Serial Separation (4 page)

Chapter 9

It felt good completing all of my school work. However, the weekend was a bust. I did some Christmas shopping, but my heart wasn’t in it. I wondered if Lisa was purposely avoiding me, or whether she was just busy. I was concerned I had not heard from her, and my calls to the dorm were unsuccessful. I argued with myself that she was busy Christmas shopping. I even considered whether she had already left for her parents’ house.

Maybe the boredom focused my attention on the hockey league picture. I could not help picking it up several times and studying it. It was as if the picture was going to tell me why the men were being killed. However, the more I stared at it, the more bewildered I became.
What could these guys have in common to warrant being killed?

I decided to see Mike Miller at the task force office. If we could talk, without the other members of the task force present, it would be easier to explain things to him. Explain what? I was confused but couldn’t just ignore these men, or my connection to them.

* * *

I spotted Colleen at the reception desk as I entered the task force office.

“Colleen, good morning. How was your weekend?”

“Good morning, Scott. My weekend was fine, and how was yours?” she said, smiling.

I thought for a moment. “Not that great, actually.”

“Is there a problem with school?”

“No, actually, everything there is fine. We’re on break now. I didn’t talk with Lisa all weekend.” I could tell she was studying me.

“That doesn’t sound good.” She continued. “What can I do for you?”

“Is Mike in?”

“Yes. He’s in the conference room. Do you want me to see if he’s available?”

“Yes, please.”

She got up and walked down the short hall to the open conference room door. A few seconds later, she said, “Scott, Mike is available.” She smiled as we passed in the hall.

When I reached the door, Mike waved me in. His warm smile relaxed me. “What’s up, Scott?”

“Good morning, Mike. Well, I can’t seem to get those murdered men out of my mind.”

“Scott, I have a few minutes. Sit down. Let’s talk for a couple of minutes. How can I help?”

I pulled up a chair and quickly answered his question. “Mike, we’re now on winter break, so I have some time to devote to this new case. You may know I met with Paddy last week, but he’s not making any commitment about my joining the task force.”

“Scott, I know you met with him. He told me about your desire to join us. He also mentioned his problem with the AG.”

“Mike, we worked so well on the last task force . . . well, I was hoping you would talk to Paddy.” I studied Mike’s face. “Mike, I have to help with this investigation. Knowing these guys, well, it’s driving me crazy. There has to be a connection, but I can’t think of what it would be.”

“Scott, you have already helped us. It might have taken us a while, but you tied these two men together. We knew they played hockey for Northeastern, but you tied them together several years ago. There might be some significance to that association.”

Before I could reiterate why I came to see him, he put his hand on my shoulder. “Scott, I’ll make it a point to talk with Paddy about your helping, but I have no control over what Paddy does.”

I smiled. “Mike, coming from you, it will be my best chance. I hope I can do something for you in the future.”

He looked at his watch. “How about a beer sometime this week?”

“That’s a deal. Do you want me to call you?”

Mike never answered. Paul, another detective on the task force, entered the conference room, obviously excited.

“Mike, we just got a report—” He stopped when he looked over at me. “Hi, Scott. How have you been?”

“I’m doing okay, and you?”

“Fine, thanks.”

I looked at both of them. “I’m sorry; I’ll leave.” I started to get up.

Mike held out his hand. “What is it, Paul?”

“Mike, we received a report that two college students were reported missing. A Cathy Palmer and her boyfriend, Bob Sullivan, were last seen Friday night in the Back Bay.”

I was standing, ready to leave, but Bob Sullivan’s name was familiar. I pulled the folded hockey league article and checked the names and looked at the picture to verify he was indeed there.

“Excuse me, Mike.”

They both looked over. “What is it, Scott?” Mike asked.

Pointing to the article I announced, “Bob Sullivan was part of this hockey league.”

Mike took the article and looked at it. “Scott ,thanks.” He winked at me. “I need to make Paddy aware of this new development. I will also follow up on our conversation. I’ll give you a call, but I have to get going. Thanks for stopping by.”

Mike, smiling, shook my hand, and I knew he would indeed follow up with Paddy. Regardless, I knew without a doubt there were now three dead men, and, unfortunately, I knew all of them.

Chapter 10

Scott was saying good-bye to Colleen as he headed to Paddy’s office. Mike wondered what Paddy would say about the missing couple but thought more about the three men connected to Scott’s hockey league.

He knew Paddy would have heard him running up the stairs. Paddy was in another one of his argyle sweaters, but this one looked very festive, primarily red and green. “Paddy, I need to bother you. Paul just informed me two college kids were reported missing and last seen Friday night.”

Paddy waved him to have a seat. “Do you think it’s related?”

“I’m afraid so. Scott Tucker was just here talking with me, and when he heard the guy’s name, he recognized it. Bob Sullivan, the missing guy, played hockey in the same league as the other two murdered men. Did you know Scott played in that same league? He’s concerned about men he knew turning up dead. Paddy, I think it would be a good idea if you could find a way of bringing Scott on board.”

He studied Paddy for a reaction.

“Paddy, Scott was really a big help on the last task force. If he wasn’t involved he might not have saved Lisa from being killed.” He knew Paddy also knew that, but he felt he needed to restate that. “Scott and I worked well together. I would enjoy working with him again.”

“Mike, I know you and Scott have become close friends. Right now, my concern is the relationship to that hockey league.”

“Paddy, Scott could be an asset in that regard. He knew all of these guys. There has to be some connection to that hockey league. The first two guys played hockey at Northeastern, but Sullivan goes to Boston College.”

He continued. “Paul said he is trying to reach Bob’s parents in Winchester. The missing person’s report indicated Bob lived at home and commuted to school. We have to be careful because he’s only missing, and we don’t want his family to be unduly alarmed.”

Heavy pounding on the steps interrupted them. Paul Brosque knocked on the door. “Excuse me. I heard from Robert Sullivan’s folks. He was indeed due home at least by Sunday night. He had a date Friday night with Cathy Palmer, who attends Northeastern. They were reluctant to report him missing as he sometimes stays over with one of his classmates. However, when he still hadn’t returned home by this morning, they reported him missing.”

“Thanks Paul.” Paddy took the words out of his mouth.

Paul continued. “Cathy Palmer’s mom filled out the original missing person report Sunday morning when her daughter didn’t return from her date Friday. She reported that it was not like her to stay out without reporting in to mom. The Boston PD is following up with Palmer’s mother, and they’re going to let us know what they learn. It looks like we might have our next missing guy, judging from the preliminaries.”

When Paul left, Mike resumed his conversation with Paddy. “Paddy, judging from the timing on the previous murders, we may be already too late to stop the next murder.”

“Mike,” Paddy offered, “Scott did meet with me, and I told Scott I received pressure from the AG on his joining the last task team.”

“Could we utilize his skills and not make a big deal about it?”

“Mike, if Scott comes aboard, I’m not going to hide his participation. That would be asking for trouble.”

“Scott is a very promising young man, he’s getting one of the best educations available, he’s intelligent, he’s going to have a bright future, and he thinks you walk on water.”

“He does?”

“He told me you missed your calling and you should have been an inspirational speaker. He hasn’t missed any of your lectures at Harvard, and he can tell you make an impact with the students.” He paused. “What happens if another man on that earlier hockey league comes up missing?”

Paddy paused for a few seconds. “Let me think about his participation for a while. I can’t use the defense he’s not part of law enforcement. I’m about to bring another Harvard student on board very soon.”

“Does Scott know him?”

“I don’t think so, and it’s not a he. Her name is Mercedes Strong, and she’s studying to be a profiler, and she’ll be here Wednesday for an interview. How about I bring them both in for an interview together?”

Before he could respond, Paddy’s phone rang, and Colleen announced it was Victor Young. “Mike, this is the AG now. I have to take the call, and I’ll think about Scott coming on board, but no promises.”

Chapter 11

She entered the small coffee shop on Marlborough Street and noticed the manager changing the daily specials. The specials changed on Mondays, and, although she rarely ate lunch here, the different aromas provided by the combination of a coffee shop and deli were enticing. She remembered having coffee here with Scott when they first met, and that made this a special place.

She was meeting Judy and Judy’s close friend, Dottie Copeland, to talk about the holidays. They frequently all met here to share how their love lives were progressing, or, at times, not.

While she waited in line for her coffee, she spotted and waved to Judy and Dottie, already seated at their favorite back table. That table provided enough privacy for talking without being overheard. She thought it interesting they were dating roommates, attending Boston University. Judy was an attractive brunette, but Dottie caused heads to turn. She was striking, and her complexion was so light it was hard to tell she was black.

She was using the time to gain enough courage to discuss her call with Scott. She hoped they would chat about their guys, which would give her an opportunity to share her upsetting call with Scott. She brought her coffee over to the table and greeted them.

“Good morning, girls.”

“Glad to see you up and moving,” Judy said with a smirk.

She thought it was strange Judy was already out of the dorm room when she woke this morning.

Dottie added, “Judy, don’t pick on her. She’s got an active love life and probably exhausted.”

She responded, maybe a little too quickly, “Actually, one of the things I want to talk about is Scott . . . I didn’t want to bring it up so soon, but I need your thoughts on something.”

“Oh, gee, sounds like we’re going to have to play ‘Dear Abby,’” Dottie said, smiling.

“Why don’t we talk about what you’re both doing over Christmas, which is just four days away?” She realized she wasn’t prepared to talk about Scott.

Judy offered, “Neil is going to come over to my parents’ house Christmas day for the afternoon, and that’s going to be exciting.”

Dottie added, “Jeremy and I are still trying to determine how we’re going to handle Christmas. He’s been acting strangely and I can’t tell if he . . . he might have someone else.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Judy trumpeted. “He’s all but married to you.”

“Well, I would have agreed with you, but there was a weekend in November where I couldn’t reach him all weekend. My fear is that he was seeing somebody else. He’s acted strangely with me since then.” Dottie bowed her head, her eyes filling up.

She could tell Dottie was indeed concerned about Jeremy.

Dottie needed some time to compose herself, and she felt now was the best time to get her own issue on the table. “Scott and I had words the other day on the phone.”

“Gee, Lisa, you just told me he was late calling, but I didn’t realize you had serious words over it,” Judy said, placing her hand against Lisa’s.

She found it hard to get the words out. “Dottie, Judy knows about his call, but he was late calling me the other night, and I guess I took my frustration out on him. I realize now I never gave him the chance to explain why, but I don’t know whether I hung up or he did. I don’t know if he’s got someone else either or whether we’ll see each other Christmas or not.”

“Lisa, don’t be silly. Scott doesn’t have anyone else. What happened is just a lover’s spat . . . you’ll be fine.”

She knew Judy was trying to help.

Judy looked over at Dottie, who was now focused on Lisa’s troubles. “Dottie, she has some issues related to that ordeal with Jimmy Ballou, and she needs to get past them.”

She wasn’t expecting Judy to bring up that history. “Do you think we’ll still go away skiing over New Year’s?” She hoped that would change the subject, as she didn’t want to get into a conversation about that ordeal.

Dottie was first to respond. “Like I said, Jeremy has been acting so strangely, I can’t say whether we’re still going or not. I want to, but he hasn’t been close to me in weeks. If we go away, I’m going to break his leg, so all we can do is spend time in bed.”

That made them all laugh and lightened the moment.

“Dottie, I’ll pick Neil’s brain to see if he knows anything about what’s up with Jeremy,” Judy said, trying to reassure her. “In the meantime, if we are indeed going away, we need to book some reservations or we might all be freezing to death in the car. That might give some incentive to creating some body heat. If it’s okay with you guys, I’ll call and make reservations at the Balsams, or do you want to be closer to home?”

She beat Judy to the punch. “Let’s go for the Balsams. The long ride might help us understand what is happening with these guys.” She looked to Judy. “Can you see if Neil’s up to taking his station wagon? It would be too cramped in Scott’s car.”

They continued their conversation about the holidays, but she kept thinking about Dottie’s comment about whether Jeremy had another girlfriend, or was with someone that weekend. She wondered if she was driving Scott away. Did he have someone else, or would he ever spend time with someone else?