“Detective Strong?”

“Yes, ma’am. This is my partner, Detective Vanessa Layne.”

The tiny woman, with gray hair and bright blue eyes, gave them a warm smile, as she swung open the screen door.

“Nice to meet you. Please come in. My husband is in the living room.”

Jason and Vanessa followed Mrs. Walker into the living room and Mr. Walker rose to greet them. They shook hands and Mrs. Walker asked if they would like coffee.

“No, thank you. Not for me, anyway.”

Vanessa shook her head and took a seat on the couch. Jason remained standing and took out his notebook. He noticed the pictures on the wall, placed around one of those home interior ‘FAMILY’ signs. There were the two Walkers and a picture of Marcie. Also hung were two older photos of what looked to be the Walkers parents.

“Folks, we appreciate you taking time to speak with us. I’m sure this is difficult.”

Mrs. Walker gave a half smile.

“We’re glad to do anything we can to help catch the man who did that to our daughter. She was our only child, you know.”

“I did not. I’m very sorry. Unfortunately, there has been another death and we believe it’s the same man as the one who killed your daughter.”

Mr. Walker was sitting straight up in his chair. He is a tall man, and despite being elderly, was still an imposing figure. He was clearly agitated.

“If I found that S.O.B., he’d wish he’d never been born.”

“Jerry, watch your language.” Mrs. Walker chastised her husband.

They must have had Marcie late in life because they both appeared to be in their sixties. Or maybe losing a daughter will just make you age more quickly.

Jason let Vanessa take the lead.

“I’m sure you answered these questions before but we would like to go over it once more.”

The Walkers nodded.

“When was the last time you spoke with your daughter?”

“I talked to her on the phone just before she went to work that day. She called me almost every day.” Mrs. Walker smiled as she said it. “She is…was…a good girl. I’m sorry, it’s still hard to believe she’s gone.”

“No need to apologize. Did she sound okay that day?”

“Yes, fine.”

“She didn’t mention anyone bothering her or being afraid of anyone?”

“No. She was in good spirits, as usual.”

“Did she have any enemies that you were aware of, either in Austin or from high school?”

Mr. Walker spoke up.

“Our daughter was friendly and outgoing. We never saw where she had hurt anyone.”

Jason knew that parents didn’t always know the whole truth about their children but they clearly weren’t aware of anybody that he and Vanessa could look into. It was time to go.

“Mr. and Mrs. Walker, thank you very much for your time.” He put a card on the table. “Please don’t hesitate to call if anything comes to mind.”

Mrs. Walker saw them out.

“Goodbye. And detectives…”

    Jason and Vanessa turned.

“Catch him, please…for Marcie.”

Jason spoke for both of them.

“We’ll do our best, ma’am. That’s a promise.”

Mrs. Walker smiled a sad smile and closed the door.

****

Back in the car, Jason noticed Vanessa was quieter than usual. She was turned away, staring out the passenger window.

“You okay?”

When she turned towards him, her eyes were red.

“Their only child…so sad.”

It was one of the things that Jason liked about his partner. She wasn’t afraid to be human. He also knew her pregnancy had a lot to do with how this was hitting her.

“Your right, it’s very tough when there isn’t more family to help people get over tragedy.”

“Did I tell you that Rob has always wanted a big family?”

“No, I don’t think you did.”

“Yeah. He was an only child and he said he didn’t want that for his kid.”

“One baby or ten, you’ll be a great mom.”

She smiled at him and then pointed a finger at him.

“Not a word of this at the station.”

Jason just laughed. He was used to such warnings.

****

Norman Lasiter turned his black pick-up onto South Presa Street. South Presa was his hunting ground. Here was the largest concentration of prostitutes in the city.

He cruised slowly down the east side of the road, ignoring the calls from girls on his side but looking over the girls on the west side. He knew what he was looking for. He had found her down here before and she was bound to be here again.

He circled around at the end of the block and came back along the west side.

There you are!

He noticed the tall, thin, dark-haired girl eyeing him and she stepped out to the curb.

“You looking for some fun?”

“Maybe. Are you?”

“You bet, baby.”

He didn’t look at her but stared straight ahead.

“How much?”

“Depends.”

“Just basic.”

“50”

“Okay, get in.”

The girl got in and smiled at him. Norman drove to the end of the block and turned into a parking lot. He pulled a gun and held it to her head. Her eyes grew huge.

“Don’t hurt me! Please!”

Norman produced a large zip tie formed into a loop.

“Put your hands through.”

Keeping her eyes fixed on the gun, she complied. Norman cinched the zip tie tight.

“Sit back and don’t do anything stupid.”

Chapter  5

Frank watched his friend tee off. They kept a standing golf date at Oak Valley Golf Course on Sunday afternoons. It was just nine holes but the only thing that kept them from it was rain and Dallas Cowboy games.

“Nice drive.”

“Thanks.”

Frank teed his ball up, took a couple practice swings and hit. His ball started out straight but quickly took a hard right turn. Frank groaned.

“That’s the third slice today.”

His friend shook his head.

“You’re getting your hips through ahead of your hands.”

“I know, I know.”

Frank stuffed his driver back into his bag and they both started walking, pulling their carts behind them. To Frank, this was the best part. A invigorating walk in beautiful surroundings.

His friend’s ball was sitting nicely down the left side of the fairway but Frank’s was deep in the woods to right. He pulled out his pitching wedge and started whacking at the tall grass and leaves. He had already lost two balls today and he wasn’t about to lose another. After searching for several minutes, he spotted the white ball sitting on a patch of brown grass.

“There you are!”

He was about to line up his shot when a glint off something caught his eye. The sun through the tree branches was reflecting off something about thirty yards away. There was a shape there, too. He carefully walked over a fallen tree and up next to a big oak tree. He found himself staring at something his brain didn’t seemed able to process. It was something hideous among all this beauty.

Like a fuzzy TV that suddenly clears up, he saw a woman propped against a tree, naked and holding a wine glass. There was dried blood on her chest. Frank staggered backwards, falling over the downed tree. He got to his feet, and without taking his eyes off the woman, backed out onto the fairway.

His friend called to him.

“Frank? You okay?”

Frank turned to face him.

“Call 911!”.

****

Jason was spending his Sunday at home, working on one of the numerous projects that the new house needed. Today, it was painting the guest room and Sandy was helping by doing the trim. He rolled the pale green she had chosen onto the walls, trying not to spray paint everywhere. His pager started to vibrate on the table in the center of the room. Sandy groaned.