If David died, Faith would break completely.The goal Franklin West had strived for would finally be achieved, not by the torment of a serial killer but by the well-meaning stupidity of a big-hearted veterinarian who, like his wife, didn’t know when to let things go.
“God damn it, David,” he said softly.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“James Caldwell isn’t home, Special Agent.”
“What?”Faith exclaimed.“Shit.”
Jessica didn’t need to ask.“He’s not at home, is he?”
“No,” Faith said, rubbing the bridge of her nose.“No one saw him leave?No one knows where he went?’
"We just got here," Sergeant Rain Oliver of the Arlington Police Department replied."I'll send two deputies to ask the neighbors while my partner and I search his apartment.We're playing a little fast and loose with probable cause, but I think we can justify it considering the urgency."
“Do it,” Faith replied.“Stay on the radio and let me know what you find.”
She hit the gas, and the rental car surged forward.Its acceleration was more polite than powerful, but her old Crown Victoria police interceptor was lucky to crack an eight second zero-to-sixty, so Faith didn’t have a good reason to complain about the acceleration of her Nissan Rogue econobox.
“Shit, shit, shit, shit.I fucking knew it.”
“Calm down, Faith,” Jessica replied, the most oft-given and oft-ignored advice in history.“We’re on our way there now.”
“Andhe’son his way to kill someone else,” Faith snapped.
She ran her head through her hair and dropped her hand to the steering wheel.“Okay, we need to figure out who his next target is.Pull up Hunter’s records.”
Jessica opened her laptop and pulled up records from each of the animal shelters involved.The minutes ticked by as she navigated the various systems each shelter used.Plano and Tarrant County used government systems tied into their animal control records, so it was straightforward to get to their information if tedious, but Dallas Doghouse was a private facility and only required to report basic information.Thatinformation was stored on a general county records system that was full of everything from the last time a politician was caught with a prostitute to every time a maintenance worker changed a bulb in a streetlight.
Faith focused on her breathing, trying to keep herself calm.She did an okay job.She managed not to shout at traffic or get into an accident trying to drive the crossover like a sports car.
Turk whined softly, sharing his own frustration with the group.“I know boy,” Jessica said.“I’m working as fast as I can.”
Faith’s hands tightened around the steering wheel, and she loosened them again with an effort.This wasn’t Jessica’s fault either.This was the typical ebb and flow of a case like this, and with spree killers, it was almost a guarantee that they’d be on their way to another victim by the time they figured the situation out.
“Okay,” Jessica finally said.“It looks like Hunter passed a DoD program for retired K9s intended to help them reintegrate into civilian life.Caldwell was allowed to adopt him, but after he bit someone, he was taken away.Dallas Doghouse volunteered to take Hunter rather than sending him to a kill shelter.Matthew Brooks authorized the transfer to the Plano Animal Shelter citing failure to progress.I assume that means Hunter didn’t get better.”
“Okay, that’s connection to victim two.”
“Yes.At Plano, Sarah Garrett left some detailed notes that all basically mean the same thing.Hunter wasn’t progressing no matter how hard she worked with him.They put him up for adoption noting that he needed an experienced handler and an isolated living situation.Only one family expressed interest, and since it was a ten-year-old kid, and not an isolated living situation, they denied the application.Sarah lobbied against the transfer to a kill shelter, but the Pruitts overruled her, and Hunter was sent to the Tarrant County Animal Shelter.”
Faith found it bitterly ironic that the killer had murdered a woman who had fought hard to save Hunter’s life and left the people who signed off on his death alive.Not that she had anything against the Pruitts.They were doing their best at a very shitty job.
“Once in Tarrant County, Hunter was placed on the kill list and per local policy, seven days were allowed for someone to claim him.It looks like James Caldwell tried twice and was denied both times due to his diagnosis.Hunter was euthanized exactly sixty days after his release from the Army.”
Faith sighed.“Okay.So that’s the motive.I’m assuming Linda Hale was the one who denied James Caldwell’s application?”
“No, it says here it was a woman named Dr.Patricia Houston.”
Faith stiffened.“That’s it.That’s his target.Call Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office and get her address.”
The phone rang twice before it was answered by a mild-mannered desk officer.“Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.”
“This is Special Agent Jessica Torres of the FBI,” Jessica replied.“We’re here investigating the animal shelter killings.We need an address for Dr.Patricia Houston.She’s the facility director at the Tarrant County Animal Shelter.”
The officer paused, then asked, “Who are you again?”
“Oh, for God’s…” Faith exclaimed.“Officer, we’re the FBI.We’re investigating a spree killing, and Patricia Houston either is or soon will be victim number four.What’s her damned address?”
