Don't Scream (Complete)

Chapter 13

Eli Bensworth 

"This would be the guy you're looking for. Gregory Felix Chaplain, aged 24, born in May 18 1989. Currently, he's living right here in downtown San Francisco and he works as a dock hand down at the Portland Docks." 

Alberto, the lab tech of the SFPD, was showing Eli and Rhonda a photograph on his computer screen of Greg Chaplain, the guy whose DNA was found to be underneath Linda Crowle's fingernails. 

In the picture, Greg had an even-sized beard, stormy grey eyes, arching eyebrows, a broken nose and an unmistakable aura of mistrust radiating around him, even if he was just an image on the screen. The profile description described him to be just 5' 8 tall in height, with an average build and figure. 

Alberto, in control of the computer mouse, scrolled down the page so Eli and Rhonda could read more. 

At the age of 10, Greg's parents were murdered in a bizarre fiasco when they were both crushed by a large bookcase falling on top of them in the National Library. Their only son, Greg, was sent to an orphanage. Going by the description of Greg's backstory in his case files from the orphanage - which were classified but rendered accessible with Alberto's assistance - it showed that Greg was a victim of abuse. 

His deceased parents had abused Greg, it stated. Bit by bit, it began to fall into place in Eli's head - and Rhonda too. 

"It fits the description we have of the killer. Going by what we saw at the crime scene, the Homewrecker had to be between 5'6 to 5'9 to be able to get in through the window. Greg also has a painful history of parental abuse, which could suggest why he killed Kevin and Linda," Rhonda said.

"Still, it's not enough evidence. Even if we get the warrant to bust this guy, as I'm sure we will, we need something a little more substantial to coerce a proper confession out of him," Eli said. "I mean, we should find a way to prove that Kevin and Linda really were abusive parents." 

"Things seem that way, right? You saw Bryan's bruises, the boy's clearly been a victim of abuse," Rhonda said. "I expect the kid's been caned several times by his father, and maybe even his mother. But he refuses to admit it." 

"Let's bring this guy in for an interrogation first, in case he decides to leave the country or something," Eli said. "I'll go report to Liutenant Powers first, then we'll head to the docks. Hey, it's nearby that restaurant we were at last evening before we had to go to the crime scene. Maybe we'll stop by for an early breakfast. I'm starving." 

* 

Soon, back in the Sedan, Eli pulled up outside the docks. Not too far away, he and Rhonda could see the distant shape of the restaurant they'd patronized and meant to have dinner at the night before; now just a dark silhouette in the early morning fog. It was a chilly morning, unusually chilly. Eli, despite living in the city and prepped for working long hours as a detective, was not a morning person, at all. 

He stepped out and took a deep whiff of air, choking a bit on saliva as Rhonda got out behind him. 

"Alright, where do we nab the guy?" Eli asked. 

"He works as a dockhand, so he's probably helping moor the boats and doing his routine checks. Let's go look for him," Rhonda muttered. "I just hope he won't rabbit away like Harper did on that subway train." 

The two partners traveled down the boardwalk to the docks. Frothy seawater slapped against the wooden planks under their feet. Eli could almost smell the salt in the air, though that was ridiculous. 

"Excuse me, we're looking for a Mr. Greg Chaplain. He's a dockhand working around these parts. Have you seen him?" Rhonda asked as the two of them approached a nearby fisherman.