A Ride Home: Tampa FBI Two

by C. Soto

  Tammy tensed after hearing she was in the car with the killer, Why would I accept a ride and be in the car with this killer?

  “What was our conversation about while I was in the car with him?” Tammy asked while on the edge of her seat, waiting for Emily’s response.

  Emily provided the details, “You were telling him how you won some money and were talking about how you were glad he could help people get home safely. You appeared a little drunk, honestly. Your speech was a little slurred. You even mentioned how you were out of town a lot.”

  Tammy froze in her seat as the memory of last weekend assaulted her. This was before they were called on this case. She remembered calling a rideshare to get home after the poker game at James’ house. She thought to herself, That was the killer, the driver who picked her up? He seemed like such a nice guy. She didn’t get any weird vibes off him. Although, she was a little drunk that night, leaving herself vulnerable in the presence of a killer, as she shivered with the memory.

  Tammy immediately filled them in on what night Emily’s dream was from. “That was this last Friday night. I went to James for his poker night and afterwards got a rideshare home. The vehicle was silver that picked me up. If I remember correctly, it was a Honda. The guy was friendly. I didn’t get any weird vibes from him. Oh my god. That must mean after he dropped me off that night, he went to the victims’ house and murdered them, right after I was in his car!”

  James tensed hearing that Tammy was a foot away from this killer, in his car. His blood was boiling that he didn’t do anything to prevent this from happening to her. The killer was right outside of his house, and he just sat and watched as Tammy got in the car with him. What if something happened to her that night? He would have never forgiven himself that he didn’t stop her from getting in the car with a killer that led him to her front door.

  He took her hand in his and held it, hoping to provide comfort to her. He saw how disturbing this news was for her. He gently asked, “Tammy, do you still have the app on your phone and the history of the pickups you requested? Maybe it will still have the driver’s information?”

  “Oh my god, yes! I can’t believe I didn’t think of doing that right away. My mind is so frazzled.” She unhooked the phone from her belt clip. She then went to the app she requested the ride from and pulled up her history of rides. “It only says his first name, which is Paul. It shows a picture of the car and his profile picture. We can send the picture to IT and have them run it through the facial recognition program. Hopefully knowing the first name and vehicle make and model will make the search go faster with those search parameters narrowed down.”

  She took a snapshot of the photo and the vehicle that was associated with the driver and emailed it to Kimberly. She was correct in her assumption that he had a Honda and that it was silver. Kimberly might not see the email before they arrive, as her team was probably gathering all their materials to come up to their scheduled meeting. However, their laptops would be with them, so while they were in the meeting they could set up the program to run the image.

  John spoke, “Now we know the link on how the killer found his victims. Why there was a difference between victims that rode the bus and who had their own cars. All of them must have had him as a driver before. That might explain why Sara went with him after grocery shopping. If he approached her and she recognized him as a driver she previously had, there wouldn’t have been any red flags for her. She would have willingly gotten into the car or maybe she ordered the ride. Which I doubt. This killer it too methodical to take a victim that was scheduled to be with him. He had to have approached her and she recognized him.”

  Eric responded, “Tammy send me your app information and I will have a warrant sent to that company for the history of that driver since he began there. We also need to get his employment history, just because he works with this company now doesn’t mean he always has. We need to know how long he has worked there. Who knows how many years he has been at this. We’ll need to input his passengers’ names in the database and see if they are on a missing persons or cold case of murders. We need to see how many victims this killer has.”

  “It is on its way to your email right now. Also, has anyone heard back about the areas that have cypress trees? It might be where Sara is held right now. Hopefully, once we get his full name we can search property records and see if he has property in an area like that. Maybe that’s why that image came to Emily, because that is where the victim is being held at right now.”

  Eric answering, “We will get that information soon. I hope everyone rested up yesterday, since no one is leaving until we have this guy, I feel we are finally closing in.”

  Everyone felt the blood pumping through their veins, on the edge of their seat, they knew the end was nearing. They were right on the cusp of nailing this killer, no one wanted to leave until they had him behind bars where he belonged.

  The IT team started walking in, seeing the team already gathered. Kimberly asked, “I hope we aren’t late?” As she glanced around, looking at all the serious faces seated, thinking she must have missed the pre-meeting. Everyone looked as if they were getting ready to jump out of their seat.

  Eric spoke, “No not all. We are early. Emily had a dream last night that helped connect a lot of the missing pieces. I am hoping with the information presented, we’ll be able to find this killer and stop his terror on our streets.”

  “Well let’s get started, no need to delay any further. Let’s start with what you have first that way we can plug that information in and have it running while we discuss our findings from yesterday. I have a feeling some of what I have to say may be irrelevant with this new information.”

  John made a quick glance around the room, and when no one looked like they were ready to start talking, he spoke up for the team. “Emily dreamt that Tammy ordered a rideshare and the driver is our killer. That is our theory on how he is finding his victims. The victims had to have ordered a ride from him before. We know the killer’s name is Paul, he drives a silver Honda. Tammy has sent the profile picture and his car’s information already to your email.

  Hopefully, with his picture, knowing his first name, and his vehicle information, that will lessen the time searching for him in the database. With a dream Emily had prior, of the Cypress Trees and Tammy in the woods with her tactical gear, we are thinking that he might have property in that area. However, once we get his full name, we can search property records to confirm the area.”

  She was on her laptop as he was speaking and was entering in the information he presented. “Yes, I see the email from Tammy here. I will get this additional information entered now. We were able to catch his car on camera stalking Sara and Elisa. We are still trying to enhance an image where the cameras were able to capture his license plate. Once that is completed, we won’t need the other search I am currently running, as we will have his full name and can access his information that way. However, I am still going to have it running in case it comes in sooner. The image quality on the one camera that had his license plate was super poor and a faraway distance, so I am not fully confident after the program runs, that it will clean up the image enough that it is readable through the program, but I am hoping. Especially since we have new software that does amazing work. It should be ready to show the results in a few hours.

  I do have a list of locations where they have Cyprus Trees. There are sections along I-275N, it’s a big stretch of land in that area, way too big without narrowing the search parameter. There are also some along route 301 as well as a few others. However, like I said with all the land around here that is a woody area, we need to narrow the search. There are Cyprus Trees all around Tampa, so that didn’t really help get a specific location.”

  She flipped over her notepad looking for anything she might have missed. She had more that she was going to present, however, they had the information before she even arrived, which was great. “I feel like today will be our breakthrough day. We nee
d a few more hours guys, and I think we can be on our way to catching this guy. Emily, you have amazed me once more. Your dream really put the pieces together for this case. Feel free to ask the universe if they can present that information first.” She said with a laugh to release some of the tension from the room. It felt from the air, that everyone was getting ready to burst from the pent-up energy of almost being at the finish line.

  Emily laughed, “Oh man, don’t I wish. I hate how I only get the little pieces before it starts building up to the final picture. However, maybe now that the request is coming from you, they will listen!” She gave her a wink.

  Everyone joined in with a little chuckle.

  The chief stood up. “Okay ladies and gentlemen you heard Kimberly, we are almost there. Let’s wrap up this meeting so these agents can get us that final link. Hopefully, in the next few hours we will be on our way to knowing everything about this scumbag. I am going to go back to my office and start working on this warrant for the app company and get that sent in. Once we catch this murderer, the work will not stop there, we need to identify all his victims. I am not naïve to think the only victims are the ones that showed up in ViCap, especially with the timeline we know. I know there are still victims out there that need us to find them, so their families can have closure. There will be a lot of work going into this case.”

  Everyone in the room shook there ahead in agreement. The IT agents gathered their laptops and any equipment they brought in with them and rushed out, excited to get back to work to get that missing piece.

  The chief walked out to head to his office to start on the warrant. He would also put in the request, the victims they knew so far, their history of rides and if any were with that driver.

  The team remained in the conference room. John looked at everyone, “This is it guys, I can feel it. We are almost there. Emily, you are amazing my sweet friend. You really brought this together for us. We owe you.” Then he stopped and smiled, “We didn’t make a bet on this one did we? Since all of us would have lost to Emily, yet again, even though you are not allowed to participate.” He said grinning at her then winking.

  Tammy laughing, “No I don’t think we have made a bet in a long time. It’s lost the appeal since Emily usually comes through with the homerun for the team, so we all lose at the end.” She said with great admiration for her friend. “We’ll have to find something different to bet on. My dear Emily, depending on what it is, you may still be excluded, we’ll have to see what we come up with and if your superpowers give you the advantage.”

  Emily didn’t mind being excluded from their bets. She thought it was silly, but she enjoyed sitting back and watching them try to outdo each other, it was amusing to her. She kept her word though, whenever they did make a bet, she didn’t give Derrick any hints. He was a sneaky one, as one night he tried to force a hint out of her while she was sexually high off him, but she caught herself.

  Four grueling hours passed as they worked on menial tasks while they waited for IT to finish their analysis. They were all waiting on pins and needles.

  Eric walked in the conference room, he was excited to share the news he gathered. “I served the warrant to the rideshare company. We got the full name of the driver and his information from his driver’s license, Paul Coleman. The IT area is diving into his background for his property records, and we will serve warrants on all his properties at the same time. So far, we have only learned that he has a house in a residential area from his driver’s license. We need to ensure that information is still accurate by checking property records.

  I have contacted the Police Chief in our district so we can coordinate with the S.W.A.T team to hit the house or houses with warrants. Once we have all the information, I will submit the warrant details to the judge to sign off on the no knock warrant. The Judge is waiting on our call for the details. I am hopeful within the hour we will have all the details and will be ready to head out. You will meet at the Police District and follow S.W.A.T. Go ahead and gear up now so once all the information is in, we can ride out.”

  James, John, Tammy, and Derrick rose at once and rushed out of the conference room to go get dressed in their tactical gear. They were ready to go. Finally, the answers were almost at their doorstep, and they could capture this son of a bitch wreaking havoc on people’s lives. One more monster will be taken off the streets for good. Who knows the total wreckage he has caused in this city? The team did not believe that the eleven they knew about was the total number. This killer had been operating for seven years that they knew of.

  Emily continued to sit there. She looked up at Eric, “I can feel it Eric, we are almost there. However, I have a feeling it won’t go as smoothly as we hope. Please make sure everyone is extra careful. There is a pending doom hovering over us.”

  “Do you know the details that is causing that feeling, Emily? Anything to give us a heads up on what will go wrong if anything?”

  “No Sir, nothing specific, just a feeling that there’s a dark cloud over the arrest, that trouble is surrounding it, more than the normal process.”

  Eric sighed, he trusted Emily’s instinct and knew if she had a feeling that something was going to go wrong, that it was the truth. He would make sure to have the safety speech with all agents and officers getting ready to serve the warrant. He wanted everyone going home tonight. He had a responsibility to all of them. Knowing they had a dangerous job didn’t mean he wouldn’t take all precautions he could to ensure their safety.

  “Thank you Emily for your insight. I’ll make sure everyone goes in with all eyes open and to ensure that they always have a partner with them. We’ll also call in a bomb dog to ensure nothing is rigged to blow up upon entering the premises. We don’t know what type of psychopath we are dealing with here. Emily, please stay here where I know you will be safe until we capture this guy. I don’t know if he knows where all the team members live or if it is only Tammy’s house he knows of, due to being her driver.”

  “I can stay here. I’ll sit with the IT area and keep an eye on how things are going here.”

  “Sounds good. Our team will be okay out there. We’ve trained and have experience and knowing your warning, they’ll be on high alert to ensure a successful takedown.”

  After John finished getting dressed, he sat on the bench and took out his phone. He looked at his pictures of him and Samantha, smiling as he looked at her smile in the photo. Another one, where she was laughing at something he said. How her whole face lit up with laughter. She was special and he wanted to bask in her happiness even if it was for a moment, to have that feeling that she brought him, close to his heart before they went hunting for this killer. If it was the last thing he knew in this world, he wanted it to be the feeling of Samantha’s laughter hitting his soul.

  He called her quickly before they headed out. To hear her voice. This would be an epic takedown, he knew it and so he needed her voice to carry him through.

  “Hey baby, just wanted to hear your sweet voice.”

  Samantha replying nervously, hearing his nerves through the phone, “Hey John, how’s it going? You guys one step closer today?”

  “Yes ma’am, we are getting dressed, hoping today will be the day. I wanted to check in with you before it got too busy, and I wouldn’t be able to answer the phone or make any calls. So while its calm now, I thought it would be the perfect time.” He said as he chuckled.

  “Oh wow. Be careful out there John. I’ll be thinking of you and the team to get home safely tonight. I don’t care what time it is tonight or even if it is the middle of the night, I want you to come here when you are done. Okay, John. Do you hear me?”

  He could hear the stress in her voice. This was now very real for her. He supposed she probably wasn’t used to dating anyone that had a dangerous job. Her fear over his safety was felt through the phone.

  “I will babe, okay. I’ll come over to your house instead of home. You don’t have to worry though; we are all going to be fine. We have
a great team, and we know what we are doing.” He sighed running his hands through his hair. He hated that she would sit with worry all night.

  “Okay, I will still worry, until you are safely in my arms.”

  “I’ll see you later tonight okay or early morning. Don’t worry babe. I have to go now. I’ll see you later. Get some rest until I get there tonight and don’t worry, everything will be fine.” He hung up the phone with his heart in his throat feeling like he made a promise, knowing he had no way to know for sure he could keep it. He had every confidence in his team, but while out on the field, you never knew the scenario you would find yourself in.

  They all headed back into the conference room, suited up and ready to go. Derrick sat next to Emily and pulled her in closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulder and leaned in and gave her a kiss on her forehead. He knew she hated this part, sitting back in the office while they went out. She wasn’t an agent though, and he would never knowingly take her into a dangerous situation. He wanted her here in the glass bubble where he knew she would be protected and safe.

  IT came in and set up their equipment. They conferenced in the Police Chief who was at the station with the S.W.A.T team. They ran down the information that they acquired since learning the killer’s name was Paul Coleman. He had a residential address and a property along I-275N. They discussed who would be on each team and how they would split up. The four of them would be with a S.W.A.T team going to the woods.

  Once the chief had all the information with the addresses, he called in the warrant while the team, along with S.W.A.T, went over the blueprints and satellite images of the property located in the woods. They called in the K-9 Unit for both properties to ensure nothing was rigged to blow. They didn’t have anything to show that this killer also dealt in explosives, but they wanted to be sure the teams were safe.

  Eric passed along earlier to the team, Emily’s feeling of doom surrounding the sting. This put the team on high alert, and they would take her warning seriously.