Riker's Calling - Episode 15

Riker Wednesdays

@RoyceRiggs BREAKING NEWS! Spyderco Killer & P.I. Riker have near showdown at L.A. hotel! Turn on @CNN!

@RoyceRiggs Last night actor David Lehman killed at scene! Riker survives with gunshot wound to arm, no sign of Spyderco Killer.

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HESLEHURST HAD WITNESSED THE SHIFT CHANGE THROUGH HIS SCOPE before heading out to The Cecil Hotel. One uniform stationed out front, the other out back, protecting their own around-the-clock as Max attempted to recover from inside his home. Now only half the man he used to be, even Heslehurst had been surprised by the outcome of Cassie’s sacrifice to the game, thinking at very best Max would suffer from something mild, mild being the key word. A mild heart attack or mild stroke. But to have been stricken in such a way that it caused paralysis of the ol’ man’s entire left side of his body?! A perfectly poetic symbol of The Spyderco Killer’s work.

From the way they appeared and the ease in which they moved he was ninety percent sure the two cops weren’t wearing vests, which would allow him the up close and personal kill, as opposed to taking them out from a block away with his rifle. Something he wouldn’t have felt completely confident in doing, even with the hundreds of hours of practice time out on the range.

As always, Heslehurst went through the scenario in his head one more time, then looked in his rear view mirror at his own reflection. Just as with Cassie and mother and daughter Williams he’d be himself, no porn look. He put his car into drive, stepped on the gas, and proceeded to take the short drive down to Max’s house.

The neighbors were still asleep on this early Sunday morning, the cop seated on the front porch standing to his feet in tired stiffness as Heslehurst walked up the path with two oversized, non-threatening boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts, one staked atop another, both concealing his gloved hand which held a Spyderco.

The look of recognition across the cop’s face immediately eased the situation “Good morning,” Heslehurst greeted. “Thought you boys could use some breakfast.”

“Very kind of you, sir! They didn’t inform us we’d be receiving a visit this morning. You’re here to speak with Detective Scofield?”

“Sure am. Thought it would be easier than asking him to come downtown for a talk, you know? Captain Lennox was going to join us, but when he found out that my schedule would only permit me to come out here at dawn, on a Sunday, he politely declined.”

They shared a chuckle.

Heslehurst lifted the cover off the top box with his free hand. “Here, have one, or two, got plenty.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“So how is he? Doing better?”

Just as the cop took his first bite, just as he was at his most vulnerable between chewing and answering the question…

“Well, you know Detective Scofield. He’s a fighter-”