Chapter 8
After dropping off the toothbrush with Dave, Bill and Tina headed to the precinct. They shared the information they’d collected from Leah with Greenburg, and after confirming Leah’s account of Saturday night via the gas station video, Tina played it for her boss.
Once Greenburg had watched it, Bill spoke up. “I know I can get help from Agent DeLeon. He and I shoot hoops together now and then, and we’ve been buddies since our college days.”
“What can he do? This isn’t a federal case, Bill.”
“They have better resources than we do as far as possibly identifying that white car. Plus, the FBI can access her driver’s license, and we can’t.”
“Why do you need that?”
“To get her documented height and weight. With only a leg to go off of, we’d be guessing, although Leah says she thought Beth was five foot seven.
Dave can determine height with some accuracy by measuring her leg, but the DL would confirm it.
Dave should know if there’s a DNA match or no match within a few hours. He said he’d call either way.”
Greenburg raked his thin strands of hair. “Okay. See if you can get some help, but this is a police case, not the FBI’s problem.”
“Right, but with their connections, they might know of other cases like this. Their Serial Crimes Unit might come into play.”
“Keep me posted, and I want to know if there’s a DNA match the minute Dave calls you.”
“You bet, and thanks, boss.”
Two hallways later, Bill and Tina entered the bullpen and took seats at their desks. It was noon, and the chances of reaching Lorenzo were good.
Bill made the call and gave Tina a grin when Lorenzo answered.
“Hey, buddy, you got a minute?”
Tina whispered for Bill to put the call on Speaker since they were the only two who hadn’t left for lunch.
Lorenzo’s voice sounded through the phone loud and clear. “Yeah, I have a few minutes. What’s up?”
“We’re in a bit of a pinch, and you might be able to get us over the hump.”
“What do you need?”
“A few things. One would be a copy of a missing and possibly murdered woman’s driver’s license.”
“Easy enough, and then what?”
“Information. Dave Mann is in possession of a female leg that washed up on shore near Atwater Park, hence the need for the driver’s license.
The Jane Doe may be a night worker. Dave is having the DNA analyzed from bone marrow he extracted from that leg and comparing it to a possible match, a toothbrush supplied by the roommate who filed the missing person report.
Anything similar in the FBI database recently, as in dismembered bodies found in this area? ”
“That washed up on shore?”
“Not necessarily but in general.”
Lorenzo sighed into the phone. “Sure, our team has had plenty of cases like that but recently and in Milwaukee? Not in the last few months.”
“Damn. I was hoping this wasn’t a one-off incident that’ll be hard to pin down.
We do have video footage from Saturday night of that woman climbing into a white sedan.
I know your tech department is far more sophisticated than ours and can clean up footage much better than we can.
That’s if her DNA matches what Dave extracted from the leg’s bone marrow. ”
“Call me back when you hear from Dave. Meanwhile, since the criminals we usually go after seem to be taking a break this week, Jade and I can do a little digging into cases outside of Milwaukee County. We’ll see if other police departments and sheriff’s offices have come across body parts recently.
Have you guys contacted anyone else in law enforcement? ”
“Nah, we haven’t gotten to that point yet.
The only information we have is from speaking with her roommate this morning, if that leg actually belongs to the missing woman.
We’re working on getting information from the marina’s cameras.
Anyone with their own boat moored there would have to swipe their key card at the gate. ”
“Sure. And the name of the missing woman?”
“Beth Morrow.”
“Okay, it’ll likely be Jade who will call you back with Beth’s driver’s license information. I’ll ask around about body parts in other locations. Do you think this is an isolated incident, or is somebody targeting prostitutes? They’re easy prey.”
“That, I don’t know, but finding out who owns that white sedan could help a lot.”
“So other than the gas station video taken from a distance, you can’t tell the make or the model of the car, and you didn’t get a plate number?”
“That sums it up, buddy. It isn’t like we can’t get lucky eventually, but without the equipment or the clout you FBI big shots have, it’ll be tough.”
Lorenzo laughed. “Let me know what Dave Mann says, and we’ll talk then. Expect Jade’s call soon.”
“Appreciate it.” Bill ended the call and gave Tina a thumbs-up.