the door. At the doorway, Rodney directed Mrs. Green that he didn't wish to be interrupted.
Rodney closed the door and returned to his desk. He returned to the opened computer and went immediately to a locked folder. Once he entered his password, a list of JPEG's came up. He smiled as he viewed his recent additions.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Tom and Steve had developed a white board on the wall of the precinct. There were three victims listed; each had their own column. Other detectives looked as Tom entered the stats. When the facts were written on the board, obviously two victims crossed the path of the Robinson—Williams company. The two victims were red heads, age approximately 30-40, no known relatives. Raped was a question mark. Tom had the morgues provide pictures of each of the victims. Each photo was placed under the correct column. He wanted to make it personal.
"What did you think of the Williams?"
"Strange dude. He was definitely disconnected from the death of his wife."
"Anyway, when I talked to one of the lawyers, he said that all employees who have access to an unreleased book have to sign a confidentiality statement. If they are found releasing any information, they are subject to heavy fines and dismissal."
"Anything else?"
"Yea, but you are not going to like it."
"It seems that, J.J. Brown, was a first time author. The accounting department has been holding all royalty checks since December. Ms. Brown told them she would give them an address where to forward them. No forwarding address yet."
"So, she's missing?"
"Appears to be."
The Captain came by and shook his head as he looked at the white board. "You don't have much on our Victim 3. You have 72 hours. If there is no new evidence on Victim 3, this case goes cold. We always have a new murder to investigate." He walked away.
"Shit! Tom said under his breath.
"Okay, can you find out more about J.J. Brown?"
"I'm on it. What about Sam?"
"Going to take her shopping tomorrow."
"What?"
"That men's cologne she keeps relating to may be a clue. When I interviewed Rizzo he was flattered that a cop was complimenting him on his choice of cologne. He was nearly shitting in his pants when he said it's an exclusive at Frankie’s Emporium down on Wells."
"I hope that pans out. We certainly don't have much. I'll let you know what I find out about Brown."
Tom shuffled through his paperwork. He called Kane County Sheriff's Department to see whether they had any leads on their victim. They reported that they had contacted authorities in Iowa and were awaiting the dental records for Nancy Hughes. His call to Grundy County Sheriff's department yielded no new information about Samantha.
***
Early the next morning Tom pulled up in front of Carole's bungalow. After ringing the doorbell, Carole greeted him.
"Tom, we weren't expecting you."
"I'm sorry. I don't want Sam to go into work today."
"Is there something new?"
"Well, I'm taking Sam shopping."
"I don't understand?"
"Just following a lead."
Carole turned and saw that Sam was coming to the door ready to head off to work.
"No work today. Give 'em call and let them know you won't be in."
"Tom, what's up?" Sam asked.
"Going shopping."
"What?"
"You'll see."
Ten minutes later, Tom and Sam headed for the Red Line leaving Tom’s car parked in front of Carole’s bungalow.
As the walked, Sam asked, "Do you want to tell me about what were shopping for?"
"I need a new dress shirt."
Sam looked him strangely. She wondered why he needed her for such a task. It was a short ride to the Wells Street Station. When they disembarked the train, Tom held Sam's hand as they maneuvered down the slippery metal staircase. As they walked down the sidewalk, Tom didn't release his grip. After a few minutes, they arrived at Frankie’s Emporium. They both looked in the window. The labels under each of the mannequins indicated that this store carried
Rodney closed the door and returned to his desk. He returned to the opened computer and went immediately to a locked folder. Once he entered his password, a list of JPEG's came up. He smiled as he viewed his recent additions.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Tom and Steve had developed a white board on the wall of the precinct. There were three victims listed; each had their own column. Other detectives looked as Tom entered the stats. When the facts were written on the board, obviously two victims crossed the path of the Robinson—Williams company. The two victims were red heads, age approximately 30-40, no known relatives. Raped was a question mark. Tom had the morgues provide pictures of each of the victims. Each photo was placed under the correct column. He wanted to make it personal.
"What did you think of the Williams?"
"Strange dude. He was definitely disconnected from the death of his wife."
"Anyway, when I talked to one of the lawyers, he said that all employees who have access to an unreleased book have to sign a confidentiality statement. If they are found releasing any information, they are subject to heavy fines and dismissal."
"Anything else?"
"Yea, but you are not going to like it."
"It seems that, J.J. Brown, was a first time author. The accounting department has been holding all royalty checks since December. Ms. Brown told them she would give them an address where to forward them. No forwarding address yet."
"So, she's missing?"
"Appears to be."
The Captain came by and shook his head as he looked at the white board. "You don't have much on our Victim 3. You have 72 hours. If there is no new evidence on Victim 3, this case goes cold. We always have a new murder to investigate." He walked away.
"Shit! Tom said under his breath.
"Okay, can you find out more about J.J. Brown?"
"I'm on it. What about Sam?"
"Going to take her shopping tomorrow."
"What?"
"That men's cologne she keeps relating to may be a clue. When I interviewed Rizzo he was flattered that a cop was complimenting him on his choice of cologne. He was nearly shitting in his pants when he said it's an exclusive at Frankie’s Emporium down on Wells."
"I hope that pans out. We certainly don't have much. I'll let you know what I find out about Brown."
Tom shuffled through his paperwork. He called Kane County Sheriff's Department to see whether they had any leads on their victim. They reported that they had contacted authorities in Iowa and were awaiting the dental records for Nancy Hughes. His call to Grundy County Sheriff's department yielded no new information about Samantha.
***
Early the next morning Tom pulled up in front of Carole's bungalow. After ringing the doorbell, Carole greeted him.
"Tom, we weren't expecting you."
"I'm sorry. I don't want Sam to go into work today."
"Is there something new?"
"Well, I'm taking Sam shopping."
"I don't understand?"
"Just following a lead."
Carole turned and saw that Sam was coming to the door ready to head off to work.
"No work today. Give 'em call and let them know you won't be in."
"Tom, what's up?" Sam asked.
"Going shopping."
"What?"
"You'll see."
Ten minutes later, Tom and Sam headed for the Red Line leaving Tom’s car parked in front of Carole’s bungalow.
As the walked, Sam asked, "Do you want to tell me about what were shopping for?"
"I need a new dress shirt."
Sam looked him strangely. She wondered why he needed her for such a task. It was a short ride to the Wells Street Station. When they disembarked the train, Tom held Sam's hand as they maneuvered down the slippery metal staircase. As they walked down the sidewalk, Tom didn't release his grip. After a few minutes, they arrived at Frankie’s Emporium. They both looked in the window. The labels under each of the mannequins indicated that this store carried
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