a one night stand he had over before his attack, but I can’t locate her or anyone who saw a woman over there.”

  “If that’s true, you can’t blame her for not wanting to get involved in a mess like this. Maybe she didn’t know he was such a bastard until the news was released and she doesn’t want her name connected to his.”

  “That’s possible. You know, the more I dig into these old cases, the more I get confused about what’s right and wrong. But I’ve sworn to do my duty, to obey the law and I will, no matter what I have to do to stop him. The trouble is, the way the courts and laws are failing people, it makes it look like we really do need a real life Equalizer or Dirty Harry or Death Wish vigilante. When I called you Wednesday night, I forgot to ask where you were Monday night. I took a break from work and needed to talk with you. It was about ten thirty. Were you asleep? Or just not answering that late?”

  “Are you checking up on me, too, Lieutenant Mallory? Am I a suspect now? Would you like to cuff me and interrogate me?” She laughed.

  Dan kissed her right wrist and smiled. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea. You weren’t out with someone else, were you? I mean...”

  “I was with two men, sir, and both in white.” She laughed and uncovered her bandaged left hand. “I tripped over the phone cord like a klutz and jammed my wrist and fingers. For a detective, you’re not very observant with me. I spent several hours in x-ray and emergency Monday night. No cell phones allowed, and I wasn’t expecting you to call. I thought you and Tracy were very, very busy that night. Or should I say you two pulled an all nighter? I’m afraid Janie ratted you out on Tuesday. I don’t think she liked having her hubby yanked out of bed so early, especially to go to a gruesome murder scene. We didn’t have plans to visit or talk on Monday and Tuesday because of our crazy work schedules, remember?”