Latent Danger (On the Line #2)(37)

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Chapter Twenty-five





The sheer number of names these guys were working through was astounding. Zach picked up a list of people who’d been hospitalized at the time the killings ended thirty years prior.

There were notations next to each name that was crossed off, as well as notations next to some that weren’t crossed off yet.

Paul Schwartz deceased 1995

Jack Hudson released 1982, incarcerated 1999

Amanda Cunningham moved to Seattle, no crimes matching, confirmed still in Seattle

Meredith Crawley transferred to another facility, unsure where she is now

Marcus Jones

Herschel Kenworth deceased

Joseph Harris

Peter Ohrt

“Do we have any updates from forensics?” The question came from Detective Manigault, or Manny, as he seemed to be called. He was the one with the dark hair and eyes.

Zach shook his head. “No usable skin cells on the rope or lipstick. There were a few fibers on the body, but nothing useful. Came from a blanket that could have been bought in any big brand box store. The DNA in the semen was a match to Jonathan Sawyer, but we expected that.” They’d gotten the news that morning that Carrie had semen matching Jonathan Sawyer in her mouth and vaginal cavity, as well as evidence of GHB in her system.

Hutch leaned back in his chair and studied Zach and Shauna. “What do you think about the Sawyer boy? Do you still feel he’s our present-day killer?”

Shauna was the first to answer. “In my gut, I know he’s involved. At the very least, he raped Adrienne and Carrie. I just don’t feel so strongly anymore that he’s our killer. Or if he is, he’s not the only one.”

“He was under surveillance when Candice was killed,” Zach said.

“If they didn’t have eyes directly on him, he could have snuck out,” Manny offered.

Zach stiffened but conceded it was possible. Possible, but unlikely. There was someone off their radar they hadn’t found yet.

He looked again at the piles of names on the table in front of the detectives.

Shauna’s cell phone rang and she stepped away briefly to answer it before waving to Zach. He followed her out of the room.

“We need to go back. Liz Gordon just walked into your squad room and asked to see me. She won’t talk to Ronan.”

Zach walked out feeling like they’d accomplished very little on their trip, but what could they do? If Liz could offer anything that might help, they needed to get back there and see her.

They found Liz waiting with Ronan at the bank of chairs by the elevator on the third floor of New Haven Police Department Headquarters. She’d been given a soda, and Ronan sat quietly a seat away from her, but she looked anxious.

“Liz? Is everything all right?” Shauna asked.

The girl fidgeted, glancing between the two of them, then settling her eyes on Shauna. She reached in her pocket and pulled a note from it.

In block letters read the words: Talk and you’ll choke too, bitch.

Zach looked up to find Liz looking unsure, as though she didn’t know if she should have given it to them, or maybe like she felt bad for bothering them. He suddenly remembered that behind his niece’s blustering teenage ’tude, there was always vulnerability.

“Have your parents seen this?” He asked, taking her gently by the elbow and leading her into the same interview room they’d used when she came in with Kate. The girl had seemed to be the stronger one when she was there with Kate, like she’d been helping Kate come forward. This time, she seemed a lot less confident.

She blanched at his question. “My parents are still away.”

Zach blinked and saw Shauna have a similar reaction. He’d assumed her parents would come home as soon as they found out girls her age were being killed. Girls from her school. Girls she’d once called friends and could maybe still consider friends of the family. What the hell was wrong with these people?

Shauna breezed over that, but Zach knew she’d seethe later. “Can you tell us where you found the note?”

“It was on my back steps. I went to let my dog out this morning and it was there. There was a rock sitting on it.” Liz twisted her hands in her lap and Zach felt for her.

Gone was the tough girl who’d tried to act like nothing bothered her at their interview on campus. Now, she looked almost like she was twelve and about to cry because her parents weren’t there when she needed them. From what he could tell, they probably hadn’t been there for their child for a long time.

“Do you usually let your dog out in the backyard every morning?” Shauna asked and Zach knew what she was thinking. She wanted to know if whoever left it had knowledge of Liz’s schedule and movements.

“Yes. Fiona sleeps with me so the staff doesn’t let her out when they come in. I let her out when I get up. Then the gardener takes her for a walk later in the day, after I leave for school.”

Zach wondered what the chances were that Fiona was an impeccably trained guard dog, maybe a German Shepherd or a Malinois.

“You said when the staff comes in? I thought you had full time staff living with you?” Shauna asked.

Liz shook her head. “The cook lives in an apartment over the garage, but all of the other staff come in for the day or as needed.”