The Artist and the Actor – 18

 

 

It took Colin twenty-two minutes—he timed it—from the end of their conversation until he pulled into the visitors' parking lot beside the precinct house. He hurried inside, crossing to the desk at the far side of the waiting room, and told the desk sergeant that he was supposed to meet with Detective Randall. The officer gestured toward benches along one wall after asking for Colin's name, telling him he'd let the detective know he was here.

 

It wasn't too long before a man with dishwater blond hair, probably in his mid to late forties, came through a door at the side of the room. He glanced at the officer, who pointed to Colin, and then came over.

 

"I'm Detective Randall," he said. "If you'll come with me, please."

 

Colin did, and they ended up in the squad room. Randall took a seat at one of the desks, waited for Colin to sit as well, and then asked, "What information do you have for me that's relevant to the murder at the zoo?"

 

"Ten years ago, to the day, my brother was murdered the same way, down to the fact that nothing was taken except his car keys."

 

"I see. Where did this happen?"

 

"Outside of Golden, on Lookout Mountain. According to the sheriff's department, the killer must have reloaded at least twice from the number of shell casings they found."

 

Detective Randall nodded. "I presume there was no arrest made in his murder."

 

"No, sir. To the best of my knowledge, it's now a cold case."

 

"Who handled the investigation, or do you know?"

 

Colin gave him the names he asked for, then said, "Do you think it's a coincidence your case and my brother's are so similar?"

 

"I won't know until I talk with the sheriff and the Jeffco chief of investigations. I'll be honest with you. I think it's unlikely the killer waited ten years before striking again."

 

"What if he's done it before, but in some other place?"

 

"After what you've told me, I'll run the information through the NIBRS, that's the National Incident-Based Reporting System if you didn't know. I'll check it to see if any similar murders come up and then take it from there." Randall smiled briefly. "I would have, anyway, but now I've got an added impetus."