Detective (15 page)

"Yes, I know. Just the same . . ."
Knowles seemed indecisive. To those
at the conference table who knew him
well, he had slipped into the
hesitant, unsure role he adopted so
often in court. "Assume I'm a
defense attorney and I ask you this
question: 'Doctor, I have testimony
certifying that knives of this type
are manufactured in batches of
several hundred at a time. Can you
be absolutely sure that this one
knife, among hundreds perhaps
thousands of its kind, produced the
wounds you are describing? And when
you answer the question, Doctor,
please remember that a man's life is
at stake here.' "

Deliberately, Knowles turned away
as Sanchez hesitated.

She began, "Well . . ."

The attorney turned back toward
her. He shook his head. "Never
mind."

Sanchez flushed, her lips
tightening as she realized precisely
the point that Knowles had
skillfully made. Instead of
answering with her usual confidence,
she had hesitated, acknowledging
there might be a doubt something
that a jury would note and that a
defense attorney would make the most
of with succeeding questions.

Sanchez glowered at Knowles, who
smiled. "Sorry, Doctor. Only a
practice run, but better here than
on the witness stand."

DETECTIVE 121

"For a moment," she said ruefully,
"I thought that's where I was."

The attorney turned to Julio
Verona. "None of that means we won't
make the most of the knife evidence
if the opportunity arises. There
could be a limit, though, as to how
far I'd take it."

"We don't have the knife, of
course," the ID lead technician
said, "and whether or not we get it
will depend on you guys." He
motioned to the Homicide detectives,
including Newbold. "And now that
Sylvia and I know that two of the
cases are connected, we'll go over
every bit of evidence for
similarities."

Dr. Sanchez said, "And I'll do the
same with the medical records; maybe
I can find an unsolved murder with
similar wound patterns or some kind
of religious connotation." She added
thoughtfully, "There's always a pos-
sibility that what we're looking at
now is a repeat of something in the
past that's been overlooked. I heard
once of a serial killer who waited
fifteen years beforeoresuming his
killing spree."

"All of that's good," Newbold said.
"Now..." He glanced toward his
superior, Manolo Yanes, commander of
the Crimes Against Persons Unit.
''Major, would you like to add
anything?"

"Yes." Typically, Yanes wasted no
time with preamble. Steely-eyed and
speaking with his usual sharp-edged
voice, he declared, "Everyone here
needs to make a much bigger
effort an all-out effort. We've
simply got to stop these killings
before any more occur."

Yanes's eyes swung to Newbold. "For
the record, Lieutenant, you and your
people now have carte Blanche to
take whatever measures are
necessary, including creating a
special task force. When you decide
exactly what you need and what kind
of task force, I'll get you extra
detec

122 Arthur Halley

fives from Robbery. As to costs, you
have my approval to charge
whatever's needed, including
overtime."

Yanes glanced around the room,
then added, "So now, with those
logistics in place, the objective of
all of you is clear find this guy!
I want results. And keep me in-
formed."

"All of that noted, sir. As
everyone heard, we will form a task
force right now to work solely on
these cases. Task force members will
be relieved of other duties. I've
already asked Sergeant Ainslie to
head the team."

Heads turned toward Ainslie as
Newbold told him, "Sergeant, you'll
work with two teams of six
detectives. I leave it to you to
name another sergeant to head the
second team."

"Sergeant Greene, " Ainslie said.
"Assuming he's agreeable."

Pablo Greene waved a hand airily.
"You betcha!"

Newbold told Greene, "You'll
report through Sergeant Ainslie.
That's understood?"

"QSL, sir."

Ainslie added, "For my team I'll
definitely want Detectives Quinn,
Bowe, Kralik, and Garcia. Pablo and
I will decide on the rest later
today." Ainslie faced Major Yanes.
"We have a lot of ground to cover,
sir, and a great deal of detail
work. So we'll need at least two
extra detectives from Robbery,
probably four."

Yanes nodded. "Tell Lieutenant
Newbold when you know exactly, and
you'll have them."

Curzon Knowles intervened. "If
that isn't enough, I can arrange for
a couple of state attorney
investigators. Either way, we'd like
to stay in the picture."

"We want that too, Counselor,"
Ainslie said.

Newbold reminded everyone, "The
task force, of course, will work
closely with Fort Lauderdale and
Clear

DETECTIVE 123

water; I want those detectives kept
informed."

The talk continued for a few
minutes more, after which Newbold
turned to Assistant Chief Serrano.
"Chief, anything you wish to add?"

Serrano, formerly a detective
himself, and with a distinguished
record on the Miami force, spoke
clearly but quietly. "Only to say
that all of you have the support of
the entire Police Department in this
matter. Obviously, as these serial
killings become widely known, there
will be tremendous publicity, which
will generate a lot of public and
political pressures. We'll try to
protect you from that so you can
continue doing whatever is needed to
bring this maniac in. At the same
time, work fast. And never stop
thinking. Good luck to us all!"

As the Homicide conference broke up,
the newly formed task force gathered
around Ainslie, along with the
assistant state attorney, Curzon
Knowles. Twenty years earlier
Knowles had been a police officer
himself the youngest sergeant on the
New York City force. Later he had
become a lieutenant, then resigned
to study law in Florida. Knowles
felt comfortable with detectives and
they with him.

Now he asked Ainslie, "Since we'll
be working together, Sergeant, do
you mind telling me your first
move?"

"A short one, Counselor to the
computer. You're welcome to join
me." Ainslie looked around him.
"Where's Ruby?"

"Wherever you need her." Detective
Bowe's bright voice emerged from a
group.

"I need your dancing fingers."
Ainslie motioned to the computer she
had just used. "Let's search some
records."

Seating herself, Ruby switched on
and typed LOGON.

A query appeared: GIVE IDENTIFICATION.

Ruby asked Ainslie, "Yours or mine?"

He told her,
"Eight-four-three-nine."

DETECTIVE 125

The screen responded: ENTER YOUR CODE.

Ainslie reached over and tapped in
CUPCAKE, an affectionate name he
sometimes used for Karen. The code
name did not appear on the screen,
but chicabbreviation for Criminal
Investigation Center did.

As the other detectives and Knowles
watched silently, Ruby said, "We're
in the magic kingdom. Quo vadis?"

Someone murmured, "What in hell's
that?''

" 'Whither goest thou?' " Bernard
Quinn answered.

"Took Latin in kindergarten," Ruby
quipped. "Us ghetto kids are smarter
than you think."

"Prove it," Ainslie said. "Find
'Criminal Records.'After that, a
category called 'Oddities.' "

A series of typed commands, then
the heading ODDITIES appeared. "There's
a whole raft of subfiles," Ruby an-
nounced. "Any ideas?"

"Look for 'Religion' or 'Religious.'
"

Fingers moved swiftly. Then, "Hey,
here's one: 'Religious Freaks.' "

Ainslie raised his eyebrows. "That
should do the trick."

If they had been expecting a
harvest of names, the result was
disappointing. Only seven appeared,
each accompanied by an abridged
personal history, along with charges
and convictions. Ainslie and Ruby
read through names and information;
the others peered over their
shoulders.

"You can eliminate Virgil," Quinn
said. "He's in prison. I put him
there." The computer listing showed
a Francis Virgil as imprisoned for
the past two years with another six
to serve. A similar status applied
to two more of the seven names,
leaving four.

"Strike Orneus," Ainslie said. "It
says here he's dead." As the
detectives knew, a deceased
offender's criminal record was not
removed until two years after death.

126 Arthur Halley

"I guess we can eliminate Hector
Longo," Ruby suggested. The entry
showed Longo as age eighty-two,
almost blind, and with a withered
right hand.

"Amazing what the handicapped can
do these days," Ainslie said. Then,
"Okay, delete."

The remaining two names were
"possibles," but the search had
produced neither the numbers nor
choices they had hoped for.

Knowles asked, "How about trying
'Modus Operandi'?"

"We already did that with the
individual cases," Ainslie said.
"Came up with nothing." He added
thoughtfully, "The further we get
into this, the more I believe we're
after someone who has no record."

It was Ruby who suggested, ''Why
don't we try FIVOs?"

Ainslie was doubtful, but told
her, "Why not? We've nothing to
lose."

FIVOs Field Intelligence and
Vehicle Occurrence reports contained
information gathered by police
officers who witnessed behavior in
a public place that was peculiar,
raunchy, or eccentric, though not
illegal. A similar report was made
if someone was seen in a suspicious
circumstance, especially late at
night, but was not breaking the law.

A FIVO report was supposedly
written at the scene, on an official
printed card. Officers were
instructed to include as much
information as possible, including
a person's full name, home address,
occupation, detailed physical
description, facts about a vehicle
if any, and the circumstances of the
encounter. Most of those stopped and
questioned were surprisingly
cooperative, especially after
learning they would not be arrested
or ticketed. Anyone with a criminal
record, however, usually didn't
mention it.

The FIVO cards were turned in at
Police Headquarters

DETECTIVE 127

and eventually loaded into a
computer bank. During the process an
automatic cross-check added any
criminal convietions to the FIVO
report.

For a while FIVO records were in
bad repute within the Miami force.
It happened after several police
officers clogged the system with
bogus reports in hopes of gaining
attention and perhaps promotion.
Some FIVO cards even bore names
copied from graveyard tombstones.
Eventually, after a few officers
were caught and disciplined, the
practice ceased. But many in the
force distrusted FIVOs long
afterward, including Ainslie.

Computer procedure to access FIVOs
was similar to Criminal Records, and
Ruby quickly found ODDITIES within the
new category, followed by REUGIOUS ~KS.
Suddenly the screen came alive with
names, dates, and paragraphs of
information. Ainslie leaned forward,
his attention sharpened. Behind him
a voice said, "Hey, look at that!"
Someone else emitted a long, low
whistle.

As before, they reviewed the names
and details, eliminating some, then
added those that remained to a new
computer file already containing the
two possibles from criminal records.
At the end, Ruby printed out a
half-dozen copies of the combined
list and passed them around.

The printout contained six names:

JAMES CALHOUN, w/m AKA ''Little
Jesus." DOB 10 Oct 67. 5'11" 2001bs.
LKA 271 NW 10 St, Miami. Has tango
of a cross on upper chest. Talks
about the coming end of world and
claims to be Christ making second
coming. Has a past for manslaughter,
assault, armed burglary.

CARLOS QUINONES, I/m AKA "Diablo
Kid." DOB
17 Nov 69. 5'6" 1801bs. Heavyset.
LKA 2640 SW 22 St,

128 Arthur Halley

Miami. Claims to be only Messiah and preaches the word of
God. Has extensive violent past for assault, rape, armed
robbery with violence.

EARL ROBINSON, b/m AKA "Avenger." DOB 2 Aug 64. 6'0"
1801bs. LKA 1310 NW 65 St, Miami. Lean build, former
heavyweight boxer, very aggressive. Preaches on street
corners, quotes from Bible, always Revelation, says he is
God's judgment angel. Has extensive past for armed robbery,
second degree murder, numerous assaults with a knife.

ALEC POLITE, him AKA "Messiah." DOB 12 Dec 69. 5'11"
1801bs. LKA 265 NE 65 St, Miami. Talks about the scriptures
to anyone who will listen, says he talks with God. Gets
aggressive if doubted, questioned. Could be violent but no
record. Been in U.S. since 1993.

ELROY DOIL, w/m AKA "Crusader." DOB 12 Sep 64. 6'4" 2901bs.
LKA 189 NE 35 St, Miami. Claims to be a disciple of God,
knows God's wishes. Preaches in public. Not believed
dangerous. Works as part-time truck driver.

EDELBERTO MONTOYA, I/m, DOB I Nov 62. 5'9" 1501bs. LKA 861
NW I St, Apt #3, Miami. Has thick dark mustache and beard.
Claims to be a born-again Christian, quotes from Bible,
prays for end of the world. Has past for rape, felonious
assault and sexual assault.

As Ainslie, Knowles, and the others studied the names
and descriptions, the sense of excitement grew. Sergeant
Greene expressed it. "Malcolm, I think we're on to
something."

DETECTIVE 129

Detective Garcia looked up eagerly.
"Robinson's our man! He has to be.
Look at that stuff about Revelation!
And he's known as Avenger; that
fits. A boxer too, which means he's
strong!"

Ruby Bowe added, "Not to mention
the 'assaults with a knife.' "

"Okay, okay," Ainslie said. "Let's
not jump to conclusions. We'll take
a look at them all."