“Does that look like him?” Detective Jansen asked her.
“Kinda.”
“Is there anything you would change?”
“I think his face is thinner, that’s all.”
The man went back to his desk and started working on a revision. Within minutes he had a new sketch, which Detective Jansen again showed to Stacey.
“That’s good,” Stacey said.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay. Come on over and sit with me at my desk.” Detective Jansen put her arm on Stacey’s shoulder like a mother comforting a troubled child and walked with her out of the room and over to her desk.
Stacey liked Detective Jansen. There was something about her that made Stacey calm down even though she felt like a Mexican jumping bean inside. “Can I ask you a question, Detective Jansen?”
“Sure, and call me Danni. That’s what everybody around here calls me.”
“Isn’t this a hard job to do, I mean, for a woman?”
Danni smiled, looking around the room and seeing what Stacey was observing for the first time. “At times it’s a challenge, but I love what I do.”
Detective Jansen’s desk was located in a large room with other desks. Men were everywhere, bustling about, hairy arms protruding from long-sleeved shirts that were folded just below the elbows as if they were all in uniform even though they were detectives. Stacey noticed that Danni was dressed somewhat like the men: She wore pants and a long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves folded to just below the elbow. She even had a man’s nickname. Her shirt was pink, however, her arms smooth and tanned, her short hair fashionably styled, and she wore makeup. There was no mistaking her radiant face amid that sea of stubble. She was fitting in with the boys but only so far.
“Have you called your parents and told them what happened?” Danni asked.
“Yeah,” Stacey replied. “Right after I called you guys. They’re coming up.”
“From where?”
“St. Petersburg. I think they might take me out of school. I don’t want that to happen.”
She was sitting in a chair next to Danni’s desk now. It was Danni’s turn to take a good hard look at this young girl who had so recently fought off a serial killer. She was about five foot six, a couple of inches shorter than Danni herself but taller than the five other victims. And she had the look of an athlete, her body firm and toned. None of that would have helped if it weren’t for the martial arts training. That training had made her the only coed so far to survive the attack of a serial killer. By doing so, Stacey had given the police their first real evidence to work with.
Danni put her hands on Stacey’s shoulders and looked into her eyes.
“Listen to me. I don’t know if you appreciate fully what happened today. You saved your own life because of what you did. You were unbelievably brave but you were still lucky. We’ll keep your name out of the papers and we can keep tabs on you for a few days, but eventually you’re going to be on your own again. We haven’t established a pattern for this killer yet. Once he knows that we have an accurate description, he will realize that you are the only person who can identify him. It may be wise to take the semester off while we catch this guy.”
“But I don’t want to.”
Danni understood the sentiment. She’d been eighteen once. All eighteen-year-olds were immortal in their own minds no matter what the potential danger. However, she understood Stacey’s parents’ concern as well. She had a daughter of her own, Hannah, and she was a single parent. The fact that her daughter was only ten years old did not allay her fears.
“I’ve got to talk to some people for a few minutes. Stay here at my desk and I’ll let you know when your parents arrive.”
“Are you going to encourage them to take me home?”
“No. I’m going to provide them with the information they will need to make a decision.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Danni smiled again. She liked this young girl. Stacey had a lot of spunk and tremendous instincts. Danni was certain, however, that Stacey’s parents would take her home. Every parent of a female student at the university was considering taking his or her daughter out of school. After what had happened to this young woman, it was a no-brainer.
They would never be able to live with themselves if they didn’t do it.