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Chapter 5

It was only a few minute ride to April's, Doreens best friend, family house. Thought this time around, Nick was more confident. His talk with Brian really helped him. It was reassuring to know that someone who was so good at his job had the some problems that he did. He knew that he was going to get through this, though he knew through the eyes of the victims family, it was him who had the easier job. He just walked into someones life and it was just as easy from him to walk out of it. There were no emotional attachments or even memories. That's what made it easy for him, he didn't know the victim.

Brian parked the squad car across the street from the house. The two of them stepped out of the car and began to walk across the street. The sun was shinning brightly and everything was going on as business as usual. It amazed Nick to watch everyone at like nothing happened. The mentality of New Yorkers was unlike everyone else out there. They'd seen so much that there was hardly anything left that would shock them.

Brian rang the door bell and they waited. They didn't know what they were going to find, but they hoped that it would help them with their investigation. Seconds later, the door opened and Brian and Nick were greeted by a man.

"Can I help you guys?" he asked politely.

"We'd like to talk to April if you don't mind," Brian told him.

"Alright come in and I'll get her."

"Thank you," Brian answered as they walked into the house. April came down, with the man who opened the door behind her.

"Morning April. Do you mind answering a few questions?" Brian asked kindly.

"Sure," she said taking Brian and Nick into the living room.

"I'm officer Littrell and this is my partner officer Carter."

"Hi," she said softly, "this is my brother Howie."

"What did Doreen and you talk about the last time you two spoke?" Brian asked.

"Nothing really. Samethings we always talk about," she responded, "movies, music, you know, stuff like that."

"Was she acting strange?" Nick asked. Brian glanced over at Nick, surprised that he was beginning to ask questions, but glad that he was.

"No, she was her regular self."

"Did she ever mention that she may have been followed or something?"

"No. Nothing was wrong. Doreen and I used to tell each other everything. She would have told me if she thought something may have been wrong," April explained.

"So there was absoluetly nothing wrong? At least that you knew of anyway? Brian asked.

"Nope, I would have told you," she answered.

"What do you guys know about what happened?" Howie asked.

"We can't say," Brian answered.

"Why not? That little girl was like a sister to me," Howie protested.

"As of right now, no information has been released and I am not at liberty to release any information deemed classified," Brian explained.

"What if it helps someone remember something?"

"What if that information brings a false confession?" Brian countered, "we only want the man who did this to come foward."

"Why would someone confess to something they didn't do?"

"To gain the 'fame' that came along with it. People would know who he was. There are a lot of sick minds out there."

"So we just wait until you can actually do something?" Howie asked, only becoming slightly angered.

"We're doing all that we can sir," Nick replied.

"You're right, I'm sorry," Howie responded, "I just get so mad when I think about this. I just want this guy in jail."

"As do we, but we have to follow procedure and somethings don't work as planned or many other things," Brian explained.

"I just want to help."

"We know you do sir, so we'd appreicate if you gave us a call if either of you remember anything," Brian told April and Howie as he handed each of them a card, "you can call me at any time if you feel the need to."

"We sure will," Howie informed.

"Yeah," April replied meekly. Brian nodded towards April who had begun to look more upset than she had when the two of them arrived

"Thank you both for taking the time to speak to us," Nick said, "you guys have a good day and remember to give us a call just incase something comes up."


"Alright, good-bye officers," Howie said as he walked Nick and Brian to the door, "and stay safe guys."

"We will," Brian responded as they walked through the door. Nick sighed when he heard the door shut.

"You're learning quick," Brian said to Nick as they began to cross the street, "I think you're going to do just fine."

"Thanks," Nick answered, "gotta get it right eventually, why not beat it before it becomes a problem."

"Good," Brian said as he and Nick entered the car, "it's better to get a grip on this stuff now. It will make you a better cop in the end."

"That's what I was going for," Nick replied, "where do we go now?"

"Back to the station for now. Maybe someone found something," Brian answered as he pulled the car into the street.

"So this was just some random rape/homiside?" Nick questioned.

"Looks like it."

"So we have to wait until someone else is killed before we can actually do anything?"

"Unfortianately, but it's the only way we're going to get more information about the guy," Brian answered almost apologeticly.

"We're being followed," Nick said suddenly.

"What?"

"That car's been behind us since just after we left April's house," Nick informed Brian.

"Shit," Brian mumbled.

"So what do we do?"

"We try and shake 'em off," Brian answered as he made a sudden turn. Catching the other car off guard but he quickly caught up to them again. A look of agrivation came over Brians face when he saw the car again.

"Who ever this guys is, he isn't going to let us lose him without a fight," Nick commented.

"And he's a damn moron for following a marked car."

"Lets just go back to the station, he won't try anything there," Nick replied, surprised at Brians reaction to the car behind them.

"Yeah," Brian answered.

"You've never been followed before huh?"

"No," he told him, "but I shouldn't be worried right? He wouldn't knowingly attack a cop. He probably just wants to ask us something but we'll wait till we get back to the station before we talk to him." Nick looked over at Brian. His fingers were nervously tapping at the steering wheel as he drove. Nick was more than considerably shocked by this. He had always thought of Brian who would know how to handle every situation. Then again, he's never been in this spot, so like Nick, he didn't completely know how to handle the situation.

"Maybe we should have showed April the note, maybe she would have recignized the hand writing," Nick commented.

"I don't have it with me," Brian anwered, "but I don't think that it would have done too much good because the writing could be forged. If he was as smart as he wants us to think he is, then he would have typed it."

"Yeah, we'd have less that way."

"I think this guy wants to be caught. I mean leaving these taunting letters is usually a sign that the perp is only doing this for the sheer thrill of it. Because he thinks it's a fucking game."

"Don't you think he would have left more at the scene if he wanted to be caught?" Nick asked.

"No, he doesn't want to be caught after only one crime. He wants to pull it off for as long as he can. So that he can almost strike fear into women. Besides, the longer the aludes us, the more infamous he's going to become."

"Well I guess we should do the best we can to get this guy now before too many people are killed," Nick commented, almost sickened by the thought that this guy was only doing this for fun. What humor could he possibly see in all of this? Someone was dead and many people were grieving over the death of the victim.

"That's what we're going to do Nick," Brian responded as he looked into the rearview mirror to see if the car was still following them. He sighed when he seen that it was.

"Do you just want to pull over and ask that guy what he wants?" Nick asked.

"I don't think so."

"I could cover for you just incase anything happens you know? At least if it's just a simple problem, he'll go away once you talk to him."

"Fine," Brian said as he began to pull the squad car to the side of the road. The car which was following them did the same. Brian opened the door to the car, as Nick remained inside, ready to radio for help if it was needed. Nick turned to look through the back window, where Brian was walking. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Slowly, the door to the other car opened and the driver stepped out. Nick and Brian both let out a sigh of relief when they saw Howie, April's brother step out and walk towards Brian.


"Why were you following us?" Brian asked calmly and relieved. He was glad that it was someone that was no threat to them.

"I'm sorry, I know that I shouldn't have, but I just wanted to do something to help," Howie answered apologeticly.

"Like we said, just give us a call and that would be a lot of help. Any information would."

"I don't know any more than you guys do, but I thought that since I wasn't a cop or anything I could help cause they wouldn't think that I'm a cop because I'm not ya know?"

"I'm sorry but we can't put you in that kind of danger," Brian replied.

"Come on," he pleaded, "I knew most of the people that Doreen hung out with 'cause she was always with my sister. I got to know a lot of her friends and there's a bunch of them that I could spot right away. So please let me help." Brian waved towards the car to let Nick know that he should come and join them.

"What's going on?" Nick asked as he walked towards the two men.

"He wants to help us," Brian answered, "he says he knows a lot of Doreen's friends."

"What trouble could I be? I would only be telling you the people that knew her and stuff. It might help you."

"Alright, but you're just going to help us get in contact with people," Brian answered reluctantly, "we're not going to put you in any sort of situation that might put you in any kind of danger."

"Yeah, that's all I want to do," he said, "I'll feel better knowing that I did something."

"Get in the back of the car," Brian said as the three of them started walking towards the squad car. Nick was shocked that Brian had allowed Howie to come along with them. Maybe that's what made him a good cop; he was willing to try anything to catch whoever it was that he may be after.