* * * *
“We have to do something. We won’t be able to hold her here for much longer,” Big Jay stated toward Sandman.
“She’s stubborn and she’s upset. Rightfully so, but heading home in the middle of this is not feasible at all,” Duke stated.
“I’m going to call Frank. Maybe he’ll be able to get through to her or figure out a plan,” Sandman said.
“Why don’t we make a few calls and see if we can find a safe house, closer to home just in case?” Duke added.
“Okay, let’s do this. No matter what, we have to protect Grace,” Sandman said then headed to his office while his brothers went downstairs.
* * * *
Grace grabbed her backpack, some money, and her cell phone then snuck out Sandman’s bedroom window that he left opened. She knew the sensor on the alarm system only sounded when a door or window was opened. She prayed that she would figure out who the real killer was and that she made the right decision to sneak out and go alone.
Grace had planned on taking a bus back, but first she needed a disguise and some makeup to ensure she stayed undetected and unidentified.
As she headed across the field, she prayed that the men would forgive her. She knew that they loved her and wanted to protect her from this madman, but enough was enough. This guy had to be stopped before something happened to another member of her family. She hoped that she truly had the strength and capability to complete her plan successfully.
* * * *
Sandman got off the phone with Frank then received a phone call from Jim.
“Yes, Sandman, it looks like you might have caught something when you found the partial telephone number and short letter in the file. I’ve downloaded the information and have sent it through your secure e-mail,” Jim said. He was good at his job as a detective but also had a knack for the high-tech stuff. Jim was a whiz at computers, satellite imaging, and every special tool the department had access to.
Sandman opened his e-mail and began reading the information.
“I figured out the telephone number by tracking down the victim’s personal phone book which was included in one of many evidence boxes. I don’t know why the detectives at the time hadn’t checked there first. The number belonged to a Charlie Vasco,” Jim said and Sandman listened as he wrote the name down on a notepad.
“So who is this guy?” he asked, wondering if he could be the killer.
“Well what struck me as strange, Sandman, is that it seems that this Charlie Vasco just fell off the face of the earth right after that first murder ten years ago. There are no records of him thus far, but I’m still looking over death certificates or any signs of name change.”
“That’s great work, Jim. Do you have fingerprints on this guy? Or maybe even a photograph?” Sandman asked.
“Yes, I do have fingerprints but no photograph yet. Hopefully I’ll have his current name for you as well real soon,” Jim stated and Sandman hoped he would as well.
“Okay, now onto something that Frank found out. It appears that those other three victims, the ones you felt may be connected to the Thompson murder, are linked by one main fact.”
“That being?”
“They were all involved with a fundraising organization that applied for affordable housing in suburban developments.”
“Shit, wasn’t Donald involved with that?”
“Yes, but apparently Donald and these other victims were receiving threatening phone calls and e-mails from people for years. Those three men were heavily involved in the fundraising board. Once they were killed, the programs either were shut down or lost funding. Donald has been the only one able to help complete a development and right here in Houston.”
“Are you thinking that this killer started killing these people so they wouldn’t build affordable housing in the area?”
“Frank thinks that the killer was so used to killing for his pleasure, that perhaps he started killing to get his point across. Maybe some of the threats were from this same guy we’re after.”
“Jim, you have Frank there with you?”
“Yes. He’s right here. He’s trying to find copies of any threatening letters. His mom was involved with that board along with Donald. The affordable housing complex s just a mile or so from their house.”
“See if you can find any of those letters. See if we can make a connection to the words in those letters and maybe the ones in the poems left with the bodies.”
“Okay, we’ll keep you updated.”