by C. M. Sutter
“Okay, Kate and I completed 2013 yesterday with no results. Hopefully we can knock this out today with four of us.”
“How far back are we going?” Clayton asked.
Kate took a seat at the large center table and waited as I went over the process with Billings and Clayton.
“Let’s go year by year. We’ll divide up the files for 2012 and work backward, knocking them out as we go. The transcripts are in digital and typed formats. We need to pull each case folder, find the witness areas, and see if Leslie McDonald and Tyler Rauch are listed. If not, we go on to the next.”
Clayton scratched his head. “That’s a hell of a lot of case files.”
I sighed. “Unfortunately it is. If we had a date or case number, we’d find what we needed in seconds. This is the only way to confirm or eliminate our expert-witness-testimony theory. Come on. Let’s dig in.”
Chapter 34
Jack clicked off the call and grabbed his jacket. He was headed to the Rauch home to have a more in-depth conversation with Mary Rauch. There was nothing he could do for Leslie McDonald—she was already dead—but if there was the slightest chance that Tyler was being held somewhere against his will, he had to be found and soon.
With the earbud wrapped around his left ear, Jack made the call to Amber’s phone and left a message. “Hey, Amber, just calling to let you guys know that I’m heading to the Rauch home. If you need anything while I’m here, send me a text.” He clicked off and placed the phone back in his jacket pocket.
Twenty-five minutes later, the navigation system told Jack that he had arrived at his destination. He pulled into the driveway of the simple home on Pleasant Valley Road and parked near the sidewalk. The white Cape Cod cottage with black shutters appeared small, no larger than a thousand square feet by Jack’s estimation.
Never asked if they had kids.
He rang the bell and waited. Moments later, Mary Rauch pulled the door open and welcomed Jack in. He gave her a sympathetic handshake.
“Right this way, Lieutenant. We can sit in the kitchen.”
Jack did a quick scan as he followed Mary toward the back of the house.
No toys lying around.
He took a seat on the chair she indicated then scooted it in.
“Coffee?”
“That would be nice.”
Mary carried two cups to the table and sat facing Jack. “What more do you need to know, Lieutenant, and how is information going to help locate Tyler?”
“Information will help us locate the perpetrator, Mrs. Rauch.” Jack was careful not to slip and accidentally use the word “killer.”
“Mary is fine.”
Jack nodded. “My team is searching the county court records as we speak, but it’s a time-consuming task. I was hoping with the right information from you, something might click and speed up that process.”
“I don’t understand what you’re looking for.” Mary sat with her elbows on the table and rested her chin in the palms of her hands. Her eyes were still bloodshot from crying.
“You said Tyler has been an EMT paramedic at Gold Star for six years?”
“That’s correct.”
“And he was a first responder prior to that?” Jack pulled out his notepad and pen.
“Yes, earlier in his career. I’m not sure of the year he went from being a first responder to EMT, but the Slinger Fire Department might know that.”
“Do you remember Tyler ever being asked to testify as a material or expert witness in any type of court case?”
“I wouldn’t have the slightest idea, Lieutenant. We’ve only been married for two years. I’m Tyler’s second wife.”
“That explains things a little better. No children?”
She smiled as tears pooled in her lower eyelids. “Not yet. We were trying to save for a larger house before starting a family.”
“Is the first wife still in the area? She might be able to give me that information.”
Mary shook her head. “That’s why Tyler was single. His first wife was killed in a tragic car accident seven years ago. He was one of the fire department paramedics called to the scene. He’s never gotten over that. Maybe that’s why he changed jobs. I guess seeing those guys and the fire department every day was too much for him. It was something he didn’t want to talk about.”
“I understand. It had to be traumatic. Do you know if the Slinger Fire Department was where Tyler began his career?”
“I really don’t know for sure. He already worked at Gold Star when we met, and like I said, he didn’t talk much about his past.”
Jack took more notes. “Is Tyler the type to keep mementos or old newspaper clippings? Maybe even things from when he worked at the fire station or earlier?”
“There’s a medium-sized tote in the basement with that type of stuff in it. I asked him once to go through it and see what he really wanted to keep, but he hasn’t gotten around to it yet.”
“I’d certainly like to take that along with me. I promise not to dispose of anything, but the contents might give us a clue. Right now, anything will help. Time is of the essence.”
“Yes, please take it with you. I need to know what happened to my husband before I go out of my mind.”
As Mary excused herself to the basement, Jack jotted down information for her to use in the search for her husband. Minutes later, he heard her ascending the stairs.
“Here you go. Tyler’s past life, in a nutshell, is contained in that tote.”
“Thank you. I’ll get it back to you as soon as possible. Also, I wrote down the phone numbers of the local news and radio stations. Your plea for volunteers to help in the search will go a long way if you take advantage of these resources. I think you should ask Tyler’s place of employment to spread the word too. Every extra set of eyes out there searching will help.” Jack stood and lifted the tote.
“I’ll get the door for you. Please keep me updated, Lieutenant Steele.”
“You know I will. Thank you.”
Jack placed the tote in the cruiser’s trunk and closed the lid. He decided to take a drive to the Slinger Fire Department as long as he was in the general area. Chances were, somebody who had worked there for a while might remember something helpful to the investigation. Jack entered the building, revealed his badge, and was greeted by the crew who was working that twenty-four-hour rotation. Jack stuck out his hand and introduced himself. He was offered a seat at the table, and the poker game was set aside.
“I’m hoping for information that could help in a current murder and abduction case. You guys may know something and you don’t even realize it.”
A firefighter who looked no older than twenty spoke up. “So what do you need to know, Lieutenant?”
“Does the name Tyler Rauch ring a bell with any of you?”
A man who appeared to be in his forties entered from another room. He scratched his gray-tipped hair and rubbed his eyes. “I’m Charlie Reese. Pulled an all-nighter at a warehouse fire in Hartford and was just waking up from my nap.” He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “That’s the bunk room back there. I heard you mention Tyler Rauch.”
“That’s right. Do you know him?”
“Sure do, but I haven’t seen him for the better part of a year. We lost touch after he went to Gold Star Ambulance Service. They keep him pretty busy with private contracts. I only see him occasionally these days. Why do you ask?”
“What years did Tyler work here at the fire department?”
Charlie scratched the side of his cheek then rubbed the nape of his neck. “Let me think about that for a minute. I believe he started here in October of 2008 and left in the early part of 2011. I think he took six months or so off before he started at Gold Star. He was grieving the loss of his wife.”
“I heard about that. A sad situation, I’m sure. Do you recall if Tyler ever got called in to testify in court as a witness for anything?”
Charlie wrinkled his forehead. “I did twice, but I don’t remember
Tyler ever having to.” He jerked his head at the rest of the group. “Most of these young pups have only been here a few years except Mike over there.” Charlie pointed at the man snoozing on the recliner.
Jack raised his brows. “Would you mind waking him up and asking?”
“Yeah, sure. He’s probably had enough sleep.” Charlie crossed the firehouse and kicked the recliner’s footrest.
Mike jumped and snarled at his coworker. “What the hell, dude?”
“Mike, we’ve got a Lieutenant Steele here from the sheriff’s office. He has a question for you.”
Mike grabbed the handle on the side of the recliner and lowered the footrest. He stuck his fists in his eyes and gave them a hard rub, then he blinked a few times to clear his focus. He looked up at Jack then stood. “Lieutenant.” He extended his hand, and Jack shook it.
“Sorry to wake you, but it’s important.”
“Sure, not a problem. I’m good.”
“Thanks. Charlie says you remember Tyler Rauch?”
“Yeah, of course I do.”
“Do you recall if Tyler was ever subpoenaed to testify in court as an expert or material witness in any case at all?”
Mike rolled his shoulders and squeezed his eyes closed. “Hmm, let me think about that. Nope, not that I recall. He never missed a day of work until Debra’s accident. Yeah, I can say with one hundred percent certainty he never had to testify on any court case.”
“And Tyler was an EMT paramedic here from the fall of 2008 until early 2011?”
“That sounds right.”
“What about his employment before that?”
“I know he’s mentioned the place in the past, but I can’t recall the name. Tyler’s files were tossed last year. We keep paperwork for five years after somebody quits, and then we shred it.”
Jack pulled several cards out of his inner jacket pocket and placed them on the table. “Really appreciate your help, guys. Please call me if you think of something else.”
Charlie folded his arms over his large chest. “Do you mind if I ask why you’re wondering about Tyler?”
“All I can say at this time is that Tyler has been missing since Tuesday night.”
“Damn, is there anything we can do?”
“Sure.” Jack wrote down Mary’s number and tore the sheet of paper from his notepad. “Tyler’s wife, Mary, is going to work with the local news to set up a volunteer search of Tyler’s last known location. She can use all the help she can get. Appreciate the offer, guys.” Jack shook their hands and left.
Jack drove back to the sheriff’s office, crossed the lot with the tote in his arms, and pushed the glass door forward with his right shoulder. He called out to Jan to tap the security code into the pad alongside the bull pen door. She did and pushed the door open. Jack thanked her as he walked through and took the tote into his office. He set it on the floor then sent off a quick text to Clayton before digging in.
I’m back at work. Anything pop yet on your end?
Clayton fired back a response within seconds.
Nope, but we just finished 2012. Only eight more years to go.
Jack poured himself a cup of cold coffee and placed it in the microwave for a minute and a half. He hit Start and stared at the glass turntable through the door. He mentally did the math as he waited for his coffee.
Tyler worked at the fire department from 2008 until 2011 then at Gold Star since. He began his career in 2003. If there was any connection between Leslie and Tyler, it had to take place between 2003 and before he started at the fire department.
Deep in thought, Jack jumped when the microwave bell dinged. He shook his head then pulled out the cup and returned to his office. He shot off another text to Clayton.
Stop what you’re doing and only check between the beginning of 2003 and October of 2008. You and Billings take one end and have Amber and Kate take the other. Work your way to the middle.
Chapter 35
Jack’s desk phone rang as he scoured the mounds of paperwork, old pictures, handwritten notes, and newspaper clippings he found inside Tyler Rauch’s tote. The phone display showed a call coming from Montgomery, Alabama.
Good. It’s about time.
“Hello, Lieutenant Jack Steele speaking.” Jack set the call to Speakerphone so his hand would be free to write. He pulled out a legal pad and pen from his center desk drawer.
“Lieutenant Steele, it’s Chief Mark Gannon from the Montgomery PD calling. Sorry I couldn’t return your earlier call until now. We’ve had rioters raising havoc in town over some new cause.”
Jack chuckled. “That’s why I’m partial to small towns myself—easier crowd control.”
“I hear ya. Anyway, it sounded like you were interested in prisons along the I-65 corridor and a contact name at each facility.”
“That’s correct. I have a feeling we’re trailing somebody who took that route, at least to Nashville.”
“Certainly, Lieutenant. I can help you with that. We have three along the interstate. There’s Holman, in Atmore, which is the worst of the three, hence its nickname, Slaughterhouse.”
Jack whistled. “That sounds graphic.”
“I assure you, it is. The warden there is Tom Price, and here’s his direct number.”
Jack jotted it down. “Okay, I’m ready for the next one.”
“Draper Correctional Center in Elmore is next and very close to Montgomery. The warden at that facility is Jason Levy, and here is his information.”
Jack noted that number too.
“And finally, there’s Limestone at the northern edge of the state. The warden at Limestone is Donald Maylor, and here’s his number.”
Jack added that contact to the list and set his pen on the desk. He leaned back in his chair and stretched. “I appreciate your help, Chief Gannon, and I hope you get those rioters under control.”
The chief sighed. “I do too. Good luck with your search.”
Jack clicked off the call, warmed up his stale coffee for the second time, then took his seat again. He entered the name Holman Correctional Facility in his computer’s search bar and pulled up the website. He looked at the photographs of the prison then made the call to Warden Price. Jack let out a breath of relief when the warden actually picked up on the second ring. Jack was expecting a day of phone tag, and as of now, so far, so good.
“Warden Price speaking.”
“Hello, sir, this is Lieutenant Jack Steele calling from the Washburn County, Wisconsin, sheriff’s office.”
“Wisconsin? You’re calling from quite a distance, Lieutenant. What can I do for you?”
“Glad you asked, Warden Price. My department is investigating a murder and a missing persons situation, both of which took place this week. We aren’t optimistic that the missing person will be found alive. In both cases, threatening letters have shown up in the mail at the victim’s home. The first was postmarked from Montgomery, Alabama, and the second from Nashville. I-65 runs through both cities.” Jack tapped his pen on the pad of paper while he talked.
“Yes they do, Lieutenant.”
“I-65 ends in Gary, Indiana. What we don’t know is if this was a planned route for someone to go from Alabama to Wisconsin while mailing letters with death threats. We’re trying to come up with a reason those particular people were targeted and by whom. Right now, we’re grasping at straws and looking for anything that might make sense.”
“Understood, and I’ll help with whatever you need.”
“I’m wondering if any inmates have been released, say in the last month, who could possibly be heading our way. They’d be somebody with a violent history who had an axe to grind and they’ve never gotten over their need for payback. Now free, they’re seeking revenge on whoever it is they think wronged them. Does anybody come to mind?”
“Holman is an extremely violent prison with a cast of bad characters. I don’t know if you’re aware of our nickname.”
Jack smirked. “I’ve been told, and it sounds li
ke you have to stay on your toes.”
“More the guards than me, but yes, it’s a stressful occupation. I imagine most jobs in law enforcement are, regardless of whether the bad guys are roaming the streets or locked in a cage. Let’s see what our records show of recently released prisoners. I have to tell you, we don’t send many criminals back out on the street. There aren’t many that have shown signs of reform or remorse. Being a federal lockup, this penitentiary has the worst of the worst, mostly murderers serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. It will take me just a minute to access the database.”
“No problem. Appreciate it.” Jack took that minute to open the website for the second prison. He scrolled through the photos of Draper Correctional Center while he waited on hold.
“Here we go. I don’t know if I should say fortunately or unfortunately, but only two inmates have been released in the last six weeks. The first was released because he was eighty-two years old and had served his mandatory sentence for multiple rapes in 1993. To be honest, I doubt if he’s a threat to society any longer, if you get my drift. He also has stage three lung cancer and is under his daughter and doctor’s care.”
Jack doodled on the paper. “That doesn’t sound like our guy. The person committing these crimes has to be strong enough to overpower a fit forty-year-old man.”
“Yeah, scratch the old guy. The only other inmate was released on October seventeenth. He was a low-level mafia wannabe who ran illegal gambling sites and enforced whatever the bosses higher up the totem pole told him to. That usually involved making people disappear one way or another. He was released under house arrest to a group home and is monitored twenty-four hours a day. His life was too much at risk here. Sorry, but that’s all I have, Lieutenant. There are several other prisons near the interstate.”
“Yep, and they’re next on my list. Thank you, Warden Price. I appreciate your help.” Jack placed the receiver back on the base and returned to Draper Correctional Center’s website. He enlarged the map and checked the distance from the interstate. His desk phone rang just as he lifted it to make the next call. “Sheriff’s Office, Lieutenant Jack Steele here.” He hit Speakerphone and set the receiver down.
