Page 93 of Precise Justice

Dear Diary:January 29th

On the news tonight they reported that the body of a James Smith was found. He (cops don’t know this) was one of the pigs who raped me and Holly. I know it was the Jimmy Smith who raped me because they had his picture. How many others, both trans and cisgender girls, have they raped? This asshole won’t rape any more. They are also reporting that it was a serial killer who got Jimmy outside a bar. First, Dr. Frankenstein then one of my rapists killed 24 hours later.

Again I have no memory of the last two nights when Dr. Frankenstein and James Smith were killed. The TV people told us when it was and I tried to remember where I was, what I was doing at that time. Just like my Mom, and Alice Griebler andDr. Miller, nothing, not a thing came back to me. And, except for Mom, according to the news, they were all killed the same way, with a claw hammer. Why can’t I remember? WHAT IS GOING ON? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?

Owen Jefferson arrived at his office before the night shift went home. He held brief, impromptu meetings with each of them getting status reports on several cases. He also left a note on Lucy Compton’s desk to let her know to see him when Melissa was also in.

Fresh morning coffee in hand, the two women went in without knocking.

“Have a seat,” Jefferson said. “After last night’s news leak about the claw hammer killings…”

“Have you seen today’s paper?” Lucy asked.

“No, what?”

“Philo Anson, The Klaw Hammer Killer,” Lucy said.

“Has a nice ring to it,” Melissa said.

“Cop humor,” Jefferson muttered.

“Owen, by five o’clock yesterday, how many people on the job, at the mayor’s office and county attorney knew about it?”

“Probably only about a hundred or so,” Jefferson said.

“It was bound to get out,” Melissa added.

“I was about to say, we’re up to our ass in alligators. The boss kicked me out of bed at five o’clock to stop the phone calls.”

“I’ll bet she was happy,” Melissa said.

“Delighted,” was Jefferson’s sarcastic reply.

“I’m assigning you two the claw hammer cases. They are connected somehow. I’ll put Shelby and Reggie Thomas together on a case. I’ve got another case for Reggie’s partner, Phil Benson. I may ask him to take over the woman, Priscilla…” he hesitated trying to remember Priscilla’s last name.

“Priscilla Powell,” Lucysaid.

“That’s it, Powell,” Jefferson said.

“Don’t bother, that case is so cold it has frostbite,” Melissa said.

“Okay, you keep it, but don’t neglect it.”

“What are you doing with Clyde?” Lucy asked.

“Well, I can’t fire him and I can’t shoot him,” Jefferson replied.

“I can,” Melissa said.

Both Lucy and Jefferson looked at her with an inquisitive expression.

“I mean, if you’re looking for volunteers,” Melissa said.

Melissa Myles was a thirty-two year old attractive, single woman. Clyde Johnson was an old school misogynist.

“I’m thinking the next time he slaps my ass, I just might do it,” Melissa said.

“Why haven’t you put in a complaint?” Jefferson asked.