Serial Separation by Dick C. Waters Read Free Book Online

it
wasn’t the whole truth either. She had also mentioned going skiing New Year’s
weekend at the Balsams, and he told her it would be fine. She wanted to know if
he had other plans and he told her he didn’t. Deep down he understood why she
asked the question.
    He went over and picked up their
picture on his headboard. Dottie was one of the most, if not the most,
beautiful girl he had ever seen. He was much darker than she, but her
complexion almost looked Polynesian. She was so special. He would be a fool to
do anything to lose her.
    However, since that weekend in
November, things had been different. He knew it, and he could sense she knew
something wasn’t the same. She even hinted about whether he had found someone
else. It was not about another girl . . . it was about several . He
wanted to look at the newspaper article again. He opened his dresser drawer,
pulling it out. He studied the article about the two torsos that had been found
and identified. The names were familiar, but he was never that good with names.
He looked at the Paul Maloney and Anthony Sangello names again. Reading the
article more closely, it indicated they both played hockey for Northeastern. Hockey,
that’s it! He quickly located his scrapbook on the bookshelf and searched
it.
    There it was the newspaper article
on the new hockey league. He checked for their names and found both of them.
They both played hockey together in that league, and so did his cousin, Jason. He
saw Jason “JJ” Johnston, his black face in the crowd of players. Jason and he
both shared the same nicknames.
    Could that be the connection, a
case of mistaken identity that he was taken that weekend and held against his
will? His mind drifted to the horrible details of his abduction and the ordeal
of that weekend, and the scars were proof that it wasn’t just a dream . . . it
was a nightmare! He wondered how he could continue to keep his abduction to
himself. He was worried Dottie would see the scars when they were intimate.

Chapter 13
     
    “Mike, can you believe the AG is
already looking for status reports?” Paddy exclaimed, shaking his head.
    He was not surprised Paddy was
already mentioning this, since the AG did the same thing last year. He enjoyed
working with Paddy, and they each had their respective roles. Paddy ran the
team, but he was the primary investigator.
    There was a time when Paddy would
have run the other way from this much responsibility, but now he knew Paddy
wouldn’t trust anyone else with the reins. However, right now, any progress
would be welcomed by Paddy and the AG. The connection Scott identified was a
significant development, although the connection was not fully understood. He
thought about whether Scott might be a potential victim, and maybe that was why
Scott was trying desperately to join the task force.
    He hoped his appeal to Paddy on
Scott’s behalf was sufficient. Paddy’s plan to buffer Scott’s joining the team,
with the profiler, might be the best approach. It would certainly soften the
blow with the AG, and Scott did give them the lead to the earlier hockey
league. If nothing else, he would be an additional resource, which would
benefit the investigation.
    “Mike, you look deep in thought.
Care to share?” Paddy asked, putting his glasses down on his desk.
    “I was just thinking about Scott
and the connection to the earlier hockey league. We might not have made that
connection this fast, but I’m puzzled about why hockey players would be a
target for what appears to be sexually motivated mutilations and killings.”
    He continued. “Scott’s knowledge of
these murdered men would be a help to our efforts, especially if Sullivan is
indeed killed in the same manner.”
    You never stop selling, do you?”
Paddy said with a smile.
    “No, Paddy; in this case, I’m
convinced, it makes all the sense in the world for Scott to work with us.” He
watched Paddy as he turned in his chair to look out the window. Paddy was