Chapter 9
I entered our office, handed a cup of coffee to Renz, then asked what he had been talking about. “I heard you say to expect a call from me soon. Who am I calling and why?”
Renz swiped the air. “Bill Gavin is calling in favors—kind of.”
“Last time I checked, I didn’t owe the detective any favors.” I cocked my head and waited.
“Okay, so I do. He fronted me a hundred bucks recently on a spur-of-the-moment bet a guy we shoot hoops with dared me to take. He bet I couldn’t get five out of five buckets in a row.”
“And?”
“Obviously, I didn’t, and my wallet was empty. I wasn’t going to pay the guy with my credit card.”
I laughed. “You’re pathetic. I hope you’ve already paid Bill back. So why did you involve me in your shenanigans?”
“It’s no big deal. I’m going to question a few PDs and county officials for him while you pull up a woman’s driver’s license and call him with the information.”
“Why do I feel like this is going to be a bigger deal than it should be?”
Renz laughed. “Knowing Bill, you’re probably right.”
“So, who am I looking up?”
“A Beth Morrow. Height, weight, eye and hair color is what he’s looking for. They already know where she lives or lived.”
I blew over my scalding-hot coffee. “So she’s dead?”
“Not sure, but a missing person report has been filed on her.”
“Do we have the okay from Taft to pitch in on the police department’s case? I mean, why are we involved?”
“We aren’t involved, Jade. I’m sure this return favor will even the score.”
After tapping my computer to wake up the home screen, I logged onto the area of the DMV database that police officers didn’t have access to. I entered Beth’s name and rattled my fingers on the desk as I waited for her driver’s license to pop up.
“So, what’s the deal with her other than the fact that she’s missing?”
“A female leg washed ashore at Atwater Park Monday night.”
I pulled back. “No kidding?”
“No kidding. The storm Sunday night probably had something to do with it. Strong waves and currents. A young couple found the leg last night, called 911, and the cops have been working it since.”
“Wow. Somebody dismembered a woman and tossed her body parts into the lake?”
“I’m not sure how it went down. Dave Mann has the leg, and his report will tell us more.”
“Tell us? You mean the PD, right?”
“I’m going to see if anything else washed ashore in different areas and check for similar cases. We haven’t been involved in any lake dumps, especially not with a killer who dismembered his victim or victims first.”
“Who says it isn’t a one-off? Maybe a jealous lover who killed his wife or girlfriend.”
“Nah, Bill says she was a night worker.”
“Hmm… That could change things drastically. I suppose I could check into missing or murdered prostitutes in the area to see if something serial is going on that we haven’t been made aware of yet.”
“Unless somebody reports those ladies missing, who would know?”
“Good question. There isn’t a separate missing persons database for prostitutes, plus many of them are runaways and don’t have connections to their families anymore.
It’s a sad fact, Renz, but I’ll do some checking after I give Bill the driver’s license info.
” I felt Renz’s stare and finally looked at him. “Now what?”
He chuckled. “Nothing, but there’s something I’ve never expressed out loud.”
I smiled. “Yeah? What is it, Agent DeLeon?”
“Well, in my many years with the FBI, you’re my all-time favorite partner. I figured you ought to know that.”
I smiled wider. “Thanks, Renz. That means a lot to me. In all my years as an FBI special agent in Serial Crimes, you’re my favorite partner too.”
He shot a rubber band at me. “Smart ass. I’m the only partner you’ve ever had.”
Within a few minutes, I had the information Bill Gavin wanted.
I stared at Beth Morrow’s driver’s license photo on my computer screen.
She was a beautiful woman—night worker or not.
I was sure there was a sad story that went along with her chosen profession, but we would never know it anyway if the leg that washed ashore was actually hers.
The driver’s license picture showed a woman with long blond hair, large blue eyes, and a sweet smile.
Her teeth were white and straight—either good dental care or good luck.
My eyes went from her features to her stats.
She was twenty-six years old, five foot seven, and she weighed one hundred twenty-nine pounds.
Renz looked at me when I let out an exaggerated sigh.
“What?”
I shrugged. “It’s just sad. She’s so pretty, and I wonder what caused her to take on such a risky profession.
Nothing ever turns out good for night workers.
If they have a pimp, they’re either beaten, ridiculed, or strung out on drugs and still have to give him ninety percent of the money.
Customers might beat them, too, or in this case, kill them, dismember them, and toss them in the lake like yesterday’s trash. It isn’t right.”
“No it isn’t, and as much as you’ve tried over the years, you can’t save everyone, Jade.”
“I know, but I got my soft side from my dad. I can’t help it.”
“Go ahead and call Bill. You and I will work together on this after the call. Meanwhile, I’ll update Taft and find out exactly how much she’ll allow us to pitch in since we’re not actively working a case now anyway.”
After Renz’s sweet way of trying to distract me, I made the call to Bill Gavin.
He answered before the second ring. “Detective Gavin here.”
“Bill, it’s Jade Monroe. Renz, I mean Lorenzo, updated me on the case you’re involved in. I looked up Beth Morrow’s driver’s license and have the info for you. You understand I can’t send over the actual image of her DL, right?”
“Yes, and that’s okay. Her roommate showed us pictures of her. All I need are her physical stats.”
“Absolutely. Beth is, or was, twenty-six years old, five foot seven, and weighed one hundred twenty-nine pounds. You already know her hair and eye color, but I’ll give it to you anyway—blond hair and blue eyes. You obviously have her address.”
“Yep, and I can’t thank you enough, Jade.”
“Have you spoken with Dave Mann yet?”
“He hasn’t called, but I’m waiting on pins and needles.
The weird thing is some of our other detectives checked the marina’s footage from Friday and Saturday and got the names off of all of the scanned key cards.
We have our work cut out for us, but so far, nobody went beyond the gate after eight p.m. either night. ”
“Hmm… That is odd if someone is trying to be stealthy by sneaking out after everyone else has gone home, but chances are, Beth, or whoever the unfortunate woman was, might have gone on the boat with the perp while alive.”
“Shit! We never even thought of that.”
I shook my head but kept my thoughts to myself. “Gotta have an open mind, Bill. You’ll catch a lot more bad guys if you do.”