CHAPTER 4
When Matt got back to the office, CJ knew that something had happened. He was trying hard not to show it, but she could tell. After being best friends for over twenty years she knew all the signs. Matt sat down in front of BABY and began entering information. He hadn't even asked her what she had found out about Sgt. Roger Ford while he had been gone, which was totally out of character for him. She came and sat down next to him on the couch and put an arm across his shoulders. "What happened?"
Matt sighed and dropped his head. "We kind of locked horns I guess you could say." He leaned back and got ready to hear a speech from his partner about professionalism. She nodded but didn't say anything. "I think we've kind of reached an understanding, though. We're both going to try to get along now." That surprised her.
"Oh really?" CJ was taken aback. She had received a phone call from one of the officers who witnessed the confrontation at the elevator, but she had no clue what happened after they went into the office with the chief.
Matt nodded. "He's having a hard time stepping into Vince's shoes and I'm having a hard time being there without Vince. So we agreed to try to take it easy on each other and be a little more respectful of the problems that we're both having." CJ was thoroughly surprised.
"Well, it sounds like maybe you two can get along after all." She gave him a peck on the cheek.
"I don't know, CJ. But I guess I can at least try." He pulled out his notebook and checked through the information. Without even looking up, he asked, "So which one called you? Sanchez?"
She giggled. "Nope. O'Hare."
Matt grinned. "I knew somebody must have."
She patted him on the back. "I have to say, I was surprised you handled it like you did – getting all up in his face – without hitting him. You must be mellowing out in your old age."
"Bite my old age, CJ." He was still grinning as he leaned forward and began entering more information.
"You didn't ask what I had found out about Ford."
He sat back again. "No I didn't. Guess I was just a little sidetracked. Please share."
"Sgt. Roger Ford, married for forty years, retired last year after getting in twenty five years on the job. Taught at the academy off and on for the last twelve years. A decent service record, but no major shining achievements. He appears to have been a go to work, do your job, go back home kind of guy. No major complaints in his file; just your average cop."
"I see. Did you check into his finances?" Matt got up and headed to the bar for coffee and CJ followed.
"I did. Nothing out of the ordinary there, either. He owned a few stocks, a few city municipal bonds, but nothing too risky and no huge amounts of money to call into question. He looks squeaky clean, Houston."
"Well, I guess there are still honest people in the world, CJ." He poured coffee for both of them and then headed back over to BABY. "Alright, here's what I've gotten: all of the victims, and Ford made the fourth one in eleven days, were tied to chairs using a buntline knot. It's a sailor's knot. All were tied using the same kind of anchor rope, used for small watercraft. All were killed with the same brand and make of knife. And all of them at one time or another worked as instructors at the academy." He punched a few keys and brought up a picture of the murder weapon. "This is a German-made carving knife – Himmler brand, nine inches long. Not exactly a cheap knife according to what I'm seeing here. They run about eighty bucks a whack. Now our killer is leaving these at the scenes in the chest of each victim. Also, all of the houses have been ransacked. "
Matt punched a few more keys. "This is the rope that our guy is tying these folks up with – three strand line, three-eighths of an inch. The lab says that it's SeaDuty brand. You can buy it at sporting goods stores, marinas, you get the picture. Easy stuff to come by." He punched a few more keys. "And here is the knot that was used. It's called a buntline and is used to tie to the square sails. Now the thing about a buntline that isn't true with some other knots is that it is hard to take loose. The more it's pulled on the tighter it gets. That's why it's so good for the sails." He leaned back on the couch and put his arm across the back.
"So our killer probably knows how to sail because of the knot and the anchor rope. And he doesn't mind leaving behind an eighty dollar knife at each crime scene." CJ took another sip of coffee and pondered the case.
"It sounds to me like somebody who might have a little bit of money, CJ." Matt looked over at her.
She nodded, then smirked. "Hoyt will probably try to blame it on you." CJ cut her eyes over at her best friend.
"I'd say that's a distinct possibility." He looked at his watch. "I don't know about you, but I could sure use some lunch. How about Ricardo's?"
"Works for me." The two of them got up and stepped onto the couch and then over, as was their habit. CJ stopped by her office to grab her purse and they hopped on the elevator and went to lunch. As they sat there in the little Mexican restaurant around the corner from the office, Matt was thinking about the case.
"I just wonder what this guy is looking for, CJ. He's really been digging through these houses – even cutting into cushions and all." He took a bite of the chimichangas. "Man these are good."
"They are really good." CJ paused to drink some of her tea. "I think we need to look into the academy connection. See if any of them were there at the same time."
Matt paused mid-bite. "That's what else Hoyt was going to look up – before we got sidetracked." He gave CJ a sheepish grin. He pulled out his cell phone and called Sanchez to ask if the lieutenant had checked into that possibility.
"I'm not sure, Houston. He hasn't really said anything to me about the investigation." The young officer paused for a minute. "Do you want his cell phone number?"
Matt put down his fork and pulled a pen out of his pocket. "Yeah, let me have it." He wrote down the number on a napkin and thanked the man, then dialed Hoyt's number.
"Hoyt." He didn't sound very happy.
"Hey, lieutenant, it's Houston. I was wondering: did you happen to get to check the academy angle: were they all teaching at the academy at the same time? I kind of forgot about it." Matt didn't need to mention why he had forgotten it.
"No, I forgot it, too." Matt actually heard the man snicker. Maybe he had a sense of humor after all. "Tell you what: I'm at lunch right now, but as soon as I get back I'll check on that. Can I reach you at the number you're calling from now?"
"Yeah, it's my cell. Okay, talk to you then." He hung up and looked across at CJ. "I believe I actually heard the man snicker, CJ. Maybe there's hope for him yet." He grinned.