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“You need to start remembering three of those people real soon,” Faith said, “because right now, we really like you for the murders of Katherine Navarro, Amanda Montgomery, and Elmore Holland.”
Julius’s already white face turned a sickly shade of green. His voice rose into a high-pitched squeak. “Murder? Did you say murder?”
“She did,” Michael said, “and she also said we like you for it. That means we think you did it, Julius. So, if I were you, I would stop trying to cover your fraudulent business practices and start giving us a reason not to think you’re a serial killer.”
“Okay, okay,” he said, lifting his fingers as far as the shackles that bound his wrists to the table would allow. “Look, I …” he sighed. “I stole the rings, okay? I mean, I didn’t steal them, I just … I found them at an estate sale. I bought an old jewelry box, and someone left the rings in there, and I didn’t tell them. I figured, hey, they sold me the box, they sold me the contents, right? So, I didn’t feel a need to report the find to anyone. I just kept the rings as a bonus. I didn’t kill anyone, okay? The estate sale was for some ninety-year-old woman who died of natural causes.”
“Do you have a receipt for the jewelry box?” Michael asked.
Julius’s fear transformed to irritation. “No, I don’t have a receipt for the jewelry box I got from an estate sale. When have you ever gotten a receipt from a garage sale?”
Faith and Michael exchanged a glance. They stood and headed out of the room. “Get cozy, Julius,” she said, “we’ll be back.”
When the door closed behind them, Michael asked, “What do you think?”
Faith shook her head. “No reaction to the names. The rings are stolen for sure. I don’t know if I buy the estate sale story or if he just lifted them off of people. Strong-arm robbery, maybe, but he didn’t bat an eye when I mentioned the victim’s names.
“So, he doesn’t know their names,” Michael said. “That doesn’t mean he didn’t kill them. I mean, he has the rings.”
“Maybe,” Faith said. “I want to see the rings.”
They rejoined the officers and asked to see them. Faith took a look at the three rings, and instantly knew this was another dead end.
“Dammit,” Michael said.
“What’s wrong?” Travis quipped. “Not your size?”
“Not our rings,” Michael said.
Derek frowned. “How so?”
“Look at them. They’re brand new.”
“So, they’re clean. So what?”
“Take your wedding ring off,” Faith said.
Derek obliged, and Faith set one of the pawnshop rings next to Derek’s. Derek’s ring was scuffed and scratched and faded while the ring from the pawnshop gleamed brand new.
“You’ve worn your ring for years,” she told Derek. “These rings have never been worn. It’s one thing to clean rings, but you can’t clean the scratches and scuffs that come from years of ownership. Masterson probably lifted them from a jewelry store.”
“But it had Elmore Holland’s initials on it,” Travis said.
“Yeah, or Elroy Hooter,” Michael said, “Or Elton Hopper. Or Ebenezer Hornblower. It’s a dead end, Detective. Not your fault, but not our guy either.”
Travis sighed heavily and slapped the table, causing the rings to jump. “Well, wonderful. I just love wasting time.”
“Well, it’s not a complete waste,” Faith said. “You have a solid case for grand theft and assault on a police officer.”
“Yeah, I think I’ll go ahead and go for it,” Travis said, “better than nothing. Sorry folks. I guess you’ll have to keep looking for the rings.”
“It is what it is,” Faith said.
“Yeah, but what it is is another murder any day now.” Travis shook his head. “You know, I’m giving serious thought to retiring after this case. I’ve been doing this for twenty years, and it never gets better.”
“Sure it does,” Faith said, “we choose to live in the dark so that others can live in the light.”
“What are you, the next Aristotle?” Travis groused.
