Savage Noir

Chapter 18          Colin said, “This killing fits into a pattern. There have been five of them, counting her. The first four were one month apart. The first body was discovered in LA. ; next three were located in or around Death Valley National Monument. The park is huge. Might be the biggest in the U.S. This is where it gets hinky. A whole year goes by before the next killing. Then, as you know, we discover her body on the sidewalk in front of an apartment building.          We were all silent for a bit.          “We know the initials mean something,” I said. “But what about the location? Where they dumped the body.”          “No clue.”          “Terry?” I prompted.          “Were the other locations clues of some sort?” he asked. ...

Chapter 17 Colin was wrong. My nemesis, Lt. Spears (aka “Shorty”)was still at his desk in The Homicide Division. That meant Terry and I would have to wait outside in the dark hallway. My pulse quickened as I remembered one hellish night in the interview room, many years ago. Just a few doors down from where Terry and I stood.   Sergeant Spears produced a short length of rubber hose from somewhere. He smiled as he stood in front of me, slapping the hose against his palm. “Smitty and me were close, see? You erased my friend tonight.” “I told you, I was just protecting myself.” “Protect yourself from this!”   Whap! The first blow struck my shoulder. Whap. My left cheek. Whap! My left ear… I shook off the memory in time to see Spears leaving through the back door. “Are you okay?” Terry asked. “I’m fine,” I lied. “You were trippin,’ man!” We saw Colin approaching. There was one other cop eating his lunch at his desk. It was not Olsen, aka “Slim.” “Follow ...

Chapter 16 My brother called me about the beheaded girl.          “Have you been to the crime scene?” I asked.          “Out of our jurisdiction. Everybody else will be there, count on it. Highway Patrol, Petaluma Sheriff… Maybe the Santa Rosa Sheriff, as well. Oh, and the F.B.I.”          “Really? I thought the feds only dealt with crimes that crossed state lines. You know, like kidnapping.”          “You’ll have to ask them. How are you getting along with Rollins?”          “I could do without him, if you want to know the truth. But there is something we can no t do without. The Murder Book.”          “Oh that.”          I said nothing.          “...