No Mercy (10 page)

ADA Ashley yelled into the speaker, “Pick him up!”

“Yes sir,” Hansen replied.

“Wait,” Cronin replied. “Hold on. You are at the Lance mansion right now, correct?”

“No,” Hansen replied, “Ms. Lance is at the school right now, so I am in the parking lot.”

“Hold on, Detective,” Cronin said as he pushed the
mute
button. “John, if O'Connor is involved, why? His only beef over the last two years was the money, Deborah Lance, Bud, myself, and the young girl. He's already in jail for life, so Lindsey Wilkerson doesn't mean anything to him. Revenge against Bud and me means something to him, and if money could be the pot of gold for his accomplices, then Deborah could possibly be a target.”

Ashley shook his head and said, “Pretty thin, but maybe?” He made the statement in the form of a question.

“Listen,” Cronin said, “he's killing brunettes that look like Deborah to have a reason for killing the target all along. He kills her, he gets revenge on Bud. He kills me, he has revenge on Bud. He kills us all, he gets what he wants with nothing to lose, and how could we prove it with him in jail?”

Ashley held up the photo of Jake Wakefern and said, “We start with him.”

The detective pushed the
mute
button again while Hansen waited.

“Detective,” Cronin said, “take a walk into the school and tell the principal it's nothing serious but as a precautionary measure you are to remain in the building until school is out. Don't say anything about Deborah at this time. When she drives home, identify yourself and ask her to come to the precinct in the morning before school. Stay with her until Franks relieves you in about four hours.”

Cronin then pushed the intercom button and said, “Gina, have Chapman pick up Jerry Wakefern. Have him take Officer Dugan with him.”

Detective Hansen got out of his car and walked into the entrance of the school. He was met by a woman behind a glass partition who requested identification. The schools on Long Island were no different than the rest of the schools across the nation. Shootings across the nation of children in schools had everyone taking precautions. When Hansen flashed his badge, the woman behind the glass paged security, who happened to be an off-duty police officer. Hansen gave the officer general details as a courtesy but told him he would remain in the building as a precautionary measure.

Paul and Bud moved to another room where the tech man— or music engineer, as he liked to be called—was. Bill Tillman went through the same list of questions as the others. He was of no help to them, and they released him within twenty minutes.

By this time Gina had escorted the young man that worked in the City club as the service man, maid, or house engineer. Paul told Bud to take the lead on questioning him since he was brought in at Bud's and O'Malley's request. He asked the same questions they discussed with the others, and as they expected there was no information the young man named Rodrigo Hernandez could offer. Then Bud showed the video showing Rodrigo coming in and out of the private room, including the video of Bruce Roberts getting a $100 slipped to him.

Bud continued, “The video shows Roberts going into the room while you were still in the room cleaning before the girl got there. Tell us what was said.”

The young man shrugged his shoulders and said, “Nothing, he just gave me twenty dollars to make sure a certain song would play while the client's date was in the room with him.”

Paul looked anxious. “What song?”

Rodrigo answered, “‘Alone in Darkness' by Mystic Strangers.”

Cronin called Gina on the intercom and said, “Make a note to get the lyrics from all three songs and give a copy to myself, Paul, and Bud, please. Also, get Wyatt, who is parked a block away from the Wilkerson house, to be relieved by Franks and O'Malley. No need to notify or bother the family at this point.”

Ashley looked over at the detective and asked, “Are you taking over the lead in this case?”

Cronin looked up at him and replied, “You know that will be impossible.”

Ashley shook his head as Cronin pushed the intercom button again and said,

“Gina, all these instructions I'm giving to you, make notes and give them to Detective Powers so he is aware of everything, please.”

Chapman and Dugan reached the home of Jake Wiley aka Jerry Wakefern in Centereach to bring him down to the station, and as they expected, he wasn't there. They walked around the building to peek through different rooms in the back of the house and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Officer Chapman noticed the old furniture in the house and the wallpaper looked like it was from the '70s. Even the carpet on the floor was shag.

“This guy lives in a time machine,” Chapman said.

In a split second time stopped. A figure wearing the baseball hat with the mask draped down stepped out and fired his shotgun, hitting Dugan in the face, instantly killing him, and shooting Chapman before he even got his hand on his gun. The man wearing the mask calmly walked around the building and drove off in the squad car, only to park it in a nearby 7-11 parking lot. No one paid attention to whoever got out of the squad car.

Chapman was lying on the ground shaking, trying to reach his radio. He was bleeding, but he had his bulletproof vest on. Still he was going into shock. Officer Dugan didn't have a chance. There was no vest for the face.

Bud looked at Rodrigo across the table. “Any other contact with anyone else the night of the murder?”

“Only,” Rodrigo said, “the man in the bathroom in the private room.”

The detectives looked at each other as Bud said, “Rodrigo, help us out here. Why didn't you tell us about the man in the bathroom?”

The young man looked at Bud and replied, “You didn't ask me, but he said he was waiting for his blind date.”

Paul spoke up. “Did you get a look at him?”

“Yes,” the young man answered. “He had long hair, slim, 6'1”, maybe 6'2”, about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years of age.”

Bud played back the video showing the man leaving the private room with the mask on. “Look at his body, his hair, his height. Is this the man you saw in the room?” he asked.

“Yes,” Rodrigo answered, “but he didn't have a mask on.” Bud nodded as he looked over at Paul.

Detective Hansen walked over to the classroom where Deborah was teaching and looked in discreetly as he saw the young woman talking to her fifth-grade class. He stayed around the area until he knew her workday would be ending and even checked with the administrative office which vehicle was hers so he could park accordingly. He was getting bored after an hour of this and decided to get back to the car and get closer to her vehicle. He couldn't believe that a woman who had a father worth over $20 million would want to spend her time teaching. He thought to himself,
That’s why you have to be dedicated to be a teacher.

He smiled as he got in his squad car and turned the ignition, and in an instant he was gone. The explosion was so loud that some of the windows shattered in the classrooms, scaring the kids. Calls came into 9-1-1, and they were soon transferred into Cronin when Gina found out it was at the school. Cronin hung up the phone and told Gina to get Lynagh and Healey to the school immediately to pick up Deborah. She was not to leave alone.

Justin Healey and George Lynagh raced through the streets with the lights and siren blasting to get to the school. Gina called the principal's office to be sure no one left until the officers were there. When they got to the school there were two ambulances and three squad cars of officers from nearby precincts. Healey drove up over the curb and parked near the front entrance of the school. They walked in calmly, found out where Deborah Lance was, and asked for an administrative person to replace Ms. Lance, for she would be coming with them. As soon as they got to the classroom, Deborah knew something was very wrong when she saw it was Officers Healey and Lynagh.

“Is my father all right?” she asked.

“Your father is fine, Ms. Lance, but you will have to come with us to the precinct,” Lynagh explained.

“What's wrong?” she asked nervously.

“All will be explained at the precinct,” Lynagh said as he grabbed her arm.

“Detective Cronin, Powers, and Johnson are waiting,” Healey added.

Deborah told her class good-bye and left them with the administrative assistant. The officers politely put her in the car as she started to send Bud text messages. She called her father, who was in Manhattan and said he would be leaving to join her but wouldn't get there for a couple hours. Deborah called Rachelle at Z Pita and began to get choked up as she spoke.

“Rachelle, they are bringing me down to the precinct. I'm scared, please come, my father can't make it for a couple hours.”

“I'm leaving now,” Rachelle answered.

William Lance called Kevin Cronin. Rachelle called Paul and Bud, who were trying to get answers from the boss as to why Deborah was picked up at the school and being brought down.

“Listen up, everyone!” Cronin yelled, but before he could begin, an emergency call was transferred to him. It was Stony Brook University Hospital.

“Detective, this is Eddie Sharp, the hospital administrator. I'm sorry to tell you that we have two of your officers here. One is dead; the other is in serious condition with a shotgun blast that the vest only partially caught. Alive is Officer Chapman, but I regret to tell you Officer Dugan was dead before he hit the ground.”

Cronin sat down as Powers, Johnson, Ashley, and now O'Malley, who had just arrived, were listening. Detective Lieutenant Cronin hung up the phone and looked at everyone as Gina stepped in.

“Dugan was killed at the Wakefern house, Chapman is in serious condition, and now,” he looked at O'Malley, “Hansen was killed in an explosion at the school. His car was . . . ”

He was interrupted by O'Malley, who snapped, “Goddamn it! He was with me for ten years, never a problem like this!” He sat down with his hands covering his face.

There was silence in the room except for Gina's soft cry. She had grown fond of Walter Dugan over the past five years, and although she had only met Detective Hansen the week before, he was a fellow officer.

“Boss,” Bud said softly and respectfully, “what does this have to do with Deborah? I'm not sure about the connection. At first maybe, but now I'm not sure.”

“Bud,” Paul said, as he looked at Detective Cronin for his blessing to speak up, “Wakefern has visited O'Connor four times in the last six months. Three women have been killed that look like Deborah, to give the impression of a serial killer. Dugan is killed at Wakefern's house, and now Hansen is killed while he was checking in on Deborah. Do we really think this is a coincidence? Bud, if O'Connor wanted to get back at the three of us, he would come after us and the people we love.” As he heard himself speak, his heart started beating faster about Rachelle.

“Listen,” he spoke again, “we need to talk to her. She may know something that she doesn't think is important to this case.”

Bud stood there and looked around at everyone and sat down. He looked up again and said, “What about the girl, Lindsey?”

Cronin spoke up. “Wyatt is at the house right now, but we are going to have to borrow two squad cars to relieve him. He is shaken up over losing Hansen.” Detective Baker came into the room to tell Cronin that Rachelle Robinson was in front and wanted to get into the Priority 1 area to see Paul.

“Shit,” Paul said, “what is she doing here? Let her come to my desk. I will be out in a second.” As they were finishing up, Lynagh and Healey brought Deborah into the room and would stay with her until Powers and Johnson were ready.

“Wait, guys,” Paul said. “Let me see what's going on with Rachelle. Bud, go talk to Deborah and reassure her we are not sure just yet but we are concerned. Don't ask questions until I'm back.”

He left the central monitoring area and met with Rachelle at his desk. He greeted her with a hug and a squeeze of her hand as she asked, “Why has Deborah been brought here?”

“Rachelle,” Paul said, as his disapproval showed.

She interrupted him, “Why, Paul? Tell me. I'm not leaving.”

The detective took her hand again and said, “We think she may be in danger and need to be certain.”

Rachelle started moving toward the interrogation room. She knew where it was due to her many visits to the new precinct over the past year.

“Where are you going?” Paul asked.

Rachelle turned around and said, “I don't want her to be alone; I want to be there with her.”

Paul reached for Rachelle as she stopped and looked at him. “I will not abandon her when she needs support. Take me to her, Paul, please.”

“Rachelle,” Paul spoke, “if there is a connection, I would worry about you being with her until this is resolved.”

Rachelle moved his hand from her arm and said, “I am not leaving her.”

Paul looked at her for a few seconds and relented.

“Come with me,” he said. He opened the door to the room where Lynagh and Healey were with Deborah. Rachelle smiled as she hugged her friend, and Deborah would not let go of her.

Rachelle spoke. “It's going to be all right, and I am here with you. Come on, let's sit down.”

Cronin, Ashley, Bud, and Paul watched as Rachelle held Deborah's hand tight on the table.

Detective Cronin looked at both Detectives Powers and Johnson and asked, “Are you two going to be able to be objective?”

Paul started walking toward the door and said, “Don't insult me.”

“Answer the question!” Cronin yelled.

“Yes,” Bud answered. Cronin looked over at Paul, who started to nod a weak yes.

“John,” Cronin said to Ashley, “I suggest you go in there on behalf of Deborah. She's not a suspect, but you need to be sure nothing is violated. She is a friend, and I think it is the wise thing to do.”

Paul and Bud came in and sat across from Deborah and Rachelle as John Ashley walked into the room and took a chair and sat on Deborah and Rachelle's side of the table. Paul immediately knew the reason. ADA Ashley told Lynagh and Healey to see Cronin in the monitoring room. Ashley began to explain to Deborah why he was there and noticed how Rachelle continued to hold her hand. When Lynagh and Healey reached Cronin, they were instructed to get to the hospital with the other officers to show support and respect for the families of the fallen officers.