Sam's Story

Hiro called down to room service and had a huge American breakfast of fried eggs, sausage, hash browns, toast, and coffee sent up to the room. The two Japanese men had no desire to eat, but they did have some tea.

Sam started to look a little better after some breakfast and a whole pot of coffee. The interrogation continued.

"How many unsolved murders?" asked Kisho.

"Six."

"All in Phoenix?"

"And the surrounding area. It's desert there, so there could be more bodies that weren't found yet." Sam looked around at the mess, and sadly shook his head, trying to dislodge the memories of the corpses that had been tossed into dark places or left in the desert sunshine. All were gruesome.

"He apparently raped the women, then used a serrated bladed knife, probably a hunting knife of some sort, to cut them up. With each new body, a different organ was missing. The first one had no heart. Liver, kidneys, and lungs were missing. Also fingers and ears. We've never recovered the missing pieces." Sam's voice slowed and then stopped. He stared through a dirty window looking out on another building that backed up to the bar/hotel.

The room was silent for several minutes. Sam finally shook himself out of his stupor and continued, "The first murders were months apart. Then they got closer together. Ralph sent taunting notes to his old girlfriend after the first two crimes, but then stopped."

"What was in the letters?" asked Hiro.

"Descriptions of the crimes and threats that the same would happen to her. The Governor called in all sorts of favors to protect his daughter and increased the manpower on the hunt for Ralph. I was still lead detective, then. I had tracked him as far as Flagstaff.

"We had a trace on him and I found him driving a stolen car. I followed in 'hot pursuit' and chased him through the mountains in the northern part of the state. I had gotten close many times, but it was only me in the car. I'd fired on his car, trying to blow out the tires, but missed. He had stolen a Duesenberg and I was in Ford. He simply could outdrive me." Sam looked at the two men hoping for not only understanding but absolution. He was in a car with less horsepower, less speed. "It really wasn't my fault," the voice was pleading.

"And then what?" prompted Kisho after a minute's silence.

"Ralph was far ahead of me and gaining distance. Then he suddenly veered right and hit a boulder in the sand off the side of the road. The car rolled twice and then came to rest against a giant outcropping of rock. We were in the mountains of northern Arizona. I saw the accident, but was far behind. By the time I got there, Ralph was running into some caverns. There was blood at the scene of the crime. That's where he cut his forehead open.

"I tracked him for a while but lost the trail. I got back to the car and radioed again for help but I was out in the wilderness and with the mountains, the call didn't go through. Ralph made his way to the Navajo Indian reservation and we lost him there. We searched where we could and tried to deal with the Chief, but nothing. The trail was going cold. It had been months and we were stalled. And then, the next thing I knew, I was here. I was hoping that Ralph wasn't. But you say he attacked your friend. But you said she was okay? Right? She's okay?"

"Yes, she's okay. A few bruises and scratches, but okay," Hiro reassured Sam.

"We need to find Ralph," said Kisho. "You wanna help?"