Cruel Intensions: Being Inside the Mind of a Young Serial Killer

"Chief?" Mitch's assistant's voice sounded through the intercom in his office. "Noogie's on line one and I think you're going to want to hear what he has to say."

Mitch reached over to pick up the receiver and pushed the blinking light. "Noogie, what's up?"

"I'm at St. Lawrence in Redondo, chief. I think you better come out here. I picked up a call to the Sheriff's department. A woman out here reported that her dog found a kid's jacket. They think it might be Josh's."

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Mitch turned his attention to the small jacket he held with Josh's name written in the inside of the collar. He held it out to one of his men to check out. Steiger came over with a woman who held a big black Lab on a leash.

"Mitch this is Ruth Cooper. Her dog found the jacket."

Mitch nodded. "Mrs. Cooper."

"Oh, yes. How do you do? Caleb sit." The woman tugged on the leash. "I was walking him without the leash since i trust him to run around and not get hurt or hurt anyone. I expected to just run around to scare birds but instead he came back with the jacket. I knew right away. I just knew. The poor little tyke."

"Mrs. Cooper, do you walk Caleb everyday?"

"Oh, yes."

"Can you show us exactly where Caleb went to get this?"

Ruth and Caleb led the way with Mitch and Steiger following. Noogie caught up with the chief, talking with a low voice. "Chief, I was on search team out here Friday. We were all over this place and it was clean. Not even a gum wrapper was seen. We even had a search and rescue dog. The jacket wasn't out here."

Mitch frowned. "When was the last time you saw Caleb go out in this general direction Mrs. Cooper?"

"We were in this very same spot yesterday afternoon." She stopped and pointed.

"Mitch." He turns around and looks at the officer that he handed the jacket to. His eyes wide and face colorless. In his hand he held a single piece of paper.

Mitch looks at it and his blood ran like ice cold water in his veins.

my specter around me night and day
like a wild beast guards my way
my emanation far within
weeps incessantly for my SIN