Zeroing In

 SAM MOTHER'S DINER-

Sam Mother's Diner...How many meals had I eaten here as a young law student, and later on as an Assistant District Attorney with my many friends and colleagues both those with badges and those who like myself carried law books..

This place would always be dear to me, because ...well I got the courage to talk to her here , to pay for a meal for us...by her.. I meant my wife, I was waiting for her to arrive today..We were involved in a monstrous multiple murder, not unlike the serial killing case that first brought us together.

Detective Carlotta Rodriguez-Wallace....It was Carlotta Rodriguez then... She was a pretty Puerto Rican Detective I hadn't been able to get out of my mind since I'd met her... She often joked that this was our first real date.. I remembered it like it was Yesterday...

2011-

I drove up just as the Philadelphia Police crime scene unit was removing the body from the house... I just shook my head...another morning, another murder...Philadelphia was on par this year to top last year's rate...We were clearing a lot of them, but just as many as we were clearing, it seemed as though that many more were occurring...

I'm not a cop...My name is Keith Wallace..I'm the Assistant District Attorney...I prosecute Homicides.... This one was particularly troubling...It was the third slaying of a young woman in close to three months....All three homicides had the same M.O.  ,Young Black, mid to late twenties, attractive....alone in their apartment...No sign of breaking and entering!!!

I didn't want to be here, but these murders looked like they might be the work of a serial killer and so by all means, I wanted to supervise this investigation...I'd be lying if I said that that was the only reason I was at this particular scene....The pretty lead detective had given me a call..

Detective Carlotta Rodriguez was the lead detective, the primary in all three cases...I've had the hots for her ever since we "borrowed" her from Special Victims Unit.. So far she has turned out to be a great investigator...She gets high marks from Lt. Sissy Van Buren over at Homicide...and has the highest clearence rate of all of her detectives so far...I'm already in talks with Lt. Tragg over at Special Victims Unit about keeping her full time...  Uh, because of her good work record of course!

"Detective Rodriguez! So nice to see you again...though I'm sorry it's an occassion like this." I said.

"Yeah..I know right  ADA, but that's the business we are in...We are murder police..At least I am for the time being." she said.

''Please..Please Carlotta, can I call you Carlotta?  We don't have to be so formal...You can call me Keith...Keith Wallace." I said.

"I'd prefer we keep it more professional like...at least.......while we are on the clock." she said.

Lawd...She said that and kind of curled her lip in a sensual way...Wow...I really like this woman...the way she carries herself and everything...

"Yes..Y-Yes...of course Detective....You're absolutely right." I found myself saying, embarrassed..She sensed it...I thought I sensed a bit of a smile on her part.

"It's okay...Perhaps we might meet for a drink after hours sometime." she said.

"Yes..Y-Yes..th-that would be a ...that would be a -a great idea...Now about this murder?" I said.

"Same M.O. as the other two....her name is Ruth Ann Richardson...27, single...Attends Temple University during the day...Works at a strip club as an exotic dancer at night...Also works at a 7-eleven part time...No criminal record at all." she said.

"They found her in the bedroom, in just panties and a t-shirt...She had been raped or at least she had had sex and then strangled...The killer then dressed her and departed...No sign of breaking or entering...Just like Wilma Whetstone last month and Jessica Edgely in June." said Carlotta.

"Wow." I said.

"I've got three plain clothes officers assigned to me and six uniforms...I have em canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses and interviewing anybody that knew her..." she said.

"You didn't find any DNA or fingerprints on the other two did you?" I asked.

"We found semen in victim one, Jessica Edgerly, none on victim two...and we talked to both victims family members,close friends and business associates.. Wilma Whetstone also attended Temple and like this one was a stripper, though not at the same strip club...Hopefully we'll pull some DNA off of this one that matches the DNA we have from the first case." said Carlotta.

"They know each other?" I asked.

"No.  Jessica Edgely  didn't attend Temple, She went to Penn and unlike the other two, she wasn't a stripper..She was a waitress at Sam Mother's joint a few blocks from here." said Carlotta.

"I think we have a serial killer." I said.

"There does seem to be a link....I hope we can find some DNA or something..." said Carlotta.

"Looks like you've got this under control here...You uh mentioned Sam Mother's place...You hungry?" I asked.

Carlotta shot me a sly look, then smiled...

"Yeah ,I am..Hold Up..Rico?" she said. "Keep me abreast on this case...I'm going to breakfast with the ADA."she said.

A  young Black Detective named Tyriq Pile, who I knew from his days in Robbery-Homicide , walked over to her...

"Okay Top...I'm on it. What's up Keith?" he said.

''Well Mr. ADA....I'm all yours." she said with a smile.

I sure wished she was.

Carlotta proved to be my kind of woman... She didn't just order coffee or water..When she said she was hungry, she meant it...Omelette, Sausage, Hash browns and a tumbler of coffee was what she ordered...I had the same....

"Our old friend, Big Chicken runs one of the strip clubs that one of the victims worked at.." she said.

"Big Chicken? I thought he was in prison?" I said.

"He got out about a month ago...I don't think he's got anything to do with this..but he knows the girls, who they date, and generally anything there is to know in the neighborhood." she said.

"Wow, you know the playas in the neighborhood don't you?" I asked.

"Have to have somebody to talk to you sir." she said.

''Carlotta...wow...Carlotta is such a beautiful name...We are off the clock now..We're at breakfast...You don't have to call me ADA...It's Keith." I said.

..

She smiled...but didn't say anything...  I was crossing all kinds of barriers, both professional and personal here...I needed to stop, but I just couldn't help myself.

She was just so sexy and lovely and yet...there was a mass murder to solve..I had to keep my mind on our business.

''So what are you going to do next....As far as the case is concerned?" I asked.

"I'm going to talk to Big Chicken and Rollo Jones tomorrow, hope and pray that some DNA has been found and see if I can locate anybody that these three girls had in common.." she said.

"Sissy said that if anybody can crack this case...It's you." I said

''Sissy said that?" she asked with a child like smile.

"Yes...she says you are one of her best investigators...She wants you to stay on at Homicide." I laughed.

"Lt. Tragg might have a problem with that." she sighed.

"If you decide to stay in the Homicide unit...I can talk to Lt. Tragg..You just say the word." I said.

She laughed....

"What?" I said.

"You?  You're a trip." she said, still laughing.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Oh nothing..nothing.." she said...

The waitress came back with the bill...Carlotta went in her purse , but I raised my left palm...

"I wouldn't dream of allowing you to pay...I got this." I said.

"Oh..Well thank you ADA Wallace.." she said as she got up.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I've got a serial murder to solve" she said and waived..."My car is still parked down the street." she continued and waved as she walked toward the door.

"Keep me posted on this one." I said with a smile.

"I'm sure you'll stay up on this one." she said with a wry smile...

Loved that woman! I still do!

We cracked that case and we'll crack this present one.

II-

So long ago and yet here I am , waiting for her...and here we are involved in yet another horrific multiple murder case...

Carlotta walked in and greeted me with a smile..  I was her husband now.. Not that shy ADA , afraid to talk to her..

"Good Morning Sugar Papi!" she said and gave me a slow and soft kiss that nearly put me in orbit..

"Goooooooooood Morning....WOWWWWW!" I exclaimed..

"Did you order?" she asked.

"Yes." I said.

I had ordered a Spanish Omelette, Sausage, Hash Browns and coffee..

Carlotta smiled.. "You remembered" she said...

"Of course." I said.,

I looked around the diner... There were very familliar faces..  Since that "Date " with Carlotta, So many talented detectives and people had come to form the Criminal Investigation Division... a unit that investigates major crimes, kingpins, corrupt criminal organizations... 

Married detectives Tyriq Pile and his wife, Sirena Pile....

Married detectives, James Barlow and Angela Belton-Barlow..

Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the FBI and ATF and our friend, Sharon Hopkins, who always assisted us..

her husband, detective Tony Hopkins, who had recently gotten his law degrees..

detective Edwin "Duke" Baylor, who like Tyriq Pile, I had known since they put on their gold shields...

And his wife, Dr. Hazel Baylor, Coroner, Forensic Scientist...

and last but certain not least, Sissy, the boss lady herself.. My good friend for years...

and her husband, Eddie C.

They were all spread out , enjoying breakfast...something they never would have been able to do if Lt. Tragg was out and about..Which was why they didn't eat in here much anymore.

Also taking advantage of Lt. Tragg not being here was the lawyers...also our friends ,who were terrorized more by him than we were..

My Good Friend, Olivia Bennett-Alexander and her entire staff and their spouses was here this morning..They were taking advantage of these 14 days....

Olivia's cousin Kayla was here with her husband Ray,also and attorney was here...

Former ADA Jasmine Coley and her husband Dabnis was here.

Jessica Sanchez Burrows and her husband Charles Burrows of the innocence Project was here

Yvette Jones, who was married to our good friend Gary Lockwood, now an investigator for the D.A.'s office was here with her entire staff....

It was nice to see them all in here..

Along with my colleague, ADA Karen Page

 and her staff Attorneys, Brooke Kennedy-Marks, her husband, Federal Public Defender, Sean Marks, Natalie Tennison and David Charles

All spread out at different tables, laughing and talking and enjoying their food.. It was Day 10 and I could guaruntee you this.. NONE OF THESE PEOPLE WOULD BE IN HERE NEXT WEEK!  

What we didn't know was that because he had missed a day....Lt. Tragg had one extra day on that boat...

It was Day 10...We had five more days.....

Lt. Tragg grumbled...

10 Days...10 Days...I've heard nothing about an arrest or a suspect..When I get off this boat...I'm going to light a fire up under their asses...Just wait." he said.

III-

Outside the Moscow Apartments, Brian Lyedecker proved that the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime.

He sat in his car and watched everyone that entered and left for hours and 

then pulled off...he was convinced now that the person he was looking for was in hiding..If she had given the police anything worthwhile they could go on.. He'd already be locked up, he reasoned.

"I put two GPS tracking devices on his car while he was gone....Now we can track him."said Sirena..

"I got something even better... He drank a styrofoam cup of coffee and tossed it in the waste basket...

I have it here in this plastic bag....We can get prints and DNA from this." said Carlotta.

Hop got back in the jeep.....

"Look what I got.....He chewed some gum and spit it out...I have the gum in this plastic container...There is probably lots of saliva on it...We can get a lot of DNA off of this." said Hop.

"Ewwwwwww, here is some hand sanitizer...."said Sirena..

Carlotta laughed- " Boss Lady and Hazel will love this."she said 

The three detectives laughed and pulled off.....

"You guys saw him scoping out the apartments...That's damning right there...he doesn't live there and has no business being there...You have a styrofoam cup he drank coffee from...It has saliva on it and even better, you have discarded chewing gum...We have enough for a DNA Match...Hazel will love this...Good Job guys.."said Tyriq..

" This case will be made by DNA and eyewitness identification....We still don't have a motive.."said Sirena..

"All in due time....right now...I've got a motive to ravish you..." said Tyriq..

"Ummmmmmmmm I was hoping you noticed me in this new lingerie... I mean I'm interested in cracking this case... but I'm interested in uh let's say other things too!" said Sirena, salaciously...

"YES LAWD!" said Tyriq...

"Ouuuuuuuuuu" Sirena cooed.. as they kissed passionately and she helped him out of his clothing..

and slowly undressed and mounted herself on top of him.....

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM HUSBAND....OUUUUUUUUUU!" she cooed.

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWWWWWWWD!" moaned Tyriq...

"Ouuuuuuuuu" Sirena moved up and down, moving like a surfer rides the waves...driving Tyriq mad.....

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SIRENA...I'M LOSING MY MINDDD!" said Tyriq..

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU HUSBAND! I'M LOSING MINE TOO!! OUUUU!" said Sirena.

Tyriq humped Sirena over the bed......

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM " she moaned..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" moaned Tyriq...

They made sweet love for the next EIGHT TO NINE HOURS!

with Sirena resting peacefully on top of Tyriq and feeling satisfied and good about the case...

IV-

DAY 11-

"We've got DNA and fingerprints from our suspect....

Hazel and Marcy are rushing the processing of this evidence...We should have our answers in 48 Hours... We have enough DNA and fingerprint evidence to make a positive ID... If we make that...Then this is our man... We have trackers on his car and we have linked into his phone...We can follow his movements everywhere he might go..."said Sissy..

The Detectives sat quietly....

"This should make you happy....It's day 11and you have a suspect...in 48 Hours , Day 13 you'll have enough to make an arrest... That's still within the 14 day window... Yall did good." I said.

"You all did do good....You should not have put yourself under that pressure...You solve the crime when you solve the crime....The important thing is you want to get the right person...and not go off half cocked like a certain Lieutenant who shall remain unnamed would have done and arrested the wrong man. You all did good...You worked this case hard." said Sharon.

Carlotta rubbed my hands softly...

I smiled and pulled her to me..

We were about to close this case.. We all could feel it.!

(CONCLUSION NEXT)