Max passes Nora the woman’s purse.
“Did you get pictures?” I ask Nora as I pass her the victim’s wallet to place in an evidence bag.
“Yes, I did, and so did the crime scene techs before Max got here.”
“Good. Max, they are all yours. Let me know if you find out anything else. I need to make some calls,” I say before I debark off the train, with Nora following close behind me.
“I’m going to stop by the security room to see about getting copies of the video footage of the train's arrival as well as passengers who departed the train,” I tell her, wishing Amtrak would get cameras for all their cars and not just in the operator’s space. That would make catching a killer easy, but nothing in this world is ever easy.
“I’ll head back to the station, log in the evidence we have so far, and begin the paperwork. I’ll also get the photos printed and have them ready by the time you get back. We can put them against the others and see if anything is different,” she tells me, looking beat.
“When was the last time you slept?” I ask her.
“I sleep. I got a couple of hours last night,” she tells me defensively.
I give her a hard look, and she sighs.
“Look, I won’t lie, it’s hard to sleep without Ben beside me, but even worse, not knowing where Courtney is. Every time I close my eyes, I see Ben’s body, and then I begin to wonder if Courtney is alive, what is she going through? It’s almost like someone is taunting me with these bodies,” she says, waving her hand toward the train. “The last two men were businessmen, and the women were their personal assistants doing their jobs, this couple will probably end up being the same,” she says.
“I get it, and you are probably right,” I say with my own sigh, as it does feel like someone could be taunting Nora. “Listen, go back to the station, and I’ll meet you there. We can call the FBI, bring them up to speed, and see how they want to handle it,” I tell her.
“Okay,” she says softly, grabbing all the evidence bags and placing them in a box.
“Officer Buckley, please help Detective Riley get these to her car, I need to go to the Security room,” I tell the officer, and he nods.
Once I have the videos from this morning, I walk over to Starbucks in the station and order a grande. I need the caffeine if I’m going to stay awake. Once I have the coffee, I leave the train station and drive to the precinct.
I can’t help but rub my eyes and forehead, knowing I need to make a call. Though a part of me would love to have the FBI come in and take over the case so I can focus on other homicide cases, the other part of me, the part that is a Detective through and through, doesn’t want anyone coming in and taking my case from me.
I let out a sigh, park the car, grab my coffee, and head inside. I just know today is going to be a long day.
I walk into the station, and Commander William Doyle is waiting for me. “Maguire, you and Riley, in my office now,” he calls out.
I don’t bother stopping at my desk but continue walking until I’m standing in the Commander’s office. The walls are gray, with one small window made of bulletproof glass, making it difficult to see out of. The Commander’s gray metal desk is messy with paperwork, a computer, and his phone.
He directs us to sit in the old, worn-out chairs that are in need of repair or replacement across from his desk, if we had a budget to do it.
Nora and I take a seat in the chairs, as I look over the Commander. His face is matching the red in his hair, and I’m not sure what has him agitated so early in the morning.
“Is it true?” he asks.
“Is what true, Sir?” I ask, utterly confused.
“Is it true there was another two bodies found on a train this morning?” he asks.
“Yes, Sir. We just came from the scene,” Nora responds as I take a drink of my coffee.
“Did this train arrive from Maine as well?”
“It did,” I say.
“Are we sure these murders are like the other two?”
“Yes, Sir. The coroner already confirmed the details are the same,” Nora says quietly.
“Are you sure you want to stay on this case, Riley?” he asks with a softness in his voice.
“Yes, Sir. These families deserve justice,” she responds.
“Well, you know what this means, don’t you?” he inquires, looking at both of us.
“Yes, Sir. We are going to have to call the FBI,” I tell him.
“Exactly, and we are going to have a bunch of suits wanting to take over our department,” he says, anger returning to his voice.
“I won’t lie, Commander, as much as I don’t want to involve them, they do have better technology than we do,” I say, trying to find a positive in the situation we currently find ourselves in.
“Six deaths that literally roll into our city,” he says, shaking his head before picking up the phone.
I look over at Nora and she shrugs her shoulders, but we turn back and watch the Commander as he waits for whomever he is calling to pick up on the other end.
“Agent Anderson, it’s Commander Doyle from Homicide Division. How are you today?”
“Good. Listen, we have an issue. You have time for a meeting?”
Nora and I can’t hear the other side of the conversation, so we sit here listening to the Commander talk as he sets up the meeting.
“You can come here, or we can go to you.”
