Chapter 13

May and Kevin were so on edge when they prepared the big rubber female doll the policeman had purchased at a sex shop that she personally supervised the placing of the wig on its bald head. She also made sure it was the exact color of Denise’s hair and that it was dressed properly.

“What do you think? Will it pass?” she asked her partner when she was finished.

“Well not for anybody that managed to take a close look at it. They’ll immediately know it’s not real but I think it’ll fool somebody who sees it from a distance long enough to take a shot at with a rifle,” Keven replied as he walked around the doll that May had positioned on a chair next to a desk.

“Me too so let’s get this over with. You have the police stationed and ready for action?”

Kevin nodded. May picked up the doll and carried down to the parkade where the police cars were kept. Thankful for it being underground which gave them privacy, she arranged it in the back seat, used a seatbelt to keep it from falling all over the place and drove towards the fake safe house.

The detectives chose a house with an attached garage. That way the sniper, who was no doubt already sitting waiting for them, would be able to see their arrival but wouldn’t able to notice the doll was a fake. In addition, they also ensured that the living room drapes were open just enough to allow the sniper to take good aim as his victim sat in a chair watching TV. All he would be able to see was the back of the fake Denise’s head but it would offer him such a tempting shot he would be unable to resist the ideal opportunity to put a bullet through it.

Their calculations were dead on. As soon as the anonymous voice heard about the safe house location he contacted Rene Dobson. He did the heavy work for The Family and was responsible for doing away with Leon. Since he was a cold blooded killer, he’d be ready for another job and it didn’t matter to him whether it involved some torture to teach somebody a lesson, some close up work with a knife and pistol, or a quick shot from a distance with a rifle. As usual, he went about his job in a meticulous manner that always served him well. He had committed about 10 murders to date without being caught.

After a careful study of the safe house during which he noticed the heavy presence of the police, he concluded his best shot at completing the job was with a rifle. Another check of the neighborhood and he found what he thought would be the ideal place for a rifle shot. The roof of a eight story apartment about 200 yards away, offered him an unobstructed view of the living room, and gave him a chance to slip away and elude police who would be all over the place as soon as the shot was fired.

“It’s working, I think he’s here ‘cause somebody’s heading for the roof.” Kevin heard the whispered warning from his position on the top of the building. He was positioned behind some ventilation ducts across from where the sniper was going to take his shot.

“Got you.” He whispered in acknowledgment and crouched down even tighter against the ducts. He hardly dared to breathe lest a sudden movement or sound alert the sniper to his presence. Moments later he heard the sound of the rooftop door opening and then footsteps moving toward the best spot for a quick pot shot at the safe house. He waited tensely. His senses were on full alert as the sniper began preparing for his assignation of Denise. There were sounds of the rifle being loaded with bullets and the shuffling of feet. Kevin imagined the killer getting in position for the shot. He thought he would be laid out on his stomach with the rifle propped up on the foot high barricade that surrounded the roof edge.

Then it happened. There was a loud blast from a rifle and the hurried scrambling of the sniper.

“Now.” Kevin said and immediately stepped out from behind the ducts.

“Drop it, drop it right now or I’ll shoot,” he shouted at the sniper.

Dawson’s face registered total surprise at the demands and the sight of Kevin, gun drawn, hurrying towards him. His eyes widened, his lips curled in a snarl. His body tensed and for a moment Kevin thought the sniper wasn’t going to surrender peacefully. Well, if he wanted to get arrested the hard way that was okay with him. The only problem was they needed the shooter alive so they get more information about The Family.

There was a sudden bang as the door to the roof crashed open. The sniper turned at the sound. As several policemen rushed across the roof with their weapons aimed at him, Kevin saw the fight go out of the rifleman. With a shrug of resignation he dropped the rifle. Great no shoot out, Kevin thought as he kicked the rifle away and began giving the killer instructions.

“Get on your knees and put your hands behind your head. You’re under arrest for murder.” He bellowed. As the gunmen obeyed Kevin realized the whole scenario had gone off just like May had planned.

Back at the office May drug the rubber doll out of the back seat of the car.

“I guess we won’t need this anymore,” she told Kevin.

He eyed the almost headless doll with a critical eye. The bullet had found its mark. It had struck the doll in the back of the head and tore through it. May had dug the bullet out of the wall on the other side of the room. He cringed at the thought that under other circumstances it could have been Denise in that chair.

“Yup, it’s done its job, poor thing. So as soon we’re sure we no longer need it as evidence, we can throw it in the garbage,” he said.

“Right, now let’s go talk to our doll killer and see what he has to do say for himself. What did you say his name was?”
“Dobson, Rene Dobson, but he wouldn’t say much more.”

May shrugged. “I take it you’ve read him his rights and informed him he’s entitled to a lawyer before he speaks to us?”

Kevin nodded. “He said he understood but didn’t say anything else so I just left him cuffed in an interview room while I waited for you to arrive.”

May punched the button for the elevator which would take them up to the police offices then looked at Kevin in that serious way that told him his partner was ready for a serious talk.

“This is how it’s going to work,” she said.

Kevin listened silently as May outlined her plan, a frown on his face as she finished.

“Wait a minute, we can’t actually charge him with murder, can we? He only killed a doll so I figure it’s attempted murder at best or maybe something like conspiracy to commit murder. But outright murder seems a bit much. I don’t think it’ll stick.”