Hard to Kill

by C. M. Sutter

  “Phones?”

  “Yeah, two of them.”

  Lutz climbed out of the squad car and walked to the damaged Lexus. He shined his cell phone’s flashlight in the footwells and under the seats until he found both phones. After scooping them up with his handkerchief, he asked Morrow for a pair of gloves and an evidence bag then walked to the squad car Frank was in.

  “Mills, I need a word with you.”

  Frank exited the car, and the six men gathered at the rear of the vehicle. Wearing the gloves, Lutz compared the phones as he showed them to Frank, Morrow, Banks, and the last two officers. Other than one appearing newer, they were identical.

  “So Hanna was in custody of both phones when she was in Lee’s car, but how is that possible? Her phone went missing Saturday afternoon. That’s the only reason Jesse went back to the tent—to get the phone so he could dial 911 because Lila was severely beaten by Leon.”

  Frank squeezed his temples. “This shit is giving me a headache. We need to find Jesse and Hanna, and the only common denominator is Josh Stevens. He has to be the person who had Hanna’s phone, but why did he leave it in the car?”

  Lutz shrugged. “He probably realized after seeing the new one that the original phone had been deactivated. It was of no value anymore.”

  “Probably.”

  Lutz glanced through the rear window at the man sitting in the back seat of the squad car then returned his focus to Frank. “So what did the other punk say to you?”

  “After I got his name—which is Tyler Brown—he told me they found the Lexus in an alley. It had the keys in the ignition, so they took the car. Something about when opportunity slaps you in the face, you have to take advantage of it, or you’re just a fool.”

  Lutz blew out an angry breath. “Pretty much verbatim to what Calvin Jones said. Okay, Banks and Morrow, take those two clowns to your holding cells but don’t let them near each other. We’ll send our officers to pick them up in a bit.”

  “Copy that, Commander,” Morrow said.

  Lutz shook their hands. “Thanks for the help, guys. You all did a great job. We’ll wait here for the flatbed.” Lutz got on the phone and called Mike. “Sorry to pull you away from your favorite TV show, but duty calls. We’re going to need a car printed at the evidence garage in about an hour. The flatbed is en route as we speak. Yep, I’ll have Frank take a handful of pics as it sits, but the location or the fact that it’s crashed isn’t the issue. The only thing we care about is the people who have been in it, meaning we need to identify every print on the car.”

  After the officers left, Lutz and Frank stood alone next to the damaged Lexus.

  Frank buried his hands deep in his pockets as he kicked rocks. “Why can’t we find Josh Stevens? It’s like he’s a ghost who’s hiding in plain sight.”

  “I think the car was left in Englewood as bait—a distraction of sorts. If it was Josh who took the Lexus, there’s no way that he had Hanna with him when he ditched the car. He must have dumped her somewhere first.”

  Frank nodded. “And that place is probably where we’ll find Jesse too.”

  The lumbering sound of the flatbed driving down the street was unmistakable. Lutz turned that way and saw headlights approaching.

  “That’s got to be them. They’ll get the car to the garage, the boys can start printing it, and those two car thieves will be picked up and brought to the precinct, where they’ll be interrogated like they’ve never been before. I want every detail they can remember. After that, we need to find out where Hanna bought her phone, and hopefully, there’ll be parking lot surveillance footage that can show us her movements. With any luck, that’ll help break this case, especially if we see the Explorer roll up. If she was apprehended right there in the parking lot, there’s a chance we can follow the Lexus with neighborhood cameras.”

  Frank pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Speaking of cameras, I better snap off a few pictures before they load the Lexus.”

  Chapter 48

  They were back at the precinct by eleven forty-five. Lutz and Frank made a quick stop in the cafeteria for much-needed coffee—no matter how watered down it tasted—and a few snacks. The two car thieves had been transported to the second district jail and were being processed downstairs. Calvin Jones would be interrogated as soon as Lutz was alerted that he had been put in the box and was ready to go.

  The walk to the bullpen seemed like a half mile long even though it was just around the corner. Lutz was exhausted and had been on the go since Hanna had called him Saturday night and said Jesse had gone missing.

  All eyes were on them as they entered the room. Lutz plopped down at Jesse’s desk and Frank at his own.

  “Phelps, pull up these names in the criminal database.”

  “Go ahead, Boss. I have the site up.”

  “Calvin Jones and Tyler Brown. They’re the car thieves we picked up tonight who had Lee Bradley’s Lexus. My gut says they both have lengthy rap sheets already.”

  Phelps entered the information into the criminal database and snickered. “And your gut would be right. Multiple offenses on both of them for burglary, auto theft, possession of cocaine, and writing bad checks. Two model citizens.”

  “Figured as much. Print out their rap sheets so I have something to bargain with.”

  Frank let out a huff. “That’s if they know anything that’s worth bargaining for.”

  Lutz took a gulp of coffee and groaned. “Can somebody please brew a pot of coffee that’s worth drinking?”

  Gaines rose from his desk. “I’ll get right on that.”

  Minutes later, Frank’s phone rang. Lou from the jail wing was calling to tell them that Calvin was ready to go in box one, and Tyler was waiting his turn to be questioned while sitting in a holding cell.

  “That’s fine,” Lutz said, “but I’m drinking a full cup of decent coffee first.” When he finished his coffee, Lutz stood. “Gaines, look online and start compiling a list of all the phone stores in the Hyde Park area, especially near Lee Bradley’s house.”

  “Phones are sold at all big-box stores too.”

  “Yeah, I know, so we’ll need to check them as well.” With a jerk of his chin, Lutz headed for the door with Frank at his side. “Let’s stop in the evidence garage before we begin the interrogation. I want to make sure Mike and Danny search that car with a fine-toothed comb. If Hanna just bought that phone, then a receipt from the store she purchased it at could be in the car.”

  “Doubt it, Boss, since I didn’t see a purse anywhere in the vehicle. Who knows, our exemplary car thieves could have taken her money and credit cards and then ditched the purse.”

  “You’re probably right, but let’s have a chat with the guys, anyway.”

  They entered the evidence garage, where several vehicles sat, including the Lexus with the caved-in front end.

  Lutz called out to Mike. “Hey, buddy, I just want to make sure you guys are doing a thorough search of the car, too, not just checking for prints.”

  Mike climbed out of the car. “Are we looking for something in particular?”

  “I was hoping to find a receipt from a phone store, but Frank made a good point.”

  Mike shot a raised brow in Frank’s direction. “Yeah, what did you say?”

  “Only that there wasn’t a purse in the car, and the receipt would likely be in the purse.”

  Danny joined in. “Definitely a valid point, but we’ll search every nook and cranny no matter what. Don’t know how long you’re hanging around, but if you want us to search the car first, then that’ll only take about an hour.”

  “Yeah, do that. We’ll be interrogating the car thieves that long, anyway. I’ll stop back in later,” the commander said.

  Frank and Lutz left the garage and took the hallway to the jail wing, where they had to sign in.

  “Calvin Jones is in box one, gentlemen.”

  “Thanks, Lou. Those men haven’t had contact with each other, have they?” Lutz asked.


  “Not at all.”

  “Good. Let’s see what Mr. Jones has to say for himself.”

  Frank entered the room first just to let Calvin know there wouldn’t be any screwing around. Frank’s presence was at times intimidating, and he could smell a BS story a mile away. Lutz walked in behind Frank and closed the door at his back. Both men took seats facing Calvin.

  Lutz began. “We went through your wallet, Calvin. Do you always carry a hundred bucks around with you?”

  “Sure do. You never know when a good opportunity might arise, and sometimes I get lucky.”

  “You mean like buying and selling stolen goods kind of lucky?”

  “Yep. Just hadn’t gotten to it yet, but we didn’t steal the phones. Like I told you earlier, they were sitting on the seat like a gift from above.”

  Frank spoke up. “Cut the crap. Tell us what you did with the purse. That’s really where the money came from, isn’t it?”

  “No way, man. There wasn’t a purse in that car.”

  Lutz took over again. “Walk us through the exact moment you saw the Lexus until you tried to get away from the police.”

  Calvin moaned. “C’mon. We were just doing what we do.”

  With his massive arms across the table, Frank leaned in. “Which was?”

  “Hanging out, trash talking, and smoking weed. We were cutting through the alley when we spotted the car. You know, a car like that stands out since it doesn’t belong in an alley full of garbage cans and litter.”

  “Then what?” Lutz asked.

  “Then we checked it out. When we saw the keys in the ignition, hell, it was like a sign. Somebody wanted us to take the car. I mean, it was meant to be.”

  “I bet it was. What time was that?” Frank asked.

  Calvin shrugged. “Who cares about time? We have all the time in the world.”

  Frank slammed his fist on the table. “We do! Now answer the question.”

  “I don’t know, man, six thirty or so.”

  “Was that so hard?”

  Calvin stared at his hands.

  “What were you doing with the car for four hours?”

  “Driving around showing it off and calling our boys with that sweet phone.”

  “It didn’t occur to you that you were stealing a car?”

  “Hell no. How do you steal a car when the keys are left in it for you?”

  Lutz nodded toward the door. “Let’s go. This joker doesn’t know anything.” He and Frank headed out.

  “Hey, what about me?”

  “You’re a car thief, and you aren’t going anywhere.”

  Lutz asked Lou to put Tyler in the second interrogation room. For the next half hour, they asked him the same questions they had asked Calvin. Tyler’s responses were the same.

  “They don’t know shit,” Frank said after they ended Tyler’s interview. “They’re two punks who went out on a joyride with a car conveniently left for them—nothing more.”

  Lutz blew out a discouraged breath. “Yeah, I know. Let’s see if Mike and Danny have anything for us.”

  He told Lou to toss Tyler and Calvin back in their cells, then the commander and Frank continued on to the evidence garage.

  “Find anything, Mike?” Lutz asked as they walked in.

  “So far we’ve only found prints belonging to our guests in the jail wing. We have the typical things one would find in a car’s glove box and console, but no receipt from a phone store.”

  “Damn it.” Lutz scratched his cheek. “I have to admit I wasn’t all that optimistic. Keep me posted. I’m going to try to catch a few hours of sleep in my office.”

  As they walked to the bullpen, Frank shared some of his thoughts. “Calvin says they found the car at six thirty or so, but what time did Conway take Hanna to Lee’s house?”

  “Around three to the best of my recollection, but we can double-check with him.” Lutz gave Frank a quick glance. “Putting together a timeline?”

  “It’s got to help. We’ll find out from Lee what time Hanna dropped her off at her friend’s house. After that, Hanna bought the phone. So between the time Lee was dropped off and the time the boys snatched the car was Hanna’s window of opportunity to buy the phone. Whether she had a chance to use it or not is another question since phones usually have to be charged for hours before use.”

  “Let’s get Tech on that right away. An hour or so may not be enough time to get a usable charge, but it’s definitely worth a shot. Todd and Billy have left for the night, but we’ll get Adam and Sam working on it.”

  “I’ll grab the phones from the evidence room and get the guys started on it immediately.”

  Chapter 49

  “Bet you’re sick of lying on the floor, aren’t you, McCord?” Josh laughed. “Oh yeah, you can’t respond with that tape over your mouth. I’m going to right the chair, but you need to turn it on its side first.”

  After rocking back and forth, Jesse flipped the chair. Josh walked up behind him and struck him in the back of the head with the butt of one of several pistols he’d taken from the detective’s house.

  “There, now I can reposition you without any bullshit.”

  Josh struggled with the chair but returned it to an upright position then placed the bucket back between Jesse’s knees. He took a seat several feet away and stared at McCord.

  “I guess the girlfriend showing up was a blessing in disguise after all. I couldn’t ask for a better way to end your life than by having your woman here to witness it in her own home. That’s what nightmares are made of.” Josh grinned widely. “I bet she has popcorn in the cupboard too.”

  McCord groaned. His head flopped against his chest as blood ran through his hair and dripped alongside his ears to his shirt.

  “Waking up, pal?”

  Jesse muttered something inaudible through the tape.

  Josh shrugged. “I can’t understand you. Here, let me help you out.” He grabbed the end of the tape and ripped it from Jesse’s mouth. “Better?”

  “I’m going to kill you.”

  “Doubt it, buddy. From where I’m sitting, you appear to be the chump who’s tied up, not me. I’m in the king’s seat, and you’d be wise to remember that.” He moved in closer and knelt at Jesse’s side. “Need some water, McCord?”

  Jesse nodded. “Yes.”

  “Sure thing.” Josh picked up the bowl of water he’d used earlier on Jesse and poured it over his head. “If you need to piss, I’d suggest you do it now. I’ll give you a couple of minutes with one hand untied just because I’m a nice guy. I’ll even give you and your hotsie totsie each a piece of bread, which I’ll get right now since I can’t trust you alone for a second with an untied hand. You’ve already proven that.” Josh left the room but was back in a minute. He brought a half loaf of bread with him and set it on the coffee table. “I’ll just leave it out here. It’ll give you something to salivate about since your sweet little Hanna is out of reach.”

  “Screw you. We’ll see who pays in the end.”

  Josh pulled the knife off the table and ran the cold steel along Jesse’s cheek. “Soon enough, this is going to be buried in your gut.”

  “What are you waiting for, asshole?”

  “Oh, you’d be dead already if that bitch hadn’t shown up, but now I have a better idea. I still have to think of the most entertaining way to kill you, though, since she’ll have a front-row seat.”

  Josh slid the knife under the tape and pulled up. Jesse’s hand was free once again, but with Josh watching him closely, he had no way to escape.

  “Maybe you want to eat that bread before you use the bucket. Germy hands and all, you know.”

  “Go to hell.”

  “I plan to hold off on that for a while, thanks.” Josh tossed a piece of bread to Jesse. “Chow down, McCord. Who knows how many more opportunities you’ll have to eat.”

  He watched as the detective ate the slice of bread and used the bucket. Josh taped Jesse’s wrist back to the chair then tore off a pi
ece of tape for his mouth.

  “I need to ask you something.”

  “Yeah, what?”

  “Is Hanna okay?”

  Josh laughed, pressed the tape over McCord’s mouth, and headed down the hallway.

  Chapter 50

  With Hanna’s new phone dropped off in the tech department, there was nothing more to do except try to get a few hours of sleep. Lutz insisted that Frank go home.

  “I’ve got a couch, a pillow, and a blanket. There’s no dog, wife, or kids waiting for me at home, and the time it would take for me to drive there, go to bed, and then come back could give me another hour of much-needed sleep.”

  Frank’s forehead wrinkled. “Can’t you fit another sofa in there?”

  “Sorry, pal, but you look like somebody who snores, and I’m a light sleeper.”

  “It was worth a shot. See you in a few hours, Boss.” Frank left Lutz at the office door.

  Lutz watched as his most recent second in charge walked down the hall and disappeared around the corner. He pulled the pillow and blanket out of the coat closet and turned off the light. A few hours of sleep would be a blessing, and he dozed off quickly.

  The phone rang next to Lutz’s head, waking him. He sprang up, grabbed it, and answered. “Lutz—” He cleared his gravelly voice. “Sorry, Lutz here.”

  “I hate to wake you, Commander, but—”

  “Not a problem, Sam. Did you find anything on that phone?”

  “A dozen calls were made after six thirty.”

  “Yep, and those would be by the joyriders.”

  “Right. I did find usage around six o’clock, but the call was deleted from the phone.”

  “Six o’clock, huh? It could be possible that Hanna made a call, but Lee said she never got one. Were you able to get the number?”

  “Nope, it just shows as a spike at that time. The service provider could tell you the number called, though.”

  “Okay, that’s good to know. The warrant we already gave the service provider would cover that information since Hanna didn’t change her phone number.” Lutz glanced at his watch—4:37 a.m. “I’ll contact that company the second they open. Thanks, Sam. Good work.”