30
Jul
Completely resigned to his fate now, the old Pirate gazed one last time at the crowd below him. She definitely wasn’t there. His heart broke. The locket in his hand burned hot now.
Suddenly he cleared his throat and called out to the crowd. “Find my treasure, ye who may understand it!” And he tossed the locket into the crowd.
The guards were surprised at the outburst and could do nothing to stop The Buzzard from completing his task. The locket, sparkled momentarily in the hot sun before it landed in the unsuspecting hand of a young man. He gasped and then, realizing that the crowd was looking at him now, disappeared into the narrow streets of town.
Behind him, he could hear the gallows floor drop open.
-MRC
16
Jul
Jeannie wasn’t sure what she was looking at.
The bank manager was actually surprised when she said who she was. He obligingly led her to the safety deposit box. Her uncle, Christian, left her a key to this box in his will. When she presented it to the bank manager, he immediately cleared his schedule and told his secretary to hold his calls. This, of course, made Jeannie uneasy. Just what was in this box?
Once she was alone, she opened the box. There was hardly anything in it. A brown envelope, another key, and a cassette tape. The envelope was labeled, “For Jeannie.” How weird.
She gathered up the contents and put them in her briefcase. She closed the safety deposit box and walked out of the room. Right outside the door was the bank manager.
“Will that be all, Miss?” he asked, nervously.
“uh, Yes. Thank You.” She handed him her key. “I won’t be needing this anymore.”
-MRC
12
Jul
“Do you know Theresa Carlton?” Lynn asked Ransom.
“I know her family, I have seen her. Around. Cute kid.” He squinted a little, trying to remember.
“It’s so sad.” She was having trouble.
“Hey, they’ll get him.” He tried to be encouraging. It wasn’t working. Maybe it was time she knew about the others.
They arrived at the Hatchery. He’d wait until they were finished. He needed her undivided attention now.
-MRC
7
Jul
Lynn refused to move. It was nearly dawn and light was beginning to creep up the street. She was cold but she would not show it. She had been waiting for her chance. If that detective jerk would answer just one simple question for her when he came out of the house, she just might be able to make her mark on the investigation. There was one fact she wanted to know. It would provide a key to how to proceed with the case.
As if on cue, Detective Nelson slowly emerged with his crime scene technicians. He saw her and paused.
“Why are you still here, Agent?” His gaze was tired. She might actually get what she wanted.
“Just one question and I’ll go. ”
“Ok, shoot.” He leaned on the mailbox post.
“Did he leave anything biological?”
There was a pause.
“No. So what?” He looked at his watch.
“He’s a local.” She said it with certainty.
It hit.
“What makes you think so, Agent. . .?” He probed. He was curious.
“Kwan. Agent Kwan. A careless stranger wouldn’t care if he left a sample in the victim. A careful criminal, one who probably knows the victim somehow, would NOT leave anything so damning. Doncha think?”
He looked down for a moment. Then right at Lynn. “Fine. Ok. Sure. I might, might, not have come to that conclusion right away.” Another pause. Just a little bit longer. He didn’t want to do it. “What do you want?”
She was in.
-MRC