Hide and Seek (Criminal Profiler #1)(30)

“You’re right,” she said. “I was reading Nancy Drew when you were doing the real work.”

“Well, I guess we all got to start somewhere.” The pot filled and he poured three cups, setting them on the counter. “Milk, sugar?”

“Yes, to both,” she said.

Greene dug both out of the refrigerator and set them on the counter, along with a blue spoon.

“Thank you.” She ladled two heaping teaspoons into her cup and filled it the rest of the way with milk. Taking a big sip, she closed her eyes. “Delicious.” Cradling the cup, she returned to the pictures. “I was up most of the night reading the case files of the three rape cases and Tobi Turner’s murder.”

“The murder and rapes weren’t connected,” Greene said.

She watched him closely. “We both know that’s not true.”

Genuine shock flashed in the old man’s eyes as he tapped the handle of his cup with his index finger. “What the hell does that mean?”

Instead of answering, Macy asked, “Why didn’t you test the rape kits from 2004? If the budget was that tight, why not seek federal grants?”

“I didn’t think it was an option for us,” Greene said.

“You applied for other federal grants during your tenure,” she said. “One was for a school safety program, and the other one was for body armor for your deputies. Why not DNA testing?”

He sipped his coffee while her eyes sharpened. “What’s your point?” he countered. “Why do you care so much about those attacks?”

“When a woman is raped, then has the forethought to save her attacker’s DNA and call the cops, it damn well better be tested.”

He shook his head. “You make it sound like we didn’t try to solve these cases. We talked to dozens of men. We had a couple of suspects that we leaned on hard, especially after Rebecca Kennedy was nearly strangled to death.”

“Who were the suspects in her case?”

“Her ex-boyfriend, Paul Decker, for one.”

“Paul Decker of the Dream Team?”

“That’s right. They were a volatile couple. Fought like cats and dogs when they dated in high school.”

“You remember them fighting fifteen years ago?” Macy asked.

“Sure. I worked every Friday night football game. Those two were constantly at each other’s throats. I even broke up one fight behind the bleachers, and they both had their share of cuts and bruises. Both swore it was nothing. And they kept on seeing each other. It was crazy.”

“Were they seeing each other around the time of her attack?” Macy asked.

“They were,” Greene said.

“Paul Decker was arrested five years ago,” Nevada said. “His DNA would be in CODIS, and our offender’s is not.”

Greene shifted his gaze to Nevada. “The DNA test results are back on those cases?” he asked.

“They are,” Macy said. “Of the eight cases we sent off, three were committed by the same offender.”

“What?” Greene asked.

“That’s right. You had a serial rapist in your own backyard.”

Greene’s brow furrowed. “There was a greenkeeper at the school,” he said. “He was picked up. More than a handful said he liked to watch the young girls a little too closely. The man’s name was Dave Potter, and he knew two of the three rape victims. But he ended up having an alibi for the first attack.”

“Did you do a buccal squab?” Macy asked. Buccal meant mouth or cheek, and the test entailed using a Q-tip to swab the offender’s cheek to collect DNA.

“No.”

“Where is Mr. Potter now?” Macy pressed.

“He passed away a couple of years ago.”

“Does he have family in the area?” Macy asked. “Anyone we could talk to?”

“I can find a name for you.”

“Sooner would be best,” Macy said.

“You said those rapes were connected to Tobi Turner?” Greene asked. “How?”

“We found DNA on her backpack. That DNA matched our serial rapist.”

“What?” Greene’s face paled, and some of the swagger left his shoulders.

She didn’t speak as she sipped her coffee. She hesitated because she wanted the full weight of her information to sink in. “We’ve not made that information public yet.”

“Sure. I won’t say anything,” Greene said with a more measured tone.

He appeared thrown off, but she didn’t care. “When I was doing background on the murders, I read about another girl who vanished about that time. Cindy Shaw?”

“She didn’t vanish,” Greene said. “She ran away.”

“Where did she go?” Macy asked.

“She said to anyone who would listen she wanted to go to California, but I never knew for sure.”

Jenna Montgomery had said Colorado. “Did it ever occur to you that someone killed her?” Macy asked.

“No. That girl could take care of herself just fine.” He shrugged, his smile sly. “If you want to know more about Cindy, talk to her brother.”

“I’ll do that.” She held up her cup. “Thank you for the coffee.”