Love Machine
This woman has a drinking problem that augments her personality. It was clear during our conversation that Petra turns any statement into something about her.
You can tell a lot about a person by their home without being too nosy
One of the things I enjoy is going into the homes of suspects or people I need to interview. You can tell a lot about a person by their home without being too nosy.
Our convoy headed for Petra's home in Darien, Connecticut. Petra led, and Wally followed her. Eve and I followed after. Tango covered our six while looking out the rear window of the truck.
Darien is a stunning seaside town, and for many years, I can't imagine any house costing under a million dollars. It's a nice place where people hop on the train Monday through Friday and go to work in New York, New York. A mixed cocktail is in order when a person gets home to Darien after a day in New York. I'm sure people are still bitching about the demise of the bar cars in 2014 that used to make the commute home something of an enjoyable, relaxing social hour.
We passed home after home, which may have been better than our trailer. These homes were, in many cases, mansions with water views.
Wally and Eve spoke with Petra at the coffee shop, and she still does not know that her friend from college, Hannah, died last night.
My initial impression of Petra has not changed.
This woman has a drinking problem that augments her personality. It was clear during our conversation that Petra turns any statement into something about her. If you mentioned that the sky was blue today, I have a feeling that Petra would say, "The skies were always blue when I was growing up in Germany." When asked about the last time she saw Hanna Caston Meyers, Petra replied, "Hannah used to borrow my clothes in college, but she didn't look as hot in them as I did."
When asked about the last time she saw Casey Quillon, Petra replied, "She's not the kind of girl anyone wanted to hang out with. She had googly eyes, and I think she smelled." I did not hang out with her too much. I mean, I'm from Darien, and she was from Dorchester." "Do you know what it means to be from Darien?" "We are careful who we associate with." Again, she did everything except answer the question.
Petra had a few choice words about Kim Reynolds, including the A, B, and C words. I'm a little amazed here because everyone loved Kim. All Petra could muster other than the "Three swear descriptors" was that Kim helped Petra write a paper and that Petra only got an A minus. She also added, "Kim owed her for a pitcher of beer." My eyes and ears tingled a bit at that remark. I glanced at Eve, knowing she had heard what I had heard.
Petra and Kim socialized.
I asked Petra, "When did you last see Shauna Vasilios?" Shockingly, for once, Petra answered, "I only met her once when some of us girls went out to a bar for some beer."
Eve looked at me and then Wally, and she pulled out the yearbook photo of Petra and the four girls. "Do you recall this photo, Petra? It was in the yearbook." Petra viewed the photo and said, "My hair!; that's how we wore it then." This is before my rhinoplasty. Doesn't my nose lead better now?"
"Do you recall the photo Petra?" Wally asked.
"Yes, Mr. F.B.I. man, I do." "We were at Abernathy just about to step out for a night of partying, and some yearbook asshole took the pic." "Does my hair look okay?"
Wally said, "Your hair looks great."
"Can you tell me about that night?" Wally asked.
Stamford, Connecticut - The Condominium of Dennis Mendocino
It takes more than a knife in the side and a clang to the head to stop this "Love Machine," Dennis thought.
Tomorrow, he would go to one of those shopping plaza emergency rooms with a pair of hedge clippers and a story of falling off of a ladder and stabbing himself with the business end of the hedge clippers.
They would stitch him up.
It was painful, but Dennis had pulled the knife out of his side.
He knew he had things to worry about—worry number one, which was a big one.
They now had his DNA from the frying pan and any guaranteed blood spatter.
Dennis himself had never submitted any DNA for any database. HOWEVER, If any of his relatives have submitted a DNA sample to any of those sites that trace ancestors, then he was screwed. He thought of his relatives, Uncle, Aunts, and Cousins and wondered if they would do that.
If they did, they would soon receive a knock on the door or an early morning visit from a S.W.A.T. team.
Dennis had one more date this year, and then he would find a girlfriend who danced better than the last four.
His next date was from a town just up the road.
The Love Machine will ride again soon.
Dennis considered this: If he got caught, how could he get the press to refer to him as "The Love Machine?"
Dennis did not know that the F.B.I. had already tagged him as "The Mixtape Killer."