Robert Waggoner - John - The Senior Killer

“Mom, he is very important to our team and plays a large role in supporting. However, he is not a field man and neither is Steve. You can see by Steve’s face he is a tired man flying coast to coast and from meeting to meeting. Father wouldn’t like that and neither would you. My suggestion is moving to Florida, buy a boat and that would be something you both could enjoy.”

“We never thought of that and I will talk to your father about that tonight behind the bedroom door,” she said with an out of character giggles. Brad grinned and then she told him the FBI Director would be here for dinner and Brad was a little taken aback about by the news, but no outward signs could be seen on his face. He winked at his mother thanking her for the heads up on tonight’s plan. Then he excused himself for a trip to the shower to wash off the chlorine.

The current FBI Director was an unassuming looking middle aged man. Since nine eleven so many changes had occurred in all of the governing law and intelligence agencies. The pressure to produce and prevent haunted every agency and in particular the FBI. Not with this new threat of a senior serial killer, the heat was on the FBI to produce and prevent. The director was saying this to them just before dinner was served, sitting in the study, “We have over five hundred agents working on this case. It appears we are no closer now to apprehending this guy than when he first started his killing spree. Yes, I know you are going to tell me how much you have learned, but the sixty four dollar question is: are we any closer now to catching this guy than before?” The table went quiet if it was possible for it to get any quieter.

Brad never one to be at a loss for words said, looking the director in the eye, “We will catch this guy, but time is not on our side. He is smart and more than that he is clever. He taunts and we will out think him. He’s leaving a trail behind him, but to catch him we must know where he will go next. It is my opinion he will go to ground now and wait until spring to hatch a new plan. Now we must be patient and out think this guy. It is also my opinion he is pretty much through with California and now Washington and Oregon are his next targets. We suggest you concentrate your efforts on Washington State especially around the northern regions both east and west of the Cascade Mountains.”

The director never missed a word and thanked Brad for his input and advice. Then he said, mostly to Brad, “I’ve selected a special agent to take charge of the investigation and she will headquarter in Seattle for the time being. Brad I would like you to meet her and if you will be so kind to have breakfast with us tomorrow at our hotel, I will introduce her to you.”

“I will be there as requested. However, Mr. Director I feel you are not happy about something and I for one get the impression you are doing something that goes against your grain,” he said in a louder than normal voice.”

“You are right. This goes against what I stand for and that is the FBI shouldn’t have to call in a special unit to do their job. It’s nothing personal Brad, but I’ve been instructed to give you and your unit whatever you request. I have a question and if you don’t mind I would like a straightforward answer. My question is this, why do you think you and your team can do what we can’t do. If I’m to understand your background is military and not crime investigation is that correct?”

“Yes it is Mr. Director. But if I understand the word investigation correctly it means to look for something. Now I realize that is simplifying the term, but in reality that is exactly what we are doing: looking for something. For example, if you are looking for a red house and you drive around looking for one, eventually you will find a red house. Now, that is simple deductive work. In this case, the human mind is not objective and not easy to simplify, but is a complex organism without limits. In this case we are looking for something that few people know how to look for it. Most murderers leave clues and the FBI is an excellent agency to have on the investigative scene, but is this particular case we are dealing with a person who resides outside the normal state of mental reasoning. We have only a handful of examples to work with and each one of those past serial killers had their own unique way of killing. Look at Ted Bundy, Gary what’s his last name, Jeffery Dahmer, BTK, and the Unabomber and others. Now we have a guy who was and is most likely a schizophrenic and who of us can cross that line of mental knowledge to determine where and when he will strike again.”

The director sat and stared at Brad. Brad didn’t know if he was offended or angry or what his state of mind was after he let loose with both barrels. His father was staring at him and Steve was looking into his glass of wine like it was the way out of the room. Finally the tension slowly dissipated and the director said, “Well I guess I asked for it and you are so right. Our agents are trained by the best in the business, but who can train the trainers when we are dealing with a mind no one really understands. Sure our profiles can say they were abused or mistreated when in childhood and so on, but in all cases when did anyone have the opportunity to examine a killer like we have now made it so important we apprehend this guy alive; if indeed that is possible.”

The meeting or social gathering was at an end when Brad’s mother announced that dinner was ready. The director stood up and walked to Brad and held out his hand. Brad took his hand and the director said, “I for one am damn glad you are on our team. Your record speaks for itself and if I read the reports correctly, you have made significant progress where the FBI failed to produce. That is why I would like you to work closely with our special agent in charge. I can tell you this,” as they slowly moved to the dining room, “she is anything but a pushover. I suggest you have all eight cylinders firing when you meet this woman.” Brad didn’t for a minute take his words lightly. If the FBI had a person who could meet this challenge and it was a woman, little did he care what sex it was. He was long past that kind of sexist attitudes and one’s proof was in the performance not the gender. He looked forward to the meeting as they sat down to a dinner of leg of lamb which he didn’t much care for and his mother knew it. But, she had enough other dishes he liked very well such as a pasta salad with his favorite dressing and fresh steamed vegetables.

After dinner, Steve and the Director left leaving Brad and his father back in the study. Brad understood this was necessary for a father and son to do under the circumstances. And like a good son he answered his father’s questions honestly and sincerely. At the end of the session his father bade him good night and retired.

Brad then took the opportunity to call home and talk to his wife. He loved her and she loved him. They never openly showed any emotion, but in private it was a different story and only Rocky or Sandy could tell the truth of their relationship.

The breakfast meeting was scheduled for eight am. Brad walked into the hotel restaurant at eight on the dot. He found the Director and his special agent at a back table against the wall where it afforded some privacy. She was sitting to his right and he had two choices, either face the Director or face the woman. He chose to face her, but remembered his wife’s last words on the phone to him, “Be nice and no macho stuff big boy.” They were introduced and her name was Nancy Longstreet. Brad had on a nice smile and gave her his friendly eye look. Brad quickly noticed the Director’s words last night as Nancy gave him a look that would freeze a polar bear. Pure hate radiating from her being. Immediately he felt sorry for her to let her emotions override her judgment. It dawned on him this was intentional by the FBI to thwart his attempt to stop the serial killer and let the FBI take the credit. She would fight him at every turn. The delay was written all over her face without a word being spoken. He almost got up and left, but knew it would be rude if not full of disaster to create a scene. So he waited for her or the Director to speak.