you’re finished there? I’ll have Dani give you directions…. Great. Ray is still with you, right? Put him on please.”
Lew waited as the phone changed hands then said, “Ray, thanks for getting over there so fast, and even though Dani didn’t follow protocol, don’t worry. You are officially deputized on the project and—” Before she could say more, Ray must have interrupted her because she said, “What?” in an astonished voice. “Say that again.”
As Lew listened, Roger and McNeil waited, watching in silence as she said, “Really? You’ve located a vehicle, too? A pickup? Any registration in it?”
Lew nodded as she listened. “Hmm. Be careful now—don’t jump to conclusions. Just because it’s parked so close to the condos doesn’t mean the driver killed Jennifer Williams. If it’s as beat up as you say, could have been junked by someone.
“Hold on for a minute and let me check my notes.” Lew handed her cell phone to Roger and, reaching for her notepad, she opened it to where she had written down the name of the kid whose truck was missing. Taking back her phone, she said, “Yeah, it’s the same guy,” she said. “This could be a simple coincidence but tell Bruce to impound the vehicle so he can check for prints and DNA.
“Now, Ray, I have a break-in out at Squirrel Lake….” After describing the scene in the McNeils’ basement, Lew said, “So I told Bruce what I need here from him, but I want you to get a good shot, black and white and color, of this footprint on the dryer. Then see what you can find outside—any indication of how the individual got access to the property.”
Before putting her phone away, Lew checked back in with Dani: “Bruce and Ray have located the pickup that was stolen from that kid. I need you to make two calls. First, call the Honda dealer over on Highway 51 and arrange for that young man to rent one of their used vehicles. Our department has an account with them—just use my name.
“Then call the owner of the pickup and tell him we need to run some tests on his vehicle. He can pick up a rental and the Loon Lake Police Department will cover the cost. Absolutely do not say anything more than that. I don’t need anyone jumping to conclusions.
“Oh, one more thing. Ask the owner to stop by the station because Bruce will need his prints in order to sort out what he might find in the truck. Remember how to take a person’s fingerprints? Good. Last thing—I did reach Robin and she’ll be in to relieve you at six. And, Dani—thank you.”
Putting her phone away, Lew turned to Roger. “I want you to hustle back to the station and check the files. I need all the information you can get on Alvin Marski—where he’s living, where he’s working, where he is at this moment. See what you can find out and let me know ASAP. And, Roger, alert Todd that I may need backup during an arrest shortly. His shift doesn’t start until eight so you may have to reach him at home.”
“Holy cow,” said Roger. “You think Marski killed that girl?”
“I don’t know what to think—and you don’t either. All we know for sure is that Alvin borrowed that truck a couple days ago and hasn’t returned it.
“What Ray said was he was able to follow a set of tracks from the site where the body was found—apparently the killer got some blood on his shoes. But Ray lost the trail for several hundred yards. By chance, he spotted a vehicle parked on the bike path that runs behind the clinic and those condos.
“That does not mean the two are connected. Knowing Alvin Marski, he probably ran out of gas, ran out of cash, and walked off.”
Lew looked over at McNeil, “We’re discussing an individual who is a repeat offender, a small-time crook—stealing fishing equipment and gas cans from pontoon boats. I’m going to be very surprised if there is any connection between Alvin Marski and Jennifer Williams.
“So my point, Roger, is that even if you have heard me say
Lew waited as the phone changed hands then said, “Ray, thanks for getting over there so fast, and even though Dani didn’t follow protocol, don’t worry. You are officially deputized on the project and—” Before she could say more, Ray must have interrupted her because she said, “What?” in an astonished voice. “Say that again.”
As Lew listened, Roger and McNeil waited, watching in silence as she said, “Really? You’ve located a vehicle, too? A pickup? Any registration in it?”
Lew nodded as she listened. “Hmm. Be careful now—don’t jump to conclusions. Just because it’s parked so close to the condos doesn’t mean the driver killed Jennifer Williams. If it’s as beat up as you say, could have been junked by someone.
“Hold on for a minute and let me check my notes.” Lew handed her cell phone to Roger and, reaching for her notepad, she opened it to where she had written down the name of the kid whose truck was missing. Taking back her phone, she said, “Yeah, it’s the same guy,” she said. “This could be a simple coincidence but tell Bruce to impound the vehicle so he can check for prints and DNA.
“Now, Ray, I have a break-in out at Squirrel Lake….” After describing the scene in the McNeils’ basement, Lew said, “So I told Bruce what I need here from him, but I want you to get a good shot, black and white and color, of this footprint on the dryer. Then see what you can find outside—any indication of how the individual got access to the property.”
Before putting her phone away, Lew checked back in with Dani: “Bruce and Ray have located the pickup that was stolen from that kid. I need you to make two calls. First, call the Honda dealer over on Highway 51 and arrange for that young man to rent one of their used vehicles. Our department has an account with them—just use my name.
“Then call the owner of the pickup and tell him we need to run some tests on his vehicle. He can pick up a rental and the Loon Lake Police Department will cover the cost. Absolutely do not say anything more than that. I don’t need anyone jumping to conclusions.
“Oh, one more thing. Ask the owner to stop by the station because Bruce will need his prints in order to sort out what he might find in the truck. Remember how to take a person’s fingerprints? Good. Last thing—I did reach Robin and she’ll be in to relieve you at six. And, Dani—thank you.”
Putting her phone away, Lew turned to Roger. “I want you to hustle back to the station and check the files. I need all the information you can get on Alvin Marski—where he’s living, where he’s working, where he is at this moment. See what you can find out and let me know ASAP. And, Roger, alert Todd that I may need backup during an arrest shortly. His shift doesn’t start until eight so you may have to reach him at home.”
“Holy cow,” said Roger. “You think Marski killed that girl?”
“I don’t know what to think—and you don’t either. All we know for sure is that Alvin borrowed that truck a couple days ago and hasn’t returned it.
“What Ray said was he was able to follow a set of tracks from the site where the body was found—apparently the killer got some blood on his shoes. But Ray lost the trail for several hundred yards. By chance, he spotted a vehicle parked on the bike path that runs behind the clinic and those condos.
“That does not mean the two are connected. Knowing Alvin Marski, he probably ran out of gas, ran out of cash, and walked off.”
Lew looked over at McNeil, “We’re discussing an individual who is a repeat offender, a small-time crook—stealing fishing equipment and gas cans from pontoon boats. I’m going to be very surprised if there is any connection between Alvin Marski and Jennifer Williams.
“So my point, Roger, is that even if you have heard me say
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