Breakfast at Rita’s
Two uniform officers arrive outside room 210 of The Kenworth. The older one pounds three times on the door. “Police open up!”
Sherlock Miller cracks the door, leaving the security chain attached. “I take it Captain McGregor sent you to fetch me?”
“Yes, we are here to escort you.”
“I’m honored. Let me get dressed. Where are you taking me?”
“All we know is we were on patrol. We received orders to come here, pick you up and take you to Rita’s Diner. Our captain will meet you there.”
“Does your captain still have that Tom Selleck mustache?”
“No, he hasn’t had it for years. He shaved it after he got so many requests for autographs and the people got angry when they found out he wasn’t Tom Selleck.”
Sherlock removes the security chain from the door, letting the door swing open. Wearing a white bathrobe with The Kenworth logo over his heart, Sherlock turns and walks to the bed. There lay meticulously Sherlock’s clothes for the day. He drops his robe and proceeds to get dressed. At the sight of Sherlock’s backside, the officers turn away out of embarrassment.
“I take it Detective Rice informed your captain that I am back in town.”
“We wouldn’t know about that.”
Flanked by the two officers, Sherlock rides the elevator down to the lobby. Passing the desk clerk, “Good morning, Mister Miller. Are you going to be staying another night?”
Sherlock raises his index finger and then four fingers.
The desk clerk nods. “Okay, I will keep the room for you for the next four days.
Sherlock smiles as the officer opens the back door to the patrol car. “I so enjoy getting a police escort.”
Moments later, the patrol car pulls in front of Rita’s Diner. Sherlock asks, “Are you guys coming in with me?”
“No, we have to continue with our patrol.”
“Have a good rest of your shift.” Sherlock climbs out and struts into Rita’s.
Sitting in the back corner of the dining area, Sherlock eyes Detective Margret Rice waving at him. Next to her sits a stern Captain McGregor, wearing a white shirt and dark blue pants with a tie to match. He just stares at Sherlock.
Sherlock pushes back memories of the threatening words said by Captain McGregor on his last visit. “If I ever see you in Portland again. I will throw you in jail and throw away the key.”
Sherlock extends his hand toward the Captain. “Thank you for buying me breakfast.”
The Captain’s hands remain around his coffee cup. “I am only here because I don’t want the press or anyone else to think you are working for local law enforcement. If it wasn’t for Detective Rice, I wouldn’t be here. She’s buying you breakfast and me my coffee.”
“Sit down Sherlock. I have filled Captain McGregor in on what you and your brother have told me.”
Sherlock sits in the empty chair when a middle-aged waitress appears overhead. “Sherlock Miller. It is good to see you again.”
“Rita, every time I am in your fair city, I have to come by to treat my taste buds to your fantastic food.”
“What will you have this morning?”
“I’ll take your three-layer pancake sandwich with eggs over easy, and your marmalade jelly. Oh yes, a cup of your house coffee with honey only.”
Stone faced McGregor waits until Rita walks out of hearing range to ask. “When do you think your serial killers will strike again?”
Sherlock Miller unwraps his fork and knife and places them on his napkin. Then he says, “That all depends upon their motive and who their next victim will be.”
“You’re the mastermind here.” Captain McGregor grumbles. “I understand you had it all figured out.”
Detective Rice speaks up. “Captain, I don’t think Sherlock has all the information. I haven’t had a chance to tell him about what we have learned this morning.”
Glancing back and forth between the two, Sherlock asks. “What information?”
“Go ahead Detective Rice. Tell Mister Miller what you have learned from your NCIC search this morning.” Turning to Sherlock, Captain McGregor stares as he says, “That stands for the National Crime Information Center founded in 1967, so criminal activity could be tracked across all law enforcement departments.”
“I am aware of NCIC, Captain. When I am at home, I have full access to it. They limit my access to only when I am in Boise.”
Rita brings Sherlock his pancake sandwich and coffee. “Can I get you anything else, Mister Miller?”
“This will be all for right now.” After tasting the coffee and adding a little more honey. Sherlock turns to Detective Rice. “Margret, what did you learn from the NCIC?”
“We think you may be right about a serial killing couple. There has been two other unsolved murders. One in San Francisco and one in Las Vegas, in addition to the one in Boise. All three victims had their hair cut and one bullet in the center of their chest. All found in the early morning in a hotel’s elevator.”
“What about toxicology screen?”
“All had high levels of THC in their bloodstream.”
“What’s the official cause of death?”
“We haven’t got the official cause of death for the guy in Boise, but the other two were the bullet hole in the chest. The preliminary results indicate that a different gun was used, and that different calibers were involved.”
Sherlock listens as he plows through his breakfast like someone who hasn’t eaten in days.
“Well, Mister Sherlock Miller, when do you think and where our serial killers will strike again? Do you really think it will be here in Portland?” Captain McGregor asks.
The captain and Detective Rice patiently wait for a response. Sherlock picks up his napkin and wipes his mouth. “I really don’t know. What amount of time passed between the other murders?”
“Two days.” Answered Detective Rice.
“I suspect that someone will call you the day after tomorrow morning to report a dead person found in a hotel elevator.” Sherlock places his knife and fork across his plate and covers them with his napkin. “I will be happy to work with Detective Rice to narrow the search down to which hotel to be the venue for the next murder.”
Captain McGregor takes a deep breath. He slowly exhales with his bulging cheeks vibrating. “But you can’t do your research at the station. The moment Sherlock Miller walks in, it will be all over the internet that we have employed you for a case we cannot solve. I fear the panic it could create.”
“Sherlock has a room at The Kenworth. We can work from there. I can take my laptop.”
“Detective Rice, do your research there. I don’t want to find out you are having a kid in nine months.”
“Captain McGregor, I can assure you that we will limit detective Rice and myself activities to finding this serial killing couple.”
“Okay, if you need any warrants or other resources. Call me on my cell. We need to keep this under wraps until we catch this couple.”
Sherlock asks Detective Rice, “Have you seen Carlos and his unhoused friends lately?”
“Yes, they are not too far from here.”
“Good, we can use them to do some legwork for us.” Sherlock Miller stands up. He offers Detective Rice his hand. The two walk out of the diner, leaving Captain McGregor. Rita walks up, handing Captain McGregor the bill.
