With that she headed for the bullpen with Garth and Deb on her heels. Deb sat down in front of her computer, opened it to a standard Search Warrant form, and began filling in the details.
“What are we asking for?” she wanted to know.
“The usual,” Joanna said. “We want to search his electronics, his residence, any out buildings, and any and all vehicles. In addition, we’re specifically looking for a shoelace with traces of bleach on it, an ivory-handled switchblade knife, a gold wedding band, and a Cub Scout Wolf pin.”
“Whose knife and whose ring?” Deb asked with a frown.
“The switchblade belonged to Amanda Hudson. It was missing when the Grand Forks Coroner’s Office returned her personal effects to the family.”
“And the wedding ring?”
“That belonged to a woman named Lucille Hawkins, Stephen Roper’s step-grandmother who died after a fall at her home in 1956 when Stephen was eleven. He was the one who called it in. The deputy who responded to the scene always thought Stephen had something to do with it, but her death was ruled to be accidental.”
“Her wedding ring went missing from the crime scene?” Deb asked.
“It certainly did,” Joanna replied, “and guess who was accused of stealing it?”
“The deputy?” Garth asked.
Joanna nodded. “And you’d better believe he’s still pissed about that.”
Minutes later, Garth and Deb took the warrant in search of Judge Askins, leaving Joanna alone in the bullpen. She stood there for a moment thinking about what to do next, but there wasn’t really a choice. She had a new fistful of missed phone calls to return, and it was time she got started.
Chapter 37
Bisbee, Arizona
Friday, December 8, 2023
Back in her office, however, before returning anyof those missed calls, Joanna picked up her phone and dialed Alvin Bernard, Bisbee’s longtime chief of police.
“Hey, Joanna,” he said cordially once he answered. “How are things going?”
“A little complicated at the moment,” she told him. “That’s why I’m calling. Do you happen to know a guy named Stephen Roper?”
“Sure,” he answered. “Señor Santa Claus from Hands Across the Border. He’s spoken to our Rotary Club a couple of times. How come? Has something bad happened to him?”
“No,” Joanna replied. “Something bad has happened to several other people, and we believe Stephen Roper may be the one responsible.”
There was a short pause. “What do you mean?” Alvin asked finally.
“You know about Xavier Delgado, right?”
“Sure,” Alvin replied. “The dead kid found in the San Pedro a week or so ago. What about him?”
“I hate to burst your bubble, Alvin, but Stephen Roper is our prime suspect in that case. As of this morning, we also have physical evidence linking him to a homicide that occurred in North Dakota, in 1962.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Alvin said. “He seems like such a nice guy.”
“Appearances can be deceiving,” Joanna replied. “I believe your Mr. Nice Guy is actually a serial killer, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and we’re hoping to take him into custody later this afternoon. That’s why I’m calling—we may need your help.”
Chief Bernard took a moment to gather himself. “Okay,” he said finally. “What can we do?”
“First off,” Joanna said, “don’t reveal the suspect’s name to anyone. Refer to him as our subject. So far we don’t believe he knows that he’s under suspicion, and we want to keep it that way.”
“Not to worry,” Alvin said. “My lips are sealed, so what’s the deal?”
Over the next several minutes, she brought him into the picture on everything that had transpired, including the precautions she’d taken to prevent Roper’s escape should he attempt to flee.
