The Plan

Chapter 4

December 1996 (2:05am)

Buzz…buzz…buzz…

“There’s no one home,” she whispered, more like hoping.

“Be patient,” he said from behind the bushes by the big oak door. “Say exactly what I told you, understand?”

“Then you’ll let me go?”

He did not answer because sound of footsteps appeared…getting nearer.

“Are you going to kill them too?” she asked the obvious.

“Shut up,” he hissed.

She flinched when she heard the peephole open, then close again. She took a step back when the door swung open.

“Young lady, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?” the handsome man asked, tying his robe at his side.

“Help me, I’m lost,” she said her memorized line.

“Where do you live? Where are your parents? Are you alone?”

That’s when he emerged, startling the handsome man. “No, she’s not alone, Mr. Lightman.”

 

March 23, 2011 (10:00am)

Judge Simons punched the numbers he knew so well, his hands shaking.

“What?” the voice answered, etched with irritation. “I told you not to call me unless it’s important.”

“Did you see the news?” he asked in a hushed tone.

“What news?”

“Halloway is dead.”

“Who’s he?”

“My paralegal in 1996. He was murdered.”

That was answer enough for the man on the other end of the phone. “If you’re asking me if I did it, I did not.”

It gave the old man little relief, but another alarm shot through his system. “Who could it be?”

“What gives you an idea I know? The man could have made enemies, so don’t fret.”

“Cooper is found dead three days ago,” he added.

The voice on the other line froze for a very long moment.

“This can’t be a coincidence,” the judge said, cold sweat running down his face.

“Ask around. Find out who did it,” and the line went dead.

Simons hurriedly punched a new set of number and waited agonizingly as it rang.

“Yes,” the voice answered.

“Who is it? Who killed Cooper and Halloway?” he asked.

“We don’t have any idea. I’m getting to it.”

“Do you think—”

“No, I don’t think the killings are connected to 1996, okay? Don’t call me again in this number.”

“Yes, yes,” he said, punching the end button.

He took the glass of water and gulped down.

Fear.

That’s what he felt right now.

(12:00pm)

“I don’t see any connection between the two killings,” Tanaka said, munching her sandwich.

Lawson shook his head, “They must be connected in some ways.”

“I really think this is a serial killing,” she said.

“And how do you think can we profile this killer?”

“Maybe she goes after men of power. Cooper is a big man—physically powerful. Halloway on the other hand, though he’s not much of a gym person is powerful in his own field as a lawyer.”

He nodded slowly, taking it into consideration. “I don’t know though,” he said, “I just got this feeling these murders are related.”

His partner stared at him hard, “Cooper and Halloway don’t know eachother.”

“Well, they could have had a mutual friend,” he countered.

He’s got a point. “I’ll go check out Halloway’s place again. We could have missed something.”

“I’ll go check out the family,” he said, standing up.

“What? Like now?”

“Yes, like now.”

(2:00pm)

“Hey, it’s me,” Tanaka said over the phone, “I’m at Halloway’s a studio right now. Seems like the man is one hell of a neat freak,” she said, looking over the shelf, folders neatly tucked next to eachother, “he has been dating every case he was on. I think I’ll check them out.”

“It would be a waste of time,” her partner said.

“You know what? You don’t act like—” she stopped, her eyes narrowing.

“What is it now?”

“Some files are missing,” she whispered, “1996…they’re not here.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Someone took Halloway’s 1996 files. All of them.”

“What’s with 1996?”

“I guess that’s what we have to find out.”

(5:00pm)

She stared at the wall full of pictures and notes of different colors. Strings run down from one picture to another, leading to the big one at the top.

She stared hard at it. She stared hard at his face.

I’ll get to you soon, she promised. She looked down at the folder in her hands. Yes, I’ll get you all.