The Doll Collector (A Logan and Scarlett Serial Killer Thriller Book 8) by Dan Padavona

Author:Dan Padavona [Padavona, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-24T16:00:00+00:00

30

The dusty lights of the precinct shone over the stacks of case files and half-empty coffee cups strewn about Scarlett Bell and Logan Wolf’s shared desk.

Bell ran a hand through her tangled blond hair, staring at the grainy mugshots of ex-cons scrolling across the computer screen. None of the faces matched the calculating precision of the killer in her mind.

“We’re missing something,” she said.

Wolf didn’t look up from the autopsy report in his hands. “The unsub is too meticulous to have a record. We won’t find him in any database.”

His reserved tone grated on her nerves. She wanted to shake him, demand he show some ounce of urgency or frustration. But he remained impassive as ever, the very picture of composure. Bell returned to the case files. Somewhere in the tedium lay a clue, a thread attached to the killer. She just had to find it.

Across the station, Detective Victor Thompson cradled the phone to his shoulder, drumming his fingers on the desk. “Yes, this is Detective Thompson. I’m following up on the Harmony Stone murder investigation. We’d like to schedule an interview.”

Thompson raised a thumb and ended the call. Morrissey Smith was coming in.

Thompson’s partner, a gangly young officer, perched on the edge of the desk. “You think Smith is involved?”

“Could be,” Thompson said. “Smith had access to Stone’s house around the time of the murder. But more likely, it’s another dead end. This case gets stranger by the day.”

The officer shook his head, glancing over at Bell and Wolf. “If anyone can crack it, it’s these two. But this killer . . .” He trailed off with a grimace.

Thompson nodded. If they didn’t catch a break soon, the case might remain unsolved.

Thompson approached their desk. "We've got an interview set up with Morrissey Smith. He’ll be in at 10 a.m."

"Perfect." Bell closed down the criminal database. "That gives us an hour to plan our attack."

"You think Smith is our guy?"

"Hard to say." Bell pursed her lips. "But he had means and opportunity. We'll know more after we speak to him."

An hour later, Bell, Thompson, and Wolf sat across from Smith in the cramped interrogation room. Smith fidgeted.

Bell folded her hands on the table. "Mr. Smith, did Ms. Stone provide you with a key to her residence for any repairs or services?"

He wiped his palms on his jeans. "Yeah, so I could work while she was at her job. But I lost the key a couple months back."

"How did you lose the key?" asked Wolf.

"I swear I left it on the picnic table in the backyard. When I went back for it, the key was gone. I felt awful about it. Ms. Stone . . . she wasn't too happy with me."

Bell leaned forward. "Let's go over the timeline again. Give me the exact date you lost the key."

Smith scratched the back of his neck and removed his phone. After scrolling for a minute, he found his answer. "Couple months ago, like I said. June 8. I was installing new LED lights in the ceiling.

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