Chapter 10. Manhunt
Jane, Frost and Korsak served the warrant at the Waterfront Hotel at 10 a.m. the next morning. Cavanaugh was nowhere to be found; Jane wanted to be there when the penthouse apartments were searched. She stayed partially in the background, able to duck out easily if the lieutenant made an appearance.
"Nice place," she commented when the first apartment was opened. Jane looked around, noticing every perk anyone could want when renting a fully-furnished, opulent penthouse. The manager nodded and thanked her for the compliment.
"Despite the area, Detectives, we try to rival the best hotels in the world. We give our residents the best we can." Jane nodded.
"I can see that. My question is, how well do you know all of your residents?" she asked. The manager shrugged.
"Our security chief and his staff do their best to know everyone, meet any relatives that may be visiting, all to keep everyone safe."
"Are there any relatives visiting anyone recently?" Korsak asked.
"None that I know of. We have a house-sitter in the other penthouse. A college student, but other than that, we've been fairly quiet," the manager answered.
As far as you know, Jane thought. Frost rejoined them after surveying the rest of the apartment.
"Nothing here, guys. The dust hasn't been disturbed in the two months the residents have been gone," he said. The team of detectives moved to check out the other penthouse.
The manager unlocked the door and stepped back. Frost and Korsak drew their weapons and quietly opened the door. As it swung wide they smelled an unmistakable stench. Korsak looked at Frost. "Call the m.e.," he said. Frost nodded and moved up the hallway. Jane entered the suite behind Korsak.
The penthouse looked relatively untouched, save for the body in the middle of the room. Jane looked at a very young face. She looked like she was sleeping peacefully except for the neat cut across the base of her throat. She sighed.
"Neat cut. Think it's him?" Korsak asked. He searched the rest of the suite. Nothing else had been disturbed; no sign of Hoyt anywhere.
"Yep. Too neat of a cut to be anyone else, and we know he was in the area."
The manager stepped into the room. "Your medical examiner is here," he announced. Maura walked confidently in the room, pulling on her gloves. She bent over the body without addressing Jane or Korsak.
"Young. Too bad," she said. Jane felt like she'd been punched in the gut.
"Maura? What are you doing here?" she asked. Maura ignored her. Jane stepped back and signaled to Korsak behind Maura's back that she was leaving. Korsak nodded.
"Maura? What are you doing here?" Korsak asked. Maura glanced behind her briefly, didn't see Jane.
"I asked to be in on all of Hoyt's suspected victims. I didn't want to have to break in a new medical examiner on his cases," she said.
"You should have said something, Maura."
"Jane wasn't supposed to be here, Vince. Cavanaugh took her off this case, remember? If she honored that I wouldn't have run into her today and she wouldn't have had to see me." Korsak sighed.
"Yes, I understand. Thanks for the help, Doc," Korsak replied. He started in the master bedroom, where Jane left off. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jane slip into the hallway, already changed into her homeless outfit. She looked pale and shaken. Korsak wanted to shake the two women, tell them to get over themselves, but didn't think it would help at this point. He could only hope they put all of this behind themselves when the case was over.
Frost came into the living room and did a double take when he saw Maura.
"Hello, Barry, how are you?" Maura greeted him with a warm smile.
"Fine, Doc, thanks. You're-?"
"Just helping out on Hoyt's victims, that's all, Barry." He nodded.
"How do you like Southie?" he asked her. Despite the trouble between Jane and Maura he missed having Maura in the precinct.
"I'm adjusting, Barry, thank you for asking. How's your new m.e.?"
Frost shrugged. "Not you, Doctor Isles, not you. Nice to see you."
Korsak took the manager aside. "I just went through the husband's wardrobe. Do they attend many functions where he needs a tux?"
"Oh, my, yes. In fact, just before they left for Florida he took all six of his tuxedoes to our cleaners. They packed them for the summer and I hung them in his closet myself."
"Six tuxes?"
"Yes, Detective. Mr. and Mrs. Philips have a very active social calendar. They're quite the philanthropists and have numerous social engagements. I overheard him telling Mrs. Philips he needs two more tuxes to have an adequate amount," the manager said.
"You know this for a fact? He had six tuxes dry cleaned?"
"Yes, of course, Detective. I am responsible for them if he sends six to the cleaners but gets only four or five back. Why, is there a problem?"
Korsak looked over at Frost. "Yes, there are five tuxes in the closet. The seal on the dry cleaning bag has been broken."
"So Hoyt broke in, killed the house-sitter, stole a tux and posed as Charles Warren at the gathering Dr. Isles' parents attended," Frost summed up.
"Looks that way," Korsak said. Maura popped her head in the bedroom.
"I'm having the body taken to my precinct, gentlemen. I'll email the autopsy report to you, probably later today," she said. Korsak thanked her and he and Frost shared a look as Maura left the penthouse. Frost shook his head.
"I'm sure glad I'm not in Jane's shoes right now."
Jane retrieved her shopping cart and resumed her alley search. She felt numb. Seeing Maura surprised her but she didn't seem to have any emotions left in her. She waved to Sarah who merely looked at Jane and moved on down the alley. Jane checked all of the dumpsters in case Hoyt dropped the tux, but she didn't expect to find it. Too many days have passed since Hoyt could have dumped it, she thought. Straightening up Jane called after Sarah.
"Sarah! Hey wait! I have a question for you," she caught up to the older woman. Jane saw sadness in Sarah's eyes.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Sarah," she said softly, reaching out to take Sarah's hand. Fresh tears filled Sarah's eyes. "You loved Walter very much, I know." Sarah nodded.
"You remember the picture of the other man I showed you? He might have been wearing a tuxedo. Seen any strange man wearing a tux around here these last few days?" Sarah shook her head.
"I told you yesterday, dearie, I ain't seen that man."
"How about the tux? Did you see it in a dumpster? Or anyone tell you about finding it?" Sarah became excited.
"Yes I do. John has it."
"Where is John, Sarah? How can I find him?"
"He's at the pawn shop."
Jane entered the pawn shop and looked around. The man behind the counter was assisting another customer. He looked to be in his mid- to late-thirties, thinning hair, brown eyes. He seemed to have a no nonsense attitude with the customer who was trying to get a little more for a watch and ring set.
"Ma'am, I've told you. Eight hundred is the best I can do." The woman started to cry and John sighed. He settled the deal for eight fifty. Jane moved to the counter as the woman tucked the cash in her pocket and left.
"I doubt you have anything to sell that I'm going to want," John told Jane. "You guys rarely find anything of interest in your dumpster diving."
"How about a tuxedo? Interested in one of those?" Jane asked.
"Another one? I just bought one off Walter the other day. What did you guys do, rob a cleaners?"
"No. I'm interested in the same tux Walter brought in. You still have it?"
John looked Jane up and down.
"It might fit you, but, no, probably too short in the legs. What do you want with the tux?"
"I'm not interested in wearing it. Are you John?" Jane asked. He nodded.
"I haven't seen you around here before. You new to the streets?"
"Kind of." Jane produced her badge. John backed away from the counter and put up his hands.
"Listen, detective, I haven't done anything wrong. I legitimately buy and sell the things they bring in."
"I'm not questioning you, John. But that tux may have been worn by a man who killed someone so I'll need it for evidence. Since you're a pawn broker your fingerprints are on file at BPD, aren't they?"
"Of course, Detective. I run a respectable business here. Everything by the book."
"What can you tell me about Walter, the man who brought in the tux?"
"Walter Adamson, fine man. He's been on the streets since before I started here, and I've been here seventeen years. He told me once he used to play ball. Played third base for the Toledo Mudhens. I never checked it out on the internet so I don't know if it's true."
"Hmm. Did he say why he quit playing? Anything he did afterwards?"
"Not too much. The career didn't pan out, said he just wasn't good enough to make the majors. Left when it was obvious he was too old to keep up with the younger players. Started working in business, but I don't know what."
"Family? Wife, children?" Jane asked. John thought for a moment then shook his head.
"One time we were talking. It was a warm day. Walter came in for the air conditioning. I was slow so I got us a couple sodas, we sat and talked for a bit. He hinted at some great tragedy befalling his family. Said he had a son once, but never said anything more. He kind of stayed away for awhile after that. I got the impression it bothered him that he shared any part of his story so I never asked any questions after that. In fact, I haven't seen him in a few days. Ever since he brought in the tux."
"Well, that leaves me with the unhappy duty of telling you Walter was murdered a couple of days ago. It's connected to the tux." John just stared at Jane, his mouth open.
"Walter died? He can't be dead, he was happy that he was finally getting to rent a room."
"Sarah said something about that. Anything further you know?"
"Go talk to Mable at the Stable. She'll tell you anything you need to know about anyone around here. Been Mom to so many for a lot of years."
"Mable at the Stable?" Jane repeated. John grinned.
"Yeah. The Stable used to be called the Starlight but someone kept calling it the Stable because Mable used to take in so many at night. She put extra sleeping bags and cots in the rooms and if no one rented them for the night she'd open them up at ten, especially in the winter or if the weather was bad. It's the brown motel at the end of 10th street."
Jane thanked John for the tux and information. She headed out, texting Frost or Korsak to come pick up the tux for the evidence locker.
Korsak met up with Jane in a few minutes.
"She say anything?" Jane asked. Korsak sighed.
"Not much, Janie, just that she asked to be called if it was suspected that the victim was one of Hoyt's. This the tux from the Philips residence?"
"According to the pawn broker over there it is. Said he bought if off our homeless John Doe, Walter Adamson. Oh, and Korsak, have Frost run another search. John said that Walter used to play ball for the Toledo Mudhens. Have Frost search any baseball info to check it out, then see if it's linked to anything happening later in life to Walter's family."
"Will do," Korsak said. He put his hand on Jane's shoulder. "Hang in there, kid."
To no one's surprise the DNA found on the tux matched Hoyt's. Maura sighed as she emailed the autopsy reports to Korsak. Will they ever catch him? Maura wondered. Or is Hoyt going to be successful enough to kill Jane before he's killed or recaptured? Maura put her head on her arms and cried as she thought of the beautiful brunette who used to love her.
TBC Hope you're still enjoying the story. I think Maura's chapter is next….