Hastings.”
“I have a theory that this first victim set off a chain reaction. If we can find out why she’s here, we can crack this case wide open!”
Dan was excited to see something happening. “Got it! What do we do first?”
“Get your trusty pad out and take notes.”
“Ready when you are.”
“What date was she reported missing?”
“September eleventh.”
“Okay, today is the ninth of April, so we have a couple of days before the anniversary of her disappearance. I asked to have surveillance set up on this building and no mention of the second body in the news, in order to set up a trap. He built an altar to her, and I think he has placed a rose on it for every month she has been there. There are six roses, and this will make the seventh body we have found, other than hers. He has an anniversary coming up in two days. I think that after he delivers each rose, he starts looking for his next victim. If he thinks we haven’t found her body, he may still try to deliver the next rose, and we will have a shot at catching him.”
Dan looked at her with respect in his eyes. “Wow, you do think outside the box. I like that theory. So, what’s next?”
“Who reported her missing?”
“Her roommate, Sandy Smith.”
Laura was intrigued by that point. “This is the first one who hasn’t lived alone. We’re going to interview Sandy next. Can we track her down?”
“Yeah, I called her already. She’s home and expecting us.”
“You’re good, Murphy! I guess you’re starting to anticipate my moves.”
He looked worried. “You don’t feel threatened by that, do you? I mean, you are the boss and everything. I don’t want you to feel like I’m trying to do your job.”
“I look at this job as a team effort. Whatever it takes to lock up the bad guys, is what we do. The fact that you took the initiative to set up an interview, shows me that you are thinking like part of the team. What I don’t want you to do is get a hunch, and then follow it up on your own. That could get you killed.”
Dan smiled, hoping that her concern meant that she was starting to feel a little bit romantic about him. “I’ll run everything by you first, promise. Does that mean that you would miss me if I was gone?”
“No, it means I don’t want extra paper work!”
Laura smiled to herself as they walked to the car. Dan had a playful sensuality about him that she wasn’t sure how to take. She wondered if he was that way with all women, or was Roy’s suspicion correct? It didn’t really matter, because she wasn’t going to act on it. First of all, he was just too young. Second, she didn’t get involved with fellow officers.
Sandy Smith’s apartment was very plain and ordinary. She invited them in and already had coffee made. The news of Tamara’s death hit her hard, even though she had been expecting the worst after all this time. Laura always got an insight from watching someone when she told them the bad news. It wasn’t just the tears or facial expressions; it was also the body language. “Sandy, what happened the day Tamara went missing?”
“She went to work as usual, came home and then went out to walk Annabelle.”
“Annabelle?”
Sandy smiled, as if recalling someone fondly. “Yes, her dog. She loved that dog more than anything else in the entire world. She fussed over it like a baby and bought her only the most expensive food. Just before she disappeared, she spent a whole days worth of tips on a pink, rhinestone collar. The last thing she said to me was how they were going to the doggie park to show off Annabelle’s new collar. I never saw either of them again.”
Laura saw a tear rolling down Sandy’s face and gently patted her hand. “When did you call the police?”
“A few hours later, when they didn’t come back. Tamara never kept Annabelle out after dark. She was afraid that the dog would get cold. The police told me they wouldn’t do anything until she had been gone for at
“I have a theory that this first victim set off a chain reaction. If we can find out why she’s here, we can crack this case wide open!”
Dan was excited to see something happening. “Got it! What do we do first?”
“Get your trusty pad out and take notes.”
“Ready when you are.”
“What date was she reported missing?”
“September eleventh.”
“Okay, today is the ninth of April, so we have a couple of days before the anniversary of her disappearance. I asked to have surveillance set up on this building and no mention of the second body in the news, in order to set up a trap. He built an altar to her, and I think he has placed a rose on it for every month she has been there. There are six roses, and this will make the seventh body we have found, other than hers. He has an anniversary coming up in two days. I think that after he delivers each rose, he starts looking for his next victim. If he thinks we haven’t found her body, he may still try to deliver the next rose, and we will have a shot at catching him.”
Dan looked at her with respect in his eyes. “Wow, you do think outside the box. I like that theory. So, what’s next?”
“Who reported her missing?”
“Her roommate, Sandy Smith.”
Laura was intrigued by that point. “This is the first one who hasn’t lived alone. We’re going to interview Sandy next. Can we track her down?”
“Yeah, I called her already. She’s home and expecting us.”
“You’re good, Murphy! I guess you’re starting to anticipate my moves.”
He looked worried. “You don’t feel threatened by that, do you? I mean, you are the boss and everything. I don’t want you to feel like I’m trying to do your job.”
“I look at this job as a team effort. Whatever it takes to lock up the bad guys, is what we do. The fact that you took the initiative to set up an interview, shows me that you are thinking like part of the team. What I don’t want you to do is get a hunch, and then follow it up on your own. That could get you killed.”
Dan smiled, hoping that her concern meant that she was starting to feel a little bit romantic about him. “I’ll run everything by you first, promise. Does that mean that you would miss me if I was gone?”
“No, it means I don’t want extra paper work!”
Laura smiled to herself as they walked to the car. Dan had a playful sensuality about him that she wasn’t sure how to take. She wondered if he was that way with all women, or was Roy’s suspicion correct? It didn’t really matter, because she wasn’t going to act on it. First of all, he was just too young. Second, she didn’t get involved with fellow officers.
Sandy Smith’s apartment was very plain and ordinary. She invited them in and already had coffee made. The news of Tamara’s death hit her hard, even though she had been expecting the worst after all this time. Laura always got an insight from watching someone when she told them the bad news. It wasn’t just the tears or facial expressions; it was also the body language. “Sandy, what happened the day Tamara went missing?”
“She went to work as usual, came home and then went out to walk Annabelle.”
“Annabelle?”
Sandy smiled, as if recalling someone fondly. “Yes, her dog. She loved that dog more than anything else in the entire world. She fussed over it like a baby and bought her only the most expensive food. Just before she disappeared, she spent a whole days worth of tips on a pink, rhinestone collar. The last thing she said to me was how they were going to the doggie park to show off Annabelle’s new collar. I never saw either of them again.”
Laura saw a tear rolling down Sandy’s face and gently patted her hand. “When did you call the police?”
“A few hours later, when they didn’t come back. Tamara never kept Annabelle out after dark. She was afraid that the dog would get cold. The police told me they wouldn’t do anything until she had been gone for at
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