Run Penny, Run

Joe shuffles to his desk, feeling even more exhausted than when he first laid down. The sergeant sent everyone home and then tried to catch a few z's in the bunks, but no matter what he tried, the case kept replaying in his mind.

How can I get any rest knowing we have a serial killer on our hands and not one single clue as to the who's or the why's? Pulling out his chair, Joe plops down. He runs his fingers through his thinning hair and says,

"One thought I had while tossing around was that if I figured out why she was targeting this specific set of men, I might get a better idea of who she was.

Joe lists the victim's similarities and then studies his notes. The two only have one thing in common. Both have priors for domestic assault. So it could be revenge killing, but by who? The ones most affected by their crimes are the victims and their families. So that's where I'll start. Pulling up the cases, he begins to read. One victim is dead, and the other is on the run. Janet has no family, and Beth only has her sister, Penny. It could be someone who's witnessed her mother's abuse, possibly her death, and maybe the man was never charged, so the killer is bringing abusers like him to justice.

Joe searches for unsolved homicides. Six open cases pop up. How many of them have surviving kids? The search narrowed down to three. Now I'm getting somewhere. Sarah McPhee's name is the first one he sees. Joe thinks back to what Beth had said about her mother's death when they first met. So, her story about a car accident was a cover-up. He clicks on the link and reads.

"You're back so soon, Joe?" The captain asks, walking up to his desk.

"I couldn't get this case out of my head." Joe points to the screen.

The captain nods. "I've been there before. I still have a few unsolved cases that still haunt me to this day."

Joe glances up from his screen. "Do you remember the Sara McPhee case back in 96?"

"That was twenty-seven years ago, Joe. I've worked quite a few cases since then."

"True. So according to this." He points to the computer again. The initial report ruled her death as a suicide, then the ME did an autopsy and determined the COD was foul play.

"Oh, yes, I remember now. We initially thought Sarah slit her wrists to escape an abusive relationship. A suicide note matching her writing style confirmed our beliefs. Then Sharon said her wounds weren't self-inflicted, that the slash markers were angled wrong. She explained that her cuts would start from the outside, moving toward the body if it was a suicide, not from the inside going out."

"Were there any suspects, sir?"

"We thought her husband did it, but all we had was circumstantial evidence and not nearly enough of that to convict."

"So he was never charged?"

The captain recalls how happy they were when he was finally locked away. Smiling, he says, "He did time, but not for that."

"I don't follow, sir?"

"During our investigation, we discovered he was molesting his two little girls. The DA charged him with statutory rape. He died in prison a few days in."

"You know what they say about Karma."

"Yeah, well, it didn't work out too well for his girls."

"What do you mean, Captain?"

"Their foster dad raped them too. We only discovered what he was up to after they were grown and gone. Another kid he was fostering told on him."

"Those two never did catch a break."

"They fell through the cracks, that's for sure, and because of it, both married an abusive drunk like their dear old dad."

"That explains why Penny is the way she is. Speaking of which, I think I'll call and see if the facility is willing to talk."

"You couldn't get them to cooperate?"

"Not without a warrant. The manager said they transferred Penny, but she couldn't legally tell me where. HIPPA laws, she claims. So I faxed them a warrant before I turned in." Glancing at his watch, he smiles and adds, "They should be getting into the office about now. Picking up the phone, he dials their number.

"This is Sergeant Bower, and I was wondering if you've seen my warrant yet." Good, Good. So what can you tell me about Penny McPhee?" "What do you mean she's missing?" It takes you two days to realize she's gone?" "Yeah, yeah, I know you thought she was transferred, right?" Joe glances at the reports on his desk. The timeline, vague description, and history fit. "I want you to know that your patient is a murderer. Yeah, you heard me right. Penny is a cold-blooded killer. The manager retaliates. "Penny's rampage goes far beyond minor anger issues, lady." "That might've been true there, being all doped up and all, but now she's off her meds and on a major killing spree. Send me your security tapes so my experts can determine how she managed to leave." "I highly doubt your facility is top at anything other than neglect. I want those tapes, a sample of her DNA, fingerprints, a recent photo, and a description of any tattoos or birthmarks she might have. And want them by the end of business today." "You can either send them voluntarily, or I'll get a court order to close the place down until we can fully investigate all your activities." "Make sure you do." Joe slams his phone on the cradle. Incompetent people make me so damn angry." He slams his phone down again and again.

The captain moves the phone away. "I doubt if the city budget would cover a replacement." He smiles.

"It might break their bank." Joe chuckles, recalling their running joke. The city claims they don't have the funds when they ask for even the tiniest thing, cutbacks, the mayor claims.

Do you really believe she's responsible for these murders, Joe?"

"She's probably getting justice for all the abused victims out there. Doing what she wishes was done for her." Pointing to his summary, Joe continues. "She and Janet were friends growing up. So Penny knew what her hubby did to her. Beth is her sister, so she knew about her abuse too."

"What about the truck driver?

"That was Janet, done in self-defense."

"So you admit Janet did kill someone."

"The evidence proves it was in self-defense."

She could've killed her husband for the same reason, Joe."

"There were three people in the house that night."

"How do you figure that?"

Handing the captain a piece of paper, Joe continues. "I went back and talked to the neighbors, and they said the shadow they say in the front room was taller, heavier than Janet. A stocker at the market across the street said he saw a tall chubby woman dart out the back door. Janet is short and petite, maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet." Another thought crosses Joe's mind. Glancing up at the captain, he asks, Wasn't Penny a cop?"

"Ten years or so back, I believe."

"Her prints should be in our system then, right?"

"They should be. Why"

"Sharon didn't get a hit from the fingerprint on the weapon." Joe dials their ME's extension. "Sharon, I need you to do me a favor. See if Penny McPhee's prints are in AFIS." "No. That explains why you didn't get a match. I have her prints coming from the facility. I'd like for you to run them against the ones found on the weapon and see what you find."

___

Penny glances into the maintenance hole to find it's too deep to see much of anything." I'll make sure you won't crawl out if, by some strange chance, you manage to survive the fall." She looks in again, imagines him bleeding on the cold cement floor, chuckles, and adds, "Which I doubt you did."

Dropping the lid on top, Penny rolls the largest rock she can find over to the utility hole. With a few hefty shoves, she manages to move it over the metal lid. "You'll never hurt her or your baby again."

The killer is dusting off her hands when she hears heavy footsteps behind her. She turns to find a tall, portly man walking toward her, a gun in hand.

"You killed my brother," The man says, closing the distance between them.

Penny looks to her right and then over to her left to find two burly men on either side.

I'm not going out like this, Penny thinks, darting back the way she came.

The man shoots and misses.

Yelping, Penny zigzags down the alleyway hoping It'd throw off his aim.

"I'm going to kill you, Penny. I'm going to hunt you down and shoot you dead. The man screams.