All In a Bow - Part 9
The conference room they were using was also the ongoing war room for the Bow Tie Murders investigation. Captain Wyatt Allen had called the 10:00 a.m. meeting and he leaned against the wall, just inside the closed door sipping the ever present mug of coffee. Ramirez stood as well, with arms crossed, by one of the large rolling boards with names, photos and a large map.
Morrison had just walked in and he sat on an edge of the large oval conference room table and Parker Davis was seated looking down at a case file report, paging through it as she scanned. The noise of her flipping the papers was the only sound in the room. The newest member of the team, just appointed by Captain Allen, sat the erect and alert Detective Mike Summerland. Bigfoot was two chairs away from Davis and looked like a giant schoolboy ready to ace an SAT test.
Wyatt Allen was dressed well as usual in a classic oxford shirt, powder blue tie and dark suit. The other detectives were business casual, no ties and rolled sleeves. Allen's eyes went around the room. Ramirez looked determined but stressed. Morrison looked like he always did, a blank poker face, maybe even slightly bored if you didn’t know him. Davis looked mad but focused and Summerland had the misleading look of mild confusion that masked his high intellect.
The captain straightened up from leaning against the wall and looked at his watch. He made a show of checking the time. “Alright people, everybody is here. Let’s get started.”
Allen pretty much always owned a room and it didn’t matter much who was in it. He just had the gift of presence, plain and simple, without even trying. None of that was needed with this room though. There was no chatter to stop, or small talk to break up and certainly no smiles. Three silent detectives, dealing with a situation in their own distinct styles, stared at him and waited.
“So...I think it’s worth mentioning.” The captain looked at his watch again and purposely grinned. The smile was out of place to be sure and that’s exactly why he did it. “It is 8:57 and if my memory is accurate, this is the first time in a decade that Dan Morrison has been early for a meeting, let alone on time.”
Morrison shrugged and he saluted Allen. The other three detectives showed thin, tight grins that melted away as fast as they had appeared.
“Okay so, in light of what transpired two days ago at the vacant home on Adelaide Ave., I thought we should get together. As I mentioned yesterday to each of you in separate conversations, I expect a thorough briefing and have canceled everything I had on my schedule for this morning. I’ll bring in lunch if need be…So, brief me.”
Ramirez pursed his lips and uncrossed his arms. He cleared his throat and pointed to two big boards. It was time to get started.
“Actually, you know what? Sorry Hec, just a couple more things.” Wyatt Allen took a step forward. “First and probably most important. Get your fuckin’ chins up detectives. I’ve been where you’re at and I’ve felt what you’re feeling. I know you take it personal - and you should. It’s impossible not to. Listen up though.”
Allen paused then, looked at all of them one by one and pointed at the closed door. “We are blessed at S.A.P.D to have the best damn detective squad in the great state of Texas. There are some very good detectives, right out there, that could be in this room…and they aren’t. Think about why that is. Think about what that means.”
Allen was in his element and the small audience was already his. “Second, pardon the language but we’re gonna get this motherfucker or maybe, just maybe…motherfuckers. Plural. It’s something I want to explore and talk about today, if you think it’s worth it. I’m sure you have already at least thought about that possibility with two bodies, one upstairs. Not unheard of to have two crazies involved when it comes to serial murder cases.”
He scanned the room again. “Last thing, then I’ll shut the hell up. I’ll take care of the press on this thing because it’s fixin’ to get ugly with them and the public too. Hec, I want you to refer everything to me. Everything. The letter was a godsend to the media piranhas, but not so much for us. I can tell you we got nothing worthwhile from it forensically. Bottom line though people, I got your back. You can go to the bank with that.”
There was a pause and the silence in the room sounded like a ghost surf in a seashell. Hector nodded but didn’t say anything. He waited to make sure.
“Yeah, I’m finally done.” The captain leaned back against the wall and sipped his coffee.
Ramirez had decided to begin with what they knew. A recap, both the dated and the most recent, right up to 10 minutes ago. “Okay, well thanks Cap. I think everyone here would agree we needed that. I think a good place to start this briefing is a review of everything we know with certainty up to this point - and this is as current as it gets. A few new things too. Jump in whenever, comment, clarification or question.”
He spun the hinged big board over to the other side and started to read aloud as he pointed to words, pictures and arrows.
“Street name Kirsten, a prostitute who Dan met at the Timeout Bar was found deceased at the Adelaide Ave. house. She has been positively identified as Bethany Sue Pearson, 26.
“Next, ‘Trish’, a waitress at Fillies who Dan and I met when we interviewed Carmen Flores, was found deceased in a bedroom walk-in closet at the same address. Identified as Patricia Marie Bellamy, 22. 1 prior, prostitution, but it was 2 years ago. Nothing since.”
After a follow-up interview by Detective Ward, Sandy Kaufman, the realtor for Breckenridge Homes, has been completely cleared and is not considered a suspect.”
Morrison held a hand up. “No doubt Parker? Solid?”
Ward nodded. “No question in my mind.”
“Okay, continuing with things we know.” Ramirez went back to the board. “So, new information on Leslie Ann Engles has surfaced. She’s the college student that was going to St. Mary’s University and the murder victim that came after the murder of Carmen’s friend, Maddie Glover. Her former roommate contacted Detective Summerland yesterday and added information not originally shared with us. Mike, go ahead.”
Sutherland nodded. “Yes, the uh roommate, one Alicia Houser, stated that she felt guilty for keeping a secret that Leslie had sworn her to and couldn’t hold it in anymore. The revelation she shared was that Leslie Engles had been living a secret second life as an escort. Turns out, her parents could barely afford St. Mary’s and she needed extra cash. As far as we know she worked alone, with only high end customers. I have not found a client list yet, electronic or paper, but I’m investigating cell phone contact numbers. In addition, I'm also checking for any possible ties, or even loose affiliations with Fillies, in any way.”
Allen finished his coffee and sat the cup down. “To state the obvious, this could be big stuff. Even if there is no Leslie Engles connection though, we have the deceased Fillies waitress, Ms. Bellamy. We need a plan for round two on getting up close and personal with Fillies…and that piece of shit, Brooks fuckin’ Golden.”
“Yessir. We’re on it. Already in the works and we’ll go over the gameplan with you before this meeting is over. As well as another target we’ve identified and have plans for.” Ramirez looked around the room. “Okay, anything else on the new Engles break?”
“Alicia Houser, the roommate, she check out okay Mike?” Parker sipped a Diet Coke, her version of coffee.
“Oh yeah, I believe so, her conscience got to her after she saw the news reports about Adelaide Ave. and hey, at the end of the day, she came forward voluntarily. Could have continued keeping it to herself and nobody would have known.”
Ramirez looked around the room. “Anyone else got something on what we’ve covered so far?” He was answered with silence and heads shaking no.
“Okay, so the biggest new thing for last. Got a call from our forensic team lead not 15 minutes ago. Up until now the scenes have antiseptic clean, fuckin’ hospital clean and Adelaide was too - except for a tiny trace of what they now know is saliva they found on the side of Kirsten/Bethany Pearson’s neck way up by her ear. Sample of Pearson’s is on its way to the state DNA lab as well. Could be a huge find. We should know very soon as Cap is pulling strings. You’ll all know as soon as I do.”
Morrison, Ward and Summerland exchanged hopeful looks.
“Alright, one more thing we know for sure and this one, initially anyway, had us going down the wrong track. Our early suspicions and theory that holidays had something to do with these Bow Tie murders has gone right out the fuckin’ window. In the shitter.”
Morrison stood and worked his neck around as if it was stiff. He walked a few steps and then leaned on the edge of the table again. “I don’t mean to butt in here but I want something on record, Cap. There is no our, us, or we here. Hec is running interference for me. This bullshit theory is on me. I own this. I mean, from the get go. This was my Inspector Clouseau, aha moment.”
Hector dropped his head down with a grin and Summerland smiled big. Ward shook her head no, with suppressed amusement and raised eyebrows.
“Noted.” Allen said with a deadpan expression.
“Alright.” Ramirez raised his head and his eyes locked onto the captain. “Okay sir, that does it for the current state of affairs. Now for going forward. We’re going to lay out for you three separate initiatives and strategies we’ve been planning for two days. Specifically, in regards to Fillies, Timeout and The Yellow Rose. Before that though, do you want to cover the new parameters on the reach and scope of this investigation, or should I?”
“No, no need, you go ahead Detective Ramirez.”
“Okay. Captain Allen has decided and I agree completely that effective immediately, the only four murders that are currently considered part of the Bow Tie investigation are Engles, Glover, Bellamy and Pearson. That information, like everything else, stays in this room. All of our attention and efforts will be those cases. When and if we can, we will circle back and tie in the older cases in the towns of Boerne, Seguin and Hondo but only after we solve at least one of these four active San Antonio cases…Are we all clear on that?”
All three detectives nodded yes.
“Let’s get into briefing Captain Allen on the strategy and plans we have, starting with later tonight.”
The dialog and mannerisms came across as super realistic: brief and to the point. I enjoy these scenes in the station, Jim. Each character had their tics and mannerisms. You moved the plot along with some new clues but saved the plans for the next chapter. Things are on the move. Great job.
I saw it all unfold like a movie. Like I was a detective in the room being briefed with all of them. Great cranking of the tension!