Chapter Sixteen. "Okay, so they report four possible Peeping Tomswhat is that?" Leslie asked

"Okay, so they report four possible Peeping Toms...what is that?" Leslie asked. "I mean, we didn't even have one possible."

She and Casey walked along the sidewalk, the morning coolness already giving way to the afternoon heat. At the door to the lab, Casey paused, letting Leslie go first.

"Thank you, Detective O'Connor."

"My pleasure."

They passed the reception desk with a wave and Leslie noticed the quick smile Casey gave Sarah. And the lingering look Sarah gave Casey. She'd found that Casey was a flirt. A flirt in a subtle, gentle way, which for some reason, made it okay.

"Okay, so their Peeping Toms," she said again.

"Either they're making it into a contest, and okay, let's say they're cheating," Casey said with a smile. "Or we have different descriptions of what constitutes a Peeping Tom. I mean, if we want to report every male who walks in the common area as a potential, then we can. I just think it clutters up things."

"I agree. Maybe we need to clarify with them what we're both looking for."

Casey stopped at the door to Mac's office and knocked.

"Come on in."

She opened the door, then stepped aside to allow Leslie to enter first. Leslie brushed her arm as she walked past, giving her a smile. With anyone else, she may have thought it was a condescending act to constantly hold the door open for her. But not with Casey. She'd noticed Casey did it with nearly everyone, including Tori.

"Morning, ladies. Have a seat."

"Hey, Mac. You got something good?" Casey asked.

"I think so." He shoved a piece of paper across his desk. "Take a look."

Casey took it and held it up so Leslie could see too. It was a picture of two pieces of thread or yarn.

"Okay. And?"

"They are identical."

Casey tossed the paper back on his desk. "Wonderful. I'm so happy." She leaned forward. "What the hell does it mean?"

Mac tilted his head. "It's uncanny how much alike you and Hunter are sometimes."

"Please, we are nothing alike," Casey scoffed.

Mac flicked his glance to Leslie. "Right," he said dryly. "The fibers are identical. The first was found at the crime scene of Dana Burrow's."

"The second apartment victim?"

"Yes. Spencer found the fiber in the genital area. It matched nothing in her apartment. We logged it as transfer."

"And the second?" Leslie asked.

"The second is from your homeless man. It's from the blanket he was covered with."

"So, theoretically, that could put our homeless man inside Dana Burrows apartment."

"Theoretically."

Leslie shook her head. "I can't see her opening her door to a stranger, especially someone off the street. I mean, people just don't do that. Especially young women who live alone. You just don't do that."

Casey nodded. "So? Transfer from the killer? That would mean our killer would have been in physical contact with our homeless guy before he killed Dana." She turned to Leslie with raised eyebrows. "Patrick?"

"Who's Patrick?" Mac asked.

"Someone named Patrick killed Rudy Bobby."

Mac frowned. "Who?"

"The homeless guy. Rudy Bobby."

"I didn't think we had a name for him."

"Don't know his legal name, no."

"Any other link?" Leslie asked. "His throat was cut. So was Dana Burrows's. Can we match it?"

Mac nodded. "I've got Emerson going over the photos now. I'll let you know as soon as he's done."

Casey stood. "Okay. Great job, Mac. I'll fill Hunter in."

"Thanks. And I'll e-mail over the report. Spencer's post was plain Jane, nothing jumped out. We'll have tox back tomorrow."

"Thanks."

Back outside, they headed down to their building, keeping to the shaded side of the street. The whole thing didn't make sense to her. She reached out, stopping Casey.

"It seems like too much of a coincidence," she said. She let her hand drop from Casey's arm. "If we theorize that Dana Burrows wouldn't open her door to Rudy Bobby, a homeless man, why would she open it for Patrick, another homeless man?"

"We may never know that. I doubt she knew who she was opening it for. I mean, it could be anything. We guessed pizza or delivery guy. How about he found out what her name was, so he simply knocks on her door and calls out her name in a friendly voice. Maybe she thinks it's a neighbor or something and just opens up."

"Scary."

"Yep."

At the door to their building, Casey paused. "Everything's okay with you, right?"

Leslie frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean tonight, with Michael."

"Oh. You mean because I'll be with you staking out apartments?"

"Yeah." She held open the door. "I mean, if I was him, I'd want you at home. Civilians don't always understand the job."

"Thanks. But I'm afraid he's not going to miss me. The Rangers are in town. They're all going to the game tonight."

"Good. Then I won't feel bad."

"Why would you feel bad? It's my job."

Casey grinned. "Because if I had some hot woman waiting for me at home, I'd hope you'd feel bad that I was having to go on a stakeout."

"Oh, so you're assuming Michael's hot, is that it?"

"Gross. Let's don't go there."

Leslie laughed and squeezed Casey's arm quickly as they walked inside. Sikes sat alone in the squad room. Tori was nowhere to be seen, and Leslie glanced at the two empty desks that sat by themselves, away from their four. Donaldson and Walker. She'd seen them exactly one time since she'd been here. In fact, she almost forgot they were in the same squad together. But judging by the distance their desks were from the others, they probably didn't feel like they were a part of the team.

"Where's Hunter?"

"She went to pee."

Leslie smiled, still surprised at the lack of formality among them. But Sikes must feel like a brother with a house full of sisters sometimes. And she suspected he liked it.

"Well, Mac found something. We may have caught a break." Casey looked at her. "Of course, we don't know if it's a break of not."

"What kind of break?"

They all turned as Tori came into the room. Casey pointed to her monitor. "Mac was going to e-mail you. But remember the post for Dana Burrows? Spencer found a fiber and they couldn't match it to anything in the apartment."

"Yeah. And?"

"Mac said it was an exact match to the blanket Rudy Bobby was covered with."

"Who the hell is Rudy Bobby?"

"Oh, sorry. That's our homeless guy. We don't really know his name."

"Rudy Bobby?"

"Some called him Rudy, some Bobby," Leslie explained. "Casey and I have just referred to him as Rudy Bobby."

"I see." She opened up her e-mail, scanning the report. "So, transfer?"

"They're checking the knife wounds on both victims, but it's highly likely that whoever killed Dana Burrows also killed our homeless guy."

Tori took a deep breath, then leaned back. "Okay, hotshot, what's your theory?"

Casey grinned. "I'll let Tucker give it to you."

Leslie nodded. "Maria at the shelter said his name is Patrick, or at least that's what she was told. She doesn't know of a Patrick who frequents the shelter. But he is another homeless man, that's why they won't give him up. Based on Rudy Bobby's dying words--"

" I won't tell, I won't tell," Casey supplied theatrically.

"We think Rudy Bobby knew that Patrick killed Dana Burrows. Whether the fiber is transfer from Rudy Bobby to Patrick and then to Dana, or if Rudy Bobby was actually in the apartment, we would only be guessing at this point."

Tori leaned forward. "How do you know those were his dying words?"

"He was killed Friday night, presumably while in bed, just like the others were who use that alley."

"And that's what they told Maria they heard," Casey added.

Tori nodded. "Okay. So now what?"

"Well, I guess that's kinda the problem. We're still looking for a Peeping Tom."

"Speaking of which," Leslie said. "How is it you had four possibles?"

"We had four suspicious guys lurking," Sikes said.

"Lurking? Lurking where?"

"You know. Around."

"Look, if we're going to start listing every suspicious guy who's lurking," Casey said, "then we're wasting our time. This isn't a contest, you know." She raised her eyebrows at Tori. "Or is it?"

"No." She smiled at Sikes. "We were just bored. It made it a little more exciting to have a possible. "

"So in other words, you really didn't have any."

"No, O'Connor, I guess we didn't," Sikes said. "But Tori made me do it."

"Ah ha," Casey said, tossing her pen at Tori. "The truth comes out."

Tori laughed. "I knew you wouldn't be able to stand it."

"Me? Tucker was the one who said you guys were smoking crack or something. I just said you were cheating."

Malone stuck his head out of his office. "What's going on?"

Tori winked at Casey, then turned to the lieutenant. "Just discussing the case."

He nodded. "I just read Mac's report. It's something, at least."

"Yes, sir," Casey said.

"You two going out tonight?" he asked, pointing at Leslie and Casey.

"Yes, Lieutenant," Leslie said.

"Okay. Well, be careful."

Поиск по сайту: