Robert Waggoner - John - The Senior Killer

Brad was impressed and didn’t feel the need to comment. He said, “Thanks for your report and if you are hungry, which I am, let’s have some dinner.”

A smile broke across her face and revealed nice teeth behind kissable lips and she replied, “I too am hungry and let’s go eat on the government.” Sitting at a dinner table they had an informal conversation about this case and Brad told her the latest from Los Angeles.

She remarked, “I think you might be on to something, but it still leaves us lost in the woods to find him if he has in fact left his home for good.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that, but at least we will have a name and most likely a picture of his true self to work with. However, I fear he travels in disguise so maybe we don’t have much to go on after all.”

“I disagree. It will give us a real personality to work with and with that we can alert any and all senior centers and clubs from Canada to Mexico and over to the Mississippi River if necessary.”

“That will evidently help, that is for sure, but what if he changes his tack and moves to another arena, like for example, health clubs, boat clubs and retirement homes and look at how many old folks in Arizona and Florida to choose from.” He knew he made his point when she didn’t reply as the waiter came to take their order.

After dinner they both went for a walk. The night was clear but a little chilly. She had a light jacket on and he had his sport coat. Rocky felt no need to protect his master from her so he followed behind. Wendy never made a comment about his dog. She accepted it as his own need and why questions it? She was on the spot with this killer and her future rode on her being right when it came to profiling, what had become known as the “Senior Killer.” What made her scared was her future rode with this guy and his dog? She remembered leaving so quickly she failed to run a check on this guy. Landing at the airport and her brief meeting late with Jake who had been off on location with the latest killing, didn’t glean much background on Brad Pratt and his team. In the morning, she thought, I will find out who this good looking guy is. God was he handsome, she thought. She noticed no ring, but in this day and age, meant nothing. She was single and went both ways. She liked it that way.

Walking back they said their good nights and went to their respective rooms. Brad decided he would run in the morning and went to bed hoping that no dreams came to haunt him like they usually did when he was on a case.

As usual he woke up in a sweat with Rocky licking his face. He reached out and hugged his dog and told him he was fine now. Rocky was used to his master dreaming about something bad happening in his master’s past. Last night was no exception as he dreamed of being interrogated by a sadistic guy with pure evil in his eyes. The man held a cordless drill with a half inch bit running it in front of his eyes while another well-dressed Arab asked him questions in perfect English. He was hanging from two ropes in a dwelling that stank of goat and unwashed bodies. His feet tied together as were his legs just above the knees so he couldn’t lash out with his legs to his tormentor. The drill was coming closer to his eyes when he woke up screaming and Rocky was there to comfort him.

Brad looked at his watch and it said four thirty. He got dressed in his running gear and left the hotel for a ten mile run with Rocky.

By six he was freshly showered and dressed waiting for Billy to come down for his morning report. Brad was reading the morning paper about the serial killer striking again in Bishop. He read the usual dribble from the authorities stating they were closing in on the killer and it would be only a short time before they had him behind bars. Just then a familiar voice asked him if she could join him for breakfast. He looked up to see Wendy looking fresh and lovely ready to take on the day. He asked her to sit down as Billy came walking in with a blue cloud of blue smoke trailing him. He sat down next to Brad and stared at the lovely creature across the booth from him. Billy stuck his hand out and told her his name. She tentatively took his long fingers and a quick shake drawing back her hand as if it touched something dirty. Billy was anything but dirty. Maybe his dress was something to not admire, but his dress was clean as was he. Brad told her what Billy’s role was and she nodded her head taking in the light blue eyes of intelligence once she looked at him a little harder.

Brad told Billy and Wendy that they were off to the airport to fly to San Diego to look first hand at the house where the brother lived. Sujin had called him and told him he needed to see this place for himself. He never questioned her suggestions, only followed what she knew as important to him and the case they were working on. Wendy never batted an eye, but told Brad she would pack her bag and be ready when he gave the go signal.

Steve met them at the airport. He’d been to Palm Springs to see Brad’s father where the Gulf Stream had picked him up and flew on up to Sacramento. Jake was also aboard as well as agent Jones whom Brad had asked for to accompany them to San Diego.

Brad sat with Steve and Steve filled him in on his stay with his father. It would seem a lot of pressure was being applied from the two gents at the initial FBI meeting having flown back to Washington to report the findings. The president was in a corner and with the war in Iraq and Afghanistan; along with the mounting pressure on North Korea and the flowering of China wanting more high tech weapons, the pot was boiling over. Steve told him we need to put this guy to bed and take some heat off the president and let the seniors sleep again in peace.

Brad said, “We are close, but still a long ways of putting our hands on this guy. Frankly he needs to make a big mistake for us to catch him. From what I hear about his house, this guy knows how to keep an arm’s length away from the law.”

“We are counting on you and the president knows you and your team are our front line in this matter and he says only to ask and you shall have whatever you ask for to stop this guy.”

About then the plane landed in San Diego where his wife was waiting along with Mike. Striding to meet up with Sujin a government van was waiting to transport them to the house in question, Rocky ran ahead and Sujin squatted down Asian style and gave him a hug. Riding along down the freeway Sujin filled Brad in on what she knew and discovered. She told him they had exhumed the body of what was supposed to be John Mitchell, but they were now running tests to determine who this guy was. He fit the size, but from a closer inspection of his picture from the studio where he worked, this was indeed not the John Mitchell who was supposed to have died. It was clear to all that a clever attempt to cash in on a life insurance policy and the resulting sale of the house, gave our killer ample cash to operate for a long time if need be.

Mike was still on a hunt for leads and he had some interesting facts to share about disguises that he found when he had the picture of John to show the suppliers of costumes and other items necessary for a complete change over if desired.

Sujin went on to tell him that the neighbors had not seen him for more than four months. No mail had been delivered or papers. He had simply vanished in his old car. She left out much of what the house looked like for his methods of discovery. She held onto the fact John had the house cleaned from one end to the other and the plumbing too. Not a trace of him was evident. Not one fingerprint was found.

Brad took this all in as they drove up the street to park. The usual yellow crime tape surrounded the house and yard. It was a simple house: a two bedroom with a one car garage in an old neighborhood. It was a house that nobody driving down the street would notice. Only curious neighbors noted his comings and goings. The report from the neighbors he was friendly but not social; quiet but private and his comings and goings were irregular.