~ ~ ~
CHAPTER 57
Forty minutes later Moffat and De la Peña were in the emergency room. The first officers on the scene had helped Moffat pull himself from the upside down Dodge Charger. De la Peña was still unconscious. Not knowing the extent of his injuries, Moffat and the two policemen decided to let the EMT’s extricate him. While waiting, they radioed the station with Moffat’s description of the accident and the suspect’s actions. De la Peña came to during the ride to the hospital but seemed to Moffat to be a bit dazed.
Another forty-five minutes passed. Moffat and De la Peña were examined, treated and moved to a corner of the Emergency Room. Moffat had pieces of glass removed from the back of his shoulders, neck and head and was given seven stitches in the back of his left hand. The doctor had looked in the Sergeant’s eyes with a flashlight and cleaned a gash in scalp. When the Chief arrived, De la Peña lay on a stretcher covered with a blanket, Moffat beside him seated in a yellow, vinyl-covered chair. A nurse followed Halvorsen. She told them De la Peña would soon be taken to the Radiology Lab in the East Wing for a CAT scan and that Moffat would be released. When asked by the Chief, how he was feeling, De la Peña complained of a mild headache and thirst. Chief Halvorsen filled a paper cup with water from a nearby sink and helped De la Peña sit up to drink it. He offered to phone Jean to tell her about Moffat’s condition. Moffat said that wasn’t necessary. He didn’t want to worry her.
“She may hear about your accident on the radio, Alex.”
“That’s true. I’ll phone her myself.” Moffat pulled the phone from his jacket. De la Peña and Chief Halvorsen listened.
“Hi, Dear. How is your day going?”
Halvorsen leaned toward De la Peña and whispered “Wow. Sounds pretty nonchalant, doesn’t he?”
De al Peña nodded weakly.
“Yes, it has been very busy, but I’ll be able to get away early.”
Halvorsen’s commentary continued. “Watch. That’ll raise a red flag.”
“Nothing serious. I’ll tell you over dinner. Can I pick up anything?” Moffat listened to her answer then said “Ok, see you in a little while.” He closed the phone and looked at Chief Halvorsen and De la Peña. They were laughing.
“What?” Moffat asked.
“If I could have misled my first wife that skillfully, we’d still be married. Learn from this guy, Jason.”
A few minutes later, the nurse walked back to their corner. “We’re going to have to wait a while for the CAT scan. They’re just about to close the office for lunch, so I’ll be back for you in about an hour.”
“Miss, would you wait just a minute?” the Chief said using a tone Moffat recognized as his “command” voice. The Chief held up his hand and said, “I’ll just call the boss. This won’t take a minute.” Halvorsen moved a few feet away, his back to the other three. Moffat heard Halvorsen ask for ‘Tom’ and assumed the person who was about to be connected with the Chief was Dr. Thomas Hughes, Chief Medical Officer of Mark Twain Community Hospital. Moffat overheard fragments of the conversation including “damn lab” and “one of mine.” The Chief ended the call cordially then turned to the nurse with a smile. “You can take the Sergeant over to the East Wing now. The Radiology Department will be rescheduling their lunch break today.” He handed her a business card. “If there is any problem at all, call me on my cell phone.”
Moffat and Halvorsen spent the next forty-five minutes in the Hospital Chief Executive Officer’s office. The Chief was on and off the phone during much of the time. During a brief break in the calls, Halvorsen briefed Moffat on the pursuit of the suspect. The helicopter, the canine unit and eighty officers and volunteers on foot were scouring the area in which Moffat had last seen the suspect. Halvorsen agreed that this sounded familiar but pointed out that this time the police had a smaller area to search with more hours of daylight remaining and the fugitive did not have the advantage of a trail bike.
“He’s on foot with a heavy backpack, Alex. We’ll get him.”
“And a revolver, don’t forget.”
“So I heard. Were you able to identify it?”
“Yes, sir. Ruger Alaskan, 454.”
“Oh my God. It must have given you a thrill when he walked toward you that thing in his hand.”
“That’s fair to say. The barrel looks pretty big when it’s pointed in your direction. Fortunately, I didn’t have a lot of time to think about it. It was over quickly.”
“Better leave out the Ruger when you tell Jean tonight. Make it a knife.” Halvorsen laughed. “Maybe a sling shot.”
Moffat brought the Chief up to date on the Gillis investigation including the link to the 1970 murder and Lewis Franke’s possession of the stolen office equipment.
“Enough,” the Chief said in reaction to the confusing connection between the two crimes. “Just tell me when you’ve closed both cases.”
* * *
By the time they finished the dinner dishes, Jean had extracted nearly all the pertinent facts of the car chase and accident with the exception of the suspect’s few steps toward Moffat and De la Peña with the revolver.
“I’m not sure I like you riding with that Sergeant De la Peña. He sounds reckless. You said he is very young, didn’t you?”
Moffat was relieved to have the conversation turn to De la Peña’s driving habits. “Yes, he is young. I’ll have a talk with him. Now, let’s watch some TV. How about a glass of sherry?”
The sherry was a mistake. While Moffat filled their glasses, Jean took possession of the remote. Local news was on when Moffat returned to the family room. Jean watched intently as the newscasters repeated the day’s top story: Suspected Serial Killer escapes police for the second time in two days. Jean frowned when the crime reporter described the suspect as “armed and dangerous.” Moffat was satisfied to see a rebroadcast of the laundromat video and a new picture of excellent quality taken from the Torre de Oro gas station’s digital surveillance camera. The field reporter’s words were somewhat sympathetic to the Segovia police but the banter between to anchorwoman and the weatherman that followed his report included some ridicule and derisive laughter. Jean put the television on mute.
“They said he was armed. How did they know?” she asked Moffat.
“I saw him take a handgun with him when he ran into the brush.”
“Oh.” Her tone showed she was not happy about this last detail.
~ ~ ~
CHAPTER 58
Thursday, May 25
Moffat and De la Peña met outside the Police Communication center of the County Administration Building, both on their way to an eight a.m. briefing on the manhunt.
“You look completely back to normal, Sergeant. How are you feeling?”
“I feel great. No problems at all. Not even a headache.”
“You seemed a bit dazed yesterday. Definitely not your usual self.”
De la Peña smiled. “Maybe I was trying to keep Chief Halvorsen from thinking about how I wrecked his Charger.”
“Good idea.”
Every police officer not staffing the roadblocks or patrolling the search area was in the large conference room just off the Communication Center. This included the Chief’s direct reports, what was left of the day shift and County Executive George Doyle. Moffat and De la Peña received a standing ovation when they walked through the door. Moffat observed what happened next with satisfaction. De la Peña’s fellow officers shook his hand and slapped him on the back as though, through physical contact, they would bring him firmly back into the tribe after his near death experience.
Captain Hughes began with the results of the search for the suspect. He projected a map of the northern half of the county showing the search area, roadblocks and patrols. The canine unit had lost the trail, if they every really had it. Aerial Search, completely unsuccessful yesterday, had resumed at daybreak. Hughes said he was optimistic but it was obvious to all that the fact that the suspect had slipped through their dragnet yesterda
y was weighing on his mind.
“There was a major development out of Forensics,” Hughes said. “Captain Moffat, you’ll be pleased to learn that your team was on the right path. Dr. McDonald, can you give us the results of your analysis?”
Lisa McDonald stood, a notepad in her right hand. “It’s very simple. The blood we collected from the suspect’s vehicle after the crash matched two samples we analyzed last week for officers of Captain Moffat’s task force. The man in the Nissan Sentra committed the rape of a woman in 1975 and also left several drops of blood in the home of another woman who was reported missing in 1998.”
“Have you run this through the DNA files of California and the FBI to see if we can get a name for this guy?” Hughes asked.
“No need to. I already know the answer from last week’s search. Neither Bureau has this guy in their records. That doesn’t mean that he’s never been convicted, just that they never collected a sample from him. California is in the process of taking DNA samples from all convicted sex offenders but it could be years before they catch up with that backlog. We did get some excellent prints from the Sentra’s steering wheel, window and door. No match to police records with these either. I’m sorry, we don’t have any way to identify him at this point.”
Captain Hughes nodded grimly. “Unfortunately we don’t have any better news about the Sentra. The plates…one of your guys, Officer Peake…Melissa.… checked the plates right away. Apparently you already knew this, Captain,” he said directly to Moffat, “the plates are homemade, counterfeit. The VIN on the window and the engine block were scratched out. This guy was prepared. Anyway, we’re not going to get a name with what we have. We’ve been running his picture on the TV and in the papers for 36 hours now. Sooner or later, somebody is bound to recognize him. We’ll see.”
The manhunt would continue. Hughes described shifts in the roadblocks and expansion of the search area based on the negative results of the last 20 hours. Highway Patrol and the U.S. Forest Service would provide additional resources. Police organizations throughout California and Nevada were on the alert, aware of the possibility that the suspected serial killer would elude the Segovia County dragnet.
While Sergeant Clark announced assignments for the police personnel in the room, Officer Brandon Fat completed a brief conversation on his cell phone. He spoke to De la Peña then the two of them approached Captains Hughes and Moffat at the front of the room with Chief Halvorsen.
“What is it, Fat? You look like you’ve got something,” Hughes asked, seeing Fat’s expression, a mixture of excitement and elation. Moffat and Halvorsen turned to listen.
“Jake Amladi of DoggieAncestory.com will be here in five minutes. He says we have some matches to the schnauzer DNA.”
Captain Hughes interrupted. “Do you mind if I leave this with you, Alex? I’m not familiar with this particular path of your investigation and I’ve got to get back to the search. Send Fat back when you’re finished with him.”
~ ~ ~
CHAPTER 59
De la Peña, Moffat and Fat went to the Team Center. De la Peña turned on his computer and projector and brought up the database of crimes and missing persons Moffat’s team had begun to investigate ten days earlier. In the minutes it took Mrs. Grubb to check in Dr. Amladi, De la Peña updated his spreadsheet with this morning’s DNA evidence. Fat opened his logbook of schnauzer samples. Moffat studied De la Peña’s spreadsheet, deep in thought.
Mrs. Grubb introduced the visitor to Moffat and De la Peña.
“I’m very glad to meet you, Captain. I’m kind of a fan. I read the book about Jeffrey Donald Bird. It must have been quite a case.”
Amladi shook Moffat’s hand, grasping Moffat’s lower arm with his left hand. Moffat smiled, offered him a seat, then sat next to him. The others gathered around them.
“Well, as I told Officer Fat, we have several matches. I have the numbers right here. They show that some of the dogs you sampled last week are related to the first two Dr. McDonald brought to me.” He read log numbers to Fat who located them immediately.
“It’s just what I expected after you called,” Fat said. “Captain, Sergeant, last Thursday we took a sample from a dog in north Segovia. It’s owner bought it at an unlicensed breeder. He was able to give directions. Duncan and I went there. It’s very isolated. A farmhouse, barn and two kennels but you can’t see any of it from the road. No one was there. We took samples of the dogs through the kennel fence.”
Moffat raised his eyes to the screen showing De la Peña’s worksheet. “So what we’ve learned is that the dog breeder and the man who directed you to him have dogs related to the dog that licked the envelope of the Ledger Dispatch letter to the editor about the Price case - that was 2003 - and the dog whose hairs were found in the stocking cap found near the home of the 1989 missing person.”
“That’s right.”
“Just to confirm one point,” De la Peña said, “The guy you interviewed doesn’t look like our suspect, right?”
“No, it’s not him,” Fat said. “We should go back to that farm house.”
De la Peña looked to Moffat “How do you want to handle it?”
“With extreme caution.” Moffat said. “If the suspect is there, he is well armed. This place could belong to an accomplice. I don’t want to take any chances. Mrs. Grubb, please call the Chief. I’ll call Captain Hughes. We’ll meet back at the Communication Center Conference Room. Sergeant, you and Fat find out everything you can about that address.”
Moffat caught Hughes just as he was about to leave for his mobile command center in the north county. He wasn’t pleased to divert his attention from the search but agreed to return at Moffat’s insistence.
* * *
“This farmhouse is related to our investigation, possibly to the suspect we’re now searching for.” Moffat spoke as De la Peña projected the Google satellite image of the farmhouse northeast of Segovia. He explained the connection to the 1989 missing person and the e-mailed letter to the Ledger Dispatch that had helped to arouse the editor’s suspicion at the start. “No one was there last Thursday, but there was plenty of evidence of recent habitation. Sergeant, what more have you learned?”
“Fat checked and the address is not on the property tax roles. The Post Office has no record of its existence. It doesn’t appear in the DMV computers either. I’d say this guy is living outside of the normal world - kind of like the Unabomber but with more conveniences.”
“Captain Hughes, I can’t be sure this place belongs to the man I saw yesterday but based on what we’ve learned, we have to assume the occupants are armed and present a danger to the officers we send in there. I think we will need your Special Response Team.”
Hughes frowned. Moffat knew he was concerned about pulling resources away from the manhunt. Hughes walked to a county map tacked to the wall. “Ok, I don’t think the guy with the Ruger can be at the farmhouse. Look, here’s the river.” He pointed to the lower fork of the Calaveras River. “Our man would have to cross the river to get to your ranch. There are only four bridges and we’ve stopped everybody crossing since yesterday, we’ve searched every vehicle. I know he couldn’t have made it there since you saw him. Hughes waited while De la Peña, Moffat and Halvorsen studied the map, then said “What if I give you five guys? They go in, secure the area, then turn it over to your detectives and Forensics. I’ll need them back on the line as soon as possible.”
Halvorsen looked at Moffat “It sounds reasonable, Alex. I’ll get the search warrant. You have Forensics ready to go in as soon as Sergeant Clark gives the word.”
* * *
Fat and Duncan felt less uneasy on their second visit to the isolated farmhouse and kennels. This time they were in a police car instead of on foot. The SRT officers had already conducted a complete search and informed the detectives that the only signs of life in the compound were chickens and dogs. Also, this time Captain Moffat, Sergeant De la Peña and four investigators of the Forensics Services Unit
accompanied the two young police officers. There was a last minute addition to the procession that drove up the road to park between the house and the barn. A Channel 11 newsvan with two camera operators and the crime reporter followed Moffat’s Toyota Highlander up the hill. Chief Halvorsen told Moffat the police needed to show the public they were making progress.
Moffat sent the forensic personnel into the house with specific goals. Moments later, one of the four exited the front door holding an evidence bag containing a toothbrush, hair brush and safety razor. She left immediately for the lab.
De la Peña radioed Moffat to come to the barn saying he had found something of interest. Moffat jogged the forty yards to the barn. His eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the change from midday sun to the darkness of the barn. Then he saw De la Peña and Duncan in front of a machine.
“It’s a metal stamping machine,” De la Peña said. “Look at these.” The Sergeant pointed to a block of wood carved with raised letters and numbers. It was incomplete, having only a single digit and three letters but was clearly intended for use in creating a California plate.
“This is how he counterfeited the license plates. He’d spot some out-of-towner with the right year, model and make of vehicle, then copy their plates.”
“Do you see one for ‘1POK300’?” Moffat asked.
“No, just this one. Maybe he burned the block after he used it.”
“Too bad, that would be a connection to the suspect, wouldn’t it?” Duncan said.