We finally had something to work with—a green truck. Back at my desk and with my laptop humming along, I searched the DMV’s website without luck. A green truck without a VIN, a make, model, or year provided me with a big fat zilch. I knew it would, but I had to try.
“Damn it. We stall out with every step we take.” I rubbed my aching head and tried to think of something that would work. “Okay, if the woman in the hospital turns out to be credible, meaning her story doesn’t change since yesterday, that’s telling us our resident killer is responsible for all of the murders that have taken place since Kim died. That homeless woman is the only one who has described him as tall other than Brandon and Diane Wells.”
Rue agreed.
“There’s no reason for him to stay in Savannah if he’s killing for pleasure, unless he lives here,” I said.
“That’s also true.”
“I have an idea. Let’s show Danny the guy’s driver’s license photo. Danny didn’t actually see him at the funeral, and all he had to go on was my description of the black sedan, which I thought was a government car at the time.”
“Sure. It can’t hurt.”
I checked the time—it was almost shift change. “Damn it. Royce isn’t going to let us head out now. The night shift briefing is in ten minutes.”
“So, let them handle that task.”
Rue was right. It wasn’t up to us to do everything. “Yeah, I guess the night shift needs to stay busy too.”
After grabbing two coffees, we took our seats in the briefing room and waited. The meeting would begin in five minutes. Most of the night crew didn’t know that Brandon had been found dead that day. Royce had a lot to pass on, including the eyewitness account from our hospitalized woman.
The room filled, and it was time. Royce called for everyone’s attention then passed on that day’s information about Brandon Ellis.
“The way he was murdered was very similar to how John Keller was killed too. I’m leaning more toward the killer in both deaths being one and the same. According to the eyewitness’s account, the person at Brandon’s door was tall and had black hair. She also said he climbed out of a green truck. Now, all of that has to be confirmed tomorrow when she’s completely clearheaded. We might get a break in this case after all.”
Royce also mentioned that the killer’s driver’s license photo would be shared nationwide on that night’s news and specifically in the Birmingham, Alabama, viewing area. Our sergeant pointed at me. “Cannon, you had something to discuss with the night crew?”
I stood and looked around the room. “I do. Originally, when we spotted the killer at the cemetery and saw him drive away in that black sedan, I asked Danny Whitman if he knew the man or the car. Of course, I didn’t have a good description to give him considering the stranger was several hundred feet from me when I spotted him. Danny said he had no idea who the man might be. Since our shift is about to end, I’m thinking Prentice and Bloom can stop by Danny’s house with a copy of the driver’s license photo to show him.”
Bloom nodded. “Yep, not a problem. We’ll take care of that.”
Royce continued. “Okay, tonight is going to be busy with new tip-line calls. Make sure the caller describes the man’s height. If any say he was tall, press them for more. That’s all I’ve got. Good luck, people.”
The briefing ended, and it was time to go home. I reminded myself to call Patrol and let the units watching my house know to keep their eyes peeled for a green truck in the neighborhood. If they saw one, they needed to cautiously confront the driver right away. He could be our suspect.
Rue and I walked out together and said good night at our vehicles. With any luck, after interviewing the hospitalized woman, whose name we’d never gotten, we might learn even more if she could recall additional details. I was optimistic.
As I drove, I decided that after supper, I would compile a list of questions to ask her tomorrow. We needed as many facts as she could give us. I thought about the killer. Was mine the next name on his hit list, or was someone else going to die at his hand before he came after me? I had to think of some way to get ahead of him. Could I lure him to me? I had no idea whether that was a smart move or not. I didn’t live alone anymore and had to think of my family. They’d been through enough, so luring him to the house was out of the question. He needed to be apprehended before another innocent person died, and that night, I planned to find some ideas of how to do that.
When a vehicle turned off a side street behind me, I glanced up at my rearview mirror. Their brights reflected off my mirrors, nearly blinding me.
“Jerk.”
I tilted my side mirrors out and my rearview mirror up so the headlights would be less intense, but they were still annoying.
I could turn off and go home on another street.
After clicking my blinker, I made a right-hand turn. The vehicle behind me turned, too, and was nearly on my rear bumper.
What the hell?
I was irritated and needed to see what kind of car was behind me. Hopefully, it was a green truck. I pulled over and watched as it passed by. A dark-colored SUV continued on. I was pissed and felt like ticketing the idiot, but that wasn’t my job. I had more important things to focus on. After watching it turn left two blocks ahead, I pulled back into traffic and drove home.