“Sure, I can swing by tomorrow afternoon.” Alex tried to say it as nonchalantly as she could. Although she was sure the invitation was simply the result of what Sydney saw as a shared professional interest, Alex was thrilled by the prospect of seeing Sydney again so soon.
Alex’s heart nearly skipped a beat when Sydney added with a smile, “Great. I’ll treat for coffee,” she said, nodding toward a coffee maker in the corner of a nearby bookshelf.
Alex smiled. “Sounds good. I’ll let you get back to work. Best of luck in court tomorrow. I’m sure you’ll be great.”
She gave a brief wave as she made her way out of the office and down the hall. She smiled as she walked out of the court building to her black and white at the curb. Then the pessimist in her took over. What the hell was she doing? Falling for a straight chick? Wasn’t it clear that Sydney’s interest was purely professional? Or was it? Why did Alex continue to feel as if some of her personal interest was being reciprocated? Was she imagining that? Or was that electricity really flowing both ways? Maybe she was about to find out.
SYDNEY WAS LEANING back in her chair staring at the ceiling when Tyler jumped through her doorway.
“Coffee? That was the best you could do? On a Friday evening you talk about coffee in your office?” he said with exasperation.
“What?” she said. “It’s not supposed to be a date. I really do want to know about the case, and you know I’m in court all day tomorrow.”
“And you and I both know you really do want to spend more time with her.” Tyler replied. “This was your perfect opportunity to propose something that could, you know, go either way. Start as a work meeting and transition into something better. But I assure you bathroom water coffee in your office will not afford you that transitional opportunity. What on earth am I gonna do with you?”
“Oh please.” Sydney was half frustrated and half giggling at Tyler’s melodrama. “I have no idea what I was thinking. Besides, it’s not as if she’s the slightest bit interested in anything but official business. She was here in the building for another meeting and stopped in to talk about the White Roses case.” Sydney waved the newspaper at him.
“And that, my dear, would be where you’re so badly mistaken,” Tyler said with a huge grin as he fell into the seat across the desk from her.
“What are you talking about?”
“I was coming back through the employee entrance after picking up some files I needed from the archived files downstairs. I saw her pull up out front and go into the elevator lobby. By the time I dropped something off in the records unit and came up the elevator she was outside in reception. She didn’t have any meeting. That was just her cover story.” He leaned forward and said quietly, “She came here to see you.”
SEVERAL HOURS LATER Sydney made her way down the elevator to the subterranean garage. As the car descended her mind replayed the earlier conversation with Alex. Her appearance in the doorway, just as she was mentally dealing with the frustrations and questions about her own feelings for the woman, had shocked her. She remembered being horrified by her own reaction and leaping to her feet to stop Alex from retreating further down the hallway. She couldn’t help but think she’d seen a look of disappointment cross the sergeant’s face when she at first implied she would be unavailable all day Friday. As the elevator came to a halt she pushed the thought out of her mind as some kind of wishful thinking.
It was nearing nine p.m. and her car was one of only a few remaining in the facility. As she exited the elevator she had a clear view of her black two seat Mercedes. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the single white rose once again lying across the windshield. She turned immediately, caught the automatic doors before they closed, and re-entered the elevator. She frantically pushed the buttons for the doors to close and for the main floor lobby. She hoped against the odds that a security officer or sheriff’s bailiff was still sitting there near the entry doors. When the doors opened again and she hurriedly exited into the lobby, she found, to her fear, that she was alone. She reached for her cell phone and frantically pulled up a number, pressing the button for the call to connect.
ALEX DROVE THROUGH the streets in her black and white, passing slowly by in search of anything interesting or out of place. It had been a relatively slow evening, probably owing to the cooler late evening winter temperatures, which seemed to have driven most of the predators into whatever holes they had. She reached for her phone as she felt it vibrate in her chest pocket, thinking perhaps Sal was also bored and was calling for a coffee meeting. She was surprised when the number was identified as belonging to Assistant District Attorney Sydney Rutledge. Alex was unsure exactly how to handle this, so she fell back on her official persona.
“Chambers,” she said.
“Sergeant Chambers, are you still on duty?”
“Yeah, what can I do for you, Ms. Rutledge?” Sensing something was wrong, Alex made a U-turn and began heading toward the courthouse less than a mile north of her.
“I think maybe...I don’t know...maybe someone’s stalking me.” Alex was startled by the panicked edge to Sydney’s voice. Her foot pressed down harder on the accelerator as Sydney went on. “I found something on my car in the garage and, well, I think I might be the last one left in the building. I can’t even find any security officers.”
Alex reached down and hit the lights and siren. “I’m just a few blocks away. Stay on the phone with me,” she said. “Where are you in the building right now?”
“I’m in the lobby on the main floor. Do you want me to come outside?”
“No, stay inside. I’ll come to you. I’m just coming north up Broadway right now. I’m going to pull ‘round to the main doors on Temple Street.”
The lobby had two main sets of doors into the facility. The door on the south side overlooked a recently constructed public park. The other one on the north side faced Temple Street, one of the main thoroughfares through downtown.
“I’m pulling up in front now.”Alex pulled to a stop in front of the doors and extinguished the emergency lights and exited the vehicle.
“I see you,” Sydney said. “I’ll come out.”
The two women met on the sidewalk.
“Are you okay?” Alex barely stopped herself from putting her arms around Sydney in an effort to comfort the obviously flustered woman.
“Yes,” Sydney replied. “I’m a little embarrassed. I think I’m probably blowing this out of proportion. I’m sorry to drag you out here. I freaked out a little and wasn’t sure who else to call who might be nearby.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m happy to help.” Alex noticed Sydney shiver slightly and realized she was probably chilly in her business skirt suit with no jacket. “Come on,” she said, taking the leather satchel off Sydney’s shoulder. “Sit down in the car where we can warm you up and you can tell me what’s going on.” She led Sydney to her nearby vehicle and opened the door for her, putting the satchel in the back of the car then walking around to the driver’s seat. She started the engine and turned up the heat.
“All right. Why do you think someone’s stalking you?” she asked quietly.
“I’ve had roses left on my car by someone,” Sydney said as she gazed out the window in front of her. “They’re leaving them on my windshield. No note or anything. They’re just waiting for me when I get off work.”
“How many times has this happened?”
“Tonight was the third one. All single roses.” Sydney looked over at Alex. “White roses.” She shook her head and closed her eyes, leaning back against the headrest. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Just a sick joke,” she said.
Alex could hear in Sydney’s voice that the statement was as much an effort to convince herself as anything else.
“You have no idea who?” Alex asked.
“No. But we have all kinds in the D.A.’s office, just like I’m sure you do in the police department. There’s no shortage at any time of someone who may have a personal grudge or feel
slighted against a supervisor or someone they think shouldn’t have gotten a promotion over them. You know how it is.”
“True. But it never hurts to be careful,” Alex said.
“No. I’m being silly,” Sydney said forcefully. “It’s a flower, for Christ’s sake.” She shook her head again and gave a nervous laugh. “Please, can we just pretend this never happened, that I never panicked?”
Alex smiled at her reassuringly when she looked up. “You didn’t panic. You responded reasonably and rationally,” she said. “But if it makes you feel better I won’t tell anyone. I will, however, log that you spoke to me about the occurrences. Just so it’s documented. You never know, even if it does turn out to be another employee in your office, it might be beneficial to have it documented.” Sydney nodded in understanding. “Now,” Alex continued. “How about you give me your keys, then you wait here and I’ll go down and bring your car around? What kind of car do you drive?”
“It’s a black Mercedes SL500. But—”
“Nope,” Alex said. “Either I go down and get your car or I go down with you, in which case I have to walk back up again. By that time you’ll be driving away and I won’t have the keys to come back through the building and I’ll get hopelessly lost in some stairwell with no way out.”
“I’ll give you a ride back up here to your car,” Sydney said as she started to reach for the door.
“Nope,” Alex said again, putting a soft restraining hand on her arm. “You’re not dressed to be running around in the cold anyway. And it’s not like I get a chance to drive a car like that very often. Please?” She turned her hand over, palm up, and wiggled her fingers in a “give me” motion.
Sydney smiled in response, then explained the keys Alex would need.
“Main doors,” Sydney held up a key and pointed back to the court house doors behind Alex. When you get into the elevator put the same key in the space marked for employees and turn it before you press P3 for the employee parking level.” Alex nodded. “Obviously this is the key fob, just deactivate the alarm by pressing the unlock button.”
“Got it. Back in a flash.” Alex gave her a smile then exited the police car, leaving the heat on and the engine running, locking the doors and looking around her as she made her way into the courthouse lobby and down the elevator.
As soon as she exited the elevator she glanced around the almost empty garage, seeing no one else. Her eyes came to rest on the lone black sports car with the white rose prominent on its windshield. After looking around for anything else out of place she discarded the flower in a nearby trashcan then entered the vehicle and drove it out of the garage, exiting onto one of the side streets and driving around the block to Temple Street. She pulled up behind her own black and white and met Sydney at the passenger side as Sydney stepped out. She retrieved Sydney’s satchel from the back seat and walked with her to the Mercedes, opening the driver door for her and handing her the keys.
“You’ll need to move the seat forward some,” Alex said as Sydney got into the driver’s seat.
“Yes, I see.”
“I didn’t mess with the mirrors though,” Alex said somewhat sheepishly as she held out the satchel. “Are you okay to get home? Want me to follow you to the freeway or anything?”
“No, really,” Sydney said. “I feel foolish. I’m sorry to have bothered you with something so silly.”
“Don’t feel that way,” Alex said. “I’m glad you called.” They looked at each other for several moments then Alex finally stepped away from the open window. “Drive home safe,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon?”
“Yes, I’ll see you then.”
Chapter Six
ALEX AWOKE THE next morning in her small two-bedroom bungalow in the Burbank foothills and began her normal routine for a day off. A long workout at the gym, a good run and some cleaning around the house. By mid-morning she decided she’d better do some of that research she’d promised Sydney. She made a phone call to Chuck Severs, her old partner and one of the detectives on the original White Rose case.
As she had assumed, the police departments in Las Vegas, Barstow and Ontario had been in direct contact with each other as well as R.H.D. The victims in the three new cases did match the patterns of the White Rose Murders. The victims were all kidnapped, tortured, raped and strangled in the same fashion as those in the original case. All three were the recipient of white roses immediately prior to their disappearance.
“The new murders are very similar, Alex. Even for a copycat they’re too close. We’re actually conducting a study of all the details that were publicly released. You know, what was in the media. Whoever’s doing the new murders studied the case and knows the intimate details. We’re not even sure at this point if some of the similarities were ever publicly released or revealed in court.”
Alex could sense the frustration in the detective’s voice.
“We’ve checked the visitor records at the prison. It doesn’t look like Sinclair could’ve talked to anyone. We’ve even checked the records to see who may have ordered court transcripts,” Chuck continued. “But nothing unusual is showing up. But that doesn’t eliminate the possibility some nut-job actually sat in court each day and took notes. I mean, the court was full but not overflowing. Pretty much everyone who showed an interest in watching it in person was able to get a seat. So if anyone can find a witness on any of these new murders who can describe a possible suspect, you can bet they’re going to be asked to scrutinize every frame of still photo or video footage taken in and around the courtroom.” Alex felt her breath catch as Chuck gave the next piece of information.
“In the original case all the victims were young professionals of some kind or another,” he said. “CEOs, financial officers, doctors, etc. All three of these victims were attorneys.”
“Chuck,” Alex finally said after absorbing this information. “I need to fill you in on something to do with Sydney Rutledge. She’s been getting white roses left on her car by an unknown individual. Three of them in the past few weeks.” She heard Chuck exhale and he paused for a moment before speaking.
“So a bouquet of roses delivered to her office with a note matching Sinclair’s comments to her, and now roses being left on her car?”
“Yep. The last one was last night.”
“The night after the latest murder victim was found?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Can you find out the dates of the other two?”
Alex immediately caught on to what Chuck was getting at. “Shit! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. I should’ve asked her last night when she told me. You want to compare them to the dates of the murders, don’t you?”
“It might be nothing, Alex. But we should check. It could just be some infatuated admirer who remembers her handling that case. It could be someone competing with her at work who’s trying to throw her off her game. Hell, it could be the family member of some asshole she’s prosecuting right now. She does work Major Crimes after all.”
“Yeah, that’s what she’s trying to convince herself of as well. But you’re right, we need to check. I’ll talk to her today and see if she can back track the other dates. Listen, Chuck, can you keep me in the loop on this one?”
“Sure thing, Alex.”
“Thanks, buddy. Talk to you later.”
Alex spent the rest of the day washing her truck and running some errands. By four p.m. She was showered and stood in her closet paying more attention than usual to her wardrobe selection. She finally settled on a white button down shirt with black jeans and a leather jacket. By four-thirty she was making the thirty-minute drive from Burbank to downtown. The security officer at the entrance to the juror and employee subterranean parking garage let her in when she showed her badge. And just that quickly she entered the elevator and was on her way up to the eighteenth floor. She gave herself a once over inspection in the reflective elevator walls then looked at her watch. It read five-fifteen p.m. Most people should b
e gone for the day on a Friday. Maybe she and Sydney would have some privacy. Then she kicked herself for thinking that.
“This is a just a business meeting,” she said to herself. “With a straight chick,” she added. “Get a grip.”
When Alex got to the reception area she was surprised to find Tyler sitting at the receptionist’s desk behind the glass partition. He looked as if he’d been waiting for her, waving immediately and getting up to open the door.
“Wow. You’re here kinda late for a Friday,” Alex said.
“Syd mentioned you were coming,” he said as he led her back the now familiar path to Sydney’s office. “I knew the staff would be pretty much gone and I didn’t want you stranded in the lobby. So I told Syd I’d stick around. I’ll be heading home now.”
By that time they had reached the open door to Sydney’s office and Tyler stood aside to let Alex enter.
SYDNEY’S BREATH CAUGHT when Alex appeared in the doorway. She knew Alex had a fit and athletic body, but she’d never seen her out of uniform. The uniform didn’t do that body justice. She suddenly realized she’d been staring at Alex for a moment, her eyes roving from Alex’s boots and working upward. She noted Tyler standing behind Alex with a huge Cheshire cat grin on his face.
“Hey, no uniform,” she finally said. “Did you get off early?”
“Nah. I was off today.”
Sydney’s heart did a small somersault as she realized what that seemed to indicate. The meaning clearly was not lost on Tyler, either. She watched his grin grow even larger as he gestured behind Alex, pointing at himself then back at Sydney as he silently but emphatically mouthed “I”“told”“you”“so.”
Alex seemed to become aware of motion behind her and turned. Tyler immediately transitioned his gesturing into a casual wave as he assumed a serene look of innocence.
White Roses Calling Page 7
