AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Lynch passed along your observations. They were helpful.”
“Wow, Griffin. I think it actually pained you to say that.”
“Not at all. Trust me, we need all the help we can get on this one. Gabert’s apartment was clean as a whistle. Forensics is still working on it, but this guy did an immaculate job.”
“DNA?”
“Nothing yet. We’re hoping the woman might have struggled and we can get autopsy evidence. But your picking up on the nitrile disposable gloves could make a difference.”
“You found them?”
“Afraid not. We’ve been searching public waste cans and dumpsters in the area, but haven’t come up with anything yet. If we had, our lab would be swabbing them for DNA as we speak. But our canvassers have been asking neighbors about anyone seen wearing disposable gloves, specifically purple ones. We got a hit from a dog walker a couple of blocks away.”
“Someone was wearing them?”
“Close. Someone was holding them bunched up in his hand. The dog walker remembered them because of the color. Even with just the streetlight, he could see they were purple. Sounds like you made a good catch there, Kendra.”
“Tell me you got a description of the man.”
“Not a good one. Caucasian, dark hair, medium height. That’s about the extent of it. But he did have a distinguishing feature: a small tattoo on his neck, just under his left ear. The dog walker thought it was a circle superimposed over a triangle.”
Kendra thought about this. “It isn’t much to go on.”
“It’s a lot more than we would’ve had if you hadn’t come along. Thank you.”
“Did you do a background trace on Jackie?”
“That will take days to do in-depth.” He sighed. “Yes, we checked on anyone named Milo. So far that’s a big zero, too.” He added impatiently, “I’ll let you know when I do have something for you.”
“I’m sure you will. But I’ll also be in touch.”
“That goes without saying.” He paused. “Good work on following up with Jackie Gabert. Her murder appears to link her directly with Barrett and the Bureau murders. I just wanted you to know that I felt the Dusenberry killing could have been attributed to someone else, but this one convinced me that you and Lynch are on the right track.”
“That’s encouraging, Griffin.” She carefully kept the sarcasm out of her voice. “Then can we count on you to help us?”
“Of course,” he said brusquely. “It would have been simpler if Barrett had worked solo, but truth is truth. We have to catch that son of a bitch. Call on me anytime.” He added warily, “With any reasonable request.”
“Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind.”
He hesitated. “Oh, and there appears to be a threat to you. I’ve been thinking about it. Ordinarily, I’d tell you to back off, but I wouldn’t be doing my duty to my people who have been killed by that son of a bitch if I didn’t use every weapon I possess.” He added gruffly, “So I’m going to do it. If the occasion presents itself, can I use you to bait and bring down the perp?”
She thought he meant what he said, and for the first time since this nightmare had started, she was feeling genuine respect for him. “It depends on the occasion and how much control I have of the situation. We could look into it.”
“I thought you’d cooperate. Lynch said it was out of the question. Not in your job description.”
“Then you should have asked me.”
“I will in the future. Lynch can be negative on some subjects, and you appear to be one of them. Good talking to you, Kendra.” He ended the call.
Kendra put away her phone. The call had not been informative, but it had been interesting.
And she would definitely have to have a discussion with Lynch.
***
Lynch took one look at her expression when he came back a few hours later and said, “You’re bristling. Griffin hit you with the bait proposition, didn’t he? I was hoping that I’d squashed it when he brought it up to me.”
“I’m not bristling. Though I let him know that you don’t control anything about my life. He won’t make that mistake again.” She met his gaze. “Neither will you. I don’t know why it happened this time. It’s not like you at all.”
