Chapter 19

Sunday, 2:30 a.m.

“Ugh!” My cell chirped. Who the hell could be calling at this hour? I snatched the phone from the dresser next to the bed and read the screen. Roanoke PD. The thought of letting it go to voicemail was tempting. But if it was another police department, it probably wasn’t good news.

“Sergeant Watson.”

“Sergeant, this is Detective Beauchamp with the Roanoke Police Department. I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for several hours. Anyway, your dispatch transferred me to your cell.”

I used a hand to wipe away the sleep from my eyes. A yawn escaped. It sucked how this job robbed me of sleep.

Moonlight penetrated the blinds of the window next to the bed, casting a soft glow on the comforter.

Beauchamp was speaking. “About four hours ago we were called to a scene. When my partner and I arrived, we discovered a judge who was mutilated, but still alive.”

I sat up, my feet several inches from the floor. Sam walked over and nudged my leg with her cold, wet nose. “Mutilated how?ˮ

“His tongue was cut out and the words ‘Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just; for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins,’ carved into the wall.”

Beauchamp cleared his throat. “Because of the brutality of the crime scene I suspected we were looking for someone who’s done this before. I entered the information into ViCAP. This led me to you.”

“Do you have someone in custody?”

“No, but we’ve set up checkpoints to all exits of the city. It’s a long shot, but maybe we’ll get lucky and the killer hasn’t been able to clean himself up.”

A collage of thoughts circled in my head. I knew better then to try and make sense of all this, but my mind wouldn’t let go. At random, I snatched one of the thoughts. “Why would the killer attack a judge? I mean he must know we’re close…”

“Close to what? Catching him?”

“Damn it! I can’t believe I didn’t put this together until now. Our three victims were in the Navy. Was the judge?”

Sam gave a sideways glance. I scratched her head.

“He was. Retired several years ago and moved here with his wife.”

“Is the wife okay?”

“Well she’s pretty shaken up. She’s the one who found her husband.” He paused. “There’s one more thing you should know. I think the murderer may be trying to change his signature or maybe he wanted the judge to suffer for the rest of his life.”

“How so?”

“The ER doctor said it appears the killer tried to perform a lobotomy with an ice pick.”