Chapter 10:
Remains to be Seen
"A suspect…really?" Jess asked excitedly "who, what, where, when and how" she rambled
"Slow down" Flack replied "It's not really a suspect more of a person of interest…there is no actual evidence connecting this guy to any of our crime scenes…its more like a hunch" he said
"Flack, we have no evidence connecting anyone…I'll take your hunch" Jess replied "now tell me what you got"
"Matthew Pike, age 39 lives out in Albany" Flack said passing the file he had put together on this guy to Jess. "He's a contractor and guess what three families he's worked for?"
"According to this…he did a kitchen remodel for the Lewis' in 2005 and he made over the Turners' basement in 2007 and look at that he just completed the remodelling of the Roland's upstairs to add a nursery." Jess said
"Keep reading, it gets better" Flack said
"Oh my goodness" Jess said "His wife and three kids were killed in a car accident five years ago"
"Yeah, his wife Amy who was 35 at the time and their three kids, Lukas age 8, Alexandra age 4 and Bethany age 2 were driving back from Vermont in '03 where they had been visiting Amy's family, according to accident reports Amy fell asleep to the wheel and swerved into oncoming traffic and crashed into a transport truck, all four died at the scene…I wouldn't have thought anything of it but his family was the same as the families that are being targeted. Same ages, three kids…son the oldest with two younger girls, and Pike worked with all three families. Maybe I'm stretching a bit but ..." Flack said but Jess finished what he was saying "...it's too much a coincidence not to check it out"
"yeah" he answered "Especially since the Rolands' murders took place on the accidents five year anniversary"
"Difinitely more than a coincidence" Jess said "You said you figured out why he left the words La famiglia è tutta che abbiamo in questo mondo. li apprezziamo behind"
"More of a theory really" Flack replied "If Pike is our family killer…I think he leaves the words like a warning…family is important treasure them before its too late... sort of thing"
"Makes sense…only one problem with your theory…all three were treasuring their families so to speak, the persona is that they were happy families. You would think Pike would target families that would need to be warned" Jess said
"I thought of that. But guess what?" Flack said
"Our families weren't as perfect as they appeared to be" Jess replied
"I looked into the Lewis' financial records…they were in debt. Big time debt, I would say they would be filing for bankruptcy if they hadn't been murdered. Apparently, Veronica Lewis was a big spender, spending more than her family could afford. After I found that out, I had a closer look at the Turners. I found Emma Turner's medical records, a broken nose, she broke her arm three times in two years and she's had various fraction ribs. I could keep going" Flack said in a disgusted tone passing Jess the files he had.
"Blair was abusing his wife" Jess said "Definitely not the happy family portrait that I was painted…what secrets did the Rolands have?"
"None that I can find…they actually seem to be perfect." Flack said
"Ok well lets go interview Pike" Jess said
"I already sent Erickson and Walker to tail him for tonight, we'll interview him tomorrow" Flack replied, He anticipated Jess' reaction "all this is just a hunch, I figured Pike would be more inclined to talk to us without a lawyer in the morning as opposed to if we bang at his door in the middle of the night" "Point taken" Jess said in agreement
"So we have nothing to do here tonight…how about I drive you home?" Flack replied
Jess took a deep breath there really wasn't anything they could do tonight, Pike was being followed and she was exhausted "Ok" she agreed.
Flack grabbed his keys from his desk and they headed out the door. Flack drove the six blocks to Jess' building. There was an eerie silence in the car, both were lost in their thoughts. Flack pulled into the parking lot and turned the engine off "what if we're wrong?" Jess said in a voice that was just above a whisper
"There is always that possibility…let's just hope we're not" Flack replied
"Yeah" Jess replied. She took a deep breath "You want to come up?" she asked
Flack gave her a confused look, they both had agreed they needed to solve this case before anything could happen. Jess recognized the expression on his face as confusion "just as friends" she clarified "I'm not really in the mood to go up to an empty apartment"
Flack nodded his head, he knew exactly the way she felt and staying with Jess sure beat going back to his place.
Jess unlocked the door to her apartment and they were met with a wave of heat "I see you got your radiator fixed" Flack said jokingly
"Yes I did" she replied throwing her keys on the little table by the door. "Come on in and make yourself at home"
An hour later, the two deceives had made their way to Jess' bedroom and crashed on her bed, letting exhaustion take over. Flack's arm found itself around Jess's waist and the two drifted into a peaceful sleep. Both hoping beyond anything that they wouldn't wake up tomorrow to the news that another family had been murdered.