Chapter 50

Liam was sitting in the cafeteria trying to relax. Darrell sat down across from him and pushed the bagged book in his direction.

“I found the key.” Darrell waited for acknowledgement.

“Gayle was in on the whole thing. She was a serial killer. In these journals she has admitted to at least a dozen murders. She met the guy who is doing all this at an autopsy. She identifies him by the initial. ‘W’. He is behind the scenes she said. I have a call into Records to pull the autopsy file so we can see who was there with her. Unfortunately it may take a day or two to make its way to the light of day because it was a few years ago and there is no priority on digitalizing any of the autopsy files on old mobsters.”

Liam took in all the information that Darrell had just provided and nodded his head.

“Wow that is amazing. I truly didn’t think you would get that much out of her journals. That is great. I just got off the phone with my supervisor. She wants to pull me from the case here but I explained to her the urgency of me staying on and finishing this case to the end. She agreed and I am officially yours until the case ends or it goes cold. “

Darrell smiled.

“Thanks! You are the only one right now that I can trust with this information.”

“Darrell, you can trust me and my team… oh ya…. I am my team.” Liam chuckled a little and then continued. “I think we should call it a day. It’s 11pm and I don’t know about you but I’m totally beat.”

“Ya. Sitting here I realized that I could use some sleep. We’ll continue this in the morning. Wanna ride to the hotel? Or would you prefer my guest room?”

Liam nodded then said,

“The hotel would be great. I make it a habit not to stay at anyone’s home. That way professionalism is intact and there is no room for misinterpretation. But thank you for the offer.”

Liam and Darrell left Police Plaza and after Darrell dropped Liam off at his hotel, he headed home.

Schrödinger was waiting in his usual spot for Darrell, after the ritual of feeding and relaxing Schrödinger and Darrell fell asleep quickly and soundly.

Darrell awoke to his phone ringing, the doorbell and pounding on the door. Darrell grabbed his phone and then stumbled to the door.
“Hello?!” Darrell opened his front door “OH MY GOD!” he bolted to the horror that had become his front lawn.

Time seemed to stand still. The neighbors’ voices seemed to fade and become random deep bass sounds. Darrell looked around in a circle. His vision focused on the site in front of him. Directly in front of him were five girls. All naked. All sitting against his oak tree. Heads tilted up, and hands palms up in their laps, looking as though they were praying when their death had come upon them.

Darrell looked at each of them. All had similar markings. When he made it to the opposite side of the tree, he saw a piece of paper attached to one of the victims. When he focused on it he saw the words but really couldn’t form a clear thought as to what they said. He ran back into his house and dialed his cell phone and called Liam.

“Pick up, pick up, pick up! Ya Liam ! The bastard dropped five off in my front yard. I need everyone here now. NO! I didn’t touch anything. I can’t say that the neighbors haven’t though. Okay! See you shortly.”

Darrell grabbed some sheets from his hall closet and placed them hastily over the girls so there would be no more ‘looky-loos’ and then grabbed the yellow caution tape he had in his front closet and roped off his yard to stop the neighbors from touching anything else. He sat on his front stoop waiting for the cavalry to arrive and do what they do best.

When Liam arrived he looked like he had slept standing up in a press. He walked over to the tree with the sheets and slowly looked under each one then walked over to Darrell.

“So…want to tell me what the hell happened here?”

“I wish I knew. When I got home that WAS NOT here! I was woken up by my phone and the doorbell and the neighbors banging on my front door. I guess we’re getting close. Five girls! Jesus! This guy is a sick bastard! On my front lawn! Jesus!” Darrell couldn’t stop shaking his head.

Liam cupped Darrell’s shoulder and held his hand there for a few minutes.
“We will need you to go to the office while we look around. Do you need to put your cat away before I take you to your Captain’s office?”

“No. Schrödinger is good. Actually I will get the neighbor to look after him while you guys are doing your thing.”

“Okay, let’s get him.” Liam helped Darrell off the stoop and both men went in and gathered up Schrödinger and a few things Darrell would need for the day.

After Darrell dropped off the cat he got into the closest squad car and was taken to Police Plaza. He walked in the front door of the building and then to the elevator, like he had done a million times in the past. This time felt different. Hell, it was different! He was in deep this time. He was a victim; he wasn’t just a cop on a big case, this perp made it personal by dropping it on his front door. As the elevator slowly climbed to the floor he needed, Darrell suddenly felt weak-kneed and immediately buckled onto the elevator floor. When the doors opened, he was still on the floor. He grabbed the rails on the sides of the elevator and hauled himself up, walked shakily to the Captain’s office and then collapsed into one of the chairs. Darrell knew that there was nothing he could do at this particular moment and resigned himself to sitting and waiting until the Liam returned from his house to brief the Captain.