Page 38 of Line of Sight
09:30 a.m.
GARY SHIFTEDin his seat. “When are you going to get some new chairs for your office?”
Lieutenant Travers quirked one eyebrow. “When someone gives me the funds for them. And watch what you say. Those chairs have a lot of history.”
“Yeah, I can feel that,” Riley groused. Travers arched both eyebrows, and he flushed. “Sorry, sir.”
“Now suppose one of you tells me why there are three of you here.”
“There’s been a development,” Gary told him. “Another murder this morning.” He gave Travers the rundown.
“And you think it’s the same killer?”
Dan nodded. “Same MO but with one important difference. Now they’re writing notes to both of us.”
“And there are three of us, because I want your permission to bring Riley in on these cases,” Gary added. “I know he has his own team, but he was the one who saw the pattern in the crime scenes. Sean’s death has to be connected. Riley’s a good detective, and we could—”
Travers cut him off with a raised hand. “Okay, you’ve sold me. Do you have any idea why Nichols was targeted? Did he have information that would identify the killer?”
“He didn’t, but the killer didn’t know that.” Gary’s heart pounded. “Maybe Sean was killed because of his connection toBrad.” Travers frowned, and Gary looked him in the eye. “He and Sean were a couple at the time of Brad’s death.”
Travers cocked his head. “You okay to investigate this murder? I have to ask because others will. You know that, right?”
Gary had already thought about it.
“Brad died twenty-three years ago, sir. I’ve done all my grieving. And while Sean was his partner, I hardly knew him. Besides, Riley can take the lead on that one.”
Travers studied him for a moment, then gave a nod. “Fair enough.” He cleared his throat. “Now on to other matters. Have there been any more incidents? It’s been a week. Have you had to deal with any comments or slurs?”
Gary smiled. “It’s been as quiet as the grave whenever I walk through Homicide.”
“And there have been no more cartoons,” Dan added.
“Good. Because if I get so much as a whiff of homophobia, I will be merciless.”
“It’s great to know you have our back,” Gary said warmly.
“Always.” Travers tapped the folder on his desk with his index finger. “Where will you go from here?”
“First thing Monday morning, we’ll resume working through all the murders chronologically. And now we have Riley, we should be able to work faster.”
“Unless the killer continues to add to your workload.” Travers’s face darkened. “Let’s hope that’s not the case.”
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Gary murmured.
The last case had been January of that year.
Maybe he took a break.
There was another possibility.
Maybe he missed it.
Lord, I hope not.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Monday, December 17, 2018
