CHAPTER7
Later that morning the team was looking through the files; they have created on the people at the bar. Frank came down from his office to talk to them. "I just got a phone call from Chicago PD. They have another body," Frank told them.
"Where did they find this one?" Elaina asked.
"1238 Churchill," Frank told them.
"That was our chief suspect from last night," Jake stated.
"We can go over there to check the place out, forensics will send their report to us later. Alex, Jake and Elaina come with me. The rest of you try to find us another suspect. We missed something last night. We need to figure out fast what it was," Frank ordered.
"We've been studying these files all morning and I don't see where it is getting us," Annie whined.
"I don't care, if you do it all afternoon, too," Elaina told her. I have an even better idea. why don't you and Travis get off your asses and go interview Josh Brandt to find out why he dropped the battery charges against our dead guy. That's if you can remember how to conduct an interview."
"Yes, I can do that, Agent Blakely. Come on, Travis, let's go." Annie grabbed the file and left.
"Agent Blakely, lets go, now!" Frank pushed her toward the door.
"How dare you push me. Maybe I had something else to say to them," Elaina protested.
"Get in the car and shut up," Frank ordered her getting in. "Annie isn't here, so cut the crap."
"Sorry, I was on a roll." Elaina giggled.
"I made my call, I'll have an answer, maybe as soon as tonight," Frank told her watching Alex and Jake leave in another car.
"Are you going to tell me who you called?" Elaina was determined to keep asking.
"No!" Frank said starting the car.
"Ok. I guess Sab and I will handle things our way," Elaina told him.
"What are you…never mind, I really don't want to know," Frank said then put on his headset.
'Coward.' Elaina signed after putting on her headset.
They arrived at the murder scene where a Chicago PD detective met them. "I'm Detective Fray."
"I'm Frank Donovan, Agents Blakely, Shaw and Cross." Frank introduced the team.
"I guess, I hand this over to your team now," the detective stated.
"Has the body been moved yet?" Elaina asked.
"Not yet. We were told to wait on Feds to get here. Follow me," The detective took them inside to the bedroom where the body was still in the bed.
"Who found the body?" Jake asked.
"His partner Douglas Brandt," Detective Fray answered.
"Sure it was, Douglas?" Alex asked.
"He gave us the name of Douglas. Why do you ask?" Fray asked.
"We ran across the name Josh Brandt in our investigation," Frank informed him.
"That would be my brother." Douglas came in the room with a police officer. "My brother dated Tyler for a while. They broke it off after the beating. I suppose that's how you found out about him?"
"Yes it is. Why were you here this morning?" Frank questioned.
"We had an important meeting this morning. When he failed to show up, I came here to see why and I found him as you see him."
"When was the last time you spoke with him?" Elaina asked.
"Last night about midnight, he called me to confirm the time of the meeting," Douglas answered.
"That was late to be calling to confirm a meeting," Elaina said.
"He had been out, had just gotten home. He has gone out a lot since he and Josh broke up," Douglas informed them.
"Where is your brother?" Frank asked.
"At work I suppose. I really don't keep track of his schedule. Are you suggesting my brother has something to do with this?" Douglas wondered.
"We're just investigating a crime. We just like to know where everyone associated with Mr. Jackson was at the time of his murder," Elaina explained.
"I was at home as to where my brother was, I have no idea. May I leave now? This is quite unpleasant to be in here," Douglas said trying to keep from looking at the body.
"We have your address and phone number. We'll contact you, if we have any more questions," Frank told him. After he left the house Frank talked to Cody. "Run Douglas Brandt, see what you come up with."
"Will do," Cody replied.
"What's the approximate time of death?" Elaina asked.
"Coroner said about 4 in the morning. He said from the blood spray that whoever it was slashed the guys throat first, then continued with the stabbing," Fray told them.
"There are no defensive wounds on his hands or arms. He must've been asleep," Jake said looking at the body.
"He saw his attacker, his eyes are open," Frank told them.
"He didn't defend himself, he must've known the person," Alex said.
Elaina walked around the bed looking at the scene when her shoe hit something underneath the edge of the bed. She bent down to pick up the object. It was an earring. "Were there any female officers here today?"
"There was one on the forensics team. I'll find out if she lost it." The detective went out of the room.
"Maybe he swings both ways," Alex suggested.
Frank walked over to the closet and looked in it. "He isn't a cross dresser, there are no women's clothing."
"Could have been a housekeeper that lost it," Jake stated.
"Or it could be our killer is female," Elaina said as the detective came back in.
"Not hers, Agent Blakely," he told her.
"I guess we consider this a clue then." Elaina put the earring in an evidence bag.
"Cody, do you have that info yet?" Frank asked.
"Just coming up. Douglas Brandt. 35, used to be a cop in Los Angeles. Now owns a security firm with our dead guy. I should say did own, I guess he owns it all now."
"Cody, your rambling read the file, forget the commentary," Elaina ordered.
"He resigned from the police force after being injured during a gang turf war. It got ugly as they were arresting the gang members, the crowd turned on the officers and they were severely beaten," Cody reported.
"That's enough for now, we're on our way back," Frank said.
"Cody, call the Songbird order 4 of their specials for us with whatever the rest of you want and order something for Annie and Travis too. Jake and Alex will swing by and get it," Elaina told him.
"Will do. Annie and Travis just walked in."
"What did they find out? They weren't gone long," Frank asked. There was a long pause before Cody answered.
"They couldn't find Josh at home or at his work place," Cody informed them.
"Thanks, Cody," Frank replied.
"This case gets more interesting as time goes by," Jake said as they walked out.
"We have a lot more questions and with very few answers if you ask me," Alex said.
"We'll see you back at the nest. If Maria is there don't talk too long. Don't stay any longer than you have to," Elaina told them.