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  He said when he woke up in the morning the woman was still lying there, he said he tried to wake her up, but when he touched her she was cold and then he saw it, blood covering her throat and the ground around her. He said he recognized her as Sheila, one of the local prostitutes. He went on to say how she was always nice to him and after she would have a good night, she always brought him a fresh bottle of whisky and a sack of food. “She took real good care of me.” He looked away as if in deep thought then leaned in giving her names of all the men he had seen her with in the days preceding her death.

  Her heart thumped as he went down the list, she had suspects, but the name on the last john that picked her up made her stomach churn. The name echoed in her head as the old man repeated it. “Mayor Burns.” The witness insisted the mayor was with the hooker the night of the murder, but insisted it was not the man in the alley who killed her. Danni asked the man to wait and entered the adjoining room. She was relieved when she saw no one in there. She was the only one who heard the statement, and this was now her chance to make a name for herself. He may not be the murderer but he is still part of her investigation and not beyond approach.

  She went back in the room extended her hand in appreciation and handed him a few food vouchers the precinct kept on hand for emergencies. This ranked right up there with one she reasoned. “I made arrangements for you to go to Tyler Resource Center where you can have access to a shower and a set of clean clothes, then take these vouchers and get yourself a hot meal.” Danni smiled when she witnessed a toothless grin.

  “Thank you,” he eagerly took them nodding his head in appreciation.

  “It’s the least I can do,” she smiled. “Thank you for the information, here is my card; call me if you think of anything else.”

  It was not long after Danni finished the interview that the lieutenant called her into his office. She entered with caution looking around. Seated to the right was a woman no older than twenty nine, maybe thirty but no older than thirty three, she thought as she sized her up carefully standing directly in front of the desk. Danni tried not to stare but the striking bright blue eyes, dimples, and the blonde curly hair pulled back around her ears seemed familiar. She had this weird sensation she had looked into those eyes before.

  Maybe in another life she coughed trying to gather her composure. “Yes Sir, did you want to see me?” she questioned avoiding the woman’s gaze.

  “Have a seat Pacelli.” He directed her to the chair next to the other woman. “This is detective Flanery. She transferred here from the Lubbock PD and I have assigned her as your partner to work the Night Walker case,” he advised and cocked his right eyebrow waiting for the objection he knew would follow.

  Lost for words, Danni knew he was testing her. She did not want to blow her chance with this case and had to fight the urge to slam her fist down on the wide smiling, bible-thumping conservatives’ desk, but instead she regained her composure and stared him down. “I don’t need a partner!” she snarled, unmoving.

  “You have no choice in the matter. You are being moved into homicide and everyone in that department has to have a partner.” He smirked when he witnessed the shocked look on her face.

  “I’m what? Why wasn’t I told before?” Danni backed down, and looked at him in disbelief.

  “The orders just came across my desk yesterday. I waited for Detective Flanery to get into town, to ensure I had a partner for you.”

  “She’s a rookie Lieutenant and this is a high profile case, if you think the media is trash talking us now, let them get a whiff of this.” Pointing out the obvious she looked at him in disbelief.

  He chuckled already aware how this would look. “There is no other choice, none of the guys on the force will work with you, and so you’re getting the rookie.” He half smiled wanting to dig it in a little more. “You should have been nicer to the guys Danni,” he blurted out trying to hide his amusement. He deposited himself back in his chair and ignored the way the young detective looked at him.

  Danni was visibly angry, but she kept her cool. She must be sleeping her way up the chain to get the job so young Danni concluded as she laughed. “Lieutenant, this partnership is unacceptable. Why can’t you put me with a more experienced detective that won’t get me killed?” Danni was determined there was no way she was not going to put her life in this rookies hands.

  “I asked for you,” Detective Flanery chimed in. “I wanted to be with someone who knew what they were doing and would not get me dead.”

  “And, who did you have to sleep with to get that put through?” caught off guard, Danni snarled.

  “It is what it is, so deal with it!” Flanery smirked.

  Very rarely was Danni ever taken by surprise, but there was something about this woman. For a moment she entertained that it was a joke being played on her. She sighed as she looked into her eyes, if they were not so enticing, so familiar, Danni would have knocked her on her ass. What is it about this woman? She knew either she agreed or she would be stuck in the DEA truck for another twelve years.

  “Shit.” Danni locked eyes with Flanery. “Fine, but you better stay out of my way!” she spouted and exited the room. Flanery looked to the Lieutenant for guidance but he motioned for her to follow her new partner.

  Flanery was just as concerned as Danni with the partnership, this was a murder investigation, from her research, Danni worked solely with the DEA, and she had only done research for the special crimes division. Neither had experience but she knew she was lacking in experience on the street, she had more than double the experience with her investigative skills. She could find anything or anyone with all the right technology which she has already proven herself time and time again.

  She tried to approach Pacelli several times that morning at her desk, but was treated like a coffee girl or a go-fer. Fed up and feeling rejected, she pulled the case files off the server and scanned through them. She knew that Danni probably had more recent data, but how could she get to that when she was being pushed away. For a brief moment, she started to regret transferring. She already had made a name for herself at her old precinct and now she was on new territory, and the one person she was assigned to wanted nothing to do with her.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Danni tried to appear busy as she thumbed through the witness statements, but the harder she tried to focus the more distracted she became. She watched as the young detective got acquainted with the other officers in the squad room. She watched curiously as she expressed herself elegantly but accordingly demanded respect, the more she watched the more she could not get the idea out of her mind that she knew her from somewhere, but where? It bothered her and she could not afford the distraction. The Lieutenant was right, she did not and never had worked well with other officers and she was not willing to now. She did not want to rely on anyone or be responsible for another life. Danni never admitted to anyone that she was afraid. She feared letting anyone down, it terrified her to the point she would wake up each night from the same nightmare. Each as different as it was, in the end it was always the same, she had failed to save the people trapped in the house and since that fateful tragic day, her life had never been the same. She had to shake off the images and focused back to her task at hand. Her eyes widened when she saw it, a discrepancy in witness statements, it was time to get to the bottom of this and with interviewing skills, and she was just the person to get to it.

  “Houston, we have a problem,” Flanery giggled as she stood over Pacelli’s desk watching her expressions.

  Danni arched her eye, a little taken back. “What, who is Houston?” Danni looked at her, then back down to the discrepancy. Ignoring the intrusion, she made notes in her pad to follow up on the lead,

  Flanery chuckled at the question. ‘Wow, I am in trouble, she has no sense of humor,’ she thought shaking the chill she got down her spine. “It was an icebreaker Pacelli. Are you always so damn serious?”

  Danni was getting angry, she wished she had a fly swatt
er to shoo her away, she was on to something and this intruder was interrupting.

  “Are you going to ignore me?” Flanery sat on the end of the desk tapping her finger on the same papers Danni was reading.

  She was in no mood to play cops and robbers with a rookie but she was stuck with her, and as annoying as she was, she was not going away. “Shit, shit, shit!” she snarled and rolled her eyes. “Let’s go rookie, and you better not slow me down.”

  Flanery followed quickly behind and waited for instructions once they were in the car, but none came. She looked at Pacelli with a curious eye. “Where we going?” Still no response, annoyed she opened the city map to get acquainted with the area.

  Danni eyed her curiously, and then sighed. “I have a few leads to follow up on, and since I have no choice but to let you tag along… just keep your mouth shut during the investigation and don’t discuss the case with anyone,” Danni snarled keeping her face and tone neutral.

  “Yes sir, I mean Ma’am,” Flanery nervously stumbled over her words.

  Danni tried not to laugh. She thought it was cute how intimidated she made her, but there was no time for cute, they needed to make it across town before it got too late.

   

  Danni sat crouched in her recliner she hadn’t noticed that the night fell upon the city. She went through the notes of the investigation, haunted by the last interview, it disturbed her, not because of the pride the old prostitute took in her job, but the keen observation given from being on the streets for so many years. Mayor Burns was mentioned several times again. At first the prostitute was hesitant to give Danni any information, but after consideration of her fallen friends, she took Danni by the arm and walked her down the alley. The smell from the dumpsters turned her stomach; it did not seem to affect the prostitute known as Hollywood. She summed it up that the woman had walked many men down the alley to perform her job. The thought gave her a shiver down her spine.

  Hollywood looked around to ensure no one was in earshot. “Some of the women have said that the Mayor was rough with them, another said she had to get away from him because he was choking her,” she whispered then looked around again. “But, I don’t think he killed any of the girls. I know everything that happens out here on the streets, and who goes with whom. He may be a scary bastard, but all the girls have come back alive.” She shrugged her shoulders and smiled, she displayed blackened teeth caused by excessive drug use, cigarettes and coffee. Danni could see that at one time this was a beautiful woman with sparkling white teeth and wondered what happened in her life that was so bad that made her sell her body on the streets to anyone with a few dollars. The thought of the degrading act made her cringe.

  “It’s not so bad!” Hollywood whispered as if she knew what Danni was thinking. “We all make choices, and this is mine.”

  Danni nodded and pulled a twenty dollar bill out of her wallet. “If you hear anything, see anything, or even suspect anything. I want you to call me,” she said, handing the money with a business card. “I don’t care what time it is.” She paused and tapped her finger on the card, “You call me day or night.”

  “You got it.” Hollywood smiled as she looked down at the money.

  With a twist of the wrist, Danni looked at the time; she put her note pad down and rubbed her tired eyes. Her informant was a drug addict and the one suspect she had, was not a murderer. A pervert maybe, Danni concluded. Nine women dead and no one saw anything. Or, Danni thought, her mind reeled with the possibly. They could be afraid to say anything, or they could have been paid off. Danni decided to still entertain that the Mayor could be involved, but how? She would have to talk to Hollywood again. If the Mayor was with each of the dead girls before they were murdered, he just might be the connection, and it was worth following up on.

  The phone rang, Danni looked at the caller id, she snarled at the unfamiliar number. Annoyed she answered the call ready to slam into the person on the other end. She had received so many telemarketer calls in the past week that she was at her breaking point. Danni reluctantly flipped her phone open. “If this is a sales call, an offer to do a survey or anyone who does not have business with me on a regular basis. Lose the number!” Danni slammed the phone shut. A moment later the phone rang again, the same number appeared. “You have got to be kidding?” Danni moaned putting the phone to her ear when she remembered giving out her business card.

  “Pacelli here,” she said in a calm voice.

  “Wow, you’re annoyed Pacelli, I was afraid to call back.”

  “Who is this?” Danni questioned trying to recall the number.

  “It’s Annabel,” the caller announced.

  “Annabel,” she hesitated. “Annabel who?”

  “It’s Detective Flanery, I hope I didn’t wake you up, but I had to talk to you about the case we are working on,” she said hoping to smooth over Danni’s annoyance with her.

  “What do you want that can’t wait until tomorrow?” she moaned and slumped further in her seat.

  Flanery sighed knowing this partnership was going to take a lot more of work and patience than anticipated. “I was thinking about the Mayor and what his involvement was, but then, I thought, if the girls were returned alive,” Flanery continued with excitement, feeling like she may have come up with a new lead that would impress her new partner. “Maybe, just maybe someone is out to get the Mayor and is trying to set him up.”

  “That’s a good lead, but if they were trying to set him up, they would have left clues that led to him,” Danni said annoyed that any astute detective would have considered that before jumping to conclusions. “However, maybe you’re onto something.” Danni caught herself as the idea of a set up was not so far fetched after all. “Maybe not trying to set him up, but trying to ruin him. We need to make an appointment to go see the Mayor tomorrow. Good job Flanery.” She closed the phone and wrote the scenario down on her note pad.

  Warming up to the idea of having the young detective as a partner, Danni reopened her phone and programmed the number into her directory. As she was entering the name, she recalled the introductory. “Annabel.” The name was a little different but close enough that Danni sighed remembering the girl from so many years ago. She wondered how she was doing. The memories were soon followed by shame and a subtle anger. She wondered if the girl hated her for not saving her mother. Danni made a mental note to locate the girl and see how she was doing, and meet with her if she would allow it.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The lobby was crowded with people who rushed through the building. Danni paused to smooth her black slacks and run her fingers through her shoulder length auburn hair. Taking a quick glance in the mirror entrance, she could see the puffiness around her tired green eyes. Danni made a mental note to take a week’s vacation as soon as the case was solved. With a quiet reserve she surveyed the lobby of the building, it was just as she had expected. Marble floors scuffed by many years of the men and women that traveled through on a daily basis. She stopped to admire the array pictures of the many people who once worked there, how convenient she thought on a need to know basis. She looked past the security guard towards the elevator and waved her badge when he stepped in front blocking her way.

  “Have a nice day ladies.” He waved his hand and allowed her access all the while admiring Annabel’s figure.

  Once in the elevator Danni giggled, “Did you see the way he was looking at you?”

  She did not say a word, just nudged Danni in the rib cage and laughed as she watched anxiously at the lights lighting up as they passed each floor. Eleven floors up seemed longer than the average ride. She knew she was anxious and had to steady her breathing. This was her first real case and they had nine women dead and she knew more were going to follow.

  When the doors to the elevator opened, they made a sharp right and approached the two guards outside of the Mayor’s office. She looked to her right and nodded her head in an unspoken gesture towards Annabel. Danni smiled as she approached the firs
t man which she labeled as the rent-a-cop that was hired to protect public officials.

  “What’s your business?” The short fat man motioned his hand for her to stop.

  “We’re here to see the Mayor if it is any of your business!” Danni ignored his hand and proceeded to walk past him.

  He grabbed Danni by the forearm halting her entrance. “Not without an appointment. What’s your name and what is your business?” he huffed and stepped in front of her blocking her way.

  His large frame did not intimidate Danni. “Listen here you overweight want-to-be a cop. I have important business with the Mayor and if you ask him, he will tell you he is waiting for us,” she snarled and pushed her way past him.

  “Bitch!” he said under his breath as Danni motioned her head for Annabel to follow. She smiled a silent understanding; no one would push Danni around. She admired that about her.

  The body guard pushed past Danni and opened the door determined to be the first in the office. “There’s a cop here Sir, and she wants to see you now,” he growled his discontent. “If she doesn’t have an appointment, it would be my pleasure to toss her out on her ass,” he added waiting for instruction.

  Mayor Burns peered up from his desk took one look at Danni and ignored the gesture to toss her out. When he smiled and gestured her to a seat Danni stepped in and winked at the guard. Her confidence level grew as she watched the Mayor eye her from his seat behind the oversized mahogany desk.

  “Let her in! I’ve been waiting for her,” Mayor Burns finally said, “And, shut the door on your way out.”

  He turned his attention to Danni, then to Annabel. “I got your message. Make it quick I have other appointments today,” he said admiring Danni’s slim shapely figure and the way her slacks and black blazer fit snug against her. He could see the gun holster beneath and wondered if she was carrying handcuffs. He was instantly erect as he imagined her laying him over his desk, and put handcuffs on him while he was naked.