04 - Years of Wonder

Years of Wonder

Chapter 01

         CSI supervisor Jeff Randall got the call just as he came on duty for the night. The police found three adult bodies at a local school for exceptional children, and they needed him to process the scene. Grabbing his kit and paging Anthony Greene, the only other forensic scientist on duty a few minutes before shift change, he quickly walked out towards the parking lot and the unit’s black SUV.

         As Anthony joined him, Randall made sure to aim for the driver’s seat as he was in no mood for the other man’s NASCAR type of driving tonight. He quickly drove the SUV out towards the street and almost ran into a car speeding into the lot. Out jumped an irate blonde whom he recognized as his co-worker, Angela Starkey. At another time, he might have enjoyed watching his friend lose her temper since she did it with such style and verve, but he quickly interrupted her tirade to explain his hurry.

         “Well, Jeff, what are you waiting for then? I’ll follow you there.” At that, she got back into her car, made a U-turn, and raced down the street behind the SUV.

         Anthony winced as Randall took out his cell phone to call back to the lab; Randall tended to concentrate on one thing at a time when on the job. Driving now was a second priority to catching the other three scientists who should have arrived at work by now. When Mary answered the phone, he explained the situation to her and gave her the address where he wanted her, Jake, and the new guy to meet them. With three bodies and a crime scene to process, it might need all members of the night shift. This was as good a time as any for Simon to start learning the basics of the job.

         Since Gayle Seaver recently returned to school to work towards her advance degree in criminal justice, Randall had acquired another recruit. Simon Davis was a recent academy graduate, well versed in the theoretical side of forensics, but needing additional field training. Randall liked the single-minded, intense young man who reminded him of himself when younger.

         Anthony looked towards Randall as they drove through the city and asked, “What do you know about this school? I heard it’s for brainy kids, genius level ones. Randall took his eyes off the road to look over at Anthony causing his passenger instantly to regret the question. Before they slammed into an oncoming car, Randall remembered what he was doing and returned his attention to driving. “Randall, why don’t you let me drive for a bit?” This came out in a pleading tone, but Randall already was pulling into a circular driveway that led to a low brick building. Expertly manicured grounds, beautiful when seen in the daylight, surrounded it. Now in the middle of the night, they appeared only vague shapes and shadows of bushes and trees.

         In the driveway nearest to the building was the Taurus belonging to Captain Steele, Parked nearby were two police cars and the coroner’s van just waiting for the release of the three bodies. The flashing blue and white lights of the police cars eerily lit the scene with no lights on in the building except those coming from the front room. Captain Steele stood at the open front door waiting patiently for the two CSIs to leave their SUV and reach him.

Chapter 02

         “Body count still the same, Bob? Three adults?” The stocky police captain nodded an affirmative to Randall’s question and led the two men inside to the front room stopping at the doorway. It was a large room, clearly used for impressing visitors with its understated elegance. A reception area was off to one side with comfortable chairs surrounding a long glass and mahogany desk. Seated in the executive chair behind the desk was a slender brunette, probably in her 40s, whose head was resting on the desk as if she were asleep. Only the blood that had dripped off the table onto the cream-colored rug gave evidence that she was dead and not simply sleeping.

         While Randall walked further into the room, Anthony stopped to examine the woman’s body. Taking out his camera, he took pictures from many angles before checking out her head wound with his gloved hands. “It looks like blunt force, Randall, at least two blows to the back of the head,” he called out. Randall turned around with a quick nod to acknowledge this information, and then continued to the second body. This was a male in his 30s, dressed in an expensive dark gray suit with a sparkling white shirt, now ruined by the large amount of blood showing on both sides of his dark-blue tie. He was on the floor next to the third body, a woman also in her 30s. She was bleeding from a chest wound that stained her beautiful Chanel suit of pale green silk. Her long blonde hair spread out around her face where there was still a look of surprise caught at the moment of her death.

         Randall knelt down without touching either body and just studied them for about 10 minutes. Finally, he got up and walked back to the doorway where Steele was quietly waiting. Anthony followed him and was about to go outside to join Angela. She had been watching for the arrival of the others, per Randall’s instructions.

         “Bob, I noticed a door at the far end of the room. Have you cleared the rest of the building yet?” While asking, Randall pointed out the door’s location to Steele. Something told him there was more to this crime scene needing investigation.

         “Not yet. Once they found these bodies, the officers who had responded to a silent alarm called me, and I called you.” Hugging the wall, Steele, followed closely by Randall, headed for the door. Anthony, knowing that his supervisor probably wouldn’t think to take out his gun, decided to follow them as backup….just in case. With Steele in the lead holding his own gun in front of him, the three men reached the closed door. As Steele slowly opened the door, they discovered it led into a long unlit wide corridor with about half a dozen rooms on each side.

         Randall, as Anthony had predicted, didn’t take out his gun, but turned on his flashlight instead to light the way for the three men. Steele looked in and cleared the first two empty classrooms quickly. As they kept walking down the corridor, Randall sniffed the air and made the comment, “Copper. Can you smell it? Blood, lots of blood back here.” Both of the other men nodded and became more alert, adrenaline racing through them. Steele quickly checked and cleared the third room, evidently a library. He did the same to the fourth and fifth, two more classrooms. By now, the smell of blood had become even stronger.

Chapter 03

         They found the door to the sixth and last room on this corridor closed, unlike those of the other five rooms. Motioning for Randall and Anthony to stand back, Steele opened the door, and then stopped in horror at what was waiting for the three of them. Not pausing for Steele to tell them the room was clear, Anthony followed him in, but quickly moved aside to let his supervisor in. He heard a low sound come from Randall half way between a moan of pain and a growl of anger. Knowing from past experience how this older man felt about any death of a child, Anthony could only imagine what the sight in front of them did to him.

         Randall and Anthony aimed the lights from their flashlights around what turned out to be a well-equipped laboratory. On the floor in various positions of death were the bodies of five children, three boys and two girls. They ranged in age from around six to early teens. Blood had congealed around all the bodies creating a macabre tapestry reminiscent of a portrait by Dali.

         “My God, what went on here?” Randall managed in a rasping voice to get these horrified words out as he stood there unable to move for the moment. He took a shuddering breath and turned towards the two waiting men. “Anthony, you’re on point in this room. I’ll send Jake and Simon back to help you.” As he walked back out of the room, Steele followed him.

         “You okay, Jeff?” asked Steele in a worried voice. He also knew how the sight of the massacred children must be affecting his friend. Randall kept walking as if he hadn’t heard before abruptly stopping halfway back down the corridor.

         “Simon!” He said this one word as if just realizing what he was about to ask that young man to do. “Bob, I can’t let him see those kids that way. He’s just not ready to process this type of massacre.” The sadness Steele had seen in his friend’s eyes grew even more pronounced at these words.

         “Simon might surprise you, Jeff. Besides, he has to lose his work cherry at some time, and he’ll have all of you to be there with him to help him through this.” Steele put a comforting hand on the other man’s shoulder. At Randall’s quick nod of agreement, Steele started walking again, and the two men exited the corridor back into the main room.

Chapter 04

         After passing once again through the reception area, Randall continued outside where an impatient Angela stood with the other newly arrived staff members. Steele had stayed behind to talk with a uniformed officer, who then walked to stand by the closed door to the back of the building. When the captain finally joined the others outside, he listened as Randall handed out the various work details to his crew.

         “Jake, Simon, you’re with me. There are five dead children inside,” said Randall softly. “I’m sorry, Angela, but I want both you and Mary to stay in the front room and process the three adult bodies.” When Mary started muttering under her breath about a newbie like Simon going into the actual school instead of her, Randall heard her. He turned and spoke in a sharp voice she had rarely heard, “Mary, I’ve given you your assignment. If you’re not willing to do your job, you may go back to the lab or go home. It’s your choice!” With that stinging rebuke, he left her standing in shock while motioning the rest to get to work.

         Without another word, Jake and Simon followed their supervisor into the building, past the officer guarding the corridor door, and down the long corridor. Angela stood for a moment to see what Mary would do. She started inside when she saw the younger woman’s shoulders slump in defeat. Without a word passing between them, they got to work processing the bodies of the three adults, looking up now and then at the closed corridor door, wondering what was happening behind it.

         As the three men walked down the corridor, Randall thought to warn Jake and Simon about what they would be seeing. However, since words seemed inadequate, he kept quiet but watched for signs of their inability to handle the massacre in the room. Jake, being more familiar with the bloody smell of death, braced himself mentally for what was ahead. He glanced at Randall and feared the worse when he saw the worried expression on the tall older man’s face when looking at the unsuspecting newest member of his shift.

         Randall led the way into the laboratory where Anthony was already photographing the oldest child, a boy of about 15 years. They saw the body slumped on the floor against a work counter. A Bunsen burner continued to burn under a nearly empty flask of yellow fluid. After photographing and dusting for prints, Anthony had turned the burner off before the fluid evaporated. He then took a sample of the liquid for trace analysis.

         Jake followed Randall into the room, shocked speechless by what he saw. The sound of gagging behind him warned him that Simon didn’t have the strong stomach the rest of them had cultivated from long experience in the field.

         Randall’s quick glance towards him had Simon catching his breath to choke out, “I’m okay, sir. The smell just got to me for a second. Where do you want me to start?” His supervisor gave him a pleased look of encouragement then pointed him towards a girl near where Anthony was working. The child was lying on the floor in the fetal position so the cause of death wasn’t readily apparent. Only when Simon came nearer could he see she no longer had a face. What must have been a gunshot at close range blew it off. Forcing down the bile rising into his throat, he knelt and started taking the required photographs.

Chapter 05

         With Simon processing the young girl who was about 12 years old, Jake headed for the next child. This was another preteen girl dressed in a pink dress, white ankle socks, and dainty Mary Jane patent leather shoes. It crossed Jake’s mind that she should be safely at home playing with her toys instead of lying on a schoolroom’s floor butchered by some unknown maniac. Like Simon, he immediately got to work, forcing all useless images away to concentrate on what he needed to do.

         Three children now had a caring silent man near them while the last two, both boys in their early teens, waited their turns. Anthony finished with the first child and phoned Michael, the coroner waiting outside, to come and remove him. Before moving on to the next body, he cornered Randall just as his supervisor started processing the last child. Pulling him out of the earshot of the other men, Anthony gave Randall a curious look.

         “Jake just told me you’d told the women they weren’t to come back here. Randall, you’ve never played the “must protect the fairer sex” card before. Why now? Both Mary and Angela are going to be mighty pissed at you for pulling it on this case. What gives?” Knowing he might be stepping over the line with his supervisor for questioning his decision, Anthony nevertheless puzzled over Randall’s reaction. It wasn’t as if the two women hadn’t seen bloody crime scenes or dead children before; it had to be something else.

         Randall opened his mouth to answer, but the arrival of Michael wheeling in the autopsy room gurney interrupted him. “Go show Michael which body he can have. I want you to take the trace items to Steele for transport back to the lab.” Realizing the moment for an explanation had passed, Anthony returned to the side of the boy’s body and gathered the camera, liquid sample, and other meager trace elements he’d found. After Michael had lifted the body to the gurney and zipped it into the small body bag, both men left the room with Anthony leading the way.

         When they reached the front room where Angela and Mary were working on the two females, Anthony steeled himself for the questions he knew would be coming. To his surprise, Mary just stared at the gurney without a word while Angela, noticing the size of the body bag, realized what must be going on behind that closed door.

         “How many?” She didn’t even have to say more as Mary swung towards her, understanding sinking in finally.

         “Five. All children, all dead!” Anthony’s softly spoken words echoed throughout the whole room. “Don’t ask me why Randall wouldn’t let you back there. I asked, but he didn’t tell me.” With that, he continued after the coroner out the front door leaving the two women to wonder at Randall’s strange action. He had never shown any signs of being sexist before, so Angela knew it had to be something else. But what?

Chapter 06

         The hours passed slowly as they photographed, examined, and removed body after body for transport to Dr. Burke’s autopsy room. After Mary and Angela completed the three adults in the front room, Randall had Mary return to the labs with the evidence collected from them. Following his terse instructions, Angela stayed behind to give that large room a thorough going over for any clues the killer or killers possibly left behind.

         Meanwhile, they took all five children, one by one, outside to the waiting coroner’s van. While the three younger men stayed behind to further examine the laboratory, Randall followed Michael with the last gurney out around 6 a.m. and noted there had been a light rain falling sometime during the night. Puddles of muddy water dotted the front lawn, and the mornings air smelled fresh and clean after his long hours in the bloody room. He also saw that a small group of neighbors, interested bystanders, and members of the media had started to congregate at the far end of the driveway, kept away from the crime scene by Steele’s vigilant officers.

         As he walked towards Steele, who was leaning against his Taurus sipping stale coffee from a Styrofoam cup, Randall noticed a young woman standing next to him. She held the leash of a large dog, a St. Bernard mixed with what looked to Randall to be Old English sheepdog. The beast, no matter what its parentage, was huge, hairy, and not an animal Randall in his tired state wanted to annoy. He slowed his steps on reaching the small group, not to alarm the dog. The dog just sat there by the woman, drooling as dogs of his breed do, ignoring the approaching man.

         “Miss Hutton,” said Steele standing up to introduce the two people, ‘I’d like you to meet Jeff Randall. He’s in charge tonight.” Turning to his silent friend, he continued, “Jeff, this is Miss Hutton, one of the teachers here. She has the list of the students who came to last night’s special chemistry class and is curious about where the other children are.”

Chapter 07

         Randall stared in shock at Steele, trying to get the question out that was circling wildly through his mind. He opened then closed his mouth again since he had suddenly lost the ability to speak at the idea of more slaughtered children waiting for them somewhere in the building. How much more were he and his crew forced to undergo, and when would this terrible night end? Even though he had seen so much horror and senseless death in his many years doing this job, he was at the point of emotional exhaustion. How could he expect the less experienced crew he was responsible for to process even more dead children?

         Seeing his friend was almost at the point of total collapse on hearing this news, Steele took pity on him. He replied to his unasked question in an emotionless monotone, “There are two more children missing, Joshua and Sue Beth Wilson!” Randall closed his eyes for a second or two before slowly turning and walking into the building. He didn’t acknowledge or even hear Angela calling out to him, but just continued back to where the three younger men were finishing packing evidence in preparation for their return to the lab. Their conversations suddenly stopped as they caught sight of Randall’s face. The deadly silence went on and on while he tried to frame how to tell them there still was more work ahead of them. The only sounds were the ticking of a clock on the wall near the door and a slight rustling from somewhere in the room.

         Randall quickly swiveled toward that last sound as he moved his head back and forth like a sonar unit trying to pinpoint its location. The sudden and continued silence had him wondering if he had heard the rustling or was it just his overtired imagination. After he quickly told them about the two missing children, the men spread out to search the parts of the room not yet examined. Anthony and Jake headed for closets in the back of the room while Simon started opening the large drawers back there that probably held the rarely used instruments of science. The only other place left for Randall was an unexplored area behind a set of cabinet doors underneath one of the tables against a far wall. Since they found the bodies nearer to the front of the room, no one thought to check out the closets, large drawers, or this area under the table.

         Slowly, dreading what he might find there, Randall knelt down on one knee to open first one then the other door. Two pairs of wide terrified eyes stared out at him. A boy about seven years old huddled protectively over a silently crying girl a couple years younger. For all the long hours the men had been processing the room, the two children sat there paralyzed in fear, unable to know that help was just on the other side of the doors.

         Randall called out quietly to not scare the children even further, “Guys, I found them, and they’re alive.” He didn’t even realized that tired tears of relief were flowing down his face as he slowly reached in to help the two youngsters out of their hiding place. With the three relieved men standing behind him, he used his left arm to pick up and hold the little girl. She immediately put her arms tightly around his neck almost strangling him. As he got to his feet, the boy grabbed hold of his right hand and wouldn’t let go. Neither child said a word, but just held on for dear life to their large rescuer.

         With both children snuggled against him, the girl against his chest and the boy almost glued to his right leg, Randall walked out of the bloody room and down the corridor followed by the three exhausted and suddenly cheerful men. When Angela saw them entering the front room, she couldn’t help herself and started smiling at the sight of her good friend, this gentle man, bringing the two living children to safety. Even though she’d seen five small body bags leave, Angela knew finding these two meant the world to him. She walked over to have the men gather her into their triumphant parade with Randall leading the way outside.

Chapter 08

         Miss Hutton let out a cry upon seeing Randall with the two children and ran across the muddy lawn towards the group. Reaching Randall, she managed to untangle the little girl’s arms from around his neck and almost smothered the child in hugs as she stepped back with her now gathered in her own arms. Randall, after rubbing his neck to regain circulation, knelt down at the level of the boy to check him out belatedly for any wounds. Finding none, he smiled at the child and looked up towards the woman who was ready to also start hugging the boy.

         She even looked, in her complete joy at having the two children safe and sound, more than ready to hug the stuffing out of Randall, too. Seeing this and rather looking forward to it, Randall started grinning, as he got ready to rise from his kneeling position.

         “Hey, Randall! Duck, Jeff! Watch out!”

         This concert of startled loud cries from his friends confused him until he suddenly felt himself knocked over and slammed to the ground. He landed flat on his stomach with his face in a shallow muddy puddle. Bringing his face up to keep from drowning, a heavy weight covering both his body and head again pushed him back into the puddle. The only parts of him visible were his arms, struggling to lever his body up off the wet ground and away from the puddle, and two feet kicking futilely to get away from what was on top of him.

         He felt something sharp and wet at the back of his neck and realized the killer must have returned to attack him with a knife. Was he to die here and now, surrounded by his friends, helplessly bleeding out as the sun slowly came up on another beautiful San Francisco summer day?

         The weight suddenly was off him and as quickly returned with a vengeance, forcing his breath out in a rush. His neck again felt the sharp wet attack as he tried to take oxygen back into his tortured lungs.

         Where were his friends? Why wasn’t someone helping get the maniac off him? As he continued to struggle under the attacker all the while being pushed again and again back into the muddy water, suddenly feeling someone licking his neck shocked him right down to his bones.

         The only coherent thought he now had was, “What the hell was going on?”

Chapter 09

         Belatedly putting the little girl back down on the ground, Miss Hutton grabbed hold of the large beast that was affectionately mauling Randall and licking his defenseless neck. “Hoss, drop him! Drop him now! Get off, Hoss!” It took a few more yelled commands to get through to the oversized dog, but finally the heavy weight disappeared from Randall’s pummeled body.

         He slowly and painfully rolled over onto his back to stare up at his recent attacker. Strings of drool literally added insult to injury by falling down from the dog’s mouth towards Randall. His own mouth was wide open as he lay there, still gasping frantically for air. Before it reached him, Randall hastily closed his mouth and turned his head away trying to duck the dripping drool. Since mud already covered him with it hardening on his beard, mustache, and long eyelashes, this only added another layer of muck to his face.

         Hands reached out behind him and helped him up to a sitting position while the dog strained against his now attached leash to get back to Randall. Hoss wanted to continue playing with his new wiggling toy, while that particular chew toy only wanted to get up and put some distance between them. Trying unsuccessfully to hide his grin at Randall’s discomfort and decidedly undignified appearance, Anthony dragged his friend to his feet. He held on to Randall’s arms until he felt the other man had regained his strength enough to stand on his own.

         Feeling something tugging at his leg, Randall looked down and saw the recently rescued little girl gazing up at him with a sweet innocent smile on her face. “Hoss likes you,” she said stating the obvious then added, to the delight of all the nearby adults, “I like you, too!” as she reached up her arms towards him.

         Angela arrived just then dragging a chair she’d taken from the building’s front room and carrying a wet towel in her other hand. She easily pushed Randall down to sit in the chair, after which she picked up the child and settled her in his waiting arms. The fact that his clothes were soaking wet from lying on the grass didn’t bother the child as she cuddled up against his warm chest and fell instantly and peacefully asleep.

         For the first time that night, Randall also felt relaxed and closed his own tired eyes. Angela gently used the towel to clean the face of the man who was so dear to her and the quiet men standing around them. Joshua, the little boy found by Randall, came over to stand next to the chair. The child still felt the need to protect his sister. He also wanted to be as near as he could get to Randall and to the safety the now dozing man represented.

         Not wanting to disturb the sleeping child or exhausted man, his friends went quietly about the business of putting all the collected evidence into the SUV. Leaving Angela behind to stay with Randall and the children, the rest of them silently left to return to the lab. Steele also stayed behind with his two longtime friends but released all the remaining officers to get back on duty. By now, the small crowd of onlookers had also disappeared since all the excitement seemed to be over. Miss Hutton with a reluctant Hoss in tow soon left to try to contact the family of the two living children leaving the sad notification of the families regarding the other five children to the police.

         As the morning sun slowly came up bathing the three adults and two children in a warm glow, Angela and Steele brought out a couple more chairs. They sat there waiting for Randall to wake up. Meanwhile, Joshua sank down on the grass at his feet and fell asleep. It had been a long horrible night, and both of the quietly talking adults were thankful it was finally over.

         In time would come the difficult task of finding out what had happened earlier that evening and who had murdered those eight people in cold blood. For now, though, the patiently waiting man and woman just sat and watched over their hero and his two sleeping children.

Chapter 10

         The SFPD labs were beehives of activity as the forensic agents analyzed evidence and recorded the information. The autopsy room was also crowded as Dr. Burke, helped out by Michael and the other newly arrived coroners, attempted to identify all the bodies and the causes of their deaths. Jake and Simon started their next phase of work by unpacking the bags they had brought back from the school. They settled in for the second shift stretching out in front of them.

         With Anthony still in charge, since Randall and Angela hadn’t returned yet, he immediately had gone to find Mary. She was busy researching the trace evidence she had returned with hours before from the three murdered adults. The most important item so far seemed was a letter found in the man’s shirt pocket from the headmistress of the school. Mary had been able to identify it as a blood-soaked letter accepting for matriculation his 12-year-old daughter. Jennifer would have started at the school the following week. Mary had already given his wallet to Dr. Burke for confirmation of the man’s body. The driving license in the purse of Mrs. Susan De Marco found nearby confirmed the body that had been on the floor next to his was, in fact, his wife. Their clothing gave up no immediate clues of the murderer’s identity, or why the person so senselessly slaughtered this young couple.

         Leaving Mary to the job of checking out the other objects brought back from the scene, Anthony next walked to the DNA lab. He found lab techs hard at work processing the blood from the eight people. With any luck, they might find some from an unidentified donor, accidentally left behind on the victims. It was slow going with so many bodies, but they found nothing probative so far. Giving the overworked tech lab rat a look of understanding, Anthony next headed for Will’s lab. He found the genial young man checking out the caliber of the bullets Dr. Burke had extracted from the chests of the two adults.

         “Well?” As Anthony leaned against a counter, he waited for something, anything, which might point towards the killer. His question brought a cat-ate-the-canary grin to Will’s face. He motioned Anthony towards one of the microscopes on which was one of the bullets.

         “This bullet comes from a gun with a history,” he said as Anthony looked through the eyepiece. “It matches a bullet found last week in that lady killed in Noe Valley. Do you remember her? It was one of Dennison’s still unsolved, day shift cases.” Now having gained Anthony’s attention, Will continued innocently but with an even bigger grin, “Do you want to tell Dennison about this, or should Randall do it?”

         All who worked at the labs knew of the oil and water interaction between the two men. It would be a feather in his cap if Randall and his crew could solve one of the other shift’s cases. Of course, there was the bonus of rubbing Dennison’s nose in the fact that they could solve a case that he couldn’t. Anthony’s smile slowly grew almost as big as Will’s when he decided to let Randall have the fun of telling Dennison. There still was the minor problem of identifying the killer, very minor, but he had no doubts Randall could do it with the help of his dedicated staff.

         Mentally rubbing his hands together in undisguised glee, Anthony left Will to his work and headed for Dr. Burke’s domain, the busy autopsy room.

Chapter 11

         As he walked in, Anthony could see the good doctor was working on the first of the five children whom he had sent off earlier the previous night in Michael’s care. The three adults, already identified, processed, were waiting for pickup by the mortuaries. Dr. Burke quickly volunteered the information the third adult, the brunette who seated at the desk, was the school’s headmistress. Mrs. Cynthia Leonard’s husband, after notification of her death, was on his way in to identify his wife’s body. There had been no family in the local vicinity to contact for the De Marcos except for their young daughter who no one found so far. Steele had some of his people out looking for her with no luck so far.

         Glancing at the body of the headmistress still on one of the autopsy tables, Anthony could see the pieces of shattered skull underneath her shaved head. Her death was unlike the other two adults, apparently shot from a distance. The killer viciously attacked this woman close up. He immobilized her quickly, leaving her to bleed out slowly from her head wounds. This seemed personal while the other two looked to be simply collateral damage.

         “Cause of death blunt force trauma?” asked Anthony already guessing the answer.

         Michael, who was at the table next to that body, looked up from the little girl without a recognizable face he was working on and nodded. “Some type of heavy object like an ashtray or lamp. We found blue glass in the wound and sent it to trace.” Anthony made a note on his clipboard to check with Mary later if she had found any blue or glass item near the desk.

         Dr. Burke called him over and pointed out the gunshot entrance wound found in the young boy’s back. With Anthony’s help, he turned over the body to find the larger chest exit wound. “I found the bullet lodged in the lab table in front of him,” the young scientist said, before Dr. Burke asked him. “Will still is checking it out, but it’s probably from the same gun that killed the two adults.” The doctor nodded without saying a word and returned to examining the body.

         With these two handled by Michael and Dr. Burke plus the three remaining bodies checked out by the other coroners, Anthony knew it would be hours before he received all the data. After leaving to let them all get back to work without further interruptions from him, he once more headed back to the evidence labs to check on what progress the others had made. By now, he appreciated all the work the patient Randall usually had to do to pull a case together. This got him to wondering in this free moment as he walked down the corridor how his supervisor was doing back at the crime scene.

Chapter 12

         His supervisor was slowly coming awake after a refreshing two-hour nap to find one eyelid gently pulled up. Two small blue eyes peered into his one blue eye. With his other one still closed, he heard a small voice whisper, “Are you in there?”

         Although his mouth did twitch from trying not to smile, he didn’t answer quickly enough before little fingers moved to his closed eye. Now with both eyelids wide open “helped” that way by the inquisitive child, Randall found himself looking into the little girl’s face from a distance of only about one inch. He came fully awake to the sound of chuckling behind him as the girl continued in a much louder voice, “I have to go pee….NOW!”

         Angela moved in quickly to save Randall from becoming soaked twice in one day and helped the child off his lap. Joshua, who also woke up at hearing his sister’s complaint, joined the two females in their search for a bathroom inside the school. This left Steele to fill Randall in on the progress his CSIs were making back at the lab.

         Anthony had just recently phoned the captain with a status report; he also had called to let him know he could call off the hunt for the De Marco girl. She was lying on Michael’s autopsy table faceless but with a library card bearing her name found in the pocket of her discarded dress. Evidently, the headmistress allowed her to audit the evening’s special chemistry class while her parents stayed in front to fill out the required admission forms. Registration cards brought in by Miss Hutton an hour earlier identified the other three children by their fingerprints. It was determined they were shot, the bullets still lodged in their young bodies. After removal, all bullets had gone down to Will’s lab for further analysis.

         As he watched Angela return over the now dry grass followed by the two children, Randall knew it was time they returned to the lab. Steele drove off in his own car back to the police department, while Angela loaded the two children in the backseat of her car. After Randall made sure to buckle both in safely, he joined Angela in front for the short and possibly uneventful trip back.

         The sound of the boy cautioning his younger sister to behave and sit still or he’d make her get out and walk had Angela laughing. It reminded her of warnings she had given to her own son while out driving. Being an only child and not having any of his own, Randall was unfamiliar with how children behaved but found he was enjoying being around these two.

         Soon the lab building came into view, and the adults braced themselves for the long workday ahead of them. The two children who had bounced back from their terrible night’s ordeal looked forward to what would happen next, but first they made known to Randall that they were hungry, very hungry. First on his agenda, he realized, would be to scrounge up some food for them. The unmarried forensic scientist was quickly learning the needs of children come before the needs of the dead.

Chapter 13

         With Angela leading the way, Randall walked into the break room with the children holding on tightly to both his hands. The already filled room contained most of his staff, taking a short break and going over what they knew about the case so far. They looked up as one and conversations suddenly stopped. In front of them was their fearless leader, the man known to enter an uncleared crime scene without taking out his gun, now kneeling down to tie the undone shoelaces of the little girl.

         Angela sat down but said nothing, enjoying the surprised looks of the others to Randall’s action. She remembered the many times she had seen him at ease being around her son Billy and knew he was a natural with children. He always treated them as intelligent beings by never talking down to them, and they responded with affection to this. She caught Anthony’s look and knew he was thinking that Randall would make a great father as the two of them had once discussed this over drinks.

         After finding something edible in the refrigerator, Randall made sure the children were eating then turned to his crew. “Someone want to fill me in on what you’ve found out so far?’ He laughed and held up his hands as everyone started to speak at once. “One at a time, please. Simon, you first!”

         Finding an empty chair next to Angela, first grabbing a bottle of water and a leftover stale doughnut, he settled down and listened with pride at how far his people had progressed with the case. As he had known for some time, Anthony was shaping up well as an acting supervisor, and Randall was ready to recommend him for that position permanently. He was the last to report and took delight in giving Randall the news about the connection to Dennison’s murder case.

         “What did he say when you told him?” Randall tried without much success to hide his disappointment that he hadn’t been there to see the face of his nemesis when given this news.

         Savoring the moment, Anthony looked straight at him, paused for emphasis, then replied, “Nothing really!” At Randall’s surprised look, he continued, “I was saving this piece of news for you to tell him.” He couldn’t resist the little dig at his boss by asking, “May I be there when you tell him? I do admire the way you handle him so diplomatically.” Randall partially closed his eyes to stare at him trying to determine if Anthony was serious or being facetious, having fun at his expense. It did not matter, though, since he planned on letting Anthony tell Dennison to see if he could keep his temper when dealing with the abrasive and irritating man. To be a supervisor meant taking the good with the bad as Randall well knew.

         He stood up, crooking a finger at the other man to come with him, and left the break room. It took only a few minutes to track down Dennison who was in the autopsy room hovering over one of coroners, eager to learn all he could about the other shift’s big career-making case.

Chapter 14

         “Okay, Anthony. This is your case. Dennison’s all yours!” After he said these words to the startled man, Randall crossed his arms, leaned casually against an empty autopsy table, and smiled that angelic smile his crew all knew and at times dreaded. This was his way of teaching them to improve their skills by learning from mistakes, if necessary.

         Never one to refuse a challenge, Anthony walked up to Dennison and politely requested a private talk with him. There was no need to embarrass the man in front of others by telling him they would be looking into his unsolved case. “I’d like to see the evidence on your home invasion case from last week.” He said this calmly but firmly as soon as they had moved a distance away. Dennison looked over at the quietly observing Randall who merely lifted one eyebrow in acknowledgment that he was listening.

         “Why? Randall not have enough work to keep you busy that you need to take one of my mine? We’ve almost got it solved anyway.” This he said with a smug look again at Randall who just continued to observe the two other men without saying a word. He knew his silence was driving Dennison crazy, and Randall was enjoying his irritation. However, he hoped Anthony would not have to bear the brunt of Dennison’s ire, but he wasn’t about to step in now. Moments to torment his fellow supervisor came all too rarely, and Randall did so enjoy those moments.

         “You have a suspect?” Anthony tried not to look eager but was thinking that they might tie that person to the recent multiple murders.

         “Well, no, not yet but we’re close.” With this, Dennison started to walk away leaving Anthony not sure what to do next. Glancing over at his boss, he caught expectation on Randall’s face letting him know that his task wasn’t over yet. “Dennison,” he called out as the other man reached the door, “I still need to see it.”

         “It’s in the evidence locker. Tell Randall he’s making a mistake doing this. I won’t forget it!” He aimed the parting words at Anthony; however, Randall caught their meaning and knew that once again he and Dennison were about to butt heads. A wide smile crossed his face in anticipation. Today was turning out better than last night had been.

         After reaching the room containing the lockers, Anthony quickly pulled out the large box holding the home invasion murder evidence and carried it to the nearby examination table. Randall, meanwhile, had returned to the break room to check on the two children he had left watched over by the few remaining staff still relaxing there. However, the room was empty except for a couple empty coffee mugs left behind on a dirty table. He’d have to speak to his crew again about bussing their tables when done. His first concern now was to find the missing children and then check if Steele had found their family yet.

         The sound of childish laughter gave him a clue where the two little imps were…in his office probably having fun playing with his valuable specimens. Moving quickly, he headed off to save these precious items from their careless hands.

Chapter 15

         Instead, he found them seated on the floor, one of his large anatomy and physiology books open between them. Joshua in a well-modulated but still childish voice was reading the text to his sister as she slowly sounded out the Latin names underneath the pictures of the various body parts. Randall quietly corrected her pronunciation on one particularly long name as he walked in to be greeted by the two children jumping up and running to him. He was almost knocked over for the second time in 24 hours by their enthusiastic welcome but managed to stay on his feet, just barely.

         “Mr. Randall,” said his young female admirer looking up at him with chocolate cake frosting from her recent snack still on her face. “Mr. Steele called and left a message that he was on his way over here. Is he that funny man from the school?” Randall had never considered Steele to be especially funny, but others might. He did tend to say things that often had Angela laughing, confusing Randall and making him wonder what the joke was.

         “Thanks, Honey. Did he say why?” At Sue Beth’s negative shake of her head, Randall decided to stay put in his office with the children and just wait for Bob to show up. Maybe he’d tracked down their family; Randall would be sorry to see them go but realized that this was not the right environment for two impressionable children, not with all the gory pictures and bloody evidence in the nearby rooms.

         They reluctantly left his side and returned to the floor and his big body book as Joshua called it while Randall settled down to handle some long overdue paperwork. Half an hour passed before he caught sight of the police captain walking down the corridor towards his office. By then the children had returned the expensive book back to its slot on one of the bookshelves and were standing on tiptoes examining the jar of colorful rocks that Randall had collected at various outdoor crime scenes.

         As Steele came into the office, he said with a quick look at the children who were out of earshot, “Jeff, we have a problem!”

Chapter 16

         Slowly Anthony took out of the box item after item, collected, bagged, and tagged from the crime scene. The bloody clothing of the murdered woman he put aside to double-check against the written findings of the original investigators. On reading this report to familiarize himself with the general facts of the case, he saw the murder weapon had not been identified. He further read that it was assumed to be made of heavy glass since they found a shard of blue glass in the woman’s head wound. Further stabs on her body, made by a kitchen knife, matched a set found in the home, but the head wound was the fatal one.

         “Blue glass. Where had he heard that before?” Anthony searched his memory then remembered Michael had commented about finding blue glass in the wound of the school’s headmistress, Mrs. Leonard. He had meant to check with Mary about this, but it had slipped his mind.

         Before he forgot again, Anthony went looking for Mary. He found she had just finished reviewing the evidence on the three adults and was packing it up in a box for storage in another locker. “Mary,” he asked as he walked into the room, “did you find anything made of blue glass in that room?”

         The woman, currently a bit testy from dieting, flipped through her notes until she found a particular entry. “Yeah, there was a broken cobalt blue candlestick on the floor next to the desk where the woman’s body was. I thought this was strange since expensive ones like that usually come in pairs, and I couldn’t find the other one anywhere.” She started digging through the box until she pulled out the bagged item.

         “Dusted for fingerprints?” At hearing this question, Mary gave him a slightly annoyed look. Anthony quickly realized that, of course, she would have done this already. What had he been thinking?

         “I didn’t find any, Anthony, but did find some blood that I sent to trace. They called and said it was that of Mrs. Leonard. Why are you asking about blue glass anyway?” She stood there holding the candlestick, listening attentively as Anthony explained about the unsolved murder case and the blue glass shard found in that murdered woman’s body.

         When he had finished, Anthony closely followed by a now-fascinated Mary headed towards trace. They found Simon already there, volunteered by Randall to help out the tech lab rat, a tired-appearing young woman backed up with all the evidence given her from the case.

         “Simon, can you see if the blue glass Mary sent down earlier matched that from Dennison’s case of the murder last week?” Anthony, who forced himself to stand quietly as Simon found the old evidence and started the matching process, meanwhile filled in the interested young man on this possible important connection. Mary, the most excitable of them all, paced around the small lab as if her movements would speed up Simon’s work.

         Finally, after what seemed like hours to his two waiting colleagues, Simon pulled the report out of the machine, the report that could be the big break they all needed in two critical cases.

         In an impatient voice, Mary asked, “Well?”

Chapter 17

         “What problem, Bob?” quietly asked Randall, not wanting to frighten the children. He motioned the captain out into the corridor where they could try to talk without the children overhearing them. If he knew one thing about children, it was that they were like the ears of walls in that they heard everything.

         “The kids’ mother is dead, and the father has been out of the picture for years now, location presently unknown. You know that murdered lady in Noe Valley?” At Randall’s nod, Steele continued, “Well, she was their mother, and they’ve been staying with their grandmother since then until yesterday. Both have been going to the school where you found them for the last year or so, very bright kids. Paramedics took the grandmother to the hospital yesterday morning after a major stroke. A neighbor drove them down here and dropped them off at the school.”

         “How’s the grandmother doing? Is she well enough to take them back yet?” At his friend’s grim shake of his head, Randall understood the elderly woman had passed on leaving Sue Beth and Joshua alone in the world.

         Both men looked back into the office at the two newly orphaned children. “What will happen to them now?” asked Randall, wishing he were able to care for them himself. However, he knew his busy schedule and single status ruled him out as an adoptive parent.

         Steele shrugged his shoulders with the comment they probably would end going into foster homes, maybe together but most likely not. Randall knew what lay ahead for the two children he had grown to care about. “Isn’t there anything we can do?”

         “Like what? I’m open to suggestions as I rather like those kids, too.” Steele looked helplessly back at Randall wishing he knew how to erase that sad look from his face. The children interrupted them when they came out into the corridor to find them. Sue Beth looked at Randall trying to mimic an adult’s stern look but failing miserably. It delighted Steele to see the other man’s face brighten when catching sight of the children. He knew he would have to find a way to keep these two kids together, if only to make his friend smile like that more often.

         “Okay, Sue Beth,” asked a laughing Randall, “What’s wrong now?”

         “You forgot all about us, and that man could have come after us again and got us.” Those words spoken in her childish voice sent a chill down the spines of the two men. “What man, Sue Beth?” Steele asked her but looked towards Joshua for an answer. He’d noticed how cautiously the older boy had looked around when coming out of Randall’s office.

Chapter 18

         “Well?” repeated Mary, when Simon didn’t answer her quickly enough.

         “They’re the same!” With a look of glee on his face, Simon handed Anthony the report. “The glass from the Noe Valley case is an exact match to yours from last night. Randall can officially work on Dennison’s case if he wants, and I bet he will. Who wants to be the bearer of these glad tidings?”

         Knowing this was a rhetorical question, Anthony pushed Mary and a now laughing Simon ahead of him out of the lab and towards Randall’s office. On the way, the trio passed a slowly walking man but didn’t give him a second thought as they anticipated Randall’s pleasure at hearing of this break in his case. Seeing him ahead in the corridor outside his office with Steele and the children, Anthony noticed he was kneeling down in front of Joshua who was crying.

         When they reached the small group, they heard the little boy whisper to Randall, “I can’t tell you. The man will try to kill you, too, if I did.”

         “What man, son?” asked Steele, getting the question out before Randall could. “Who’s trying to kill you?”

         “The same one who killed my wife!” A strange voice interrupted them, and Mary turned around to see the man they had passed earlier coming towards them. “Mr. Leonard?” She recognized him from a photograph she had back in the evidence locker found on the desk of the slain school’s headmistress.

         “Yes!” the man replied before looking at the men. “Are one of you Captain Steele?” When Steele stepped forward and introduced himself, Mr. Leonard shook hands with him then continued, “I have some information you need to help find my wife’s murderer. Is there some place we can talk?” He looked around at the crowd of adults and two children. “Privately away from the kids, please?”

         “Use my office, Bob. I’ll park them in the break room with a couple of my body books and be right back.” Putting action to words, Randall grabbed two books from his office then walked away with the children quietly at his side. Everyone else piled into his office to sit or stand wherever they could find room. Within five minutes, Randall returned and eased down into the vacant chair behind his desk.

Chapter 19

         “Jeff,” said Steele filling him in on what he’d missed, “Mr. Leonard was just telling us about a conversation the kids’ mother had with his wife about a week ago, just before that woman’s death. It seems the wife had a boyfriend we didn’t know about.”

         Randall looked at the man now nodding his head, as Steele spoke. “Do you know his name?”

         “Ken Milton,” answered Mr. Leonard before Steele could. “The captain seems to recognize that name. Do you?”

         “Yeah, a local bad boy with a record as long as your arm. How did Dennison miss this?”

         Steele shrugged at Randall’s question. “To give Dennison his due, Jeff, I didn’t know about this connection either. Mr. Leonard, I think we should get the kids back in here. Maybe they can describe the man they’re talking about who wants to kill them and, just as important, why.”

         Randall started getting out of his chair to fetch the children from the break room, but Mary stopped him midway. “I’ll get them. Stay where you are, Randall.” She then left the room to the men but quickly returned within two minutes out of breath from running. “You did tell them to stay put there, didn’t you?” she managed to get out.

         “No, I didn’t. I just figured they’d know to do it.” Randall winced at his oversight and asked, “Aren’t they there now?” Mary shook her head, which got all the men up and moving towards the break room, now empty. The books lay deserted on one of the tables, but there was no sign of the two children anywhere.

          “Could Milton have come in unnoticed and taken them away?” As Simon asked the obvious question, Randall shook his head.

         “No, they would have stopped him for identification at the front desk.”

         “I wasn’t. I just came straight through; there wasn’t anyone at the desk then.” Mr. Leonard said these words quietly, but he got everyone’s attention as if he had shouted them.

         “Spread out and search the building. They still might be here. Meet you all back here 10 minutes.” Saying this, Randall turned towards the front entryway and quickly disappeared from view. The rest of the men plus Mary took off in different directions, hoping against hope to find the children safe and not in the hands of a killer.

Chapter 20

         Slowly when 10 minutes had gone by, the defeated group returned one at a time to the break room without any sightings of the two missing children. Only Randall hadn’t returned yet, and his friends were dreading telling him of their failure. Steele got on the phone to put out an APB for Ken Milton, and then everyone just stood around waiting for Randall’s return.

         Ten more minutes passed without his return; then, another five, when suddenly Anthony let out a shout of relief as he glimpsed Randall returning shooing the two giggling children in front of him. He definitely was not happy, though. Steele, the only father in the room, knew that his bachelor friend was experiencing his first dose of exasperation with these children and was curious what happened to put that frown on his face.

         “They were playing hide-and-seek with me but forgot to tell me to seek!” Randall turned to the children who finally realized that their large friend was annoyed with them and stopped their laughing. Sue Beth’s eyes welled up with tears that rolled unchecked down her little face while Joshua bravely looked up, way up, at Randall standing over them with his frown slowly disappearing at the sight of the girl’s tears.

         “We’re sorry, Mr. Randall,” said the little boy, his bottom lip starting to quiver. “Please don’t be mad at us. We didn’t mean to scare you.” At that point, he also started to cry, and Randall now was faced with two weeping children and unsure what to do next. He looked helplessly over to his friends and Mr. Leonard but saw no solution there. Instead they all seemed as if they expected him to do something, and he didn’t know what that something was.

         To his absolute positively undying relief, Angela arrived just then. She finally had finished logging in the evidence she’d collected from the front room of the school and had come searching for the rest of her shift’s crew before leaving for the day. On seeing Randall standing there clearly out of his element at dealing with crying children, she expertly took over.

         “Randall, pick up Sue Beth and give her a hug,” she ordered, “then do the same thing with Joshua.” He looked at the blonde in amazement. “Well, what are you waiting for, a demonstration on how to hug someone?”

         At this last exasperated command, he reached down and picked the little girl up in his arms to give her a tentative squeeze. That was all she needed as once again she put her arms around his neck in a now familiar stranglehold. Laughter broke out in the room as dozens of rapid little kisses soon covered his handsome face. He knelt down still holding the child and soon had his arm around Joshua, too. “How am I doing, Angela?” he asked, grinning while looking up at his smiling friend.

         “Not bad, not bad at all!” The others brought Angela up to date on all that had been going on while she was busily working as Randall sat down at a table with the children. Steele motioned Mr. Leonard over, and the two men joined Randall at his table. Everyone else sat around the next table but close enough to be able to join in on the conversation now and then.

         “Joshua,” Steele started off, “can you tell us why you think a man is trying to kill you?” It upset the hardened policeman to see the look of fright on the boy’s face, but his questions were necessary for their safety. Randall who was still holding Sue Beth on his lap reached out and quietly put his hand on the boy’s shoulder giving him unspoken encouragement.

Chapter 21

“We saw him kill Mama,” Joshua finally got out. “He didn’t see us in the other room, but they had a big fight, and he went and picked up the candlestick Nana had given her last Christmas.” Looking at his now silently sitting sister, he went on, “Sue Beth had broken the other one last month, and now he used this one when he hit Mama’s head.”

         “You’re doing fine, Joshua. Then what happened?” Steele reached into his pocket for his pad and pencil and started taking notes.

         “The man got a knife from his pocket and kept sticking Mama with it, but she wasn’t making any noises now.” At these innocently spoken words, Randall looked down in shock at the child on his lap who had spoken them. “Joshua told me to run, and I did, but I think the man heard us ‘cause he came after us, and I was so scared.” Sue Beth then hid her face in Randall’s shirt, and only he could hear her softly whisper, “I miss my Mama.”

         Steele looked at the visibly shaken Randall but knew he must press on for more information if the children were ever to be safe again. “What happened after that, Joshua?”

         “We ran outside and to the house next door where Mr. Baxter called the police.” He looked over at Randall who had his head bowed down so no one could see his face. Continuing to face him but talking to Steele, Joshua finally said what was on the minds of all of them. “Mrs. Baxter took us away down to the school before the police came, but her husband talked to them instead. I don’t think he told them we saw Mama die.”

         “He didn’t,” Steele quietly said. “We didn’t even know you two had been in the house or where you were until last night.” He hated to, but there was one last question he had to ask. “Do you know who this man was, Joshua?”

         The little boy nodded his head and moved closer to the chair holding his sister and Randall, unconsciously feeling the need to protect and be protected. “It was her boyfriend Ken. We’d been staying with Nana for a few days, but saw him last night as he drove into the school’s parking lot. I took Sue Beth to the lab where the kids were and came back to warn Mrs. Leonard, but he’s already hit her with that candlestick he brought with him.” A sharp anguished sound came from beside him where Mr. Leonard was sitting. “After he hit her again, he pulled out his gun and shot that nice couple.” Joshua looked back at Steele. “He didn’t need to do that. They weren’t bothering him.” He shook his head in childish confusion at the action of adults.

         “Joshua, did he follow you back to the lab?” Randall lifted his head finally as he asked this. “What happened back there? We need to know. I’m sorry, so sorry.” At the other table, Mary, Simon, Anthony, and Angela were sitting silently in various stages of shock at hearing the childish voices recite such a story of horror.

         “I got back there first and hid with Sue Beth behind the doors where you found us.” Joshua moved even closer to his sister. “Ken came back a few minutes later and started yelling for us to come out. He’d finally found us at Nana’s and followed us here after she got sick and taken to the hospital.” Steele kept still about the death of their grandmother, knowing later would be soon enough to let them know.

         “There was so much noise then, screaming and gunshots, and Sue Beth started crying so I was scared he’d find us.” Joshua now was standing shoulder to shoulder with his sister as Randall reached out and gathered the shaking boy to him. “The noise finally stopped, but I could hear the kids for a bit more then nothing for hours.” He looked over at Anthony at the other table. “I heard your voice and Mr. Randall’s then but didn’t know who you were so kept Sue Beth quiet. When the other two men came in, we just stayed in the cabinet in case you were friends of Ken.”

         “That’s enough, Steele!” said Randall suddenly. “You’ve heard all you need to hear to find and arrest Ken Milton for those multiple murders. These two have been through enough today, and I’m taking them home with me now.”

         He stood up and started walking towards the door. “Tomorrow we can start looking for a good home for them where they can stay together. However, today and until that bastard is safely behind bars, they are safer staying with me. Anyone want to argue with me on this?”

         When the people in the room stayed silent, he took the hand of each waiting child and left them with one more unanswered question.

         “Who was going to tell Dennison that Randall’s crew had once again shown him up by solving one of his cases for him?”