The Paperhanger and The Detective: Techs Role in solving Crimes – Part 2

Link to part 1 – The Paper hanger and the Hot Girl

As part of a VA writers group, the question got asked, “What would you want as a superpower.”

That’s a cool question. I wouldn’t mind being Iron Man. Tony’s money would sure be nice. And being Superman or Green Lantern would rock.

But truth be told, I already have a God-given superpower. Actually, I have two.

What are they you ask?

First superpower is being too stupid to know I’m beat. I’ll just keep going.

The second? I know how to ask questions and find answers.

Which leads me to my cue to enter into the crime reported in Part 1 – The Paperhanger and Hot Girl

The case of the Altered Money order was given to me because no one else in the department wanted it. it would take too much time and was unsolvable. The guy was long gone and that was it.

The money order was handed to me by one of the patrol officers. It was in an evidence bag that held a single piece of green, black, and white paper. Words and numbers were written across it. I recognized the paper as a money order purchased at Seven-Eleven. I was made out to Alan Hale, jr. That made me smile.

The bag that contained the money order allowed me to examine it but not add fingerprints to it. Along with the evidence was a report and a chain of custody that I signed.

The report was pretty basic. On such and such a date and time, an unknown male entered the Texaco Station in Antonito, Colorado. He wished to purchase gas and snacks, and pay for it with a money order. The owner agreed. The man purchased his fuel, bought his snacks and received $154.00 in cash. A few days later, the money order was returned by the bank. Seven-Eleven, where the money order was purchased thru, had rejected it saying it had been altered. It wasn’t worth the $200.00 it said. It was worth two dollars. The money order had been taken by Emily (last name retained by author).

“Alan Hale, Jr probably isn’t his real name,” the patrol deputy said. I wondered who he thought he was talking to. I had more time in the bathroom then he had solving cases.

“I wouldn’t think so,” I said. “Do you know who Alan Hale Jr is?”

He shook his head. “The name sounds familiar.”

“He played the Skipper on Gilligan’s Island.”

“Oh!”

Using the Skipper’s real name was interesting. The Skipper is a well-loved figure to most Americans. Maybe by tapping into the name he was invoking the Skipper to build trust.

Or maybe he was just wanting to see if someone would say anything.

I looked over the report. There were still a few question I had.

I called down to the station and spoke to Clarence, the owner. He barely remembered the guy.

“I know you have surveillance cameras,” I said. “Any luck you’d have the tape from that day.”

“I’m sorry, Muniz, but we reuse our tapes.” That was wishing too much anyway. “That one has already been taped over.”

Clarence had discovered the two problems with security tapes. First, tapes cost money. Not a lot, but they do. When you’re counting pennies you recycle tapes. Then there was storage. You have to keep them around and they are bulky items.

So, any images of him on the tape was gone.

“But Emily might be able to describe him. She says she remembers him.”

He gave me her home number and I called her next. “Oh, yeah, Rich,” she said about him. “Guy was checking me out a little too closely. Total creep!”

“So, tell me about Total Creep dude,” I said. I started writing down her description.

“Mid-fifties, about five eleven, two hundred pounds. White guy with black hair.” She went on to describe what he wore. She’d described a fair percentage of the males in the United States, but still, it wasn’t bad.

That prompted me to say, “You sound like you recall him pretty well.”

“Rich, a girl never forgets someone who looks at her like he looked at me,” she said. “It’s a survival thing.”

I could appreciate that. I imagined she’d had her share of stalkers.

I decided to see if we could take this a little further. “I’ve a friend at the college. In the past, he’s helped me make police sketches of suspects. Do you think you recall him well enough to give us a face?”

She didn’t even hesitate. “I can.”

“Great. Let me get hold of him and see when he can get it done.” I asked her about her schedule for the next couple of day. It was wide open.

I hung up with the promise I’d get back to her.

I looked over my notes and then pulled out a folder from the desk. Using the old two-hole punch, I did like I’d done a thousand times at MPI. I began organizing the case file. Reports went on one side, case notes on the other.

Then taking a blank piece of paper, I wrote out my investigative plan.

• Secure evidence and submit to CBI for lifting of prints.
• Get with Niles at the college.
  • Get sketch made
• Put out request/notification thru NCIC/CCIC. This guy sounds a little to slick to not have done this before.
• Adjust case plan as needed.

It was a pretty unremarkable plan, but it was a start.

I called up to the Adams State College Department of Public Safety and asked for Niles. I got lucky. He was in the office, and we set up some time the following afternoon. I called Anna back and that was fine with her. I’d pick her up and drive her up.

I secured the money order after making a photocopy of it.

One last thing. I sat down at the computer terminal and type out my request for information.

I described the crime, details of it, and included my contact info. I sent it out onto the cop version of the internet. I figured I wouldn’t hear a thing. Most departments would treat it almost like we did. They’d file the case and forget it since the suspect was long gone.

What I hadn’t expected was the response I got. The primitive internet was about to form a web to ensnare Mr. Total Creep.

And another superhuman was about to enter the hunt.