DISCLAIMER: Rating - PG13 (it's a murder mystery after all), for a little cussing & swearing and a body count. and Simon & Simon are not owned by me, they are owned by USA Network and CBS. This is just a stupid fan fiction and I won't make any money off of it. Minor spoilers for Mr. Monk Goes to the Theater. Enjoy!


Chapter 2



Wednesday, 12:05pm, Los Angeles, presentation theater of the Mayfair hotel. Captain Stottlemeyer sat in the back of the audience, patiently waiting for the speaker to finish pimping his new book about the Jon Benet Ramsey case. He hated sitting through these presentations. These Law Enforcement Conferences were increasingly monopolized year after year by companies hoping to sell crap to police departments. Leland looked at his watch, hoping the sales pitch would end soon. This was the main event for the conference, and the room was packed with cops from all over the state. As soon as the speaker finished, attending officers were given an open mike to address the audience and share information about difficult cases. No cop wanted to take that long walk to the podium, as it meant admitting that you and your department had failed. But Stottlemeyer was willing to swallow his pride and take that walk today. He knew that, if he could just find another case, it would probably give Monk everything he needed to take this killer off the streets before he killed again.

The room broke out in applause, and Stottlemeyer looked up to see the speaker leaving the podium. , he thought to himself. A hotel employee rolled an overhead projector over to the podium, pointing it towards the large screen on stage, and then The Commissioner of the Los Angeles Police Department rose from his seat in the front row and moved to the microphone. He thanked the audience, then he opened the floor to any officer that wished to present a case, and went back to his seat.

A hush fell over the room. Chairs creaked as people looked around, waiting to see who would take the floor. Leland adjusted his tie and gathered his case file under his arm. He mumbled a few choice curse words under his breath, and with a heavy sigh, started to rise from his seat in the back row. But then he stopped, and sat back down.....someone else had beat him to it.

Stottlemeyer watched the officer as he made his way to the stage, his arms laden with a large stack of case files. He was a black man, about 5'10 and well-built, with very short hair, and a neatly trimmed mustache and beard that closely followed his angular jaw. A dark green polo shirt was tucked into his blue jeans, and his badge hung from a thin chain around his neck. He moved with an air of confidence and strength about him. A murmur went through the crowd, and Leland overheard someone mutter something about that rookie Captain from San Diego. The Captain set the files on top of the podium, adjusted the microphone, and began to address the crowd.

I'm Captain Brown from the San Diego Police Department, but most of you know me as Downtown Brown. We have a big problem down in San Diego, and I'm here today asking for your help. If anyone has similar cases in their department, please contact us!

Someone in the seat next to Stottlemeyer started whispering derogatory comments about the SDPD to his partner, something about not even being able to find a donut shop . Leland leaned over and glared at him. Shut the hell up! he growled, then he turned his attention back to Captain Brown. The two men glared at Stottlemeyer, but they did as they were told and remained quiet.

Brown turned on the overhead projector, then he opened up the first case file and pulled out a set of crime scene photos. We've had eight murders like this in just one year, he continued, placing the picture on the projector's viewing surface, but we still don't have any real leads. The killer vacuums the crime scene to remove trace evidence. Stottlemeyer's heart skipped a beat - there, on the screen, was a nearly perfect recreation of the Hopkins murder. The woman's naked body was positioned exactly the same way! And the white nylon ropes used to bind her hands and feet had been tied with the same distinctive knots. Stottlemeyer had his case. Then Captain Brown went on to show the photos from the other seven murders. Each victim was positioned in a different pose, but the same rope and knots were used in every case. And every time he killed someone, he took something that had belonged to that victim, then left it in a prominent place at the scene of his next crime for the police to find. He usually left it sitting on top of the victim's folded clothes. The last victim's name was Jenna Rowland.

After he was finished, Captain Brown gathered up his case files and returned to his seat. A few other officers presented their own unsolved cases, and then the house lights came up, signaling the end of the conference. The officers that had presented cases milled around in front of the stage, making sure everyone could see them, hoping some of their comrades would approach them to swap information. Everyone seemed to be avoiding them. Stottlemeyer made his way through the crowd and approached Downtown Brown.

Captain Brown! He looked at Leland, surprised, then somewhat relieved, to see someone actually speaking to him. Stottlemeyer shook his hand. I'm Captain Leland Stottlemeyer, San Francisco P.D.

Hey, Captain. How's it going up there?

Stottlemeyer arched his bushy eyebrow, then held up one of the pictures from the Hopkins crime scene. We found Jenna's cameo.




Captain Stottlemeyer sat in a chair in Captain Brown's hotel room, looking through the files of the previous murders in San Diego. Brown offered Stottlemeyer a bottled beer from the mini fridge.

He took the beer and swigged some. Brown sat down on the bed and started working on a beer of his own. Leland exhaled, then set the files on the table, and leaned back in his chair. Jesus. We have got to catch this guy.

Christ, tell me about it! I've been trying like hell to get something - anything - going down in my town! It's been so damn frustrating! My predecessor, Captain Nolan, was just two years shy of retirement. He didn't want to go out with everyone knowing a serial killer was loose on the streets, so he just swept it under the rug. He refused to even admit that the murders were related. He mothballed the investigation when the leads dried up, leaned on the press to keep it out of the news, and just started counting the days until retirement. He wouldn't even let me put it up on the state database. But then, he flashed a huge smile and raised his beer, my brother became the Deputy Mayor!

Stottlemeyer laughed. Son of a bitch!

The mayor was not happy when he found out what Nolan did. He was out on his ass in a heartbeat! I replaced him about a month ago. And damn it, I will catch that bastard if it's the last thing I ever do!

Well, at least you have a friend in the Mayor's office. Must be pretty sweet.

Brown took another drink of his beer. Yeah, it can be. The mayor himself told me I have his full support. Do whatever it takes, no matter the cost, just get the guy.

Whatever it takes?



Stottlemeyer laughed. Well, now I know I can help you! He downed the rest of his beer. Hey Town, you ever work with a private consultant?

Now it was Brown's turn to laugh. Hell yeah, as a matter of fact, two of my best friends are P.I.'s.

Well, he's not exactly a Private Investigator in the traditional sense, but I do know someone that can help you. His name is Adrian Monk, and he's been working with us on the Hopkins case.

Brown looked surprised. You know MONK?!

Sure do.

Yeah, I've heard of him. We could really use him right now. Could you give him a call?

Stottlemeyer pulled his cell phone off his belt and dialed a number, and Brown watch with anticipation as Leland spoke to someone on the other end. Hey Sharona, lemmie talk to him. Yes, it's a job......hey Monk! Looks like you were right, our boy has been busy down in San Diego. The San Diego P.D. wants to hire you, cause they can't catch him either. Leland paused for a moment. Well hurry up and get packed.....what? Well, how fast can you get down there then? He was starting to look frustrated.

Here, let me talk to him. Leland handed the phone to Brown. In an authoritative voice, he said Mr. Monk, this is Captain Brown of the San Diego Police Department. If you are in my office in San Diego within twenty-four hours from now, I will pay you double your usual rate! There was a commotion on the other end of the line, then suddenly he heard a woman's voice state firmly, He'll be there!, *click* He handed the phone back to Leland. Well, they're on their way.

Stottlemeyer put the phone back on his belt, then went over to the mini fridge to get more beer. I suppose I should brief you about Monk, just so you know what to expect when he arrives. He returned to his seat, popped open two bottles, and handed one to Brown. Have another beer Captain, this is gonna take a while.