Seeking Evil (Looking Into The Mind Of A Killer Series) by Mary Eason Page B

until they ended up dead. Only Cheryl. And as I recall, there was no mention of a note in Cheryl’s file.”
    John was conscious of Rick analyzing his reaction. Rick thought he knew more about the case than was reported in the files. He was right.
    His partner drained his cu p then got to his feet. “ I ’ m going for more. Want some? ” John handed him his cup without answering. He picked up the plastic evidence bag that held the note from Janice Daniels ’ place. If it weren ’ t for the murders, the note left at the victims ’ homes prior to their deaths could mean anything. With the exception of Cheryl Larsen. Or so John’d thought, until Aaron confessed Cheryl had turned the note over to him.
    Beloved, now that I’ve found you again. I will never let you go. You will be with me soon. And always.
    “ You know, something ’ s always bugged me ab out the way the case played out,” Rick said as he held out John’s coffee and slid into his vacated chair, sipping his own.
    John shoved the note back into the file and accepted the cup Rick held out to him. “ What do you mean? ”
    “ Well, for one, why did Sorenson think Peterson was the killer? How did he even come up with him as a suspect? ”
    “ You mean did he do it because C heryl told him about Peterson and the re s training order? ”
    Rick nodded. “Was Sorenson the one who had Cheryl file the order?”
    John accepted the angry undertone in Rick’s voice without comment. “ No , I don’t think so . Anyway, w e analyzed the note, found out only a few places in D.C. sold that particular type of red parchment paper. Aaron discovered Peterson worked at one of those places. He had easy access to the paper and he was stalking Cheryl Larsen. ”
    “Hum, okay, so what about Cheryl? The killer didn’t send her a note , there was nothing in the —” Rick’s gaze narrowed as he studied John and then it hit him. “But he did, didn’t he? You and Sorenson just left it out of the file.” 
    John slowly nodded. No point in denying it. “Yes. I found out about the note after Cheryl’s death. Aaron was convinced he ’ d found the Rock Creek k iller. ”
    Rick shook his head, his disgust easy to read. “Why’d Sorenson keep the note from the file? Was he afraid of getting caught in the affair? ”
    John wished he knew the real answer to that question, but Aaron’s actions in those final months had been anything but rational. “All he told me was that he was afraid the note contained something that might incriminate him.” John spotted Rich’s confusion and tried to explain. “I think it was more like he was afraid Anna would learn about the affair. He might not have want ed to be married to her anymore, but he didn't want her to know about his infidelity either . ”
    Rick kept his opinion confined to his disgusted expression.   
    Outside the sun rose high above the nation’s capital.
    For many, D.C. repre sented security and power . But even here, evil existed. Just as it had before .
    * * * * *
    Janice Daniels ’ parents still lived in the same Roanoke neighborhood they had the night John and Aaron had to bring the worst possible news to them.
    A quiet middle - class area where most of the houses had been around since the Nixon administration.
    John glanced at his watch. Eleven- fifteen. T hat moment in time would stand out in his memory forever.
    Rick glanced his way, sensing his mood. “ What if they ’ re at work? What do they do for a living? ”
    “ The wife was a homemaker. She volunteered at the hospital a couple of days a week. The husband worked for an insurance firm in the city. ”
    When his first barrage of rings didn ’ t illicit any answer, John resorted to banging on the door.
    “ Whoa, buddy, lighten up. We want their help. Remember, as far as they ’ re concerned we had their daughter ’ s killer in prison. ”
    John spotted the morning paper lying on the front porch. The headline announced the worst was yet to