by Combs, Sasha
“Linda...”
Shaken from her daydreaming, her eyes traveled in the direction of his voice. Heat coursed through, then melted her resolve.
“Hayford... What are...” She didn’t bother finishing the sentence. If it burped, breathed, wiggled or farted; as a journalist, Hayford would know about it. Her eyes scanned the streets, down the block then back to him. Everyone in the quiet neighborhood went about their business and thankfully the TV news media had not learned about the murder yet. The coroner was due to move the body soon. After that, all bets would be off. Some reporters parked out on the street, waiting to follow the death wagon wherever its rolling wheels traveled.
Hayford stepped nearer, placing his hand gently, to rest on her cheek. One side of his mouth lifted, framing his face with a comforting smile.
“You look tired.” He said. “Have you had breakfast?”
“Yes...”
He smirked, saying...
“Coffee and a donut doesn’t count as breakfast Linda.”
She scowled. How did this man do it? At what point in their relationship had he come to know her so well? Hayford drew her in closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. Linda shied back, saying...
“Hayford... Not here. I’m on duty. It wouldn’t look right... Us being seen together on the street, hugged up like two lovesick teenagers.”
“I’m not sick but I am in love.” He drawled. “So what of it?”
“This isn’t the place for joking. There’s another dead body inside. But I’m sure you already know that.”
She narrowed her eyes, staring intently at him.
“And by the way... Did you ever make that call to the precinct?”
“Yes... But, that isn’t why I’m here.”
“Hayford...” She didn’t want to ask, but so far, nothing was making sense and she needed to get to the bottom of this. She said...
“Why are you here, if not to talk about this murder? You told me that you know something about this case...”
“No Linda, that isn’t what I said. I told you that I know something that might help you solve a case.”
“What do you know Hayford?”
Hayford frowned, when he said...
“I phoned the information into the precinct, like you asked. Do you mean to say that you weren’t informed?”
Linda shuffled her feet, not wanting to discuss the inner workings at her job. Frustrated, her arms crossed her chest.
“Hayford... Please, don’t be difficult. Just tell me what you know... Or what you think you know.”
Her hand instinctively lifted, bracing her forehead; thumb and forefinger cradling her head. Her skull felt like it was splitting and she was beginning to feel pressure heaped upon her by the commander. So much was expected of her and she’d been burning her candle at both ends. She appeared tired and frustrated. A bad combination. At the moment, Hayford didn’t give a rats ass who saw them. He didn’t care if the cops in area witnessed what he was about to do next. He drew her in, soothing her back with an up and down move of his hand.
“Linda... Babe...” he said, with his heart on his sleeve. “Tell me what I can do to help? Tell me and I’ll do it.”
She inhaled a full breath, filling her lungs with the smell of his spicy aftershave. On a sigh, she said...
“What do you know Hayford?” Her exasperation, was no longer hidden.
Hayford said...
“I told the operator that I received a tip. At the second crime scene. The Mia Price-Cortland apartment building... There’s a building that blocks the alley’s access. The building forms a dead end. Its an apartment building that faces the street on a parallel block. I explained that, they might want to review video feeds leading in and out of that building.”
She stared at him puzzled.
“Hayford... Is this an anonymous tip or are you acquainted with the person claiming to know something about the second murder?”
Hayford’s face took on an expression that she’d seen in the past. He was wearing a mask that told her he would protect his source.
“For now... Let’s just say that, this is a reliable tip. Linda... If this person is correct, you won’t find the killer on any of the video feeds, in or around Mia’s apartment building because when he left the area, he used the service entrance belonging to the building in the rear.”
Her eyes narrowed, because she’d learned never to question one of Hayford’s sources. In spite of that, she couldn't divulge the direction the investigation was currently heading. And the truth was that no one had checked the building in the rear of the apartment. When the officers arrived, their focus was on the apartment where the murders took place. No one thought to include a building where the service entrance required a key code to enter. Linda needed to know more about this witness, so she prodded.
“Hayford... Who told you this? Who is your source? And don’t give me that crap about protecting identities. And I don’t want to hear about the constitution either. I have more than one murder to solve.” Her brown eyes narrowed. A fierceness rose to the surface. Linda squared her shoulders, then said... “You know... The longer you hold out on me... Some other woman may be killed. You may be giving the killer the time he or she needs to pick their next victim.”
Of course, he knew, she admonished herself, while noticing the pregnant pause but this cat and mouse game of trading information came at a steep price. Hayford had more city workers in his back pocket, than street cops had paid informants to help solve everyday crime. And of course, this was as it should be. He paid them all; much more than the city could afford to pay their informants. Whatever he needed to know to report his stories; Hayford always found a way around obstacles and restrictions without breaking any laws.
“Hayford...” she edged, waiting for him to respond but from behind, she heard the sound of foot falls. More than one set, causing her to turn in that direction. Detective Stone was being followed by another detective. Both men fell silent, the second they caught Linda practically canoodling with her rich reporter boyfriend.
Putting some distance between them, with long steady strides, Linda met the men near the entrance of the building.
Stone spoke first because he wanted to protect his partner. He wanted to demonstrate his willingness to ignore her blunders. Especially if his interference resulted in the squashing all reasons to gossip about her.
“I received a call from Bunts. We have a positive ID on the victim.”
Stone’s eyes traveled over to Hayford Mead. He didn’t want to talk in front of the reporter. He rocked his head in the direction of their squad car. The other detective said...
“See you when I see you.”
Linda nodded, then she said...
“Stone...is there anything else...?” She’d noticed him peering over her head. Her partner had stolen a glance at her boyfriend. But now, his eyes were solely on her. He said...
“Yeah, but we can talk later. Not here. Later.”
Stone was pissed and Linda rightly sensed the source of his unease. He confirmed her suspicions when his eyes lifted, irritably staring in Hayford’s direction. The reporter in Hayford understood their need for privacy but the man in him didn’t appreciate the detectives body language. The way Stone was dismissing him; Hayford didn’t cozy up to the notion of being brushed off, especially in front of Linda.
Linda turned to Hayford. Her face a shade a red, with an unreadable expression. One part sorry, and one part embarrassed. She mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry’, then spoke aloud, saying...
“I’ve got to go. We can talk later. I’ll call you.”
Linda whirled on her heels, heading to her car without once looking back. Hayford wasn’t angry at her. She was at work and he understood that she was only doing her job. But Stone... He was a different matter altogether. Hayford didn’t like the man, and if he had anything to do with it. He would make certain Stone was reassigned to another precinct, far away from Linda and definitely out of their l
ives.
As their unmarked vehicle weaved in and out of traffic, traveling Uptown, Charles said...
“The victim... Her name is Valerie Wheaton.”
“Wheaton... That name sounds familiar.” Linda said.
“It should. Her father owns one of the cities largest fabric stores. He exports more than anyone else in the business.”
“Dear lord Stone... What’s going on? Normally, the average person could never get near these people. But, suddenly, the richest people in the city are dropping like flies. Women, no less.”
“Yeah... I know.”
“You said that she was identified. Who ID’ed her?”
Stone lifted his phone from his belt, he scrolled through the text he’d received from Bunts.
“Her neighbor called the buildings manager when she walked by the victims door, and she smelled an offensive odor. The responding officer...Mickey Lin... At first glance, he said her name out loud, and the manager confirmed that he was right.” Stone lowered his phone, then looked at her, when he continued. “And I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering how anyone could identify her at first glance. Especially after the way the killer cut her up. Officer Lin couldn’t have recognized her face, so it had to be the tats on her shoulder that tipped him off.”
Valerie Wheaton had been frequently photographed around town, darting in and out of nightclubs, wearing off the shoulder clothes that revealed six black and gold butterflies. Rumor had it, the gold coloring was real flakes of 24-karat gold and the cost for the material was more than the tattoo artist charged to do the work.
“Okay...” Linda said, recalling the woman’s blood stained shoulder. “So the neighbor... Officer Lin and the buildings manager identified her.”
“No Linda... Her cousin identified her. They were certain that the body lying on the floor was Valerie Wheaton. Even though she was cut up pretty bad, there was enough of her that wasn’t marred, making it possible to identify her. Detective Lin took a photo, then he forwarded it to the precinct. Since they’re still trying to keep a lid on these murders; Bunts wanted to be the one responsible for contacting a family member.”
“Uh huh.” She said, fully understanding his meaning. Commander Bunts wasn’t the typical law enforcement officer. He partied with the best of them, and he moved in circles alongside the cities wealthiest people. Primarily due to his wife. Mrs. Virginia Alberts-Bunts, part heir to a family fortune seeped in hotels, casinos, land and property.
“So, did Bunts talk to her cousin?” She asked.
“Yes... Seems, his wife is good friends with the Wheaton family. Valerie’s parents are out of the country. They weren’t due to return for another month.”
How tragic she thought. Linda felt a hint of regret because weeks had passed since she’d last shared a meal with her parents. The car was stopped at a red light, when she peered over at Stone.
“So, why are we going to this address Uptown?”
Linda glanced at the computer readout in the dashboard, before directing her focus forward. She had a moments reflection; recalling the second murder victim and the way she’d been discovered in her penthouse by her maid. The scene looked much like Valerie Wheaton’s home. A horrible bloody mess. The young woman had been severely stabbed and her corpse looked like mutton. After mentally cataloging the bloodbath, Linda had suffered from vivid nightmares.
Stone cleared his throat before responding.
“The call that we received on the tip line. The commander wanted to be certain that we follow up on it. Something about a backdoor entrance that the officers might have missed in the rear of the alley.”
Linda frowned and she wondered why Bunts was making such a big deal out of this. Then she wondered if the other detectives had been made privy to the information. As her mind considered the elements that formed each case; there wasn’t one primary or less significant circumstance that pointed in a solid direction. But here she was... Robotically following a roadmap, set out for her by the cars navigation system. Hearing the nasal voice directing her when to turn left, or insisting that she veer right please. If anyone were to see her, they’d think she was in control of things but she wasn’t. And the point was underscored, every time her thoughts drifted to Hayford. She hated that she’d been interrupted on the street while talking to him. If she’d had a few more minutes alone with him, she was certain that she would have learned more. Maybe he would have confided in her, then revealed the identity of his source. Unfortunately, that had not been the case.
“Did the tipster say anything else?” she asked.
“Nope... Not according to Bunts. Makes you wonder if maybe we missed something else.”
Linda took her eyes off the road for not more than a few seconds. Her eyes landed on Stone, but his face was filled with fright. Panicked, he shouted.
“Linda...!”
Her eyes went forward, at the same time her foot slammed on the cars brakes. Rubber screeched and the tires rubbed and burned.
“Dammit Linda... Keep your eyes on the road.”
They were a hairpins length away from colliding with a bus, that sat parked in front of them.
“Sorry” she said under her voice. Linda’s eyes scanned the streets but her mind dissected the idea that Hayford knew something about the murderer. When they talked on the street, she could see it in his eyes. He was protecting someone by not telling her the entire story. She tried to recall their last conversation, when he’d been attempting to tell her something. Yet, out of sheer stubbornness, she’d insisted he phone it in.
“Idiot” she said aloud, while thinking about herself. Her voice was low, but Stone had heard her and from where he sat; the bus driver wasn’t the idiot. Linda was, for taking her eyes off the road.
“Are you sure you got it right? Did the tipster say anything else Stone? Height of the killer. Color of hair, age, any general description that might help us catch this guy?”
“Nope... Just a place. Also, our killer is a person with influence...and money... And that idea didn’t come from the tip line. I figure, if this guy is coming and going as he pleases... When he’s seen by others, he isn’t tagged as being out of place.”
“Weren’t you the one saying that money doesn’t factor into these cases?”
“Yes and I’m still saying that.” He stared at her from his side of the car. “Look Linda... When you left the apartment, I got to thinking... The way these women are being killed; to me it looks like a crime of passion.”
“But so much blood... Where’s the passion in that?”
“I didn’t say that this person understands the definition of passion. But...I’ll get a better idea about this guy when we check out this new location. I just hate that the tipster didn’t give us more to go on.”
“Have you given any more thought about questioning our first witness again? Angelica ....” Linda snapped one finger, trying to recall her last name. Stone frowned as she did this, because he didn’t like the idea of her driving with one hand. After her near collision, he wanted both hands and both eyes concentrating on her driving.
“Fischer... Angelica Fischer...” he supplied. “And no, I don’t think we should bog ourselves down, trying to question her again. Frankly, I think she’s a dead end if you ask me.”
“I don’t know Stone. There’s something about her that doesn’t sit well with me.”
“Don’t tell me that you think she’s our murderer?”
Stone laughed, while retrieving his phone. He was scrolling through a list of names. She didn’t know who he planned to call and truthfully, she didn’t really care.
Her face was fixed with a frown because on one point she had to agree with Stone. This killer mutilated his victims in a way that suggest there was a degree of rage. But what had these three women done that was so offensive? How much aggravation had this person endured, before morphing into a monster?
The rest of the way, they drove in silence; with each mentally mulling over their own thoughts.
For her part, she couldn’t dismiss Angelica Fischer as a suspect and she still didn’t understand Hayford’s reasons for being so hushed mouthed. People were dying and with each murder, the killer seemed to be more desperate. The cutting was becoming gruesome and the senseless destruction of the bodies... Linda knew what would happen if this all continued. Soon, they would go into a house and they wouldn’t be able to recognize the victim at all. They had to stop this man...or woman. And she had to persuade Hayford to understand this because he was the anonymous informant and he knew more than he had reported.
**********************
Chapter 4
Linda placed the wine in the chiller, then she lowered the heat on the oven. When she got home that evening, she showered, primped then changed into a slinky dress that would tempt any man with a set of eyes. After revisiting the second victims apartment building, Linda and Stone followed the tipsters advice. They located the key pad with the building managers help. A concealed mechanism, leading into the rear building, and creating the dead end alley. The area had left Linda and Stone with more questions than either could have ever imagined. For the murder to have fled the scene, using the service entrance to the rear apartment building; the suspect would have to have special foreknowledge concerning the area. The flat solid steel door looked more like an impenetrable fortress and it didn’t stick out like a normal door. The edges barely fit the frame, scarcely creating a seam. The only sign that hinted of a door, was a key pad that lifted when pressed in the proper spot. After the code was entered, the door unlocked; then opened automatically, without the aid of a doorknob. The door had been installed as a measure of security for the buildings wealthy tenants. According to the buildings manager, only three people were privy to the code. The buildings owner, him and the head of maintenance. Yet, Hayford’s tip inferred that the backdoor had been used by the killer to flee the area. If that was true... And Linda believed that it was. Then, the killer would also need to know the ins and outs, concerning both buildings. And that would require a certain talent or a familiar knowledge. Of course, bribes were also an option. Paying for information was one of the oldest tricks in the book. But to do that, this person would have to have very deep pockets, and that brought her back to money being a primary factor.
