He'd ignored the many quizzical looks thrown in his general direction as Steve jogged the length of 23rd toward Folsom, trying to do both, find Gonzales and watch where he was going on the uneven sidewalk.
So far, the martial arts student gone rogue had eluded capture frighteningly well, either leading them onto a wild goose chase altogether, or having found a hiding place somewhere in the many attractive side streets along the way.
Using the opportunity to review her R&I profile once again, Steve recalled her nondescript job as a cashier at a grocery store down the road. No children, not married, seemingly the typical loner a place like McPhearson's dojo had attracted.
Apparently also the same type of loner who wasn't afraid to use significant force to evade arrest.
Sighing, Steve jogged past an older couple who eyed him skeptically, perhaps going as far as fearing he might try to rob them.
As such, he made a wide berth around the seniors, adding a brief smile for good measure, ignoring his turquoise tie blowing all over the place with the slight breeze coming up, as he finished his run across the three city block perimeter somewhat out of breath, sweat building up along his shirt-collar, but painfully empty-handed.
# # #
Mike made the Galaxy come to a screeching halt in the middle of the intersection on Folsom and 23rd, needing no help to discover his partner who'd been standing at the corner anxiously awaiting him.
Ignoring the protests from other motorists as he briefly blocked both lanes, allowing for Steve to cross the busy road in a safe fashion and jump into the passenger side, Mike pointed at the radio in obvious frustration.
"Nothing on my end either. I had one of the unis check out Gonzales' apartment while I ran up and down VanNess, but she isn't there either."
Wiping the sweat off his face with a napkin from his breast pocket, Steve nodded wearily, then leaned against the seat bench as Mike headed back west.
"She could have found shelter with a friend somewhere between here and the dojo. Or hiding in one of the back alleys. We could spend all day looking for her."
"Yeah I know.", Mike grunted disappointedly, ready to reach for the radio again, "And quite honestly, I don't need anybody else injured trying to apprehend her. I just wonder where she could have gone. What could have motivated her?"
Deep in thought, the receiver still in his right hand, the Lieutenant made his way back toward the dojo, when Steve cleared his throat.
"Her motivation…that might be it."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you said it yourself. What's her motivation now? She knows we're onto her. She knows she's going away as soon as we catch her. With such a dreary outlook, what would be one place you'd want to hang out one last time before getting caught? In the worst case, possibly even choosing to commit suicide right there?"
Following his partner's logic, Mike frowned, then set the receiver back down into the plastic holder.
"You think she's headed back toward Leanne Harris' house?"
"Why not? It's where her downfall started, for lack of a better description.", Steve explained, his green eyes wide in excitement, "We've had ample cases where the killer returned to the scene of the crime. In her case, whether we argue that she killed Leanne because she was harboring feelings of jealousy or because she wanted McPhearson all for herself; it still comes right back down to that house and whatever happened the night of Leanne's murder."
Glancing over at his partner, Mike smiled faintly, then nodded as he sped up the Galaxy.
"Not a bad idea, Smiley. Let's see if you're right."
# # #
Their return to Leanne Harris's apartment in the Mission District didn't take long, shreds of the yellow caution tape attached to the stairwell leading up to it still fluttering in the strong breeze coming off the bay, a somber reminder of the crime that happened here.
Steve felt himself tense up, knowing instinctively that Mike was doing the same, as the duo was growing increasingly leery of the situation that might await them.
"I had a lock put over the front door. Doesn't look like it's been jimmied from down here.", the Lieutenant muttered, then searched his right-side coat pocket for the key.
"She might be familiar enough with the property to know a back way in."
Reaching for the door handle, Mike nodded absent-mindedly, then ran a hand over the revolver by his hip, as if to assuage his worries, before exiting the Galaxy.
"Remember to keep her at arm's length until it's safe to approach. She could break your neck like a twig if she wanted to."
Steve acknowledged the Lieutenant's stern warning with a faint nod, then jogged along the hood of the tan sedan to catch up with his partner who was three steps ahead already.
"Well, you do know, at one point we're going to have to put on those handcuffs. Worst case scenario, she could use the opportunity to create a standoff situation."
"Yeah, I thought about that.", Mike answered from a few feet away, never bothering to turn around, his eyes scanning the entrance area of the apartment, and the lock that looked to be untouched.
"So, when the time comes, we're going to do a coin toss?"
His lighthearted comment caused the Lieutenant to turn around for a moment, then resume his climb to the top of the stairwell.
"No, when the time comes, you put on the cuffs. If you need saving, I'll take care of it."
"If you need saving, I'll take care of it…", Steve muttered under his breath in subjugated resignation, then rolled his eyes, "Nothing like starting things off on a bright note like that."