“It was down here,” Will said.
“What are you doing?”
“Remembering.”
The office was easy to find, about a hundred feet from the elevators and near two fire doors that could be shut, closing off the main corridor. The police seal was still on the door. The fluorescent lights were at least twenty feet away.
“He liked to strike in the dark,” Will said. “He would unscrew porch lights so women couldn’t see who was on the front step. He was thinking tactically.”
“Are you nuts? The Mount Adams Slasher? Craig Factor was convicted righteously.”
“Factor didn’t do it.”
“You and Dodds had him dead to rights. That was a totally clean case.”
Now Mueller was really itching, left hand scratching the back of his right. Will studied the floor, wondering if any bloody footprints had been left. The Slasher had an amazing ability to avoid leaving shoeprints on a bloody crime scene.
“Dodds and the DA pushed the evidence. You know that.”
“You can’t argue with DNA.”
A sudden rattle came from the hallway, as if a stretcher were being moved. Will strained to see, but nothing emerged into his line of sight and soon it was quiet again. He said, “Sure you can.”
Mueller came around to face him, bent to his knees so their faces were on the same level. His cheeks were filling with blood.
“The Mount Adams Slasher terrorized this city for three months. Three women living alone were killed, including a cop’s wife…”
“Ex-wife.”
“There hasn’t been a single case since you and Dodds arrested Factor.”
Will pointed to the door, wincing as the pain coursed from his back to his upper arm. “Until last week.”
Mueller laughed uncomfortably. “Come on, Borders. You want to go back and reopen the Cincinnati Strangler case, too?”
The Cincinnati Strangler had been in the mid-1960s. Homicide detectives still studied the case. Will wondered if Mueller was making fun of him. Mueller, who stood there, effortlessly shifting from one leg to the other in his impatience. Will was trapped in the wheelchair. He stared at his legs, useless in the sweatpants, feeling both heavy and light. He couldn’t even stand. Not even for a moment.
“I’m not talking about ancient history, Steve. This is an open homicide. It happened right here. We owe it to that doctor and her family to pursue the truth.”
“What are you saying?” Mueller’s voice kicked up a notch. “Do you know what the chief would say if I even raised this? It had to be Factor. What other theory works?”
