Murder by Numbers Page #2

Where did these mud prints come from?

There's a planting bed out here.

Looks dry as a bone.

Maybe she watered the lawn.

We got a time of death?

Based on stomach content,

between 9 and 1 0 Thursday night.

How about 9:
27?

Can we come in?

Let the games begin.

Sam Kennedy, Al Swanson.

New assistant D.A.

and former member of our department.

Nice to meet you.

Miss Mayweather, always a pleasure.

Heard you finally passed the bar.

Did they make it true or false?

She hasn't lost her sting.

-What are you doing here?

-Staying informed.

Really?

Sam, please keep him informed.

Thank you.

What do we got here?

Sorry.

-Can l have you sign off?

-Okay.

Sam, it's me. l'll be a little late.

Why don't you get started?

Looks like a body dump.

Jesus, she's alive!

Nice detective work.

How'd you find me?

Rule one:
Talk to the neighbors.

You said a little late,

and it's been three hours.

This about that D.A., Swanson?

That a**hole? No.

-He seemed okay.

-Yeah, well, try dating him.

He got rough with me,

so l broke his nose with a cat.

A cat?

Well, a ceramic cat.

No, thanks.

-Good. Then you can walk me home.

-Sure.

Thank you.

Sit down.

l should get going.

What's the rush?

Can l ask you a personal question?

l can hardly wait.

How did you get into this work?

Why homicide?

Someone l knew was murdered,

and l got interested.

-Really?

-No.

l'm just bullshitting you.

lt's just the kind of crap

people like to hear.

Wait.

What are you doing?

lt's called sex.

lt's fun, you should try it.

We gotta work together.

This is a bad idea.

Don't worry, l won't get possessive.

Wait.

-Why are you doing this?

-Because l want to.

What about what l want?

What do you want?

-Right now?

-Yeah.

This.

Wait. Slow down.

No, no, leave that on.

Just that. Please.

Sure.

What's the matter?

-You gotta get up, you gotta go.

-Why?

Because l gotta get some sleep.

-Can we sleep together?

-Bed's too small.

-No, it's not.

-Come on, you gotta go.

Jesus!

l'll see you tomorrow. Good night.

The evidence is so tiny,

you wouldn't recognize it.

A few red and yellow carpet fibers,

some hair.

That's it.

The fibers will be tested to find

generic and subgeneric classes. . .

... then compared to a database

for the manufacturer.

Fibers consistent with a mass-produced

variety, made in Denver.

Distributed in the

United States under several names.

-No help.

-Same with the red fibers.

Several trilobal nylon fibers. . .

. . .along with other

fibers will be matched with a brand.

lt's sold by Hanover Sampson

for several discount stores.

That narrows it down.

They sold 50,000 in that color last year.

Examination of the cuticle,

cortex and medulla of the hair. . .

... will reveal them to be human.

Two brown human hairs.

Definitely not the victim's.

All but one.

At first, it will baffle them.

One hair of nonhuman origin, scale

matches Cynocephalus maimon.

lt's a freaking baboon hair.

No fingerprints, no murder weapon.

They have their work cut out for them.

That's what they're paid for.

Coroner said strangulation was slow.

Perhaps the victim was being tortured.

The postmortem stab wounds

barely broke the surface.

Okay, that's it.

They'll decide that, given the sloppy

nature of the crime scene. . .

. . .the postmortem mutilation. . .

. . .the profile will be that

of a disorganized offender.

Poor social skills.

Nocturnal by nature.

Probably into pornography.

Intelligent, but uneducated.

Lives alone,

few relations with women.

Attack was spontaneous.

Unplanned.

He didn't drive down close

to the dump spot. That is planning.

But he left the footprints.

No evidence will lead to the suspect,

but they'll damn him.

-When will they have a suspect?

-They're eating out of our hands.

Poor Ray. He'll never see it coming.

Cassie, look at this.

Vigi boots.

What the hell are Vigi boots?

There he is, in the black coat.

Don't let him charm you too much.

Richard Haywood?

Cassie Mayweather, Sam Kennedy,

police. Can we talk to you?

Yeah, sure.

You're willing to speak

without an attorney?

Sure.

Where were you last Thursday night?

-What is this about?

-Answer the question.

l was cramming for this calculus

midterm. l was with a study group.

-How long?

-From about 7 until 3 Friday morning.

-That's quite a cram session.

-Yeah, well. . . .

l got kind of a spotty record, and l

gotta keep my grades up for college.

Can you give us the names

of the other people there?

Sure. Am l in some kind of trouble?

You seem very particular

about your appearance.

Thanks.

l like your outfit too.

She looks good.

lt's, like, feminine. . .

. . .but it still manages

to be professional.

ls that like a pleather?

Kmart.

We're interested in your shoes.

Let's talk about these.

-Vigis?

-You own a pair of these?

You bought them at Scarlatti's,

downtown Santa Barbara, for $637.50. . .

. . .on your platinum bankcard.

Size 1 2D.

This can't be about my shoes.

Why not?

This is about my shoes?

You got me freaked out

like l did something.

Did you find them or what?

l reported them stolen

three weeks ago.

l even filed a report

with the front office.

Did you find the shoes or not?

l think you should tell me

what's going on.

Because l'm spinning out here.

Shoe prints matching these were found

at a murder scene last week.

-The Covington woman?

-That's right.

You think the person who stole

my shoes committed this murder?

l'll cooperate in any way l can.

Any idea who stole your boots?

No, l don't. l wish l did now, though.

-Any enemies at school?

-Well, it's high school.

What does that mean?

Not to sound arrogant,

but there are people who envy me.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Why would they do that?

Well, let's just say

that l'm very fortunate. . .

. . .and that l've been blessed

in many ways.

-Must be nice being you, Richard.

-l got no complaints.

lt all checked out.

He filed a report about the boots.

And made a big fuss to the principal.

Yeah, l bet he was a pain in the ass.

-She didn't say that.

-No, believe me. l hate kids like that.

Like what?

What about the study session?

Six kids were at his house with him

from 7 or 7:
30 Thursday evening. . .

. . .till 3 a.m. Friday.

l talked to all of them.

He was there except for 1 5 minutes. . .

. . .he went to an ATM

to get cash for a pizza.

-Did you check that out?

-Yeah, he withdrew $40 at 9: 1 9.

Get that enhanced.

-Why?

-Because l can't see his face.

lt's him.

l can't see his face.

-You really think he's involved?

-l don't know.

But something's not right

with that kid.

Fifteen minutes.

lt doesn't give him enough time.

He has to drive to Covington,

kill her, dump her body, get back.

He'd need at least an hour.

-They questioned me.

-And?

-lt was so cool!

-Did they go for the shoes?

They grabbed it. l was so good.

l really was. Listen.

This can 't be about my shoes.

-Why not?

-Did you find them?

You sure they didn't suspect anything?

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