Chris Carter - The Executioner

Cop training took over, and Shauna reached for her gun before nervously moving towards the door in baby steps.

‘Hello, Darnell?’

No reply.

‘LAPD. Anyone in there?’

Silence.

Using her flashlight, she lifted the plastic sheet and stepped inside.

Shauna vomited five seconds later.

Debbie Howard, Amanda Reilly’s old school friend and the possible second victim of the Executioner Killer, was an only child. She was brought up by her mother after her father left when she was eight years old. Her mother never remarried and now lives in an old people’s home dedicated to dementia sufferers.

Just like Amanda Reilly, Debbie grew up in Gardena. She finished high school in 1986 and moved to Seattle shortly afterwards to study at Washington State University – School of Law. She graduated with honors and immediately landed a job with Foster Harvey, one of the largest law firms in the Pacific Northwest. Five years after joining the firm she married William Clark, an attorney and associate of Foster Harvey. Their marriage lasted only three and a half years. After her quick divorce, Debbie decided to leave the company and Seattle behind and head back to Los Angeles. Her record as a lawyer spoke for itself, and after passing the California bar exam she was offered a job with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office – Antelope Valley branch.

Debbie was intelligent, ambitious, pushy and a fierce opponent in a court of law. Since moving back to California, she tried and convicted over five hundred criminals, their offences ranging from misdemeanors to felonies and capital crimes. Two years ago she met, fell in love and married Jonathan Hale, a very successful architect. She was found dead in their home in the city of Lancaster two weeks ago. There was no mention of a number drawn onto her body.

By the time Hunter and Garcia got back to their office, Hopkins had already gathered all the information into a neatly typed two-page report.

‘How did she die?’ Hunter asked, checking the report.

‘According to the detective I spoke to from the LA County Sheriff’s Department, she was found dead inside her bathroom. Because the case is still open and the victim is a prosecutor from the LA DA’s office, they wouldn’t disclose any more information. I talked to Captain Blake and she got on the phone to them with an urgent and very demanding request.’ Hopkins nodded. ‘They’ll share.’

‘So where are the files?’ Hunter pressed.

‘On their way here. Detective Ross from the Sheriff’s Department in Lancaster is making copies of everything they have on Debbie Howard’s death. Captain Blake told them to send us whatever they could get their hands on, immediately. That was just half an hour ago. They should be here soon.’

‘Good. What else you got?’

Information on Peter Elder, Father Fabian’s high school buddy James Reed identified via the yearbook, was a lot easier to come by. He never graduated, and, unlike Brett, Peter never reformed. He escalated from bullying to shoplifting, muggings, armed robbery and finally homicide.

Hopkins handed the detectives Elder’s shorter report.

‘He’s in CCI State Prison?’ Garcia asked, surprised.

The California Correctional Institution State Prison in Tehachapi is one of only three Californian prisons with a Security Housing Unit. The most secure area within a Level IV prison, designed to provide isolation and the highest possible coverage to maximum-security inmates.

‘He was found at the scene of the crime covered in blood with a body at his feet – a shop owner,’ Hopkins explained. ‘The only reason he isn’t sitting in death row is because of some technicality. The cops screwed up at the crime scene. He got life, with no possibility of parole.’

‘How about the two other girls in the Gardena High photo?’ Hunter stood up. ‘Emily Wells and Jessica Pierce. Have we found them yet?’

A quick head shake. ‘I’ve got several searches running at the same time, but so far nothing. You gotta give me a little more time.’

‘Time is something we seem to be running out of very quickly,’ Garcia said, glancing at Hunter. They didn’t want to reveal Mollie’s latest vision about New Year’s Day.

‘I was lucky with Debbie Howard’s search,’ Hopkins said. ‘She opted for keeping her maiden name instead of taking on her husband’s. That and the fact that she worked for the District Attorney’s office made things a lot easier. Her name popped up almost instantly in the Homicide database query. Emily Wells and Jessica Pierce are probably married. I’ll have to track down old records and possibly their parents. I’m working as fast as I can. I’ll get there, but I need a few more hours.’ He ran a hand over his tired-looking face.

‘How about our possible first victim, the unidentified male and the watch search?’ Garcia asked. ‘Any luck?’

‘Nothing so far from the personal possessions’ inventories, but believe it or not, in this day and age, those inventories aren’t entered into a database.’ Hopkins shrugged as if he didn’t get it. ‘They are handwritten forms.’

Hunter threw his head back and let out a tired sigh while running both hands over his face. ‘I’ll get some people over to the morgues to go through those forms. We’ve gotta find this guy.’

Captain Blake entered the room without knocking. Her makeup seemed a little heavier than normal, and Hunter deducted it was to hide the dark circles under her eyes.

‘Is this for real, Robert? Is Debbie Howard the second victim?’ She tilted her head towards the pictures on the cork-board.

‘There’s a good possibility, yes. But I need the case files before I’m able to say for sure.’

‘They’ll be here soon,’ the captain confirmed. ‘A prosecutor with the DA’s office?’ she shook her head disapprovingly. ‘The shit will certainly hit the fan once the chief of police and the mayor hear about this.’

‘For now we’re only checking leads, captain,’ Hunter said calmly. ‘No one has to hear about anything.’

‘Since you made the front page of the Times yesterday, the chief wants a daily report from me on this investigation. He wants to keep an eye on us, the “Mystic Cops”, as I’m sure so does the mayor.’

‘So give him a report. Does anyone know you requested the files in connection with our investigation?’

The captain shot Hunter an arctic look. ‘I’m not that dumb, Robert.’

‘So we don’t have to tell them, at least not yet.’

‘Are you asking me to lie to the chief of police, Robert?’

‘No, captain, just to manipulate the truth for a day or two.’

The captain glared at Hunter and then Garcia. ‘What’s your problem with authority and following rules, detective? Have you forgotten that we answer to the chief of police and the mayor? I’m not sure how William Bolter used to run this department, but lying and disobeying your superior’s orders will no longer be officially sanctioned. Not as long as I’m captain. If we get confirmation that Debbie Howard really was our killer’s second victim, it will make the report.’ She paused. ‘So what have we got so far?’

Hunter told her about the graduating pictures from Gardena Senior High and their meeting with James Reed.

‘And this Peter Elder, the priest’s old high school buddy, he’s in CCI in Tehachapi?’ she asked.

‘A homicide crime scene that the cops messed up,’ Hopkins confirmed. ‘He should’ve been in San Quentin.’

‘I’d like to talk to him ASAP, captain.’ Hunter consulted his watch. ‘How fast do you think we can get a prisoner’s interview request?’