So one reviewer suggested its time to ease up the tension and get things moving between Andy and Sharon. I confess I love the awkwardness and the tension but it can't keep happening for ever. This chapter is about setting up that scenario. The next chapter will give us the type of Shandy scenes we all wish the show would include. Hope you like it and let me know your thoughts. Thanks for reading!
Ch.7 Process of elimination
It was just before noon when the car full of detectives arrived on the Palm Springs crime scene. Provenza unbuckled his safety belt and leaned between the two front seats pointing to the crime scene tent.
"Looks like Sykes and Sanchez made good time on the drive, they're already questioning the patrol officers," Provenza pointed across Sharon's chest. Andy drove up to the taped off perimeter and turned off the engine.
The three detectives exited quickly in the low-key, high-end neighborhood. Andy lifted the tape for Sharon and Provenza to duck under before each pulled out their badges to flash at the two Palm Springs officer approaching them to block them from entering the site. Sharon identified herself and Andy to both officers who verify their badges and directed them to the site commander.
The site commander was standing between the crime tent and the small black hybrid vehicle housing the murder victim. The body had remained in the car per Taylor's earlier instructions.
Andy took special care in studying the faces of the few neighbors scattered across well-manicured lawns and sidewalks. Some were hanging around hoping for a glimpse of the corpse, others were hoping to talk with either of the two TV news crews pacing outside the perimeter tape. Andy had a sick feeling in his stomach as he assessed each person within a 50-foot radius in case Stroh was posing as a neighbor or even a cop. No one in the immediate vicinity had his slim, tall build.
Andy followed Sharon as she headed for the man identified as the site commander. Off to the left she saw both of her Major Crimes' teams working the scene. Sykes and Sanchez were interviewing local officers near the car. Buzz and Tao were working together, Tao narrating the details of the crime scene while Buzz videotaped.
"Captain Sharon Raydor, LAPD Major Crimes Division. Who's in command here?" Sharon asked two men conversing with their backs to her. Both turned around immediately and introduced themselves intending to shake hands but Sharon kept both handsa in her jacket pockets. She was impatient to inspect the crime scene for signs of Stroh's work.
The taller of the two introduced himself and his fellow detective. "Good to meet you Captain Raydor. I'm Lieutenant Jeff Cearley and this is Detective John Withers." Lt. Cearley was about forty five, heavy-set and blonde, Andy noted. Detective Withers was barely five feet tall, the Palm Springs detectives made an odd looking pair.
Provenza had already headed over to Sykes and Sanchez for a case update.
"What do we know about the murder victim and the killer?" Sharon asked skipping the niceties.
"Your Deputy Chief Taylor told us to expect you. I understand you have reason to believe this murder may be linked to a serial killer named Phillip Stroh?"
Sharon nodded. Andy coughed lightly
"It's possible," Sharon responded. "Excuse me, this is Lieutenant Andy Flynn with LAPD's Major Crimes. Andy and the rest of my team are working the Stroh serial murders and we need to see the victim's cell phone."
"The cell phone's already been removed from the car," Detective Withers said quickly. "We've got our tech expert working on the contents right now. Uh, if you'll follow me, I'll take to you to the victim."
Sharon's face remained neutral despite being annoyed to learn the cell phone had already been removed from the scene. Clearly Stroh would normally have left the victim's cellphone behind knowing it could give clues to his whereabouts. But then again, things had changed and if Stroh was responsible for this murder, it was exactly what he'd do.
Andy and Sharon followed the short detective to the victim's body as Tao and Buzz stepped back. The young man was slim, and about 5'10" and young, maybe 25 at most. Sharon noticed the victim had been stabbed through the car seat where blood had soaked through the seat's padding and pooled on the floor of the backseat.
"The killer used a very large knife on this vic," Andy pointed out. He looked to Sharon who was still inspecting the interior of the car. Her eyes were searching the backseat for clues to the identity of the killer.
"Open it up," Sharon said. "Andy, would you please go and find out what's on the victim's cell phone." Andy didn't want to leave her side but agreed and followed the diminutive Det. Withers into the crime tent where the tech team was studying the downloaded contents of the victim's cell phone.
Provenza had directed Sykes and Sanchez to re-interview the resident of the house where the victim's car was parked and canvas the rest of the neighbors on that street for possible eyewitnesses to the passenger who exited victim's car. Armed with new information, Provenza came to Sharon's side and waited for the opportunity to brief her. Sharon was listening to the tall lanky Lieutenant Cearley who ran through the list of items found in the car.
Provenza held his hand over his nose as the victim's body was finally removed from the warm car. Sharon's wrinkled her nose as she kept her hands in her pockets. Sharon and Cearley watched as the victim's body was pitched forward against the steering wheel and turned slightly to allow two forensic examiners to pull the body slowly out of the front seat. A large wet, meaty organ fell out of the body hitting the hot concrete of the road, splattering bloody liquid against the car's back door and across Provenza's shoes.
"Dear God, what the hell is that?" Provenza shouted with disgust leaping away with surprising agility.
"Sorry officer, it looks like his liver," the forensic tech smiled inappropriately. In his line of work, anything could happen and this was not an unusual incident. "You're gonna wanna clean that off real soon or it's gonna start stinking." Provenza frowned and rolled his eyes as he turned to speak to the Captain.
The corpse was laid on a stretcher, raised and wheeled over to the crime tent for a secondary inspection by the medical examiner.
"Has the body been examined before now?" Sharon asked Lt. Cearley who nodded explaining their commander was instructed by Deputy Chief Taylor to leave the body in place until Major Crimes had video of the victim in the car.
"Michael Hren was stabbed more than a few times with a large knife," Lt. Cearley explained. "Our medical examiner noted there were pieces of foam cushioning found inside the body and the spine was severed. We checked the victim but left him in the seat."
"Any ideas on the type of knife?" Sharon asked. She knew Stroh had a preference for large hunting knives.
"Hard to tell but I'd bet it was a machete, possibly a hunting knife," Cearly answered.
"A machete?" Provenza said doubtfully. "Those things are used to hack away, not stab. What makes you think it was anything else but a hunting knife?" Provenza was straining not to shout at the either stupid or inexperienced Lieutenant. Sharon reached out and placed her hand on Provenza's upper arm to calm him. It was then Provenza noticed Sharon was trembling slightly. He immediately looked to her face to make sure she was okay.
"We appreciate all you've done for Major Crimes, Lieutenant," Sharon said politely. "I know keeping the body in place is not standard procedure but you've helped our investigation immensely. Our detectives would like to inspect the car with your forensic team. I look forward to attending the coroner's examination later today. Will you be there too?" Sharon had successfully distracted the on-site commander and redirected his attention away from the irritated Provenza who was clearly right about the machete.
"Yes, Captain. I'll be there right beside you."
"Thank you Lt. Cearley," Sharon said with a nod and turned to go to the tent where the victim's body was being inspected. "Lt. Provenza, would you stay with Buzz and Lt. Tao and let me know if anything unusual is found in the car? Or the trunk?"
Provenza nodded carefully and leaned in to speak to her.
"You alright, Captain? You're shaking."
"I'm fine, Lt. Provenza. Don't worry." Sharon patted Provenza's arm and headed into the tent. Tao gave Provenza a questioning look and got a "I don't know" shrug in return from the senior detective. Buzz was now filming the empty front seat and the bloody gap through the seat as Tao circled around the car with him.
"What have you found out?" Provenza asked Tao.
"It looks like the victim was murdered in the evening somewhere between 24 to 36 hours ago, the trunk is empty except for a spare tire and a jack, neat, clean no blood to the naked eye. This uber driver maintained a pretty clean car. No murder weapon so far but we're waiting for the local PD to finish the inspection. Oh, and the glove compartment has a can of mace in it, unused, so the vic wasn't taking any chances."
Provenza listened closely. "What about the console between the front seats?"
"No one's been inside the car but the medical examiner, Buzz will get it on video if you want to go with the Captain," Tao answered. "Hey is she okay, the Captain looks pretty pale."
"She's fine. Probably grossed out when Hren's guts splashed on the street and sprayed my shoes. Look at this crap," Provenza pointed to his feet. "I'm gonna find the captain first, and then get this shit of my shoes…and my damn pants. It stinks."
"Yes, it does," Tao smirked. Provenza squinted back.
"Where's Flynn?" Provenza asked.
"I saw him go in the tent before the Captain," Tao answered before turning back to Buzz.
Provenza picked up the pace and found Andy and Sharon standing closely, Andy's arm around Sharon's back. Provenza shook his head at his partner. Leave it to the notorious lady charmer to hit on his boss at a crime scene. Sharon was staring at the mobile computer screen where the electronics tech was searching the last messages listed on the cell phone.
A map on the left of the screen showed where the uber driver's cell phone pinged off a cell tower from the Silver Lake area of LA. The last call to the victim showed the incoming message pinged from a cell tower on top of a downtown LA building three miles from the court building where Stroh escaped.
"It's possible based on the location that Stroh used the uber app to connect with Hren," Andy noted. Sharon nodded. Provenza had no idea what uber was.
"Who's in Silver Lake?" Sharon asked.
"Michael Hren lived in Silver Lake," Detective Withers answered. "We believe Hren texted the Uber customer initially, got confirmation and then headed to downtown. At some point Hren called the customer for the pick-up address.
Sharon stared at the map listening to the detective. "So Hren called his customer?"
"Yeah, Hren called the customer number but the number belongs to a burner phone," Withers answered. "There's no way to know who made the call but we're working to trace the burner's seller. We're waiting to hear back from the distributor who told us the burner's number was assigned a couple years back."
"What' Uber?" Provenza interrupted. Andy turned and glared at Provenza.
"It's a like a taxi service only the drivers are not licensed taxi drivers. The app lets a person who needs a ride somewhere to post a request on Uber. Then people who are willing to drive absolute strangers respond, they meet and the customer pays the driver for the ride."
"Why don't people just call taxis instead?" Provenza asked.
"Because it's a lot cheaper than taxis and there's no dispatch to track customers," Andy explained before turning back to Detective Withers.
"So if the burner's number is from an older phone sold at least two years ago maybe three, it's not likely we'll be able to track the buyer especially if it was bought with cash," Andy surmised.
"But you can find out what store sold it?" Sharon asked Withers.
"We can." Withers answered.
"Good, we need to know where the phone was sold. If Stroh bought it, we can cross-reference his whereabouts for the past two years and check to see if he's bought anything else in that store if he used credit cards. It'll give us something to work with," Sharon stated.
Andy nodded and smiled at his Captain. The woman was sharp. "You ready to see the body, Sharon?" She nodded and moved away from Andy's arm. He followed her, keeping an eye on each new face that came into view. Provenza tapped Withers and pointed at his shoes seeking cleaning supplies. Withers smiled and led Provenza out of the tent.
The medical examiner, Jon Ko, was assessing the victim's posterior wound with an angry look on his face as he spoke with Lieutenant Cearley. The Lieutenant quickly introduced Sharon and Andy to Ko, who seemed surprised to see an LAPD team in Palm Springs. He pulled the victim by one shoulder to turn the body away and expose the dead man's backside.
"Captain, our victim here was immediately paralyzed by the killer," Ko said pointing to the very visible bones of the spine. "The victim was incapacitated but judging from the multiple stabbings across the back here, the killer took his time – see here where the lungs were punctured and lower organs pierced?"
Sharon's mind was reeling. The evidence showed depravity and intentional infliction of pain rather than just a simple quick kill. It definitely fit Stroh's MO.
"So the killer enjoyed killing this victim," Sharon said rather than asked.
"I'm afraid so, Captain Raydor," Ko answered. Lt. Cearley studied the Captain and Andy.
"You think it's your serial killer?" Lt. Cearley asked. He saw the Captain's face tighten and knew the answer before either answered him.
"Hard to know if it's our serial killer or not just yet," Andy said. "Could be your run-of-the-mill psychopath since these Uber drivers are easy targets. Alone in a car with an absolute stranger." Andy looked over at Sharon as he spoke. Her eyes looked a little glassy.
"We'll know more once your coroner determines what kind of knife was used," Sharon added. "We'll head over to the morgue after we've finished with the crime scene, Lieutenant Cearley. Thank you for cooperating with the LAPD and Major Crimes. If it is Phillip Stroh, I'll make sure you're updated on the case after we return to LA."
"Thank you, Captain. I'll get a full report to you before you leave Palm Springs," Cearley said quickly. "I'll find you at the station in a little while."
"Give us an hour or two?" Sharon suggested and Cearley nodded as the pair turned to leave. Sharon and Andy found Provenza back with the phone technician piecing together the victim's final day's timeline.
"Doesn't look like Hren was targeted," Provenza said as Sharon came to stand by him. "Poor guy was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Most likely," Sharon agreed. "But take a look at Hren's background and his roommate's just to be sure."
"What do you think, Sharon? Think its Stroh?" Andy asked her quietly. Provenza turned and waited for her answer.
"Nothing here rules out Stroh at the moment," Sharon said slowly. "Lieutenant Provenza, would you ask Lieutenant Tao to look into Stroh's clients and his victims, see if anyone of them are connected to Palm Springs."
"Yes, Captain," Provenza said. "I'll see if Sykes and Sanchez have finished their canvas of the neighborhood. When they have, I'm gonna send them to get everyone some coffee and sandwiches."
Sharon realized it well past 2 pm. "Good idea, Lieutenant." Sharon smiled tightly at the senior detective.
Andy mentally thanked his partner for looking out for the team. It was going to be a long day with another three-hour return drive after the coroner's examination in a couple hours.
"You want to tell me what you're really thinking?" Andy asked Sharon as the pair headed back to his car to await the rest of the team's findings.
Sharon shook her head. She had a sick feeling but couldn't confirm it yet that Stroh had killed the Uber driver Hren.
"My money's on Stroh," Andy prodded.
"What makes you so sure?" Sharon asked as Andy lifted the crime scene tape up for her to pass under.
"Three things, timing and location," Andy answered. "Then there's the way the Hren was killed. This wasn't a case of someone robbing a driver. This kill was horrific. Who else do we know who does that?"
Sharon nodded as Andy opened the car door for her. Sharon got in wordlessly and watched Andy walk around the front of the car to the driver's door.
"Andy, I think you're right," Sharon said once he got into the car. Andy looked at Sharon and noticed the way she pressed her lips together tightly. Andy reached over to her and put his hand on her forearm.
"We'll get him, Sharon."
Sharon looked over at Andy with a sad, worried look. "I hope you're right, Andy. I don't think I can take much more of this. Knowing Stroh is out there somewhere waiting…and Rusty refusing a protective detail…."
"Hey, hey, hey, don't you worry. I'll have a talk with Rusty when we get back. He needs to know how dangerous it is with Stroh on the loose. And if that doesn't work, I'll use guilt," Andy said kindly. "Rusty needs to know how much this is weighing on you. He loves you. He'll do it for you."
Sharon looked down at Andy's hand on her arm and sighed. The stress of Stroh coming after an unprotected Rusty had invaded her dreams for the past two days and she couldn't shake the fear she felt. Her eyes burned with unshed tears after hearing his concern for her. She refused to cry in front of him and turned her head away to look out the window.
Andy knew she was too choked up to speak. He could feel her arm's intermittent trembling under his hand. He wanted so badly to pull her into a hug and reassure her she and Rusty were safe but doing so at a crime scene would only add to her stress. Instead, Andy lifted his hand from her arm and stroked Sharon's hair lightly pulling it back a little so he could see some part of her face. The gentle gesture relaxed her briefly and she turn her head to look at him.
His brown eyes conveyed his unspoken tenderness and left her feeling safer.
"You think you can guilt Rusty into agreeing?" Sharon asked Andy with a small smile.
"If it doesn't work, I'll bribe him!" Andy said flippantly making Sharon laugh.
"That might actually work," Sharon said as she patted Andy's hand now resting on her shoulder. "Thank you for backing me up. Rusty want to live a normal life…"
"Rusty doesn't know what normal is but he will once we bust Stroh and put the bastard back in prison," Andy interjected. "I just hope its sooner than later or Rusty will be cashing my paychecks!" The crooked smile worked and Sharon laughed again.
"You're wonderful, Andy," Sharon said as she leaned over and placed a grateful peck on his cheek. "You have no idea how much you mean to me." Andy blushed as his heart swelled. Her words meant the world to him. Sharon had feelings for him.
"I'm so glad we're such good friends," Sharon quickly added. Andy's heart dropped at the realization he was still in the friend zone. Andy smiled weakly and pulled his hand off of her shoulder.
"That's what friends do, they take care of each other," Andy said flatly trying to hide his disappointment.
"You're the first man I've ever …," Sharon paused. The look on Andy's face made her hesitate to finish the provocative sentence.
"..that you've ever what?" Andy encouraged.
"…ever trusted to be a close friend," Sharon said. "I've never had a man for a best friend before."
"Oh," Andy said. This clarification wasn't exactly what he'd hoped to hear.
"It's a first for me," Sharon said shyly. "Who'd have ever thought the hot-headed officer Andrew Flynn could be close friends with the Wicked Witch of FID."
Andy couldn't help but smile. It wasn't what he wanted to hear but he realized it was a break-through of sorts. Few mortals made it past Sharon Raydor's impermeable defenses. Her ex-husband Jack was partially to blame for that, the other responsible party was the LAPD's rancor of FID and anyone who worked in that department. Andy knew it was difficult for Sharon to share personal information since it was inevitably used against her. Even Andy had contributed to that, including the name Wicked Witch.
In her own way, Sharon was carefully telling Andy he meant something to her.
"Is it weird knowing your best friend has a major crush on you?" Andy asked her directly.
"Crushes don't last, Andy. But friendship does."
"Yeah, how long is the standard crush, would you say?"
"Maybe three or four months?" Sharon was glad for the distraction. Provenza and the rest of the team were huddled by the crime tent for several minutes in deep discussion.
"So what do you call a two-year crush?" Andy said with his eyebrows raised. He wanted her to know this wasn't a recent occurrence.
Sharon swallowed and looked at Andy for several seconds unsure how to answer his question.
"What would your partner call it?" Sharon deflected.
"Insanity," Andy smirked. "But then again, he's had marriages that haven't lasted as long."
Sharon's lip curled into a micro smile. Provenza was now headed to their car with the rest of the detectives trailing behind. She exited the car and closed the door leaving Andy to follow suit. Andy sighed deeply and decided he was going to make sure Provenza got a ride back with someone else. He needed time alone with Sharon without any possibility of interruptions and a three-hour drive back home was the perfect opportunity.
Sharon was now leaning against the car checking her cellphone. He could see her shoulders stiffen. It was either Taylor or more bad news. Andy got out of his car and sidled up to her sneaking a look at her phone screen. He saw the text was from Rusty.
"Is it Stroh?"
Sharon knew there was no good answer to that and hesitated before texting back. "Unconfirmed. Waiting on coroner report."
Rusty immediately responded to Sharon's surprise. "When is that?"
"Probably 3-4 pm. You ok?"
"Yes. Wish it was Stroh's body in the car." Rusty texted.
Sharon smiled at his message. "Me too. Got to go." Sharon pocketed her cell phone and waited for Provenza to begin the briefing. Andy was.
"You smiled, so that wasn't Taylor who texted you?"
Sharon glanced at Andy and shook her head. "Rusty. He's worried its Stroh."
"Of course, what'd you tell him?" Andy was leaning against his car quite close to Sharon.
"That we don't know yet," Sharon sighed.
"He's safe, Sharon and that's all he needs to know… wait, never mind, don't tell him that. He doesn't know about the detail." Andy realized. Sharon nodded.
"I really can't tell you how relieved that makes me. I owe you, Andy." Sharon said softly.
Andy smiled the kind of smile that drove his partner nuts when it came to the Captain.
"Flynn!" Provenza yelped as he came up to the Captain. "Where the hell have you been?"
"Working! Same as you," Andy retorted.
"Doesn't look like it," Provenza sneered and shot a glare at his partner and then at Sharon.
"What have you found out?" Sharon stood with her arms folded across her chest. Provenza immediately redirected his attention to his boss and began reporting on the collected findings. Sykes and Tao were listening intently as Sanchez continued scanning the dwindling bystanders. Buzz started the camera and videotaped Provenza's briefing.
Andy listened intently while watching Sharon's face out of the corner of his eye.
He could see the disappointment as Provenza went through his notes. No witnesses. No clear timing of when the murder was committed. The delay in discovering the victim had made body temperature irrelevant.
"So what we do know is who ever killed our victim was a practiced killer." Provenza concluded.
"And how did you arrive at that decision?" Andy asked his partner.
"Because no one is that lucky," Sharon answered for Provenza.
"So we don't know for sure if it is Stroh," Tao added. "What we do know is he can't be ruled out yet."
Sykes stepped forward. "Lets hope the coroner gives us something definitive."
"Exactly," Sharon said appreciatively. Sykes smiled happily at Sharon's comment. Sanchez grinned at Provenza's eye roll and remained stoically silent.
"What do we do now," Tao asked. "I'd like to follow up on the burner phone records and Stroh's credit cards crosscheck."
Sharon hummed to herself realizing there was no need for the team to stick around waiting for the coroner to release his findings.
" Lieutenant Tao, you and Buzz can head back. Detectives Sykes and Sanchez, please go through Buzz's video and see if you can find anything we might have missed. Check Stroh's history, if there's ever been a similar cases with driver stabbings through the seats, what weapons were used, taxi drivers, uber drivers to start with."
"What about you Captain?" Sykes asked. Provenza couldn't help but grumble.
"I'm meeting with Lt. Cearley and the coroner at the morgue in the next hour or so. I'll call Taylor and give him a status update as well."
"Captain, do you want them back in the office tonight or let them go home?" Provenza asked. Sharon could see the team looked tired.
"Go home and get a good night's sleep and we'll get on this first thing in the morning," Sharon announced. Not a single detective looked unhappy. It was the right call. Everyone was feeling edgy not knowing whether Stroh had struck again for certain. "I'll text you all with the coroner's findings once we know something."
"Thanks, Captain!" Tao replied. "If anything shows up on the burner, I'll let you know ASAP."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Sharon waved him off. Provenza was walking quickly after Tao.
"Lt. Provenza?" Sharon called out. "Where are you going?"
"I thought you told us we could go home," Provenza said defensively.
"But you're riding with us," Sharon said with a confused expression.
"If it's alright with you, Captain I'll catch a ride with Tao and Buzz."
"You sure?"
"What and stay late with you? Who knows how slow the coroner is in these po-dunk towns." Provenza grumbled. "See you in the morning, Captain!"
Sharon turned to Andy with a frown. Andy was smiling from ear to ear. Then it hit her. She and Andy would be driving back alone. That would certainly stoke the rumor mill.
"Did you…" Sharon asked Andy suspiciously.
"What?" Andy asked innocently. "You know Louie, always ready to go home early." Sharon shot Andy a look that said she didn't believe him. Andy immediately dropped the smile and changed the subject.
"We never got those sandwiches did we," Andy said tapping his growling stomach. "We've got at least another hour before heading to the morgue. Lets get something to eat while we have a chance. It's been a long time since those donuts this morning." Sharon suddenly remembered how Andy wiped the sprinkle off her lip that morning.
"Lets see what Palm Springs has to offer," Andy said as he started up the car. Sharon flashed a fake closed lip smile at him and nodded silently. Any distraction was welcomed while she worried about the possibility of Stroh murdering their victim. In her gut she already knew Stroh had killed Michael Hren and it was likely to be the first of several victims in the next few days.
The day was far from over and if the autopsy confirmed what she suspected, it was going to be a long tough night.
I promise things are going to get very Shandy in the next chapter. Stay tuned as Andy takes matters into his own hands again. Uh oh! Thanks for reading and don't hesitate to leave a review or a comment. They're very helpful and motivating!