no paper trail meant no one could find her. While you were in her room, I remembered one more thing about the ex.”
Laura looked excited and was hoping for a new lead. “What was it?”
“She said that they were invited to a party where everyone was in charge of something, and Tamara had to bring ice. The ex put it over on her side of the car and told her to sit on it, so it would stay cold until they got to the party. She said that was the last straw. The next day, she packed up everything she could fit in her car and left while her ex was at work. Then she sold the car right away and took the bus everywhere, so it couldn’t be traced back to her.”
Peterson and Murphy exchanged knowing glances, thanked Sandy and left the apartment. They got in the car and headed back to the precinct. When they got there, they brought Burns up to speed on what they had found out about Tamara.
Roy had been busy himself. He had found out that Julia White owned a fashion boutique in the downtown area, and that the suit found under her body had come from her own store. She also lived alone. He had been there, saw no sign of struggle, but had CSU going over it looking for clues. “So, is it possible Julia had lunch where Tamara worked and they knew each other? Maybe that’s why he put their bodies in the same building.”
“I like that scenario, Burns. The problem is that Murphy and I don’t have a name for the restaurant. Tamara probably didn’t tell Sandy, because she didn’t want to get them in trouble for paying her cash. Did Julia have any employees?”
“Yes, one older woman named Liz. She opened the shop this morning, and I was the lucky guy who had to tell her she was out of a job. She was very upset about Julia, and praised her as a warm, wonderful person to work for.”
“Did you get a phone number for her, so we can contact her again?”
Roy gave her one of his looks. “Duh, of course!”
“See if you can find out where Julia ate lunch, or if Liz ever heard her talk about Tamara. Maybe you can canvas some of the lunch places in the area, to see if they had a waitress by that name. Also, find out if Julia had anyone that she didn’t get along with.”
“I’ll get right on that. You know, the suit under the body is another piece of evidence that ties to the victim in some way, just like the pentagram ties to Sheila Lawson.”
“Great observation, Roy, and so does the dog to our first victim. I wonder if we went back and looked, we would find a link to the other items and the victims.”
“It might be worth our time to check. Not that the suit or pentagram really tells us anything about the killer, just the victims.”
“Yes, but remember my motto, we can leave no stone unturned!”
Dan answered the phone and then looked at Laura. “Hey, Peterson, we just got a call from Dr. Foote. He wants to see you down at the lab.”
“Thanks, Murphy; tell him I’m on my way down.”
Getting a call to come see Ralph, usually meant something new had been found. They had caught a break finding these bodies early enough in the day to actually be able to contact people and get some work done. It was hard when they found a body at two in the morning. That meant hours where they lost sleep and didn’t get much done, other than waking distraught family members.
Ralph was looking through a microscope when she walked in. She stood and watched him for a moment. He appeared so meticulous, as he stared at that little something under inspection and only looked away to make notes. He was more diligent than any other ME she had ever worked with. His dad had been murdered when he was seventeen years old. That one incident had shaped Ralph’s life. It was the reason he was there today, making sure to help solve every crime he could.
He looked up when he heard her coming close. “Ah, the loveliest detective on the force, I’m glad you’re here.”
“Did you just miss me, or do you have some news?”
“I always miss you.
Laura looked excited and was hoping for a new lead. “What was it?”
“She said that they were invited to a party where everyone was in charge of something, and Tamara had to bring ice. The ex put it over on her side of the car and told her to sit on it, so it would stay cold until they got to the party. She said that was the last straw. The next day, she packed up everything she could fit in her car and left while her ex was at work. Then she sold the car right away and took the bus everywhere, so it couldn’t be traced back to her.”
Peterson and Murphy exchanged knowing glances, thanked Sandy and left the apartment. They got in the car and headed back to the precinct. When they got there, they brought Burns up to speed on what they had found out about Tamara.
Roy had been busy himself. He had found out that Julia White owned a fashion boutique in the downtown area, and that the suit found under her body had come from her own store. She also lived alone. He had been there, saw no sign of struggle, but had CSU going over it looking for clues. “So, is it possible Julia had lunch where Tamara worked and they knew each other? Maybe that’s why he put their bodies in the same building.”
“I like that scenario, Burns. The problem is that Murphy and I don’t have a name for the restaurant. Tamara probably didn’t tell Sandy, because she didn’t want to get them in trouble for paying her cash. Did Julia have any employees?”
“Yes, one older woman named Liz. She opened the shop this morning, and I was the lucky guy who had to tell her she was out of a job. She was very upset about Julia, and praised her as a warm, wonderful person to work for.”
“Did you get a phone number for her, so we can contact her again?”
Roy gave her one of his looks. “Duh, of course!”
“See if you can find out where Julia ate lunch, or if Liz ever heard her talk about Tamara. Maybe you can canvas some of the lunch places in the area, to see if they had a waitress by that name. Also, find out if Julia had anyone that she didn’t get along with.”
“I’ll get right on that. You know, the suit under the body is another piece of evidence that ties to the victim in some way, just like the pentagram ties to Sheila Lawson.”
“Great observation, Roy, and so does the dog to our first victim. I wonder if we went back and looked, we would find a link to the other items and the victims.”
“It might be worth our time to check. Not that the suit or pentagram really tells us anything about the killer, just the victims.”
“Yes, but remember my motto, we can leave no stone unturned!”
Dan answered the phone and then looked at Laura. “Hey, Peterson, we just got a call from Dr. Foote. He wants to see you down at the lab.”
“Thanks, Murphy; tell him I’m on my way down.”
Getting a call to come see Ralph, usually meant something new had been found. They had caught a break finding these bodies early enough in the day to actually be able to contact people and get some work done. It was hard when they found a body at two in the morning. That meant hours where they lost sleep and didn’t get much done, other than waking distraught family members.
Ralph was looking through a microscope when she walked in. She stood and watched him for a moment. He appeared so meticulous, as he stared at that little something under inspection and only looked away to make notes. He was more diligent than any other ME she had ever worked with. His dad had been murdered when he was seventeen years old. That one incident had shaped Ralph’s life. It was the reason he was there today, making sure to help solve every crime he could.
He looked up when he heard her coming close. “Ah, the loveliest detective on the force, I’m glad you’re here.”
“Did you just miss me, or do you have some news?”
“I always miss you.
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