Thursday night, August 9th
“Did you watch Mannie’s trial video?”
Dan noticed how Grace spoke in a soft and quavering voice and how the embarrassed woman tried to shield her red-cheeked face from their gazes by keeping her head lowered. “Yes, ma’am, we needed to know if what the Avenger did to Manuel that night was what he did to you at his apartment. The scenes on his trial video almost matched what our crime scene told us.” Dan halted for a minute when Grace—perhaps recalling her ordeal—grimaced and covered her mouth with her hand. Tears escaped her squinting eyes. As he waited for her to compose herself, he recalled certain horrific things that he had done in Vietnam, things that made him cringe now, things that made him doubt he had been sane and civilized during those years in the jungle fighting Viet Cong. “Sometimes people have to do whatever’s necessary to survive. Don’t blame yourself for his evil streak. We’ve checked Greene’s file and found that his two ex-wives were granted divorces on the grounds of abuse. I understand one of those women is your older sister.”
Grace sniffled, swallowed and dried her eyes. “Yes, Katie is four years older than me. I was always shocked and angry she took such crap from him. I kept telling her to leave him, but she wouldn’t for a long time. I understand her fear of him now. Since she’s watched the video, though, she thinks I always said that because I wanted him. Nothing could be further from the truth. That man is slime. I never wanted to sleep with him and do those vile things he made me do. He told me he would kill me, my husband and my sister if I didn’t do exactly as he said. If I wasn’t convincing enough, he would turn the tape off and beat me until I couldn’t resist any more.”
“You only did what you had to do to ride out that storm, so don’t keep punishing yourself. I’m sorry that happened to you and I’m sorry about your sister. Maybe in time she’ll come to realize the truth,” Dan offered.
“I doubt it. She’s forbidden her children to even call my house or speak my name. I have two nieces and a nephew who’ve been told to forget I exist. Our parents are dead, so I have no other family. Do you know what it’s like to have your own flesh and blood blame you for being a victim? It’s a living hell, Lieutenant. My husband divorced me after he saw the tape. He called me a slut and pervert, and now he’s married to my sister. You have no idea what I’ve gone through in the last two years since he attacked me and ruined my life. If the Avenger made a video of Mannie’s rape, I hope he sends me a copy. That will be the best thing I’ve seen on television in a long, long time.”
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Friday morning, August 10th
“What have you got for me, Henri?”
“Maybe he’s slipping, Dan. We found some hair fibers that didn’t belong to the victim or his dog—which still hasn’t been found, by the way. The hair is auburn and long. I’ve sent it to the lab in Atlanta for the detail testing required. I should know more by Monday. I wonder if your Avenger is dressing up like a woman and that’s how he’s gaining entrance into these residences.”
“If so, he’d make a big woman, but plenty of men like ‘em that way. Maybe it’s from his accomplice. I don’t recall any of the women involved having auburn hair.”
“It may be from a wig. We’ll know soon if it’s human or synthetic. Then again, it could have come from a girlfriend’s head and have no connection to our perpetrator.”
“With the kind of bad luck we’ve been having, that wouldn’t surprise me at all. What’s this about a missing dog?”
“Apparently, Greene had a dog named Blackie that he loved dearly. The dog wasn’t found in or near the crime scene. There wasn’t any blood other than the victim’s in the house, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t foul play involving the dog. The cuts on Manuel’s back were inflicted with something very sharp. And he had the same injection sight on his inner elbow.”
“Anything else?”
“I was hoping you’d ask that. As a matter of fact, yes, I do have something else for you.” Henri lifted an oval green object on the tip of her forefinger for his inspection.
“Looks like a contact lens.”
“It is, Dan. Maybe it popped out of the Avenger’s eye, got under the victim and stuck to his leg. I found it while doing the autopsy.”
“You sure it isn’t Greene’s? Of course not, he has brown eyes. Good work, Henri. This could be my lucky break. Don’t tell anyone else. I don’t want the Avenger reading about this first mistake in Starr’s next column. I just hope it is his. He’s been too smart and clever to leave clues before. Unless he was rushed this time for some reason and couldn’t search for it, or maybe he didn’t realize it was gone until it was too late to return for a look around. Hell, maybe it belongs to someone who was in bed with him earlier, perhaps that redhead, or one of the lab boys. I’ll get on it tomorrow first thing.”
“I don’t want to burst that happy bubble, Dan, but it didn’t have a fingerprint or smudge on it.”
“What does that mean?”
“Considering how lenses are inserted with a fingertip, you’d think Harold could lift one. But mixed with the oils and blood from Green’s leg, it was impossible to lift a print. On the other hand, it’s possible not to leave a print if he uses one of those rubber insert thingy's. Or if he wore latex gloves to insert them. Could be absence of a fingerprint means nothing.”
“But more bad luck for us. Maybe it was planted to mislead us.”
“Maybe,” Henrietta concurred. “There’s another angle to consider: we don’t know if the Avenger is matching or disguising his eye color.”
“So I can’t even add green eyes to our description list for a suspect.”
“Best you can do is list possible green eyes.”
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Friday night, August 10th
Dan arrived at Andrea’s condo in a wonderful mood, thinking he finally had his first real leads. As she prepared dinner and they sipped wine, he told her about the auburn hair strands, possibly from a wig, the missing dog, that might have evidence on him or in his mouth and a green contact lens.
Andrea responded, “I wear soft contact lens, too, Dan. Believe me, you notice when one pops out. How could the Avenger lose one and not know it?”
“Maybe he couldn’t find it under the body. It was a mess, Andi.”
“A colored contact lens is easier to find if dropped than a clear one. Mine are gray because I have trouble with sunlight and headlights. Maybe the Avenger doesn’t need contacts to correct his vision, but he uses them for masking his identity. He’s been so careful to date, why leave behind a clue, two clues with the hair samples? Maybe it’s to throw you off his trail. Or maybe they belong to a friend or prostitute. I remember his file saying he frequently used call girls, especially ones who allowed rough sex and videos. Oh, and if that dog bit him, you may get some DNA or fibers from it. I’d put out an APB on the critter. Surely it couldn’t have gone far. Check the animal pound, too.”
“Done it all, so fingers crossed for real clues or evidence. That bastard’s so clever, it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s tossing out red herrings. But if we’re lucky, he’s made his first mistakes.” Dan took a deep breath and admitted, “I’ve seen porno flicks before, but that tape was shocking. No wonder Greene believed he could convince the judge and jury she was willing, and a good actress. If I didn’t know better, I would believe she was in on the action from what I saw and heard. But not after meeting her. Damn, what a sorry bastard he was!”
“You can say that again.”
Dan smiled. “I will say one thing for the Avenger; he’s got the rest of the gang pretty nervous. Two of the five under stakeout have left town, no forwarding addresses. If the watches hadn’t been pulled, Manuel would be alive and the Avenger would be caught. With the exit of several of the bad guys, I’m not sure which way I’d rather this thing go. But I do have to settle this case soon, or I’ll go nuts. I won’t let some vigilante outsmart me and the law. Maybe his luck has run out. I sent the lens by special carrier to the State Crime Lab in Atlanta. Those boys will figure out what kind it is and who makes it. I should have lots of answers by midweek.”
“I hope so, Dan,” she said as she dished up the stir fry. “Let’s eat. We have a busy night ahead and a busy day tomorrow with errands and shopping. I’m sorry we can’t get together with Mory and Janie, but I’ll be glad to have you all to myself for two days.”
If the Avenger takes this weekend off like I convinced Mory and Janie to do. Forget murder and mayhem, Mallory; Just concentrate on you and Andi. And that’s exactly what Daniel Spenser did.
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Saturday, August 11th
“That was absolutely delicious,” Andrea stated as they sat down on the sofa in her condo. “Mine was cooked perfectly. Thanks, Dan.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you had a grill. I didn’t think to ask before I brought the steaks over.” He paused before continuing, “Maybe I should bring over some of my things for when I stay the night. You know, in case I have to rush out the next morning if I get a call. I wouldn’t want to show up at work in the same clothes as the day before.”
“No way, Dan Mallory. Before I knew it, you’d be moved in lock, stock and barrel. This place isn’t big enough for two people, especially since I’ll need a study area soon. Every drawer and closet is stuffed to capacity. You’ll just have to carry a packed bag in your trunk. Like a Boy Scout, always be prepared.”
Though she laughed, and the gleam in her eyes danced merrily, Dan knew she was serious. “Why are you so set on retaining your freedom? I’m not going to eat you up.”
“I’m just not ready to commit myself to a full-time live-in partner. Be patient, Dan. You’re the first serious relationship I’ve had in many years. It’s scary. It’s a damn big step. We’ve already set a New Year’s Day Decision date.”
“What about me, woman? I’m scared, too. I had a terrible first marriage. I almost swore off women except for pleasure here and there. You changed my mind, Andi. Hell, you changed me, inside and out. I’ve never felt this way about any woman, including my ex-wife. The more time I spend with you and the loneliness I feel away from you drives that truth home daily. I didn’t come looking for a relationship or even want or need one, but I found a bond to you. We’re good together and good for each other. I realize now that I never had that with Kristi or any other woman. Talk about scared, Andi, losing you for any reason scares the hell out of me. Realizing and admitting that scares me even more.”
“Don’t you think it’s time to tell me about your marriage?”
Dan winced. “I didn’t want to frighten you off by thinking I had hang-ups about her and remarriage. I don’t have any ties to her, or any children. My marriage couldn’t survive my job. Kristi was a very needy person. She needed a lot of attention and didn’t have many activities or friends of her own. I came home one day to find her sleeping with my partner who I thought was my best friend. I even saved the bastard’s life in ‘Nam. He repaid me by stealing my wife. That’s why it took me so long to get involved with another woman. I didn’t trust them. I’ve been satisfied to date a woman only a time or two. It’s different with you, Andi. I knew that the moment we met. It was like I was sleepwalking where emotions were concerned. You looked into my eyes and gave me a wake-up slap in the face. My brain and body were flooded with contradictory emotions. Now, my wits are clear as a bell. I’m in love with you, Andrea Arquette, and I want us to spend more time together, every free moment we have. If living together works out for us, then we can talk about marriage. How about it?”
“The old ‘Try the product before you purchase it and make the first payment’ line? Later, it’s ‘Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free’? I don’t know, Dan. I’ll have to think about it seriously. This came out of the blue for me.”
“I didn’t mean it like that, Andi, so get that look out of those beautiful green eyes. I just want to make sure this time. Is that so terrible?”
“I had a bad experience, too. That’s why you’re the first man I’ve dated more than once or twice in years. We women don’t have many good choices these days. The great men are married. Those who’ve never been married have hang-ups. The divorced ones have trunks of troubles on their backs with clingy or spiteful ex-wives, resentful children, and embittered ex-in-laws. I don’t want to take on other people’s problems. Life is hard enough without them. And marriage is impossible with them hanging around your necks like cement weights when you’re trying to learn to swim in a new pond.”
“You don’t have to worry about me, Andi. I don’t have any connections to my past, or any hang-ups about it. We have something special. Let’s not lose it or mess it up.” No connections to your past? Liar! You have a frigging hit out on you! Dumb ass, you’re practically in witness protection! What if they find you and your weakness? Good Lord, man, you’re putting her life in jeopardy! What if the Avenger comes after Andi if I get too close and piss him off? You have to be free of those two threats before you pull her into the line of fire. Don’t let your selfishness and greed get her killed.
Andrea saw the rapid and conflicting emotions that flashed across his face, tensed his virile body, and darkened his gaze. Yes, he was scared and worried, but about more than a relationship with her. He had pressed too soon and too hard, and he knew it. Help him make a logical retreat, for both our sakes. “Just give me some more time, Dan, and you’ll have my answer. This is happening so fast and unexpectedly; we’re both so busy with our work right now. We’re still getting to know each other.”
“If we were living together, you could learn all about my bad habits.”
“I hope you don’t have any major ones. If you do, I haven’t noticed. I just don’t want you to blind me with your charms, and you have tons of them. How about a compromise? Give us a month, Dan. You solve your case and we’ll work through our anxieties. And we get a bigger place. Agreed?”
“How about September as D-Day? My lease is up then so we can get a larger place together.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Andi, I am.”
“All right, Dan. I should have everything in my life settled and sorted by then.”
“In that case, Andi, I’d better get going. That gives me three weeks to put Mister Avenger behind bars. Maybe, as soon as we get moved, we can take a short vacation. We both need one, and my Montana cabin is the perfect place.”
“You have a cabin in Montana?”
“Yes, I inherited it from my grandparents. My parents used to take us up there all the time to visit them, and they knew how much that place meant to me. My brother worked with Grandpa in his construction business, so he passed that along to him, since he knew I had already found my place in law enforcement.”
“Were you very close to them?”
“Yes, I was. It took me a long time to get over their deaths, so the cabin helps me when I need to go sort out my problems. Grandpa is the one who taught me to fish. I guess that’s why I head to the lake when I need to think. But the lakes in Montana are beautiful. The cabin is located on the side of a mountain overlooking a small pond. When it snows and the water freezes over...” Dan’s voice trailed off. “Well, how does that commercial go? ‘It just doesn’t get any better than this.’ I’d love to take you there and show it to you sometime. You’d love it, I promise. The cabin is old, but it’s solid and well kept. They don’t make things like that anymore.”
“Sounds exciting and romantic, Dan, just like you.”
“I’d love to take my permanent roommate with me. If I get this case solved, I’m sure I can convince the Captain to give me a week off. You’ll love Montana and the cabin.” Dan wanted to tell her everything about his past before she agreed to marry him, but now wasn’t the time. Maybe while they were in the cabin, away from all the perils and distractions, he could share his painful past with her.
“Then, get busy, Lieutenant, so we’ll be free to leave if I can get the time off. I’ll work like a slave for Ray so all of our cases will be finalized or easily handed off to another assistant. Just be understanding when I have to work late or on weekends. I’ll do my best to clear my schedule for moving and Montana. September first, Lieutenant Mallory, it’s a Decision Date.”
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Late Thursday, August 16th
Dan picked up his interoffice mail and noticed a faxed report from the State Crime Lab. The contact lens that was found under Manuel Green’s leg was a unique kind that was under research in the United States and awaiting FDA approval. The lens was being made and tested by Eye-Tech and selected doctors around the country were helping with the research by using ten of their patients who qualified for the lens. The Rigid Gas Permeable bifocal lens bent light rays to achieve two three-dimensional holographic pictures, one corrected for near vision and one for distance. The eye automatically chose the sharper, focused image and rejected the unfocused one. It was available in England, but not in the United States, which should make it easy to trace. A quick phone call to Eye-Tech, and Dan was holding a list of optometrists who were involved in the research project. One was local: Doctor Robinson Wellesley. Dan grinned as he realized the Avenger had finally made his mistake. “Gotcha!” he said with gleeful anticipation.
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Dan surprised Andrea hours later when he dropped by her condo unannounced. When she opened the door, he grabbed her and hugged her tight.
“Well, you’re certainly in a good mood,” Andrea teased when Dan finally released her. “What has you so excited?”
“The contact lens I told you about? The one on Manuel Greene’s leg? I got a fax from Eye-Tech. It’s a special lens they’re testing in the United States while awaiting FDA approval. One of the doctors in on the research is here in Augusta, Georgia.”
“You’re kidding! Dan, that’s great. What did he tell you?”
“He was out of the office for the day. He’ll be back in the morning. I guess I could get a warrant for his files, but Doctor Wellesley would be back by the time I could get everything together. I’m sorry I cancelled our dinner plans, but I thought I’d be following up with the patients who wear these special contacts.”
“Since you weren’t coming for dinner, I’ve already eaten. But I can heat you up some of the pasta I had left, if you’re hungry?”
Dan noticed an empty plate on the end table next to her chair. Her briefcase was beside it with legal pads thrown on the floor. “Working?”
“Trying to catch up. No, get ahead. It’s been a hectic few weeks.”
“And my pulling you to help with the Avenger case increased your load even more, didn’t it? I’m sorry, Andi.”
“Trust me, Dan. The benefits have far outweighed any consequences. I didn’t mind helping at all. I’m tying up loose ends for Montana.”
Dan noticed the Bible opened on the floor. “Are you praying for some divine intervention for us?”
“What?”
“The Bible,” Dan motioned to the floor.
“Oh, I was trying to find the scripture the Avenger used to see if there’s anything about it that might give you a clue to his identity. I thought if I read the entire passage, something might stick out to me.”
“Has it?”
“No. I knew it was a long shot, but I wanted to try. Why don’t you read it and see if you notice anything? It’s open to the right page. I’ll move these papers out of the way and get you some dinner heated up while you look at it.”
“You don’t have to do that, Andi.”
“I know, but it will only take a second. Maybe something will stick out in your head that didn’t in mine,” Andrea said as she gathered the papers, put them in her briefcase and took it to her bedroom.
Dan heard her in the kitchen heating up a plate of food for him. Man, she was one of a kind. What had he done to deserve this? He’d called and cancelled their dinner plans at the last minute. Instead of being mad at him as many women would have been, she’d come home and tried to help him with the case. Now, she was fixing him dinner while he studied the phrases some more.
“Find anything?” Andrea asked as she returned with a steaming plate of pasta and vegetables and a large glass of tea.
“What?”
“In the passages. Did anything stick out to you?”
Not wanting to be caught daydreaming, Dan declined to tell her he hadn’t even glanced at the Bible. He’d have to remember to look tomorrow. “No, nothing. This looks delicious, Andi. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I don’t want to keep you from working. I just came by to share the news about the contacts with you.”
“That’s all right. I wasn’t really in the mood to work anyway. My intentions were good when I left work, but I think I’m just too tired and distracted to concentrate.”
“How about I give you a back rub after I finish eating?” Dan could tell he scored big points when her eyes lit up.
“That would be great. My shoulders hurt from sitting at the computer all day.”
“Well, it’s about time I returned a little bit of that TLC you’ve been giving me. If I want to keep getting spoiled, I’ve got to do a little spoiling of my own. It seems like I end up canceling more times than I can make it.”
“Dan, you’ve got a high profile serial killer on your hands. I’d be a total bitch not to understand that. That doesn’t mean you need to back out of the back rub, though.”
“Not a chance, Andi.”
“I like this kind of payback.”
“Me, too.”
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Friday morning, August 17th
“I’m sorry I wasn’t in the office when you called yesterday. I had a conference in Atlanta. What can I do to help you?”
Dan told Doctor Robinson Wellesley about the contact lens that was found on the Avenger’s latest victim, and the list that Eye-Tech had faxed him yesterday.
“And you’re hoping I’ll be able to tell you whose lens it is. I’m sorry, Lieutenant. The prescription won’t help you locate the right patient, because the lens is the same for all of them. When the soft lens is soaked and inserted into the eye, it conforms to the eye shape during wear. The lenses are worn for a month, then taken out and cleansed thoroughly. The eyes rest overnight, then the lens are reinserted for another month. It will be impossible to tell whose contact that is.”
“How many patients have you prescribed with this particular lens?”
“Each doctor is given ten pair. Five for males and five for females.”
“Could I get a list of the male patients?”
“Sure. Let me check with my secretary, and I’ll have her pull that information for you. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful.”
“You’ve given me five possibles. That’s more than I had this morning.”
Doctor Wellesley returned with a sheet of paper. On it were five names and addresses. “I had my secretary pull the files to see if anyone had come in to get a new lens since August ninth or tenth. Apparently, two patients have reported losing a lens since that day. I put a mark beside their names. If there’s anything else I can do for you, Lieutenant, please let me know.”
“What do the letters stand for beside the names?” Dan asked.
“I asked her to designate the colors of the lens beside the person’s name. You indicated that the lens you found was colored, so I thought that might be helpful.”
Dan looked at the list. Two of the lenses were clear, one was brown, one was green, and one was blue. The two patients with a missing lens had an asterisk beside them. One was a clear lens. Dan stared at the patient’s name with the asterisk and the “G”. Wayne Binder, age thirty-three, had come in on August tenth to get another green contact lens, the same type and color lens that had been found underneath the last victim. Maybe his luck was turning around. “Thanks, Doctor Wellesley.”
“You’re welcome. If there’s anything else I can do, please let me know.”
“Just keep your files in a safe place.”
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Dan headed to the precinct to update Mory and see if his partner wanted to ride with him to check out this new lead.
“Tom, would you check and see if Wayne Binder has a police file? Call me as soon as you get something,” Dan hung up the phone and asked, “Anything?”
“He doesn’t show up anywhere on the printout,” Mory responded. “I’ve double checked, and I don’t see his name anywhere.”
Dan answered the phone on the first ring and talked for a few minutes. “Thanks, Tom,” he said as he replaced the receiver.
“What did you find out? Has Wayne ever been arrested?”
“Didn’t you say that Greene’s dog was missing?”
“Yeah, why?”
“An animal lover drove by the park and witnessed what he called a strange man muttering to himself while he buried a dog. He got the culprit’s number and reported the incident to the police. It was Binder’s. That was on Friday, August tenth.”
“Greene was killed on the ninth,” Mory stated, the familiar adrenaline starting to course through his veins.
“On the tenth, Binder went to get another lens, a special lens that only a few patients in the United States are wearing.”
“Maybe he lost his on the back of Greene’s leg. Let’s go, Dan.”