Chapter one
It's Boom and Away
8 AM…………………………..........................July 20
It was a beautiful July day in the north. The flowers were blooming everywhere in the long summer days, and it seemed like everyone was enjoying life; except for Detective Dave Moore. He had just taken a job in Fairbanks, Alaska to get as far away from his home town, San Francisco. But now he was lost, and wondered how anyone could get lost in a town of thirty-five thousand.
In addition, Dave could not believe the miniature airport they called Fairbanks International. He couldn't get a taxi or any other kind of transportation to his apartment. He understood from those at the airport that there was some kind of big celebration going on today in his new home town. He then decided to walk about two miles to the nearest shopping center. The detective thought maybe he could bum a ride to his apartment which was on South Cushman; wherever that was.
Detective Dave Moore, according to the women, was tall and dashing. He was a ladies' man from what Californians call 'the city'. He graduated from San Francisco State University in the middle of his class. He was fortunate enough to have a full ride scholarship for mainly two reasons; he played basketball and his dad was a California State Senator.
Dave was a mediocre hoop player but played on a good team. His team participated in the NCAA tournament two of the three years he was there. His senior year was a disaster. He hurt his knee in the second game of the season and sat out the remainder of the year. The university tried to take his scholarship away but daddy wouldn't allow it. He almost flunked that year, but miraculously he graduated. Some say that was rigged, too.
After college, Dave decided he wanted to be a cop. This was one thing he was good at, and he loved to do. His expertise was in interrogation, and this was why he was hired in Fairbanks. Chief Morrison interviewed him and was very impressed.
Today, he would arrive to meet his new bosses and his new department. To say he was anxious would be an understatement. He wanted to make a good, first impression, but already his frustration level was high.
His bags, two of them, with most his belongings were beginning to get very heavy. He set his luggage down near the store entrance and began simply asking people who came out the door for a ride to downtown. The third person he asked was an older, shaggy looking gentleman who offered to give him a ride to South Cushman. He drove a brand new Ford F-250 hauling a huge trailer.
"Got to get downtown myself for the parade preparation…It's Founders Day tomorrow….Big parade, carnivals, and lots of fun…..A float will be on this trailer in the morning."
"That's what all the commotion is about …..Couldn't get a ride at the airport….No taxis."
The old stranger dropped Dave off in front of the Town House Motel and Apartments on Cushman. The officer grabbed his bags and found the office. His first thought when he saw the complex was, "Where are we?....In a time warp?"
The building had flowers growing everywhere. There were tall ones and short ones; there were trees and bushes. While the manager took him to his room, he was working on a plan to get out of his lease. He kept thinking, "How can I bring a date to this place." It was so feminine.
The manager unlocked the door of the apartment. Dave's eyes opened wide. "Wow, this is awesome……How much did you say? ......." He plopped himself down in a plush comfortable chair and put his feet on the ottoman. "Fine,….really fine."
"It is six-hundred and fifty dollars a month with a five-hundred dollar deposit. If you have pets it will be extra.
"No pets…..just me."
"Let's return to the office and sign the papers….. We'll be done in half an hour."
Dave looked at his watch and began, "I need to get down to police headquarters….Is that very far from here?…..Can I get a taxi? ....Couldn't earlier…." Dave got up from his comfortable chair and followed the manager back to his office.
As they walked the manager spoke, "I will print you a map to the police station and give you a ride when we complete the contract. There will be a few rules. You'll need to read our agreement."
Quickly the Detective finished the contract, read the rules and agreed to the terms. He signed all the needed documents, and the manager was preparing to transport him to the Police Station just a few blocks up on North Cushman.
The apartment manager, who lived on site, had a police scanner. A report came blasting from the speaker. "Police emergency …11-40…..all available personnel to Alaska Railroad and University Ave…… multiple 11-79… ….possible 10-80 and 480…..Further reports…..11-80….this is not a drill. Repeat …This is not a drill…"
"Hey, they'll probably need me….Think you could get me close to the accident site? ...Looks like a major emergency…"
"Sure,….let's go."
When they arrived at the scene it looked chaotic. Fire trucks and police personnel were everywhere. At least four passenger cars were off the track and a tanker truck was on fire near a fifth. There had been no explosion yet but from all indication it could be imminent. The apartment manger let Dave off and quickly got to a safe location. The detective flashed his badge and asked to whom to report.
"Chief Morrison is in charge…..In which department are you?….You new around here?" a uniform officer questioned Dave.
"Just arrived from California….Heard the scanner where I live…..Thought I'd better get over here fast. Who's in charge of the investigation?....My new boss?"
"Oh, that'd be…….See that tall guy ….. Talking to the young, blond officer……I'll introduce you. Come on."
The two police officers walked across the street to where a tall man in his forties stood pointing and instructing two other officers.
"Lieutenant……Lieutenant Jacobson ……May I interrupt?….I think this man belongs to you…..Detective,…what is it?"
"Detective Moore……Dave Moore……." Dave stuck out his hand to the Lieutenant. Jacobson walked away after ignoring Detective Moore's shake, then he hollered back, "You here to help?....I got a job for you. Follow me."
The young, blonde officer inserted, "He's not always this way…..This is a biggey and Chief Morrison is here, too….By the way, I'm Investigator Gloria Caruthers." She stuck her hand out to shake the new detective's hand. "Pleased to meet you….You look lost….Ever seen something like this? At least, it's summer and not forty below."
"Yea, this is something…..forty below?.....Oh, yea, pleased to meet you, too ….should I follow him?.....Does he have something for me to do?"
"He said he did….Go catch him…" She pointed toward the last car of the train.
Dave ran as quickly as he could in the direction of Lieutenant Jacobson. Jake yelled in Dave's direction, "Come on, Detective. It'll be forty below soon….Want to get this solved before winter…….."
The Detective caught up with his boss and slowly combed the area with his eyes. He walked a few steps toward the last car of the train which was still on the track. Then he spoke in the direction of Jake.
"Footprints, sir…..Bare footprints in the mud…..Don't know if they're pertinent….but could be."
"Ok, let's get Gloria over here….and get a cast of that…or, " Jake leaned over to his knees and looked intently to the mud.
"Two….footprints…Detective, ..Detective Moore is it? Good work….You have a good eye…Hear you were good at breaking people and getting them to talk……" Jake got to his feet and continued, "We need to interview every witness whether they saw anything or not….You need a patrolman…. One observer said they saw a female flee the scene…….She was dressed rather……Well not dressed….. YOU!!! need to check on that before the press has a hay day with it…..You are also going to be my liaison with the press ……The chief will speak for the department since he is here on site…..I will prefer all my comments to you….after…..we talk….Got that, Detective?"
"Yes, sir…..So have we interviewed anyone yet….and where are the witnesses?"
As they were talking Investigator Caruthers joined their conversation, "Jake, you have something for me?"
"Yes, Gloria, I want you to be in charge of all the physical evidence…..Our new Detective has found one piece of evidence already….. Foot prints near the last car….. Two sets…. One large and possibly one female. Take a couple of officers, two you can trust…. and comb the area. Don't leave a stone unturned."
"Yes, sir, I'll take Patrolman Smith and Genesis."
"Dave, can I call you Dave?"
Detective Moore quickly replied, "Dave is fine, Lieutenant."
"Ok, Dave, the witnesses are… some of the victims, as you might know…..About a hundred in the hospital……Not many serious ….A few ….maybe 10 in intensive care and two deceased. So if there is fowl play involved ….It's a homicide….There are, I think, five college students that saw what happen from the train side….Only one or two people witnessed it from this side….The truck side. An officer escorted them all to UAF's administration building across the street …..They are waiting for you…The patrolmen are getting preliminary questions out of the way….Josephson and Pearson……."
Jake pointed down University Avenue, “Grab that patrolman……Is that Happy?……Ask him to transport Dave across to the University ….Dave, get started on the questioning."
Dave jumped into the patrol car with Happy and they drove across the street to the university. Detective Moore introduced himself to Officer Josephson and Patrolman Pearson and he began interviewing the few witness that were sequestered.
Meanwhile Investigator Caruthers and her two assistants, Officer Genesis and Patrolman Smith, were combing the area for a quarter of a mile around the wreckage for clues to exactly what happen an hour earlier. Smith and Caruthers followed the bare footprints to the end of the train and around to the back. They discovered they led to the edge of University Avenue, and then seemingly disappeared into the woods on the west.
Gloria assigned Patrolman Smith the job of traipsing through the trees to find any sign of the missing duo. She rejoined Genesis walking along University Avenue.
"Hey, Cec……Find anything?.....Joe went into the woods over there…He might need some help."
"Found some pieces of bread….Could have been left by some train bums….but.."
"Anything's possible…..You bag it?"
"Yep….and some…..Well package of condoms…….Just this side of the road….I marked it…..both places…..Just like they do on TV……Is that?.....what I was supposed to do?"
"Yes, Cecil Genesis, you know that's procedure…even in Fairbanks."
Investigator Gloria Carothers, "Goldie", was a single woman whom six months ago moved to the north from Anchorage. That 'She was an officer and a scientist' is what she told anyone who would ask. She graduated from the University of Anchorage with a degree in CSI and was currently working on her Masters in Forensic Science. She grew up in Alaska's largest city because her dad had been station for several stints at Fort Richardson as an officer in the Army.
Goldie had a boy friend in the big city that she hardly ever saw due to her hectic schedule. Her parents came to visit pretty often, asking her when she was going to come back home. The Investigator always replied, "Never!!"
She was less dedicated to police work than she was to her religion. Officer Caruthers was the brunt of many a religious jokes in the station house. She took each comment with a smile and a grain of salt.
Today was a test for all the investigators called in to work on this case. In fact, even the Doc was to arrive momentarily.
A fancy new Denali pulled up to the accident site and stopped a hundred feet away. Out jumped a short, bearded, intellectual looking man. He looked around for a second or two and spotted Officer Carothers near University Avenue. ]
"Hey, Goldie……..Where's the boss?....Just got in and heard the report."
Carothers called back, "Was over there, Doc….Maybe he's with the new guy across the street….Don't know…..Could be with the Chief."
"The Chief's here …. Whoa …better get to work ……What new guy? …. Anything I can do?"
"Could help me with this cast……Got some supplies with you? Near the last car…..Be there in a sec."
Gloria finished what she was doing along the street and headed back toward the footprints that Detective Moore had found earlier.
Doc Morgan was the staff pathologist, but didn't work in the field very often. He had just returned from a Police Union representative meeting, when he heard the call. After grabbing a bag from his back seat he walked over to where Gloria awaited.
"OK, Gloria, give me a heads-up……What’s happening here?"
Officer Caruthers knelt on the ground to take pictures of the footprints. She took several angles, and again looked for a second time under the rail car which was a few feet from the bare prints.
"Hey, Doc, come here…..Tell me what you see under that car….It looks like…It’s almost to the other side?"
Dr. Morgan leaned over and very delicately placed his knees into the dirt. "What do you see?...I…..I…..Sorry I don't see…….Wait….you mean……Are we looking for an unclothed female??"
Both scientists notice a piece of clothing hanging down from the bottom of the passenger car. It looked as if our suspect or someone else crawled under the car just for a moment. Then the clothes they were wearing were completely ripped off by some sort of metal sticking out from the car.
"Could be some forensic evidence ….. Maybe DNA….you think Doc?"
"She could even be bleeding….Anyone find some blood drip nearby?"
As they spoke Officer Smith walked up, "Yes, I did….In the woods…..Blood drops in the grass…and more bare footprints….Two sets….I think he was carrying her for a while ……. Naked girl and half naked guy running through the woods, I presume….Never found them though."
"Then…..why'd you quit?......Should have kept looking……That's what Jake would say."
"But….Gloria….Can I take Cecil with me?"
"Yeah, but hurry…times a wasting."
Officer Genesis ran to find Joe Smith, who was looking for evidence along the main road. They crossed the road together and scampered into the woods.
Gloria got a plaster kit out of the bag that Dr. Morgan had brought from his Denali. The female officer prepared the footprints and poured the molds. She let the first one dry, while the Doc prepared another print.
The two officers could tell from the drying molds, that one was much larger than the other. The male print was a ten or eleven size foot. The female looked to be a size five woman's foot.
They bagged the two plaster molds and clothing found at the scene. Dr. Morgan was to take them back to the lab and begin processing.
"As soon as you find something pertinent call me …..Jake will want to know…..In fact, here he comes now …..Get going."
Dr. Morgan carried the evidence to his truck and sped away toward the police lab as Lieutenant Jacobson walked up to Gloria.
"Got those prints molded, Gloria? ...... Got nothing in the interviews….. Yet. Dave has a couple of them in a room….He'll get something…I hope."
"Doc was here and transported the evidence to the lab to process them…..Plus, boss, ….a piece of clothing we found…..over here….under the train….could be the woman's outer covering….She must have lost it when she ran through here with her partner."
"At least that's something I can tell…. those vultures across the street….I'm surprised they are not over here."
"Wait, Jake, also……. the Patrolmen …… Genesis found some blood spats on the ground up in the woods….Sent them back up there…. to do some more checking…..Looks like the couple went into the trees just across the street….The female has some kind of injury…..that probably happened right here …..I was just getting ready to check for blood on this sharp piece of metal where the dress got stuck."
She sprayed the area with luminal, the compound that detects blood when it is not seen. It proved positive so she took a sample with a swab and secured it in a plastic bag.
"Gloria, this could be what we're looking for…….Would you get the rest of this stuff?…… Wait, I saw….Smokey around here somewhere ……"
Jake pointed and then continued, "There he is….I'll grab him…Hey, Smokey………We need you."
Jake ran about a hundred feet and caught Smokey as he walked toward the university.
"Detective Smokey, Gloria needs you to run to the station with some evidence…Need to give it to Doc ASAP."
"Lieutenant….there you are…..Been looking for you. The chief…..well, he's looking for you."
"I know, Smokey…….I'll find him here eventually…. He wants to know what we got ….so he can tell those ….guys from the Daily News and the Miner."
"I delivered my message, now I will deliver yours, too, Sir."
"Thanks."
Smokey hurried across to where Investigator Caruthers stood waiting. She handed him the evidence and he jumped into his patrol car and headed to the station.
Jacobson met Caruthers half way and he continued, "I guess I'd better go face the music…..Chief's looking for me….We have some….I was hoping the guys would be back from the woods by now…..Wait…..Here comes Smith…….Joe,….do you have something?"
"Jake and Gloria, ……you won't believe what we found." Officer Smith stood there out of breath and panted. "Found the girl's body and some more footprints….This time with boots on….and ATV tracks leaving the scene."
"What next, Gloria?……another body?"
Miss Caruthers walked to where the two men stood, and Joe was still in distress. Then Jake's phone rang.
"This is Jacobson……….You're kidding me…. We….we found another… just now in the woods……Yes, go take care of that one first…..Then beam it out here….Got it….. Have enough questions to answer for the Chief and the press…..See ya."
Jake slammed his fist into his hand and walked in circles. Caruthers looked at him funny and then asked, "Jake, what now?.........Someone die or something?"
"Yea, but not like you think……One of our victims in the hospital was shot….She didn't die from the wreck or explosion…..We need to take a look inside that train ….. Now….Let's go Carothers."
Gloria didn't like it when the boss called her 'Caruthers' because she knew he was angry at her or at least angry and frustrated with the situation they were in. She knew he wasn't angry with her.
Lieutenant Vern Jacobson affectionately called 'Jake", was a divorcee from Minneapolis. He came to Alaska on a visit back in the eighties and decided that he wanted to move up here as soon as he could. After the divorce was final, he had nothing keeping him in Minnesota so he applied to the FPD.
He was new on the job in Fairbanks, and it was really hard to please the long time Chief of Police, Morrison. This was one of those days.
"Guess I'd better find him."
Jacobson ran over to the university to find Dave to get him started on the inside of the train. He noticed the Chief's big hummer out front. He gathered in some courage, and walked into the UAF reception lobby.
The Chief was conversing with some reporters, when Jake tried to sneak by him.
"Jake, there you are……..Come over here a second…..I heard there was another ……." Chief Morrison pulled Jake to the side and began again, "Heard there was another body in the woods just west of here……..Is this true?……Related to the case?"
Jake nodded and began, "Genesis and Smith found it and Gloria is out there right now……but that's not all, Chief….Just got a call from Doc, I mean Dr. Morgan…..He said that one of the victims in the train car accident was shot, also….We don't know if it was from the same gun, yet….Gloria's working on that ……I need Dave to go check out that those coaches before the evidence is compromised …. This is an all night job."
"Yea, for you…..I'm leaving as soon as I give these guys something to print in the morning. So…..What should I tell them?"
"As far as we know, there are separate incidents of foul play……and it's an ongoing investigation…..One possible homicide and two accidentals…..No, not accidental but….. two unfortunate deaths in an ongoing accident investigation. My team will be working all night to gather the evidence needed…..Tell them that……Can you remember all that?"
The chief replied, "I hope so….I guess I'm the politician and you're the cop…….You should be the ……Never mind I'll remember …..You get to work."
Chief Morrison addressed the reporters and told them all he knew. They seemed to be satisfied for now, accept for one.
"Chief Morrison, Now you say that these two incidents aren't related….but I heard.."
"Jeff…..look….I'm the spokesman for the department and the city in this matter …Any other information is unofficial……I said what I said…..no more comments until tomorrow, or until we have more pertinent information ….. Thank you and…..for now …I'm going home ….Lieutenant Jacobson will remain until all evidence is collected."
Jeff Stewart was a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News. He was a tough guy and never let up. He and Jake had their disagreements but they were friends. He waited around to see what he could pick up.
Jake spoke to Detective Moore and the Detective prepared to search for evidence in the passenger cars across the street.
"Lieutenant, can I borrow a patrolman or two to help me for now. Are Pearson and Josephson available?"
"Sure, …..Pearson……Where's Josephson?....you two need to follow our new detective across the street and assist him."
Pearson nodded his head and agreed. Patrol officer Josephson began, "Lieutenant, can I beg off….My shift is over and my son is…."
"I understand, Nick….Go do what you have to…..If you can make it back….Your wife will love your overtime check."
"Thanks, Jake….I'll be back in a few hours…..Thanks again."
Unnoticed by Jake, Jeff Stewart was ease-dropping on all the conversations.
Jacobson, Moore, and Pearson exited the university lobby and crossed the street to the wreckage. Investigator Caruthers was waiting for Jake as he neared the rail cars.
"Hey, boss, Doc says it was a gunshot wound to the chest, close range…..Maybe a handgun….38 caliber. Lots of blood on the scene and some up the trail….I guess she was shot up here closer to the road….right after they entered the trees."
Jacobson thought for a second then began, "What about the ATV and the other tracks at the scene?"
"Genesis and Smith are following that lead as we speak……You guys going to check the rail cars?"
"Yea,……..Why don't you work with these officers and get this evidence processed ….Where's Doc?"
"Brought the body back to the lab…She does have a scratch of her back….Doc checked the data base and found nothing on the girl….. Jane Doe for now."
"Ok, I'm going to scan the area on the other side of the train…..Get busy, Dave ……Gloria will assist you as well."
Dave and his newly assigned crew divided the task. Gloria searched the rear car, Dave the very first car where the bodies were found and the patrolmen investigated the middle two.
Detective Moore had never been on a train in his life. He was impressed with the Alaska Railroad's passenger accommodations. He decided to begin investigating at the scene of the two deaths. He could see a lot of blood in the location of the alleged gunshot fatality. The other was supposedly a heart attack victim.
Both bodies were found near each other. He wondered, "Was this a coincident? ...or"
"If there was a gunshot then the bullet could have passed through……It still could be here, somewhere."
He used a flashlight to search every cranny and crack. He was on his knees crawling around in the back of the car when Goldie walked in.
"Detective, find anything?….Where are you?"
"Down here, Gloria…..On the floor…. Found some….Well not sure what they are….Come here a sec."
Gloria Caruthers found Dave under a seat. "What did you find?........A piece of a necklace…maybe." The female officer got on her knees and continued to search as well.
"Also……some powder…….Could be face powder…. but I don't think so."
Gloria reached her hand down and put a finger in the white substance. "Not any face powder that I know of. Unless they used pure heroin as its base….So this is what ……..It's a drug thing?……"
The two officers got off the floor after gathering a sample of the strange powder. They took pictures and bagged it for processing, and then Gloria got her cell phone and dialed Jake.
"Hey,….you might want to come in here …The car where the fatalities were found ……Yea,……..OK."
Officer Jacobson stopped what he was doing and joined Dave and Gloria in the first car.
"So what you got?….This better be good……Cuz I was on my own discovery boat when you called."
Gloria showed Jake the evidence that was collected, and pointed out where they found it."
Jake asked, "Under the heart attack victim?......Are sure about that?......The patrolmen marked all the spots…..I wasn't here."
"The Chief got this place done in a hurry….before the rest of us could get here….I guess trying to keep the press away….We should have done this earlier."
Lieutenant Jacobson pondered for a moment or two and then continued, "So we have a case of drugs and murder…..and cover up…possibly from higher up?....Let's keep that to ourselves for now…..The cover-up part ……. By the way, I found some indication that there was a third person…outside near the road….. How the patrolmen missed this…..I don't know….Gloria, Dave….follow me."
The trio walked out of the coach and crossed University Avenue to the west. They walked a few hundred feet to where College Road intersected University.
"Boss, those guys didn't come this far ….I'm sure…..Remember they are patrolman, and we are investigators."
"I know, Gloria, but I said don't leave any stone un-turned……didn't I?"
"Yes, sir."
"See that Dave…..Get a picture, Gloria……..Dave, what do you think?.....What do you see?"
Detective Moore walked around and observed from various angles. Then he concluded, "Well, I've only been here for a few hours, but I would say a large animal planted that there…….A moose, maybe?"
"Precisely……Now, Gloria……What else do you see?....or am I seeing things?"
Detective Caruthers studied it as well and said, "A big boot print in the middle of the………Yea,…..that"
"Now, both of you kneel over and see if it is fresh."
Both detectives leaned over and took a whiff of the moose leftovers. They both seemed to agree, "Fresh, Jake….very fresh."
"Now, we need a cast of that boot print and someone to follow the trail for a while…. We need one of those young and spry patrolman….Course, Dave's young and spry …….We'll send a patrolman……Can you grab one Dave, please."
"Yes, sir." Dave hollered as he ran back to the railcars.
"Gloria, here's my theory…….By the way, Doc told me they ran the truck….the driver was a Stephenson… Joseph Stephenson. Ex-con from Anchorage….Just got out and came north. Was working for UAF…..They hire ex-cons….Some kind of program or something….. Anyway,…..it is likely that he arranged to drive the truck today to run it into the train….His partner and a friend were on the train with the dope….Got found out by the old lady….He threatened her….She had a heart attack…. then he killed the female partner."
"Wait, Jake…..The old lady found the stuff?....This is your theory?"
"For now…..To finish…..the truck driver, Stephenson, and his girl, Jane Doe, jumped the truck after the crash……Were probably partying before the train got there…..Train was probably late…..Left half dressed….The girl lost what little she had on hiding for a bit under the train…..They ran into the woods ……The other partner was preparing to jump just before the wreck but the two ladies were in the way so he shot his girl and the old lady watched….All the shock killed her…..He jumped….According to witnesses….they saw someone run this direction after the wreck."
"All this in broad daylight….In the summer in Alaska?” Dave asked as he returned to the conversation. "Almost….Well, excuse me if I'm wrong…..far-fetched….. They thought they could get away with it?"
"Desperate people do desperate things….," Jake replied. "Real market for pure heroin in Fairbanks ….believe it or not."
Gloria inserted, "Everywhere…..Don't get me started."
"I know, Gloria….it's because of that three letter word, S-I-N…….I heard it before ……Anyway,…to finish my theory…..The shooter decided ahead of time on a place to meet with Stephenson and spotted the girl ….He said…No Girls….so he shot her, too. They escaped on the ATV….to somewhere …..That is our missing piece ……To somewhere …….What's back there?…….Hey, Smokey will know. Let's go…….."
Jake started trotting back toward the train when he looked around, and saw Dave and Gloria still standing there, "Come on…. We'll need a chopper, too."
8 PM…………………....Thursday July 20
Jake and Gloria boarded the chopper at the heliport on top of the police station in downtown Fairbanks. The boss had assigned Dave to go back to the crime scene to hustle things along because the Chief was anxious to get the tracks cleared by Friday.
Jacobson addressed the pilot, “We need to travel north and east of University Avenue….I think there is a subdivision…..Myrtle Creek or something..”
Gloria inserted, “Yea, we had a run out there in the winter…bunch of old cabins and some really nice ones ….Need to look for an ATV.”
“Gloria, ring Dave….You have his number?...or one of the officers and tell them to secure an ATV and meet us at Myrtle Creek. We will circle around and look for movement in the brush.”
Before they came into town, Gloria and Dave had exchanged numbers so the female investigator dialed Detective Moore’s number, and relayed Jake’s message.
The chopper circled several times around the search area. They flew over the location of the latest murder, and saw nothing. On the third time around Gloria pointed to a location near an old cabin in the middle of the subdivision.
“Jake, right there…An ATV….parked next that old cabin and….the door of the cabin appears to be wide open….No other movement, though….I’ll call Dave and let him know.”
Lieutenant Jacobson asked the pilot if there was a good place to land nearby. The pilot circled one more time and pronounced that it was too risky because of the heavy growth of brush and trees.
“This was a useless spending of the taxpayer’s money….I guess we should return to the station and head back to the scene….The Chief wants that train line open…. yesterday….. Wait….Gloria what is that?”
“A truck speeding down University….It came out of Myrtle Creek….How did we miss that earlier? What do you think?....Maybe a 75 Ford F150….faded blue with almost bald tires…..Call that in and let’s get back to our car.”
Within minutes the chopper had landed, and the two officers had jumped back into the unmarked cruiser and headed toward University Avenue.
“What do you mean he got away….You lost him?….Heading toward Nenana? Come on….I know there’s a lot of old Fords out there but…. Alright…..I’ll send a chopper down there, but I’m staying on the ground….We’ll find that truck….. You wait and see.”
8 AM………………………....Friday July 21
“We found the truck alright, boss……but where are those two guys?”
“Don’t rub it in, Gloria….another day,” Jake answered.
Dave Moore began to speak, “I know I’m new here but I have a theory….Seen this before even in the big city…. Drugs…and guys that sell it have many connections…..They just had someone meet them out here….They changed vehicles and now they are gone…Probably to Anchorage to regroup.”
“You’re right, I guess,” Jake inserted. “They had a head start on us, and we’ve been running around chasing other leads….but I swear…we will catch them….Somehow, someway. We will.”
