Page 30 of Cold Threat

“We have to try,” he said. “Used to be stamps were licked. Even the most careful criminal forgot about them. They know the envelope is handled by lots of people and the police rarely find anything on them. But they forgot about their spit.” He shrugged. “Now they all have adhesive. Might be more convenient, but it doesn’t help law enforcement at all.” He looked up at his son. “I think you need to tell me who this guy is and how long he’s been in contact with you.” Tony knew his father well enough to recognize the tone in his voice. He was now head detective Ray St. Clair, and he was upset that he was just learning about a threat against his son and his partner. In most ways, his relationship with his father was based more on friendship now that Tony was an adult. But if he was hurt or in danger, that friendship was put on the shelf, and the father came out. This was one of those moments.

“I didn’t tell you because ... well, what could you do?” Tony said. “The police chief in St. Louis knows all about it. He keeps both of us under surveillance and if we need help, he’s promised that the police will be dispatched immediately. My place has a security system as does River’s house. We’re both armed, and I’m very careful.” He looked over at River, who was calmer but clearly shaken. “I watched carefully to make sure we weren’t followed, Dad. I’m confident that he’s in St. Louis. This guy knows about the Snowman, and he won’t tread on his territory. He wants River all to himself. He’s severely narcissistic.”

Ray didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he leaned back in his desk chair and stared at the both of them before saying, “If youleave this house, I want you to be extremely careful. Watch your six. I’d like to tell you to stay inside, but I know you won’t. Besides, I trust your instincts. I’m going to have to tell your mother that there is a threat, although I don’t think I want to mention the Strangler to her. She had nightmares for weeks after you were hurt. I’ll just say that someone has threatened me. It’s happened before, and we have a good system to make sure we’re safe. She’s used to it. No one’s ever gotten into our house or anywhere near us. My chief might not be certain about the Snowman, but he runs a tight department. We catch almost everyone eventually.”

Tony couldn’t help but think about the fact that crime in Burlington wasn’t anywhere near what St. Louis dealt with, but he still had complete faith in his father. He was the best law enforcement officer he’d ever known.

“Okay, Dad. I’m sorry to bring this here. Even though I’m convinced this guy isn’t in town, I realize we have to be careful. I hope this won’t affect your Christmas.”

Ray laughed, and Tony noticed River looking at him in surprise. Laughter didn’t seem to fit the occasion.

“Tony, you know your mother. She had Christmas squared away weeks ago. She bought Christmas gifts in July—and put up the decorations the day after Thanksgiving. Trust me, she wouldn’t allow anything to disrupt Christmas. Not even a serial killer.”

Tony shook his head and then grinned at River. “He’s right,” he said.

“I’d barely finished my turkey before she had me up on a ladder, hanging the lights and getting the outside decorations in place,” Ray said. He looked at River, concern on his face. “Don’t worry. You’re safe. We’re safe. Everything will be fine. But in the meantime, I’m going to get this card down to the station. See what we can find.”

“I’m going with you,” Tony said. “If any of us have to leave, we need to go with someone.”

“And leave the women here alone?” Ray said. “No. I need you to stay here and keep them safe. I’ll be all right.”

“I don’t like that, Dad.”

Ray got up from behind his desk and came over to where Tony sat. He put his hand on his son’s shoulder. “I’ll ask the station to have officers drive by here frequently. The office is only eight minutes away from here. I’ll call you when I get there, and I’ll ask a patrol car to follow me home. Okay?”

“I guess.”

Ray frowned at him. “You said you don’t think this guy is in Burlington. So why are you so worried?”

Tony had to ask himself the same question. “I ... I guess it’s because we missed an accomplice when we wrote the original profile. We believed the Strangler was too egotistical to work with a partner. I still don’t quite understand how we overlooked it.”

“I ... I’ve been thinking about that,” River said. “The guy ... the one who sent the card ... he’s obsessed with making certain I die the way the Strangler intended. What if his obsession isn’t with me? What if it’s with Joseph Baker? Maybe he’s so dedicated to him ... and to his cause ... that he feels compelled to carry out his master’s intentions.”

Tony let the idea roll over in his mind. “He stopped another killer from taking your life, not because he was angry with you for thwarting the Strangler’s plan, but so he could please the man who really matters to him?”

“That sounds right to me,” Ray said. “I’m not a behavioral analyst like you, but I’ve seen a lot during my almost three decades in law enforcement, and this kind of obsession? We had a couple in Des Moines who decided they wanted police officers dead. They shot two of us before we took the man down in a shootout. His girlfriend attacked two more patrol officers after her boyfriend was dead. When we caught her, we asked her why she didn’t run. Her response was that she had to carry out herdead partner’s wishes. It was what she lived for. She wasn’t killing officers because of her hate for them, she only wanted to please her boyfriend even though he was gone.”

“Did the officers live?” River asked.

Ray shook his head. “We lost two good officers in the first shooting. Thankfully, both officers in the second shooting lived. Unfortunately, one is spending his life in a wheelchair. The other one recovered completely.”

“I think we were so surprised to find that the Strangler wasn’t working alone,” River said so softly that Tony could barely hear her, “we didn’t think it through well enough.”

“Except that you did bring up the idea of partners when we first started working on the profile,” Tony said with a sigh. “I talked you out of it.”

River smiled at him. “If I allowed you to change my mind, it was because I decided you were right. You know better than to believe you could send me in a different direction if I was convinced I was right. Sometimes when we wrote profiles, we just threw out anything to see if it would stick. That was the only reason I mentioned the idea.”

“You’re correct about the first thing you said,” Tony said. “You’re the most stubborn person I’ve ever known. I can’t get you to change your mind if you’re sure you’re right. Nobody can.”

“It’s true, Smooshy.”

Tony pointed his finger at his father. “This is all your fault, you know.”

Ray laughed and put his hands in the air. “Don’t blame me. Your mother let the cat out of the bag.”

“But you didn’t try to stop her,” Tony said.

“Seems like River and your mother have a lot in common. We can’t control them, son.”

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