Ties That Bind

Chapter 13

"IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION that you have surveillance on the Butler house." The pile of papers on the sergeant's desk didn't look any smaller. If anything, it had grown.

Madison said, "It's for good reason. Ms. Butler and Layton have a connection. He could—"

"We can't have man hours tied up watching something that could happen. Maybe I made a rash decision on the BOLO."

"He was involved with the victim. He disappeared the day of the murder."

"Could be coincidental."

"He had every reason to want Laura dead—"

"Because she wanted to end the relationship?"

"People have killed for less. Please, listen to what I'm saying."

The sergeant leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Why would an innocent man rent a car under an assumed name that links back to the victim? A victim he has connections to?"

He pressed his lips, didn't answer right away. "It's possible the coincidences add up and mean something. I'll authorize the BOLO on the rental car."

"Thanks."

"But, I want to make myself clear about something. If we don't find Layton within the week, surveillance on the Butler house is finished. Got it? And so is the BOLO."

Madison nodded. "Got it." Her cell rang. She let it ring a few times. The sergeant hated being interrupted by cell phones. She matched eyes with him when she answered. "Knight....really...that's great...thanks...bye." She closed her cell and said to her boss, "Well, there's the forensic connection. Laura's blood was on the handcuffs from her drawer and a set of prints on them match Layton."

*****

"CYN, YOU HAD PERFECT TIMING." Madison walked into the lab with Terry. "You said you have more?"

"I do. Mark was able to find epithelial on the tie. That's the good news. The bad news is Jennifer analyzed it, and there isn't a match in the system."

"Okay, well it could still be Layton's. They wouldn't have collected his DNA back when the charges were laid for his DUI."

"Mark also pulled hairs from the vic's comforter. A few of them had skin tags. Ruling out Laura, the other samples were male."

"There were samples from more than one guy?" Terry asked.

"That's right. Two men were in Laura's bedroom. Adding further evidence to that, and ruling out Laura's, there is another set of prints on the cuffs."

"Great." That meant another besides Layton's. A day ago Madison would have found more excitement in this news. She could have looked at Terry and told him there was his proof. Photo Guy could have been involved. Now the news came bittersweet. The investigation had become focused on another man. Layton. The face they had a name for.

"I thought you'd be happy."

Madison shrugged her shoulders. "So did I."

"This Layton guy you're after though, he's from the vic's workplace, isn't he? Have you been able to find him yet?"

Madison hadn't updated Cynthia much on the investigation, so she must have heard it from another source. "Why don't you consult with your gossip group?"

"Oh, that's cold."

"Not as cold as this case is getting waiting for you to finish all the evidence testing."

"Bitch."

"Hey, you have to be one to know one." Both women were smiling.

"So if it's okay for her to call you that, why can't I?" Terry stood on the elevator beside her.

"You don't like swearing."

"I could make an exception for that one."

"I'm sure you could."