“Fine with me.”
“They took the stairs down to the basement and went through the double glass doors leading into the forensic department.
Affectionately called ‘Doc Josie’, Dr. Jocelyn Carter, is the head of the Forensic Science Department. Short with curly, brown hair and black wire framed glasses around blue eyes, she looked like the classic college professor. Some might describe her as ‘frumpy’ but she was brilliant. The detectives found her sitting at her desk.
“Josie. How we doin’?”
“Jason. What a nice surprise.”
“You’ve met Nina Jefferson?”
“Yes, of course. Hi, Nina.”
Nina gave Josie a smile as Jason sat down in one of the two chairs facing Doc Josie’s desk.
“So Josie, what did your crew find at the Garland house?”
“Not much. There were prints on the ledge and a door knob, neither of which belonged to Mr. Garland. We ran them through the AFIS fingerprint system but no luck. Evidently, the person who left the prints doesn’t have a record.”
Jason figured the fingerprint data base would be useless. He knew most people who didn’t conceal their prints did so because they knew there was no record of them.
“What about the shoe print?”
“Size 9 running shoe. Nike but not rare enough to be much help except as a match to another print.”
“Okay. Well, not much to go on. Thanks.”
“No problem. Always glad to see you.”
****
Jason and Nina found Lieutenant Banks sitting in her office. Nina wrapped on the door frame before entering. The lieutenant looked up and then back at her paperwork.
“What’s up?”
Nina stayed by the door and Jason had to slip past her to speak to the lieutenant. He gave Nina a knowing smile.
Afraid to go in the lion’s den, huh?
Jason pulled up a chair.
“Just wanted to give you an update on the Garland case.”
“Okay, shoot.”
Jason gave her what they knew so far and how they had subpoenaed the phone records. When he was done, she looked up from her paperwork, and crossed her arms.
“Not much. Any ideas besides the phone records?”
Before Jason could answer, the phone rang. Sarah Banks pushed the speaker button.
“Banks.”
“Lieutenant, this is Doc Josie.”
“Yeah, Doc. What’s up?”
“The car we recovered this afternoon from the missing Morris woman, it’s got prints that don’t belong to her.”
“Got an ID?”
“Sort of.”
“Can you be more specific, Doctor?”
“Sure. By the way, do you know where Detective Strong is?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. He’s sitting here listening to our conversation.”
“Oh. Hey, Jason.”
Jason let out a small laugh.
“Hi, Doc.”
“Well, to answer the question about ID on the prints, I don’t have a name but I do have a match. It’s the same ones we pulled from Ed Garland’s duplex.”
Lieutenant Banks sat up and grabbed a file on her desk, sliding it across to Jason.
“I just passed the file to Strong. It would appear the cases are connected. Did you find anything else in the car?”
“Not so far.”
“Okay, Doc. Thanks for the update. I’m assigning the Morris girl to Strong and Jefferson, so keep them in the loop.”
The lieutenant hit the disconnect button without waiting for a reply.
“Alright, you two better review the Morris file and see if it gives you any direction on Garland. It appears the two cases are connected.”
Jason got up and headed for the door.
“Yes, Maam.”
It seemed they would be working the missing persons cases awhile longer.
Chapter 8
Big thunder clouds to the west darkened the sky and a spitting rain had started as Donnie parked and got out. He was now half way through the capturing phase of Billy’s plan and he wanted to keep his brother up to speed on how they were doing.
“Hi, Billy. Good news. We’re half way. Chelsea is in her cell.”
Donnie listened intently before starting to pace back and forth in front of the grave.
“I’m doing this as fast as I can, Billy. It’s not easy and you’re not here to help.”
Donnie quit pacing and stared down at his brother.
“I gotta go. I’ll be back when I have more news.”
Donnie turned and walked off. The rain picked up as he got in the van and he sat looking out the window as a full downpour began.
Hurry up, he says. He doesn’t seem to appreciate what I’ve accomplished. Haven’t I done everything he’s asked? I’ve had to do all the work and I’ve done a good job. He doesn’t seem to know how hard all of this is!
Donnie started the van and turned on the wipers. The weather it seemed was in the same bad mood he was.
****
Jason sat at his desk going over the file they received from Lieutenant Banks.
Chelsea Morris, previously Chelsea Burt, was a waitress at Daylight Donuts in the center of the city. She lived in a house owned by her parents and had returned to San Antonio from California several years ago. The responding officer had done a good job with his report.
Jason looked out the window at the rain. Summer rain was rare and the downpour was a welcome sight. Nina was checking the missing girls name for priors.
“No record. Driver’s license clean except for a speeding several years ago.”
“Okay. The file says Miss Morris was reported missing by a friend at work. We need to go see her.”
“Okay. I’m putting in a request for Chelsea Morris’ phone records. That will give us two sets to compare. Should have them in the morning.”
Lieutenant Patton got off the elevator and stopped at Jason’s desk on the way to his office.
“How’s it going with the missing person case?”
Jason leaned back in his chair and looked up at the lieutenant.
“It’s now a missing person’s case.”
“Really? More than one?”
“Yeah. Two cases connected by a set of prints. We may be awhile getting free from the clutches of Lieutenant Banks.”
John Patton smiled.
“Okay. You make it sound like she’s a spider whose got you in her web.”
Nina snorted.
“That’s an excellent description.”
The lieutenant looked at Nina and back at Jason.
“Don’t be mistaken. She’s very good, kind of abrupt I know, but good.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The two detectives exchanged glances as Lieutenant Patton went to his office. Jason had noticed some admiration in his boss’s voice.
“Apparently, he’s familiar with her. I think he’s impressed by her.”
Nina laughed.
“Yeah or afraid of her!”
It was Jason’s turn to laugh but he knew better. John Patton wasn’t afraid of anybody.
****
Chelsea Morris sat on the blanket in her cell listening to the rain. She still hadn’t been able to sleep but she was getting hungry. She heard footsteps coming down the stairs and her heart started to pound.
“Is that footsteps?”
It was Ed. He hadn’t said anything in hours.
“Yes.”
The steps got closer and her captor’s face peered through the bars. He unlocked her door, came in and set a tray down on the floor. Chelsea was trying to be strong, to not give this man any satisfaction from keeping her, but she couldn’t keep herself from pleading.
“Please…please let me go. I won’t say anything. I don’t even know where we are.”