CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

 

Officer Vernon Tucker went through the motions of his normal patrol. At fifty-three, he had been at this for half his life and through two wives and five kids. He covered The Woods district, which was like the elite detail in Bluffs Bay. At least it was before the killings started. Now it was a duty neither he nor his coworkers on the beat were particularly excited about. One never knew when this killer might take out another hot chick. In the meantime, everyone was on edge. Tucker feared that if they didn’t catch this guy soon, the FBI would come in and take over their case.

The national media had already given the locals a bad rap as being inept since they hadn’t brought in a single viable suspect. The truth was they were playing it by the book, tracking down every lead, and following through in a professional manner. He had no doubt that the department and its determined detectives and investigators would crack the case. Then things could get back to normal.

Tucker approached the cream-colored Cadillac that was parked in a residential section, halfway on the curb, as though the driver had been in a hurry or under the influence. He pulled up behind it. He couldn’t see anyone inside, but recalled that they were supposed to be on the lookout for such a vehicle.

Tucker called it in. “What was that plate number?”

As it was read back to him, Tucker confirmed it was the Cadillac in question that belonged to Michel Giovanni. He was a suspect in the arson fire at the shelter downtown.

The officer looked around, but saw no sign of anyone.

Tucker called for backup, and decided to check out the suspect’s vehicle. He lumbered out of his sedan, gun drawn, and stepped up to the car. Looking inside, he saw some empty beer cans and bottles and other personal effects that almost made it seem like the suspect had been living in his car.

Where the hell was Giovanni now?

* * *

Detective Cramer was in a strategy meeting with the task force working The Woods Strangler case when an officer came in to inform him that Michel Giovanni’s vehicle had been spotted.

She went on to say, “The car is parked on Rosedale Drive, near Woods Lane.”

Cramer reacted. That was just three blocks from his house! More importantly, it was only a block from Selene Herrera’s place.

“No sign of Giovanni?” he asked anxiously.

“Nope,” she said. “Looks like the suspect abandoned the vehicle.”

Cramer pondered this.

“And a call came in reporting a possible break-in at a nearby house on Woods Lane—” the officer continued.

“The Herreras’ house,” Cramer uttered instinctively. Damn.

“A squad car is on its way, Sir.”

“I’m headed over there, too,” he said under his breath.

Turning to the task force, Cramer gathered his composure and spoke thoughtfully. “We might have a break in this case. Until we know for sure, let’s go on the assumption that our man is still on the loose and dangerous as ever.”

Cramer instructed Geoffrey Rawlings to take over the meeting while he went to check on his friends and neighbors.