CHAPTER XI: ANOTHER MYSTERY SOLVED...

BY GOD.

I finally asked Rob why he kept his apartment since we so obviously don't need it.

"This house isn't in the city, Honey."
"Yeh, so."
"I work for a City agency so technically I have to live within the city limits or at least maintain an address."
"Oh."

ANOTHER MYSTERY SOLVED.

Just a small one to be sure, but remember I am an amateur. LOL.

On the news front, my station had become so pleased with my reporting on the serial murders that that named me the OFFISHUL liason to the police department so now I could hang with Rob all day every day LEGALLY. LOL.

We proceeded to follow every lead but the problem was that there just weren't hardly any clues to go on. No fingerprints at the scene. No suspects jumping out at us, no nothing and I could tell Rob was getting ROYALLY frustrated. For that matter so was I. This is a pisser to be sure.

Drew and Dylan to their credit were keeping their cool and doing everything they could to help, and we both appreciated their efforts. I guess I have to agree with Rob. Bright couple of Fucks they are to be sure, hahaha, and they did keep coming up with ideas but no matter what any of us thought up, the suspect(s) remained elusive and seemingly no closer to being within reach than at the beginning of this.

"Dyl?"
"Yeah Dylan?"
"You have any instincts about all this, vibes, you know?"
"Nothing I can pin down or point to, why?"
"Just wondering."

That is sorta the way it went for another 6 weeks or so. We had that 3 week pause between murders, then one, now six weeks of ZZZZZZZZZZ, and now what?

THIS IS NOT TV, I kept telling myself...wrapped up neatly with a bow in 54 minutes not counting the final credits scroll.

"ARRRRRRRGH" I put out to a lost and dying...
"I'll second that," Drew chimed in followed by Rob and Dylan.
"GOD this is frustrating," Drew said to the rest of us and we all agreed...LOUDLY.

Which was only interrupted by the phone.
"I AM GONNA SHOOT THAT FUCKER,"
Rob hollered,
"Gimme your gun, Bro," my namesake Dylan shouted...and Rob feigned doing just that, but answered it instead.

"Sgt. Ciccoletti," he said into it. (nice ring, after Lieutenant was retired and Sgt was bestowed upon my hero).

"God that gives me chills," I whispered to the twins.
"Me too," they both agreed.
"Makes me feel immediately safer."
"But he ain't caught the criminal, yet."
"YET," I fired back.
"GO ROB." this from Drew.
"My hero," I giggled.
"Good. Hate to kill you for mistreating him."
"Never happen."
"We know Dyl, we know."
"Yeh how?"
"God you twit," Dylan chirped,
"It is SOOOO obvious, and always has been. Geez, dude, everybuddy in town knows the score with you two."
"Yeh?"
His answer was cut short by Rob hanging up the phone and hollering it was
'RIDE 'EM' time...and we did.

"NOT AGAIN," I was expecting to say, but nope. When we turned off onto Western Avenue and away from the center of town, I looked at Rob.
"High School, baby," and as I digested that little item, I heard snorts from the back seat. I turned and glared but to no avail. LOL. They are impervious to hints and glares methinks.

Two other squad cars sat in front of the main entrance which meant the ENTIRE squad was in the building. LOL...and I was surprised to see a full parking lot.
"OH this will be fun," I thought to myself.
"Some awards thing going on," Drew said from the rear.
"You didn't go?"
"Nah, more fun hanging with you two globs of lucious, and again another snort from Drew. Remind me to kill him later.

We entered into what can only be charitably called a mob scene, with mob rule in abeyance thanks to the officers in charge, with the assistance of both County and State troopers as well.

The sports department gymnasium is fairly large with balcony seating and looked to be fairly full, which means that we were looking at a crowd of perhaps something close to 1,000+ people. The event tonight was an awards ceremony feting the local sports stars.

The lead officer in charge, Sgt Barton who had been the first to arrive at the scene told us the victim was the prime honoree (and he checked his notes), a Ryan Ecworth...a rising star in Basketball who had been headed to Michigan State University with a full scholarship until tonight that is.

Drew and Dylan winced at hearing his name and Dylan whispered to me that he was one of their closest friends.

CONTINUE TO CHAPTER XII