Chapter 22
We arrived at the second district station and told the officer at the counter that we needed to speak with the patrol lieutenant. As the officer opened her mouth to speak, Renz pulled out his FBI ID wallet and turned it to face her.
“We need to speak to whoever is in charge right now.”
“Yes, sir. Give me one minute to make the call to Lieutenant Olsen.”
We paced the foyer for several minutes before a bewildered-looking man approached us.
“How can I help you agents?”
I tipped my head at Renz. I’d found that men listened far more closely to other men rather than women. It was just the way it was.
“I’m Special Agent Lorenzo DeLeon from the Serial Crimes Unit, and this is my partner, Special Agent Jade Monroe.”
We exchanged handshakes, then the lieutenant invited us to join him in his office. We followed and took seats facing him at his desk.
“Now, how may I help you?”
Renz began by saying a BOLO had been activated last night by a patrol officer from their district. A white Camry, likely used by a serial killer, was in their impound garage, and that information was supposed to have been passed on to us as co-investigators in the case. It was not.
“Oh, I see. I wasn’t aware that the message hadn’t gotten to you. I assumed you were here to take possession of the vehicle.”
“Has the car been gone through, and where is the driver that was pulled over in it?”
“The driver was released back to the elements with a fine and a court date that he won’t show up for.
It was a homeless drunk or druggie behind the wheel.
The car is in the evidence garage, and it has been searched and printed.
It’s empty, and other than the prints from the man we released, the car was clean.
The VIN shows it belongs to City Rentals of New Berlin. ”
“What time was the BOLO canceled?” I asked.
The lieutenant tapped his computer keys. “Looks like six p.m. last night.”
I felt my face heat up. “We need the patrol officer’s report, the car, and the name of the person who was supposed to pass that critical information on to us.”
“Um, the communication between the officer and the night shift lieutenant was probably misconstrued.”
Renz and I stared at Lieutenant Olsen and waited.
“I’ll see what I can do. Where would you like the car delivered?”
“To our headquarters in St. Francis,” Renz said. “And put a rush on it.” Renz placed his card on the desk. “Tell the tow truck driver to have the guard call me when he arrives.”
We stood, thanked Lieutenant Olsen, and walked out.
As we crossed the parking lot, I cursed under my breath. “We could have been working on clues from the car already.”
“But the lieutenant said the car was empty and there weren’t any prints other than the driver’s.”
“There’s always clues, Renz. You just have to look hard enough.”
Before we headed to the gas station, Renz called Taft. He explained that we had just found out that the second district police station was in custody of the white Camry. The BOLO had been canceled last night after the car was taken to their impound garage.
“They’re towing the car to our garage, but they’ll have to get through the guard gate. Jade and I are heading back to the gas station to speak with some of the day workers.”
“Okay, I’ll call down to George in Security and tell him to let me know when the tow truck arrives. He can let him through on my okay.”
“Thanks, boss.”
Renz ended the call, and eight minutes later, we were back where we were an hour earlier. After parking on the side of the building, we walked to the front door.
I looked toward the sidewalk before we entered and saw Torrie, Candy, and several other ladies I hadn’t spoken to yet.
“Let’s see if that same girl is working today,” Renz said as he pulled open the glass door.
I entered and looked directly at the counter. That same young lady stood there smiling at us, then her name popped into my mind—Tiffany. I smiled back.
“Hi, Tiffany. Do you have a few minutes?”
“Sure, Agent Monroe. It’s pretty quiet right now.”
I was impressed that she remembered my name. Her memory was impeccable.
“Good. We only have a few questions. You said when we were here last time that the day workers come in to use the restroom, but they have to buy something to avoid the ‘no loitering’ rule.”
“That’s right.”
“And you knew some of them by name. Do you remember a day worker named Della?”
Tiffany wrinkled her brow. “Yeah, I do. Strange that I completely forgot about her, but it’s probably because she doesn’t come inside anymore.”
“I don’t think Della stuck around. Did she ever mention looking for other work or a different location?”
“Not to me. The ladies are okay, but it isn’t like they treat me as a friend. They didn’t talk to me much, probably because I’m younger than they are and we don’t have the same interests.”
I gave her a grin. “Thank God for that. Della never mentioned any of her usual johns by name, did she?”
“I don’t remember anyone. If she’s actually gone, then she only worked the sidewalk out front for a month or two.”
I patted the counter. “Okay, I’ll take two Snickers bars.” I paid for the candy, thanked her, and said there was a chance that she might see us again. Renz and I walked out. “Do you want to wait or join me in talking to the ladies out front?”
“I’ll wait at the car. I don’t want to scare anyone off.”
I gave Renz a nod then headed to the sidewalk. I approached the only two girls I knew—Candy and Torrie. “Ladies, I have a few questions for you.”
Candy smacked her gum. “Damien is going to be pissed if he sees us talking to you.”
“I don’t care. I can haul his ass in anytime I want.”
The ladies laughed.
“Man, what I’d give to see that,” Torrie said.
“I promise this will only take a few minutes.”
“Is it about Beth again?” Candy asked.
“No, it’s about Della. What happened to her? Where did she go?”
Torrie spoke up as she fiddled with the knotted nest of hair teetering on the top of her head. “I don’t think this was her thing. She worked for a few months, and that was it. Last time I saw her, she was walking down the sidewalk to the next corner to see if business was better there.”
“And she never came back to this spot?”
“Nope,” Candy said.
“Did you see her get into anyone’s car?”
“Honestly, we only focus on ourselves. Money is money, and we have to do whatever draws the customer to us.”
“How long ago was that?”
Candy shrugged. “A month or so. Never saw hide nor hair of her again.”
“Do you know where she stayed? Where she lived?”
“Yeah, at the Trace Motel. Nothing but a shithole if you ask me. I even live better than that. Personally, I think Della went back home.”
“And where was she from?”
“Iowa, but I don’t know what town.”
“Okay. Thanks, ladies, and stay safe.” I handed each of them another twenty then joined Renz at the car.
After taking my seat on the passenger side and letting out an over-the-top groan, I said my piece.
“Okay, it’s more than likely that the killer is targeting prostitutes on this particular street and in front of this particular gas station.
Why here? Why not a different street? Like you said, there are other street corners throughout Milwaukee’s metro area. ”
“Right. So, what are you saying, Jade?”
“Why would a killer come back to the same place more than once? Isn’t that risky, especially since there are cameras facing the street here?
We now know that the Camry was a rented car.
Smart guy, but what that actually tells me is that he isn’t done.
He probably rented a different car when he snatched up Della, then the Camry for Beth. Who’s next, and what car will he use?”
“Maybe he gets perks by using the same car rental company. We should call City Rentals and ask. If nothing else, we need to know the name of the person who rented the Camry.”
I shook my head. “If his MO is to ditch the car when he’s done with it, then City Rentals would blacklist him. He moves from one rental company to another. Never uses his own vehicle when he’s on the prowl, yet he keeps going back to the same corner. I don’t get it.”
“Maybe it’s as simple as eliminating prostitutes. He could be a religious zealot trying to clean up the city.”
“Nah. If he was religious at all, he would know that murder is a sin. There’s some other motivation involved, and we have to figure out what it is.”
Renz snickered. “I’d be happy to find out who he is, but for now, let’s call City Rentals and get the name of the person he pretended to be.”