Thanks again for all those reviews. We are glad to hear everyone is enjoying the story. We are nearing the end so hang in there.
Chapter 16
Before heading out to the smoke shops on their list, Alex gave Deakins, Mike and Carolyn a head's up about what they had found and where they were going. Deakins decided that he would put both teams on the canvassing of the stores. They could split the list and make progress that much faster. Meanwhile, Bobby was gathering up pictures of Marshall Wentworth that had been digitally aged, as well as otherwise digitally enhanced. If he had a beard, changed his hair, changed his eye color, whatever he might have done to himself as a disguise, he felt they had it covered. After learning that Mike and Carolyn were going to assist, he got extra copies from development and they headed out the door.
As they went down the elevator, they determine who would take which stores, and reminded each other again what they were looking for. It might be possible that Marshall Wentworth, or whatever he was going by now, had purchased this specific type of cigarette at one of these five stores. Of course, it was also possible that he had got them off the internet too, but Bobby was willing to guess he had actually purchased them. He would have been unwilling to use a credit card and mailing address that might possibly be able to be traced. From everything they knew so far, he had dropped of the planet a few years ago, so using credit cards or internet purchases would be highly uncharacteristic.
"This is the fifth store on the list, let's hope this is it," Alex said as they entered the store. She hated canvassing stores. She was tired and her feet hurt. Usually those things wouldn't bother her so much, but the adrenaline she had going earlier because of the great clue was waning, and everything seemed that much worse. She was losing hope.
"Well it's the last one, so if he doesn't get them here then I was wrong and he does order them off the internet," Bobby sounded weary as well.
"There's a first, you wrong," Alex snarked. At least her humor was still present.
"It does happen," Bobby smiled slightly.
Approaching the counter lined with cigar magazines, lighters, and other smoking accoutrements, Alex pulled out the picture of the killer. "Excuse me, do you sell Kretek cigarettes? Dajrum brand in particular."
"Sure," said the slightly beefy man behind the counter. "We sell about 12 Dajrum brands. Which one are you looking for?"
"We are looking for the one that this man might have purchased. Have you sold any to this man recently?" she replied showing her the photo.
"He looks kind of familiar. Hey Eric, do you remember selling any Darjrums to this guy?"
"Yeah he's been in here a couple of times. He gets the Darjum Blacks. He's kind of a jerk, always keeps his head down and never says much."
"Do you remember anything else about him? Did he purchase anything else?" asked Bobby ignoring the kid's last statement.
"The first time he came in he asked me if we delivered. I was like 'yeah right'. Then he asked if I knew of any grocery places that delivered. This guy was really hung up about getting things delivered. One time he bought some lighter fluid for a real lighter. I saw him use a silver lighter, and he transferred his cigarettes into a matching silver case. It was very expensive, that's why I remember it. Such a difference from the way he was dressed."
"What did you tell him about places that deliver?" Bobby asked, a slight turn of excitement in his voice.
"I told him the bodega at the corner delivers," the kid said with a shrug.
"Thank you," replied Alex. They started to leave when Bobby turned back to ask another question.
"How often does he come in to get his cigarettes?"
"Once, maybe twice a week."
"When was the last time he was here?"
"Two days ago."
"Ok, thank you," Bobby turned again to leave.
"That bodega will have his address on file," stated Alex.
Instead of going themselves to the bodega, Bobby called Deakins to have some undercover cops that work in the neighborhood canvass that store. They didn't want to alert the Man to their next move. They didn't want him possibly following them and find out how close they are to finding him.
By the time they made it back to 1PP, Logan and Barek had returned, and the undercovers had gotten an address where deliveries were being made. Deakins had asked the undercovers to stay hanging around the bodega and also the address until they could get a warrant. Once they had an address, Deakins had alerted Carver and the warrant was on its way. They were now in strategizing mode before they rushed over to the location.
"We know he is likely to be following us around. We should not go to the loft where he is possibly located. We need to lead him away, go on about our business," Bobby told the captain while Alex and Mike and Carolyn listened. "If he sees us anywhere near there, the game is up."
"So what is it you propose?" Deakins asked, while Carver listened on.
"Alex and I need to go about our business, perhaps go back and ask his parents a few more questions. We could ask about the lighter and cigarette case. And once we are on our way, then Mike and Carolyn execute the search warrant. Best case, we catch him there with all his stuff. Worse case, maybe we find one of his haunts, maybe even with the badges. If he isn't there, we have to just wait for him to come back. If we process the scene, he'll be in the wind, probably leaving a deadly trail behind him."
Carver was nodding his head, disagreeing with the plan. "If we find the badges there, we must process the scene and take possession of the evidence. It might even lead us to him if he isn't there."
"I have to agree with the counselor on this one. We go and bust the scene, hopefully find the badges and the guy. If not, at least we have a start."
Bobby and Alex sighed, and got up to leave. "We'll be heading back to Westchester. Let us know what you find."
"Hey you two, be careful. If you are right, and you are drawing him away with you, you can be in danger. Watch your backs."
TBC………..