This is a story thought up by my daughters. They love to come up with ideas and see if Mom can work with them. Well girls I hope this is a good start to your idea.
Working with the police for seven years Shawn had become somewhat jaded when it came to blood and guts and dead bodies. They never really bothered him that much well at least not as much as Gus.
The one kind of kind of case that still made his blood run cold was when it involved children. Thankfully he hadn't been called into a lot of those cases.
Unfortunately things were about to change and in a huge way.
Bright and early Monday morning Chief Vick made the all hands on deck call.
Lassiter, Juliet, Gus, Henry and Shawn were in Vick's office waiting for the briefing about what the new case was.
Vick came in and handed each of them a file folder, in the file folder were reports and photos from crime scenes that happened 20 years ago. Shawn looked confused and asked the chief, "Why are we looking at reports from 20 years ago?" Vick very solemnly answered, "Because we found another body this morning. It looks like the Meadow land Rapist is back. Lets go team. I don't have to tell you that this case is your only case till we catch this Bastard."
The group went to the crime scene and started to investigate.
Chief Vick began briefing the group about the latest victim.
Carlton began to dictate his report into a handheld tape recorder,
"The Victim was 12-year-old Michael Rogers.
He was found lying in a field naked and appeared to be both physically and sexually abused.
His clothes were located approximately 50 yards from the body.
The victim was found with a penny on his forehead the same way the meadowland rapist marked his victims"
Shawn leaned in close to investigate, when he saw the penny he fell backwards. He sat there in a haze until he noticed Lassiter yelling at him saying, "What the hell are you doing Spencer this is not time for your antics. For once in your life be serious."
That snapped Shawn out of his haze he apologized to Lassiter and assured him that he wasn't being goofy he didn't know what happened.
Shawn got up and brushed his pants off and went back to the blueberry to sit and gather his thoughts.
He came back to the scene a few minutes later. Gus asked him, " What is going on with you today? Are you okay man?"
Shawn just smiled and said, "Yeah buddy you know me I'm always fine."
Other than the penny there were no other clues at the scene.
They went back to the station to wait for the autopsy and review any evidence from the other crime scenes.
The car ride back to the station was silent. Gus didn't know how to handle the silent Shawn. He was beginning to get really worried about his friend. He vowed to himself to look after Shawn extra close during this investigation. Maybe this case was just too much for him, but why?
When the group got back to the station they went into the conference room where there was a board with pictures from all the crime scenes and any evidence they had pinned to it.
Chief Vick began, "As you can tell from these photos the way the Meadow land Rapist marks his victims is with a shiny penny on the forehead. We aren't sure what the penny is supposed to represent other than being the calling card of the scum who is doing this to these poor boys. If you notice all the victims had either green or blue eyes and they all had blonde hair."
Gus looked at Shawn then interrupted the Chief by saying, "All those boys look like you did when you were 12." Henry agreed.
Chief Vick getting everyone's attention back to her continued, " The boys all came from broken homes and they all lived with their Dad's the mothers were not in their lives very much. That is all we know about this guy. He struck 20 years ago seven times then went off the radar for 20 years. I have no idea why he came back now but he is back and I want to catch him this time."
Everyone agreed and left the conference room.
Gus stopped Shawn and waited till the conference room was empty and asked his best friend, "Dude, these boys sound just like you, they had your life and they looked just like you. You just abut passed out today when you saw the penny. Do you know anything about these cases that you aren't telling me?"
Shawn looked at his best friend and stammered a halfhearted response, "NO, how could you even think that, I gotta go I will see you tonight."
With that he ran out of the room and out the front door of the SBPD.
Henry had been watching the two in the conference room. Once Shawn stormed out he came in and sat with Gus.
Henry asked Gus, "I saw you guys talking and Shawn storming out what happened, what's wrong? Is the case getting to him?"
Gus looked at the man who he thought of as a second Dad and told him, "I don't know. I asked Shawn when we were alone if he knew anything about this case? I told him that all these boys reminded me a lot of him when he was that age and I also asked him about his reaction when he saw the penny on the kid this morning. He didn't answer any of my questions and just ran out?"
Henry thought for a minute and started to recall the year that Shawn was 12. Henry said, "When Shawn was 12 his mother was traveling a lot. Our marriage was all ready on its way to being over and I just got moved up to detective and so I worked 50 or 60-hour weeks. That meant that Shawn spent a lot of time on his own. That year Uncle Jack came to live with us for a couple of months too."
Gus asked Henry, "Do you remember exactly the time period Jack lived with you all?"
Henry looked at Gus cross-eyed and growled, "What are you getting at Guster? I think he was with us February through May of that year."
Gus just smiled awkwardly and said, "Oh nothing, I was just wondering"
Henry could tell when Gus was lying, about as well as he could when Shawn was, so he asked again, "Gus if you think that you have figured out something to do with this case or my Son I expect you to tell me and tell me NOW!"
Gus sat there wondering if he should share his theory or not. He took a deep breath and began, "Mr. Spencer I don't know anything for sure this is just a feeling. When Shawn saw the Penny on the forehead of the poor kid this morning he turned gray and just about passed out, all the victims looked like he did at the same age and all the first murders happened the same months that Jack was living with you all. The thing that worries me most is Shawn wouldn't even talk to me, he shut down at the scene today and never has come back."
Henry got angry at the accusations coming from his son's closest friend, "I can't believe you could even think that Jack could EVER do such horrible things. Jack was Jack I wouldn't put bank robbery past him but murdering and raping young boys? What about this boy, Jack hasn't been around in years."
Gus just frowned, " I don't know Mr. Spencer, I do know that Shawn knows more than he is letting on and I am worried if we don't find out why he maybe in Danger."
Henry stormed out and got into his truck. With every fiber of his being he did not want to think that Jack could hurt a little boy, He trusted him with Shawn so much when Shawn was 12, surely he couldn't, he wouldn't. Henry took off toward the Psyche office hoping to find out more from his son.
When he pulled up to the Psyche office he knew in his gut that something was off. He pulled his weapon from the glove box of the truck and went to investigate.
When he rounded the corner he saw the door of the office wide opened and when he peered into the office he could barely believe what he saw.
Shawn was lying in a puddle of blood beside his desk. Henry ran up to him praying the whole way that he would feel a pulse. When he touched his neck he felt the soft thump of his heart and that help Henry's heart start back up again.
Henry called for an ambulance and then called Juliet and Lassiter.
Why he waited for the ambulance he gently turned his son over to investigate where all the blood was coming from. When he turned him on his side he heard a gentle thump on the ground.
He found a large bullet wound in Shawn's back pouring out blood. Henry grabbed the blanket from the couch and used it to put pressure on the wound. He also noticed on the back of his head was a gash that looked like he was pistol-whipped.
When he laid Shawn back down he investigated what made the thump earlier. Henry was stunned when he pulled out a bloody penny from the floor beside Shawn.
Lassiter and Juliet stormed into the Psyche office the same time the paramedics arrived.
Juliet was horrified at the scene of her boyfriend lying in a pool of his own blood. She ran to his side and grabbed his hand. She looked horrified at Henry and asked, "What in the world happened to him."
Henry with tears building in his eyes told Juliet, "I don't know I found him like this."
Lassier opened the door for the paramedics and told Henry and Juliet to give them room so they can help Shawn. The Paramedics were able to stabilize Shawn and have him in the ambulance on the way to the hospital in ten minutes.
Once Shawn was gone. Lassiter asked Henry what happened. Henry told him what he told Juliet, "I found him like this and called you and the ambulance and I found this.." reaching into his pocket he pulled out a bloody penny.
Lassiter and Juliet were stunned. Lassiter was the first to speak, "The Meadow Land Rapist did this to Shawn? Why?"
Henry laid the Penny on the desk and told the two detectives, "I don't know but I am going to find out after I make sure my son will be okay."
Juliet smiled and said, "We will process the scene, you go but please call us with updates on Shawn."
Henry agreed and made his way to the hospital to be by Shawn's side. Could the Meadow Land Rapist be Jack and did he ever try and hurt Shawn? If he did how did I miss it.