Unresolved Ch. 02

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

Part 9 - Day Two

"Here's what we know." said Alison McFarland into the microphone of her podcast. "Another Pi Omega Sorority pledge has been murdered, but this time in the jurisdiction of the Town & County Police. And that means it won't be cast aside, because the Iron Crowbar, Police Commander Donald Troy, is leading the investigation.

"Wendy Withers was murdered in cold blood yesterday, as was Stephen Henry, also a University student. The autopsy showed she'd been brutally raped earlier in the evening, then she and Stephen were chased down by another car, and both victims drug out of his car and shot at point blank range. Was Wendy subjected to the same hazing that Kitty Summers claimed she was subjected to? Was the Wendy Withers crime a copycat of the Susan Phillips rape and murder 12 years ago?

"And will there be an attempt to cover up the case? Senator Samuel Russell is under threat of an indictment for rape if he leaves Washington, D.C. while Congress is in session. His influence may be limited in this case, but could he call in reinforcements, other powerful interests, to block the current investigation? We'll be on watch for the answers. I'm Alison McFarland, and this... is 'Unresolved'..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Let me be clearrrr, Mr. Roverrrrrrssss." drawled Chief Moynahan. "We do not neeeeeed your help. We do not want your help. Murder is not a Federal crime; we are not relinquishing the case. We are not calling you in nor asking for your help in any way. So get out of Town... nowwwww."

They were in the Main Conference Room, with Sheriff Griswold and FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone also there. Only Bob Rovers had been allowed past the front lobbyists; the other FBI Agents were waiting in the Press Room, with chairs courteously provided for them.

"I don't get this." said Rovers, pretending shock. "We're here to help. We are experts on these kind of serial crimes. All we want is some space to work, and some cooperation from your local people. We've never been treated like this by... locals."

"You weren't very 'expert' during the EMPTY QUIVER event." growled Griswold. "And your brother David Rovers in our waiting room was a total disaster in Southport."

"Says who?" snarled Rovers. "You were lucky as hell that nuke didn't go off, and the perps are still at large. Your great Iron Crowbar didn't do so well, there, did he now?"

"Ahhhhh, I think we're finally getting to the heart of the matterrrrr." said the Chief.

"Yes, we are." said Muscone. "And if General McFarland had trusted your shoddy analysis instead of the Iron Crowbar, none of us would be here to talk about it. You're the worst BAU unit in the FBI, not to mention the least trusted. Who sent you here, Rovers? And tried to sneak you in here behind my back?"

"If they didn't tell you, that should tell you where you are on the totem pole." said Rovers. "You're just a mushroom, Muscone, and unimportant."

"Harrumph." growled the Sheriff. "I'll take Muscone over you any day, Rovers. But let me be clear: we don't want what you call 'help', and we're not giving you space in any County Government building. And I will not allow my data people to work with you, nor give you access to our databases."

"You've heard the Sheriff's final word, which matches mine." said Chief Moynahan. "Now get out... before Commander Troy realizes you are here, and does to you what he did to your brother in Southport."

Bob Rovers's eyes flashed fire at that. "We're investigating this as a serial case, whether you help or not. The killers went west and crossed the State Line, so we can get jurisdiction over you local punks any time we want. In the meantime, stay out of our way." he threatened.

"I might suggest you follow that same advice." growled the Sheriff. "And by the way, if you wonder why other local LEOs haven't treated you the same way we have, it's because they don't have what we have... the Iron Crowbar. And he does not tolerate... stupidity."

Rovers said nothing, but just glared at Griswold before he turned and left.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile...

9:00am, Friday, April 19th. The MCD Detectives all came into Classroom 'E' for the meeting, joining me my Angels, and Myron Milton. Everyone was armed with cups of Jerome's 'Navy coffee', and he'd brought another full pot and a hot plate in, as well.

"Coffee really must taste better in 'Masters' coffee cups." I said jovially. "Okay, what's new in the double murder case?" Tanya nodded to Julia Rodriguez.

"First, sir," said Julia, "some of the tire impressions in the field in Nextdoor County and grounds near Courthouse Square are a match. That suggests the brown Impala used in the murders may have been involved in the hazing ritual in Nextdoor County."

"Second," said Julia, "the State Crime Lab got some DNA from the pair of panties found at the Nextdoor County field. However, there was no semen, and Christina Cho believes the DNA will turn out to be a woman's."

"Good." I said. "It's a longshot, but if we find out whose DNA it was, we either have a victim or a witness. So tell me about the Impala."

Julia said "Nothing at all so far on it. Only a few brown Impalas have been sighted in the tri-State area, they all had their car tags, and none of those were being driven by college students or anyone remotely suspicious."

"So! and as an intellectual exercise," I said, "based on the data we have, what do you guys think is going on with this car?"

"It could be in a chop shop by now." said Timothy Geiger.

"And based on your experience in Vice," I said, "where are the chop shops it might be located at?"

"In this area," said Geiger, "the old Viscotti Cabs property was bought by a minor league character with some ties to 'The Teacher', and we've had our suspicions of what's going on in there. More widely, the City and Southport have a number of chop shops and also places where stolen cars can be shipped out by rail or boats. I'm not as familiar with places in the States west of us, but the counties that border our State are mostly farming counties, and not likely places to chop up a car."

I nodded. "It's a possibility, and if you're right we'll never find the car. Anyone else want to take a stab at it?"

"If it's not in a chop shop already," said Theo Washington, "and if it hasn't been found abandoned, it has to be hidden somewhere. So someone is aiding and abetting the murderers."

"Sir," said Julia, "I talked to Detective Segers of the Hammondsville Police Department in the State west of us. He said that he's contacted Police Departments in all the farm counties. They know who owns what cars, and nobody owns a brown Impala."

"Yeah, I'm not thinking it's anywhere over there." I said.

"Commander," asked Tanya Perlman, "you don't think the car has been abandoned, either?" Trying to coax information out of me, she was.

"No." I said. "You guys may remember from the video footage that the Impala had a lot of speed. It had the speed and power to overtake Stephen Henry's car and run him off the road, then to get out of the State in a hurry."

"You said yesterday it looked like it had a souped-up motor." Cindy reminded me.

"Yes, and if someone took the time to put that kind of motor into that car," I said, "it's very likely they're not going to abandon it... nor give it up to a chop shop. So, knowing that, what would the criminals do?"

"Get it painted?" tried Jerome Davis.

"Ahhh, now that's an idea." I said. "Put it into a paint shop. It's hidden away, then it comes out a new color."

"So we need to call around to paint shops and see if anyone got in a brown Impala." Captain Perlman said, knowing that she'd be having others do that instead of having to do it herself.

I sighed. "Uh, yeah, but... Well, I shouldn't tell you not to do that. But that's a lot of places up and down the western side of our State to look, and chances are the shop will be paid very well to not tell any callers about the car."

"This side of the State, sir?" asked Julia. "So you think it's back in this State?"

"That's the likely scenario." I said. "Here's my train of thought as it leaves the station: why someone has an old car with a massive motor is worth considering. I have such a car that the Green Crowbar here drives at Autobahn speeds, and people who do drag racing might have them. But someone had a car ready to go for that night... and I have to wonder if the purpose of having it was for the purpose for which it was actually used... to pursue and murder someone to prevent a secret from being exposed."

Everyone was a bit shocked at that, so I pressed on: "So far, we have not established that Wendy Withers and Stephen Henry knew each other or were friends. So why were they in his car together? But let's leave that for a moment, and consider what the perps's car did: they bolted for the State Line."

"It's my thesis," I said, "that the perps are connected to the University in some way, possibly as students. So they likely want to make their way back to Campus in a timely manner. Having had some dealings with the eastern counties in our neighboring State, I'm fairly aware of how the perps might've traveled to get back here." (Author's note: 'Case of the Lost Drone', 'Causing A Commotion'.)

"With a full tank of gas," I continued, "and about two hours before any daylight, they could've made their way as far south as Clinton County, then crossed back over the State Line into Benning County in our State. At that point, they probably made their way into Midtown and to a paint shop."

"Sir," asked Julia, "you said the car might've been 'enhanced' to go after and kill someone?"

"Yes." I said. "This hazing ritual, which includes forced sex, has been hinted at around the edges as having Fraternity involvement. This vehicle was at the scene at that field, and then was seen at the murder site. Coincidence? You make the call." After a pause, I said "Okay, what's next?"

"We don't yet have the warrants to enter the Pi Omega House." said Tanya. "Our application for them was contested by the Sorority's attorney... Chip Blake, of Gresham & Mason, P.C."

"How did he even know to contest them?" I asked.

"He was literally waiting at the Courthouse for Paulina." said Tanya. "We think Judge Nance may have informed him ahead of time. So we went over his head to Judge Folsom, explaining the 'strangeness' of Blake finding out so quickly, so Folsom took it up himself. But now we're going to have to lay out some stuff for him, stuff we were not willing to expose to Nance."

"Okay." I said. "There's a couple of other things we need, and they are of extreme importance to the the lives and safety of some people. We need to find Stephen's girlfriend Dottie Smith, and quickly. I need her to be found and brought to me to talk to. And we need to find Sophie Westbrook at all costs. I'm beginning to be very scared for her---"

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

It was my Police iPhone. And it was Alison McFarland. "Troy." I answered.

"Hi Commander." said Alison. "Listen, I've found Sophie Westbrook..."

Part 10 - Roommates and Girlfriends

Cindy and I drove to the most secure place in the Town & County... Laura's office. When we went in via the side door (as Laura had suggested we do), we saw Laura at her desk, Alison on one of the two sofas, her back to the windows, and a college-aged girl with brown-black hair in a big bun and ponytail on the other sofa. Her dark eyes grew wide upon the sight of me.

"The Iron Crowbar?" the girl gulped.

"Yes, that's me." I said quietly. "You're Sophie Westbrook?" The girl nodded. I said "This is my partner, TCPD Deputy Chief Cindy Ross." Sophie and Cindy nodded to each other.

"Why don't you sit down and talk with Sophie." said Laura. "I'll be back in the clinic if you need me." My wife suited the deed to her word and went through the door to the clinic areas. I sat down next to Alison, and Cindy next to Sophie.

Alison said "Someone has been following Sophie, and she's scared for her safety."

"I understand." I said. "And we can protect you, Sophie. What happened?"

"Tell it from the beginning." encouraged Alison.

"Tell you what, let me guide you through it." I said. "First, you're Wendy Withers's roommate?"

"Yes." said Sophie.

"And you last saw her Wednesday night?" I asked.

"More like late afternoon, early evening." said Sophie. "I was going to dinner at the Dining Hall, and asked her if she was going to dinner there. She said the sorority was having some kind of dinner event, so she was going to that, and that she might be late getting back."

"So what did you do then?" I asked.

"I went to dinner, then went to the library to study for a test the next morning." Sophie said. "I got back about 11:15pm, after the library closed. Wendy wasn't home yet, so I went to bed. When I woke up about 6:00am, she still wasn't back yet, which bothered me so I sent her a text. There was no answer, so I tried calling her, and it went to voicemail."

"Did you call anyone about it?" I asked.

"No, I had the test in my 8:00am class, so I went to it." said Sophie. "Then I went to my 10:00am class. When I was walking back to my dorm from that, I noticed that some guy seemed to be following me. I didn't think much about it until I noticed he was following me all the way to my dorm, which is an all-women's dorm."

"When I went into the dorm," continued Sophie, "the girl behind the desk said that she'd been hearing rumors that the girl that was killed the night before was Wendy. I said I didn't know anything about it, but I saw that guy who'd been following me sitting on a bench in the yard, as we call the open space near the dorm."

"I went to my room and put my books down, then went and looked out a hall window, and the guy was still there." Sophie went on. "So I left my cellphone in my room, and I went down the stairs on the far side of the dorm and out, and made my way to a friend's place. I stayed with him the rest of the day, and last night."

"And you haven't seen anyone else following you?" I asked.

"Well..." said Sophie. "I'm not sure. I was careful, and I went in and out of some buildings in case someone was following me that I hadn't seen. And once I got to my friend's place, I never left."

"And to be clear, you left your cellphone in your dorm room?" I asked, peering at Sophie.

"Yes sir." said Sophie.

I took out my Police iPhone and brought up a photograph. "Was this the guy that followed you to your dorm?" I asked, showing it to her. Sophie's eyes widened in shock.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "That's him! How'd you know?"

"I get paid to know these things." I said, showing Cindy the photo. Alison wanted to see the photo, but I did not make an effort to show it to her.

"All right." I said. "The good news, Sophie, is that you are likely not in any danger from him. The bad news is that someone took your cellphone out of your room after you left, and before my Police Officers arrived at your room; they did not find any cellphones at all."

I continued: "So here's what we can do. I can give you protection to the level of taking you into protective custody, getting Witness Protection, stuff like that. Or if you think you'll be okay with your friend and any other friends you may have, not go anywhere at all alone, and have someone to go with you to get some clothes and your books from your room, we can do that. 'In between' is having Campus Police Officers escort you to and from your classes."

"What's your advice?" Sophie (most wisely) asked.

"I think that if you're careful," I said, "you should be all right. But I'm going to ask you to go buy a burner phone then keep my number on its speed-dial. If you have any fear at all that someone is following or watching you, give the number a call." I handed Sophie my card with the number on the back.

Quelle suprise! Laura had a burner phone in her desk drawer, and handed it to Sophie. Sophie called her male friend, who arrived with another male friend he said was his roommate. And I would've been a dull Detective not to see that Sophie and her friend were more than just friends.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"So, what do you think?" Laura said as she came over and sat down beside Cindy after Sophie and her friends left.

"Oh, I dunno." I said. "Why don't you bring Ms. Jayne Hallerton out of your clinic area so that I can have a conversation with her."

Alison and Cindy both gasped, and looked stunned. Laura looked like she was used to me. "Come on out, Jayne." my wife said. A moment later, the tall, beautiful blonde Jayne Hallerton came into the room.

I was a bit shocked at her appearance. She was wearing blue jeans and high heel black pumps, and a tight, clingy, light blue blouse. But her face looked as if she'd aged a lot in a short amount of time, and her mane of blonde hair was a bit tousled and unkempt. Her unavenged rape and beating at the hands of U.S. Senator Samuel Russell was taking an emotional toll upon her.

"Come have a seat, Jayne." I said.

"How... how did you know she was here?" Alison asked, very shocked.

"The same reason I knew to show Sophie this photo." I said, showing everyone the photo I'd shown Sophie... that of Billy Russell, son of U.S. Senator Samuel Russell, and Jayne's boyfriend. "Jayne, you and Billy were keeping tabs on Sophie, possibly to protect her, then perhaps to see if she knew anything about Wendy's death."

"Yes." Jayne said, her voice eerily hollow. "I'm very sure that bastard Russell is already beginning to cover up what happened, and we were hoping to catch someone following Wendy's roommate, and then to protect her from his goons if he sent them."

"Neither of you took Sophie's cellphone?" I asked.

"No." said Jayne. "Billy never went into the dorm building. He waited until he saw the Police come to the dorm to search Wendy's room, then he got on out of there."

"All right." I said. "Ms. Hallerton, I understand what you're trying to do, and why you're doing it. Let me assure you that I am working on bringing that bastard Samuel Russell to Justice, and it is only a matter of time before he slips up and I will be all over him. Having said that, what you and Billy are doing is potentially dangerous, and it also may interfere with our investigation. If my Police Officers had seen Billy at Wendy's dorm, they easily could've made the wrong deduction, and Billy would be in a world of shit right now."

"So you're going to do something about him?" Jayne asked, meaning Samuel Russell. "You're going to take him down?"

"Oh, yes." I said. "Ohhhh, yes." I realized I was tapping my crowbar into the palm of my hand...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I've got a ping on Dottie Smith's cellphone." said Myron. "I had to expand the search to State-wide. Her cellphone is in Lexington, in Hamilton County. Her home address on file with the University is in Lexington, as well."

"Good work." I said. "Thanks."

"Commander, one more thing." Myron said before I could disconnect. "I'm not the only one looking for her. That FBI BAU unit that came to Town has been trying to hack our systems. I've stopped them easily enough, and I even back-channeled into their system on their own attempted connection. They're also looking for Dottie Smith, and may have her cellphone location by now."