McConnell and Simmons sat in Captain Ronald Black’s beige office, informing Black about their progress on the Madalyn Ross case. Unfortunately, they didn’t have much to tell. Black, who had grayish black hair, a round pudgy face, and a broad nose, had come up through the ranks and was well respected. Black listened to the detectives, but he wasn’t impressed.
“You’re going to have to do better,” he said. “The press is demanding it.” He picked up the morning newspaper and pointed toward a story. “Just look at the headline over this story. Just look. It implies that we’re just sitting in our offices.” Then he handed the paper to McConnell.
McConnell started reading the story.
“McConnell,” Black said.
McConnell raised his head. “Yes?”
“You’d better find the murderer―and fast. You know as well as I do that if we don’t find the perpetrator soon we’ll never find him.” Black got up from his chair, turned, and looked out the window. Dozens of people were walking on the sidewalks below. Even though it was early June and the temperature was about eighty degrees, some people, especially men, were wearing suits. He turned and faced McConnell and Simmons. “What about the photograph?”
“We had the piece enlarged, but we can’t tell who it is,” McConnell replied.
“What about the word―what was it that was printed on her stomach?”
“The word was abaddon, Captain. It’s Hebrew and appears in the Old Testament. It means ruin or destruction,” Simmons said.
“Where did you find a definition for it?”
McConnell glanced at Simmons as if he should provide the answer.
“Actually, Captain, Doctor Michelle Priestly helped us,” Simmons replied.
Black arched his eyebrows. “Hmm. Michelle Priestly, huh?” Then he turned toward the window again. “She has helped this department several times, hasn’t she, McConnell?”
McConnell lowered his head. “Yes, sir,” he finally replied.
Black turned and stared at McConnell. “But you don’t like her. Why is that, McConnell? Why don’t you like Doctor Michelle Priestly?”
McConnell shook his head. “I don’t dislike her, Captain.”
“But you wouldn’t work with her several years ago.”
“I wasn’t actually assigned to those cases, Captain.”
“Oh? Is that the reason?” Black moved to the front of his desk. “But you made bets with several officers that you could identify the perpetrators before she could. Isn’t that right?”
McConnell smiled. “I was younger then.”
“Are you implying that you were immature then, McConnell?” Black asked.
“You could say that.”
Black nodded. “I thought so.”
Simmons turned toward McConnell, but he didn’t say anything.
“How do you feel about bringing her in on this case?” Black asked.
“I don’t think that’d be wise, sir.”
“Why not? We could use her help. It sounds like we have a psycho on our hands. And she knows her psychos.”
“Let me handle it, sir. At least, for the time being.”
Black stared at him for a minute before he nodded. “Okay, McConnell. But if you don’t come up with something soon―”
“I understand, sir.”
“Okay. Get out of here.”