6

Lieutenant Brown's office is small but neatly organized. There are two cabinets on either side of the office and a desk in the middle; a laptop and a notepad are the only items on it.

'Take a seat.' Judy points at the chairs on one side of the desk and sits on the large office chair. She clasps her hands together and studies them.

'We got a call around eleven o'clock in the early morning of March thirtieth that a man had been found dead in Anacostia Park. When we arrived, we found him lying on the frozen grass.' Judy explains

'You found no evidence at the scene? No murder weapon and no cell phone?' Fred asks. 'Correct. We could tell he had been outside all night, his beard was frosty as was the blood on his t-shirt.' Judy explains.

'When they did an autopsy, did they find any substances in his system?' Daphne asks and Judy shakes her head, 'No, they didn't. He was clean that night as far as we're concerned.'

'So, he was sober when he was killed?' Daphne asks. 'True, but it doesn't confirm that he wasn't meeting with a dealer.' Judy replies.

'But you don't know the circumstances surrounding his death?' Daphne asks.

'I think about the case every day.' Judy admits, 'It was my first case as a lieutenant and my first unsolved case. I knew based on the information we found at the scene, we would have difficulty solving it.'

'Did you search for his phone?' Daphne asks.

Judy nods, 'We searched his accommodation and we didn't find it. We guessed the killer took it. There are no suspects in the case, his social worker was helpful, she told us that Steven was clean, and his ex-wife was cooperative until we asked to speak to her children, but we understood that it was an upsetting time for them.'

'Do you think Sabrina Shelby will speak to us?' Daphne asks.

Judy shrugs, 'You can try.'

–

Kramer stumbles into his kitchen and almost trips over the firetruck on the floor, 'Sammy, please pick up your toys when you're done with them. Are you finished with your cereal yet?' He asks his eight-year-old son.

'Almost.' Sam replies as he gobbles the last spoonful of Lucky Charms. Kramer looks at his son, wondering how many times he's asked him to brush his hair. He glances at his phone to see if it has charged fully yet and sees a new message from Green. He will read it on his way to the car.

Sam wipes his mouth on his sweater, 'Sammy, no! Get a tissue.' Kramer checks the time, 'Alright, get your bag we've got to go.'

Kramer gathers his things and shouts goodbye to his wife and baby upstairs, pulls on his coat, helps Sam get into his, and they leave the house ready for the day.

Sam jumps into the front passenger seat and Kramer climbs into the driver's seat of his Ford Explorer. When he turns the engine on, he turns the heating up.

'Lots of snow today Dad!' Sam cheers. 'I see.' Kramer replies. 'Daddy, can we have a snowball fight later?' Sam asks.

'Sure.' Kramer replies. He can't wait for the snow to melt, he'll be pleased when it's gone.

The journey to Sam's school consists of one hundred and one questions about snow. Where does it come from? Why doesn't it snow in the Summer? Does it snow all year in the North Pole?

He loves his son but as soon as he has dropped him off at school and watches him enter the building with his classmates, he turns the radio up and pulls away.

The office isn't too far from the school, soon he's parked in his usual spot and hurries into the building to escape the cold.

When he arrives on the fifth floor, he hangs his coat on the hook and carries his laptop bag to his desk.

He sets it up for the day before he goes into the break room for a much-needed coffee. Harriett Farmer stirs her coffee absentmindedly, but Green frightens him.

'Didn't get my text?' He asks. 'Morning to you too. No, I didn't. I was getting Sammy ready.' Kramer replies.

Green has that familiar look when he's onto something, 'What is it?' Kramer asks.

'I got a message from Erin Harris last night. I didn't see it until this morning, she says she will talk to us about Ricky. I've arranged for her to call me later.' Green smiles.

'Wow, that's great. What time is she calling?' Kramer asks as he reaches for his mug in the cupboard. A Christmas gift from his family, it has a photo of his wife Isobel and their children Sam and two-year-old son Kenny.

'About nine o'clock after the school run.' Green replies. 'That's amazing.' Kramer says and he looks at the time on his phone, it's almost nine o'clock.

After he has made his coffee, he returns to his desk and they wait for the phone call. It is just nine o'clock when an unknown number rings Green's phone.

'Hello is this Erin Harris?' Green asks, he smiles and nods at Kramer to confirm. 'Do you mind if I put you on loudspeaker so my partner can speak to you too?'

Green puts the phone on loudspeaker and Kramer introduces himself to Erin Harris.

'Hello Erin, my name is Cameron.' Kramer says. 'Hello Cameron, thank you for getting in contact with me. I'm desperate to find my husband.' Erin sounds tired, Kramer can't imagine what she's going through.

'We're so sorry for what you're going through, Erin. Is there someone looking after you?' Kramer asks. 'Yes, my mom comes every day, she's on her way over soon.' Erin replies.

'Good. We want to ask a few questions about Ricky, thank you for agreeing to speak to us.' Kramer adds.

'Of course.' Erin says and they proceed with the interview. 'So as you know, we believe we might know your husband's potential whereabouts. We just want to ask a few questions about him.' Kramer says.

'Yes, of course. What do you want to know?' Erin asks. 'How long have you been married to Ricky?' Green asks.

'Fifteen years this year.' Erin replies, 'We met on a witch trial tour in Salem. I was with my sister. Ricky and I were talking after the tour ended and he offered to take me for a coffee, but I told him that because I was with my sister it would have to be another time. I lived in Corvallis most of my life and he told me he was living in Bend so we arranged to meet halfway.'

'How long did he live in Bend for?' Green asks. 'Ermmm…I think about five years. He told me that he had moved a few times, he came from Indiana.' Erin says. 'He left his laptop behind, the police looked at it. They think he might be in Virginia, but I don't think that's true.'

'Why do they think that?' Kramer asks. 'Ricky's last Google search was a street in Virginia. I told the police that Ricky hated Virginia, he lived there with his father in the nineties, and after his death, he moved in with his mother and step-father.'

'Really?' Kramer asks. 'Yes, he moved to Indiana to be with his mother until her death and then he moved to Bend.' Erin explains.

'Do you think he would have gone to Virginia?' Green asks. 'No, I think he would have gone to Indiana, his step-father still lives there and we haven't heard any news of his passing.' Erin replies.

'You say he Googled a street in Washington D.C.?' Green asks, 'Do you know the street name?'

'Yes, I remember, I thought it was quite an odd street name. Amsterdam Street.' Erin says.

'Do you know of any financial problems Ricky might have been having?' Kramer asks. 'No, we have a joint credit card, we use it for fuel and groceries, and we split the bills equally. We have enough to support our family so I don't believe there are financial problems.' Erin explains.

'What about any behavioral changes you noticed?' Kramer asks. 'Nothing I thought was concerning, but he was spending more time on his laptop. I only know because Sophia, our daughter, complained that she wanted to play Minecraft on it but Ricky was using it.' Erin says.

'OK, thank you for your time, Erin. We will try and get as much information for you as we can.' Green explains.

'Thank you for reaching out to me.' Erin says, 'I hope you can help me find him.'

The call ends. Kramer and Green discuss their conversation with Erin.

'What do you think?' Green asks. 'I think it is odd, why would he travel from Oregon to Washington D.C., and snitch on a drug dealer in Danbury? I'm starting to think we have the wrong person?' Kramer says.

Green wants this to make sense, but it doesn't. Kramer is right, it is strange. 'What was he doing in Danbury?'

'This is just one whirlwind of confusion.' Kramer says, tapping his pen on his desk. 'If he used to live in Virginia, it's not far away, do you think he knows the dealer?' Green suggested. 'Maybe.' Kramer replies.

'Maybe we can speak to the police in Danbury. We might have a connection to a missing person.' Green says. 'It's a long shot but let's give it a go.' Kramer says.

Within an hour, they're in the company of DC Spencer who has agreed to let them interview one of the dealers arrested who sits opposite them in the interview room.

Russell James Hancock - known as RJ- sits handcuffed to the table. He had been arrested multiple times since the age of 19 for possession of class-A drugs, and dealing drugs, and he had been caught growing cannabis in his parent's home.

Now at age 46, he is arrested for growing cannabis in his home which he owns with his girlfriend, Lila Roberts, and his friends Ely Jackson and Paul Clarke, who dispersed the drugs to buyers so the police wouldn't pick him up.

RJ is tall with short scraggly black hair and dark eyes. His face is rough, with bags under his eyes.

'Who the fuck is Ricky Harris?' RJ asks, he narrows his eyes at the two reporters. 'I'm guessing that's a no.' Green comments.

'We suspect Ricky Harris is the whistleblower who contacted the police about your activities, we also believe he is a missing person from Oregon.' Kramer explains.

'You found the tattler?' RJ asks. 'Maybe.' Kramer responds, 'If you can help us then we can find him.'

'What good is it gonna do anyway?' RJ asks, 'I'm here now.'

'You can help a desperate wife and her children.' Green says, RJ's cold dark eyes glare into his. The handcuffs clang and RJ sighs, 'I know nobody called Ricky Harris. You're wasting your time.'

'Did you ever see a guy standing outside your house?' Kramer asks. 'No, we kept the curtains closed at all times.' RJ replies.

'One of your guys ever followed?' Green asks. 'They never said nothing if they were.' RJ replies. 'And you're certain you don't know the name Ricky Harris?' Kramer asks.

RJ shakes his head, 'Nope.'

'Anyone who has got a grudge against you?' Kramer asks and RJ laughs, 'I'm a drug dealer, people always got a grudge against me.'

Green rolls his eyes and pulls out a photo from his notepad. He slides it across the table, 'Do you recognize this guy?'

RJ studies the photo and he looks up at Kramer and Green. 'I know this guy.' RJ says, 'I used to know him, haven't seen him for years.'

'You do?' Green asks. 'Uh-hu, his name ain't Ricky Harris though, I knew him as Richard Harrington.' RJ explains.

'Richard Harrington? When was the last time you saw him?' Kramer asks. '1994. He got me arrested when I was nineteen, I never saw him again.' RJ says.

'What do you know about him?' Kramer asks. RJ shrugs, 'Never paid any mind to him, he was always bitchin' and moanin', his girlfriend was pregnant and he didn't want the kid.' RJ explains, 'I didn't care about him and his problems, I stick to my business. One day he says to me he's gonna leave her.'

'Do you know what his girlfriend's name was?' Kramer asks. 'Nope.' RJ replies, 'Are we done here?'

'Yes, thank you for your time, RJ.' Kramer replies. Green and Kramer stand and thank the detective for his time.

Before they leave, RJ snaps his fingers, 'Margaret. Her name was Margaret.'

—

Daphne and Fred stand outside the police station. It's cold outside, she's wrapped in her coat and the coffee Fred brought is keeping her hands warm.

'I'm sure glad the lieutenant is helping us.' Fred says as he sips his coffee. 'Yeah, too bad we couldn't get hold of Sabrina Shelby though.' Daphne replies.

'We can try her again later.' Fred adds. 'If she's willing to speak to us.' Daphne comments, she feels a vibration in her pocket and her muffled ringtone.

She removes her phone from her pocket and sees the caller ID - Larissa Shelby.

She answers, 'Hi Larissa, we're at the po-what say that again?'

Fred recognizes the concerned look in her eyes, 'Ok, we'll be there.' She hangs up the phone and says, 'Larissa wants to meet us. She's found something.'