gets this, Captain? A serial killer headline won’t be kind to our city. Wouldn’t you and the mayor rather catch him before that happens, and tell the city he’s in custody?”
His lips tighten. His entire expression tightens. “If you get your warrant and find nothing, both of us might be begging your boyfriend for a job when the mayor is done with us. If your Poet kills again, and we did nothing, we both might be begging your boyfriend for a job. In other words, get this bastard now. And get out of my office and do it now.”
I don’t need to be told twice. I get out of his office.
Chapter 62
I walk toward the conference room with my cell phone already in hand, tabbing through numbers to locate the one for the ADA on the Summer case, who’s about to inherit a second case and me yet again.
He answers on the first ring. “Detective Jazz. I heard you’re taking over the Summer case.”
“It’s not one case anymore. We have another murder with the same characteristics. Thanks to some FBI support, we believe we have connected cases in two different states over a number of years.” I pause just outside the conference room. “I need to see you today.”
“How many cases are we talking about?”
“Two in New York. One in Houston. One in Brownsville where Newman grew up. Two here where he lives now.”
“Where he grew up and lives is circumstantial evidence.”
“Six murders now if you count Roberts. He’s missing.”
“Holy hell. Roberts is missing?”
“Yes. Roberts is missing.”
I can almost hear him thinking. “Okay. Okay. You have my attention. I don’t even know when I can talk. I’m walking into court. I can’t promise what time I’m going to be free. I’ll have my assistant call you. It may be six or after.”
“Name the time, I’ll be there.”
“See you soon, Detective Jazz.” He disconnects.
I slide my phone back into my jacket and enter the conference room. “I meet with the ADA this evening. We have until then to get me something to support a warrant.”
Seconds tick by in which the room is silent, eight sets of eyes staring at me. Chuck stands up and claps. “Let’s go, people.” The room erupts into action.
I step out of the room and dial Lang.
“What happened?” he asks.
“You couldn’t warn me that you talked to him?”
“I guess it went like shit?”
“He basically said we’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t. I have a meeting with the ADA tonight. Get me something to use.”
“We’re on the ground by one thirty. A detective from the Brownsville PD is picking us up at the airport. Anything on the travel report?”
“Nothing, and no convention connection for Newman and the travel locations and dates of the murders.”
An announcement sounds over his phone. “I gotta go. I’ll call you when I’m on the ground.” He disconnects.
I walk back toward the conference room to have Jackson meet me at the door. “I grabbed the coffee shop security feed again, too,” he says. “They’re more than a little eager to help. I figured this killer is arrogant enough to walk right back in to the place where he chose a victim. I thought maybe we’d catch him with a hat or hoodie.”
He’s not picking away at my Spidey senses today, which is always a good thing. And he’s right. The Poet is arrogant enough to go right back to that coffee shop. “Good idea. Do me a favor and check out the security guard that was at my place last night, too, will you?”
“Of course. You want me to get started on the review of the security feed?”
“No. I’ll handle it.” My cell phone rings. “Just set it on the table. I’ll be right there.” I grab my phone again and rotate away from him to find Wade calling.
Stepping into Chuck’s cubicle, I answer. “Tell me something good.”
“He did fly to New York City, but not on the dates of the murders.”
“Close?”
“He was there within months of the first murder,” he says. “No Houston or Brownsville travel, but he’s close enough to drive to those. New York would be a long trip. Find a way to question the wife about the travel.”
“This from the man who knew I was getting chewed out for questioning the wife today?”
“Obviously you survived,” he says, “and I knew you would.”
“Can you send me the report?”
“Already in your email. And I have our tech team looking for traffic camera proof he drove to any of