Detective Ln; An Adam Ruzek Love Story

Start Digging

Yn's POV

"Melissa Wilds. Her husband was an Army private... killed in a training exercise last year at Fort Bragg, along with three others, when their chopper went down" Erin said. "She had an associate's from Roosevelt and worked as a paralegal for the law firm Sawyer & Sawyer" I say. "Yeah, I've seen those commercials. They're just high-profile ambulance chasers" Kevin said. "Bigger than that. They do seven-figure class action lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies or schools with asbestos." "Yo, except for a few parking tickets, Melissa has zero priors. She's a working, widowed mom, so the more I'm digging here, I can't see any reason why she'd be associated with cartels or any Russians" Jay said. "This girl was tortured with barbed wire. That means the killer either wanted something from her, or it was personal. So I want to know where she was before we found her, who she was with... if she was seeing someone new" Voight said.

Just then, Sean came upstairs. It was his last day at work today. "I just came up to say my goodbyes" he said. Everyone went and gave him a hug along with their best wishes. And soon it was my turn. "I've got something for you" Sean said and reached into his back pocket. He pulled out a chain with 2 bullets attached to it. "These are the first 2 bullets you and I fired together back when we were partners. I've kept them ever since. I figured that you should have them." I took the necklace into my hands before giving Sean a hug.

"I want you to know that you were the best partner I ever had when I was down on patrol. I know that you were my only partner, but you made my time in patrol a time that I will always remember. I also took the pleasure of adding you to my desk" I say and show him the picture frame on my desk. The picture was of us a few years ago when we were in patrol together. We had on our uniforms and were smiling brightly at the camera. "I'm going to miss you" Sean said and gave me a hug. "But I'm always a phone call away. Don't hesitate to dial my number." "I won't" I say. "Bye Sean." He waved at me before heading back downstairs.

Later that day, Erin and Voight went out to find Justin, Voight's son, and found him in the trunk of his car just like Melissa. They brought him to the hospital while the rest of us stayed at the district. Voight came back later with a huge bag of cash. "I want you to put word out to all your C.I.'s. That's 90,000 for any information on who did this to Melissa Wilds and my son" he said. "Hey, we got this, Sarge. Think you should go to the hospital" Kevin asked. "All right, let me be clear. I don't need condolences. I need commitment... from each of you. I'm gonna do whatever it takes to find who did this. Anybody not comfortable with that... should take the next couple of days off" Voight said. 

"So, turns out Justin went through basic training with Peter Wilds at Fort Campbell before Peter got shipped to Fort Bragg. That's how they knew each other. They stayed close friends. Melissa started reaching out to Justin about four weeks ago" Erin said. "Still doesn't tell us how they were mutual targets" Voight said. "Maybe there's a nexus with her job... the law firm" Jay said. "Check it out."

Jay and Erin went to the law firm and talked to Melissa's boss. They then called Adam who relayed a message to the rest of us. "Sounds like Melissa Wilds might've been involved in a series of home invasion robberies... feeding the addresses of clients who got large settlements through her law firm" Adam said. "She's got no record, a four-year-old at home... doesn't add up" Antonio said. "Dead husband, a hungry kid... the girl has bills" Kevin said. "She's a paralegal. Her salary is more then half of the people's in this building" I say. "Look, just call robbery-homicide. Get the details on these home invasions" Voight said. 

"If she was involved in the robberies, it seems like Justin probably knew about them... you know, whatever that means, but it's unlikely that Melissa ran a robbery crew by herself" Adam said. "What are you saying" Voight asked. "Just that he might've had a different role in all this." Al took Voight into his office before a fight could break out. "Are you crazy" I ask Adam. "What the hell were you thinking?" "I just said what no one else wanted to" Adam replied. "And if I didn't say it, someone else would've."

"I just got a call from a CI" Antonio said. "Carl Hearnes, AKA Ginger. He's been on the FBI's radar for the last few years, suspected of home invasions in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Seems he's not so much the muscle but the talent at cracking safes. Feds have been dragging their feet arresting the guy... lack of evidence. Sounds like it matches the same M.O. as the victims from Melissa's law firm." "Got an LKA" Voight asked. "Hearnes hasn't paid a utility bill at any steady address for over five years. But supposedly when he's in town, he likes crashing at a motel on Lincoln where they pimp cheap girls." "Everybody gear up" Voight said.

We headed to the motel where we found Carl. He gave us the information we needed, and we were out of there in no time. "Kevin Bingham. He's been racking up felonies since he was 18... armed robbery, assault, battery, burglary. Five years ago he got popped for attempted murder. A guy spilled his drink at a bar, so Bingham stabbed him 16 times" Erin said. "Yeah, and he got out of jail three months ago" Antonio said. "Melissa's father said she and Bingham dated six years ago back in high school. And after her husband died, he started coming around again" Al said. "So these were sent over in the robbery-homicide file. All of these are from recent home invasions where the victims were tied up with barbed wire. That is definitely something he picked up in prison" Jay said. 

"So Bingham's parole officer said he stopped showing up... violated him, but he's got no LKA" I say. "Yeah, so we've been running an extensive check on all his known associates, including those off his prison visiting list" Mouse said. "This is Dillon James" I say and hang up a picture. "It's Bingham's half brother, visited him all the way up until his parole, putting money into his canteen account. He's got priors for methamphetamine and a thing for stealing UPS trucks and selling the stolen goods." "Where is he" Voight asked. "We got a possible house in Rogers Park" Mouse said. "Let's roll out." Voight however made Antonio and I stay at the district just in case something came in.

Later that day, someone who worked at the hospital came in to talk to Voight. That's how I knew it was bad news. Voight didn't say anything to anyone. He just left the office. But when he came back, he had a lead. "I got an address on Bingham. I want everyone rolling there now. First two to arrive, breach. This guy's on the run... could be leaving any minute. Let's go" Voight said.

Everyone on the team except for Voight and Erin arrived. We checked the whole house, but there was no one there. And Voight still hadn't showed up. One thought replayed in my mind though. He never would show up. This was his plan. To send us here so that he could get Bingham on his own. And I knew what that meant. I just couldn't bring myself to say it out loud.