The Twelfth Sleeper

By William J. Logan Jr.

The Twelfth Sleeper" is a fast paced detective novel as seen from the eyes of Detective Sergeant William Tanner of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. As Commander of the Vehicular Homicide Unit, he is on the trail of a serial murderer who he believes is protected and financed by a politically connected corporation. Using his 19 years of investigative experience he tracks down the murderer only to find out that the U.S. Government has made a deal for the murderer's release based on his knowledge of a terrorist plot that could bring this Nation to its knees

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 5, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452085388

William J. Logan Jr.

This is the second novel by William Logan. Although fictional, Mr.Logan uses his experiences with the Washington Metropolitan Police Department , U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security to bring realism to his books. Mr. Logan also holds a Master's degree in Justice from The American University. He currently resides with his wife Pat in Virginia

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DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my parents William J. Logan, Sr. and Virginia A. Logan

SPECIAL THANKS TO BONNIE BOELKE, MY DEAREST FRIEND

Contents

DEDICATION

GLOSSARY

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 45

CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 47

CHAPTER 48

CHAPTER 49

CHAPTER 50

CHAPTER 51

CHAPTER 52

CHAPTER 53

CHAPTER 54

CHAPTER 55

CHAPTER 56

CHAPTER 57

CHAPTER 58

CHAPTER 59

CHAPTER 60

CHAPTER 61

CHAPTER 62

CHAPTER 63

CHAPTER 64

CHAPTER 65

CHAPTER 66

CHAPTER 67

CHAPTER 68

CHAPTER 69

CHAPTER 70

CHAPTER 71

CHAPTER 72

CHAPTER 73

CHAPTER 74

CHAPTER 76

CHAPTER 77

CHAPTER 78

CHAPTER 79

CHAPTER 80

CHAPTER 81

CHAPTER 82

CHAPTER 83

CHAPTER 84

CHAPTER 85

CHAPTER 86

CHAPTER 87

CHAPTER 88

CHAPTER 89

CHAPTER 90

CHAPTER 91

EPILOGUE

GLOSSARY

AUSA- Assistant United States Attorney

Cruisers- Unmarked police cars not assigned to police Districts

DHS- Department of Homeland Security

Police Regulations- DC laws concerning city ordinances

Districts- Due to the size and population of the District of Columbia. The city is divided into seven District areas for police patrols and commanded by a high ranking official.

Scout Car- Marked police vehicles assigned to police Districts

SOD- Special Operations Division

SWAT ( Special Weapons and Tactics Squad)- A special group of police trained to deal with dangerous or violent situations, and having special weapons, such as rifles more powerful than those carried by regular police officers. They are employed, for example, in situations when hostages are being held, or heavily armed persons need to be captured. Webster’s Revised and Unabridged Dictionary published 1913 by C. &G. Merriam Co.

Radio Call Numbers-

1-7 Out of Service

1-8 In service

10-28 Suspected bomb

10-50F Fatal Accident

10-99 Acknowledgement of radio run by dispatcher for a one man car ( 10-4 for a two man car).

PROLOGUE

HAVE YOU EVER played Texas Hold’ Em poker and gone all in with a sure hand only to find out that the other guy had a better hand? That’s the way I felt after a six month investigation and arrest of two serial killers in the District of Columbia.

My name is Sergeant William Tanner and I command the Vehicular Homicide Unit for the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. Two serial killers who are responsible for the deaths of five persons in the District and another in Prince Georges County, Maryland have been arrested using evidence collected at the crime scenes and laboratory results from the FBI Crime Lab. The Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia is sure that his hand is a winner.

Unfortunately, one serial killer holds a better hand; information concerning a plot to tear the very fabric of our national political system. His cards, should they be played, could trump his indictment on six counts of First Degree Murder and worse, lead to his release from jail.

As the FBI and other federal agencies race to stop the serial killers plot, Sergeant Tanner and his detectives learn that there is a second more sinister plot in place and race to stop it before the District of Columbia ceases to be the Nation’s Capitol.

Keep your feet on the floor as you read this novel as you might feel like running for your life at any moment.

CHAPTER 1

DAMN, I HATE midnights. I had just pulled into the parking lot across from 501 New York Avenue, Northwest DC to begin my week of midnights. Every six weeks I had to work one week of the 10:30 PM to 7:00 AM shift. Damn, I said out loud as I walked across New York Avenue to the Traffic Enforcement Branch Headquarters. The body had a hard time adjusting to the shift. When I left my home it was about the time I would normally be getting ready for bed and during the tour of duty my body kept telling me to go to sleep. No wonder cops can’t shoot straight.

Traffic Branch is a component of the Special Operations Division (SOD) of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. The Division is also comprised of the Helicopter, Harbor, Special weapons (SWAT) and Intelligence Branches and is headquartered at 2301 L Street, NW. On midnights the Traffic Branch sergeant is the Watch Commander for all components in addition to SOD Headquarters. For the next week that was me; Sergeant William Tanner. Damn.

The Traffic Branch is housed in a two story brick building located on an island surrounded by 5th and 6th Streets and New York Avenue and L Streets, NW. On the left side of the entrance is a tree planted by Lady Bird Johnson with a small parking lot on the right for police vehicles. As I entered the station, the desk sergeant nodded and hit the button to allow me access to the interior. As I entered the short corridor to my front I glanced at the original painting over the water fountain. It depicted a very large eagle with extended talons about to pounce on a very small mouse. That was the fun part of the painting. The mouse was standing straight up, his very long tail extended to the side of the picture frame with his right arm extended skyward. The hand is in a fist but has its middle finger extended The caption read, ‘Now that’s confidence.’ I never stopped chuckling when I saw it and by habit patted the mouse on its butt as I passed. As I turned right I was handed several items by the Desk Sergeant; the roll call board showing which officer’s were expected to report for duty, the lookout sheet containing vehicles and subjects currently wanted by the police and the green bonded book of current administrative orders by the captain of the Traffic Branch. I then climbed two flights of stairs to the Vehicular Homicide office which I commanded and said Hell-o to the three to eleven crew composed of uniform and plainclothes investigators. Better you than me, said Sergeant Miller the uniform investigators official who handled both units when I wasn’t working. Are you just setting me up for a fall or just joking, I said. Hit and run pedestrian fatality at Wisconsin and Massachusetts Avenue, NW. Cruiser 412 and 410 are on the scene with Scout 77. I just came in to give you an overview of the accident and check off the other troops. Happened about 9 PM but the Cruisers should be clearing the scene about now. We’re going to need the day crew to get additional pictures of the scene and run the report over to the Medical Examiner’s Office. OK, I said. Tell me you caught the driver? No, we canvassed the area with the other accident cruisers but no luck. A witness heard something and saw a large dark car leaving the scene. "OK, I’ll send the midnight cars into the area but you know after 15 minutes the striking vehicle is long gone. I’ll also call the dispatcher and have him advise if any car matching that description is reported stolen. Damn, I hate midnights.

CHAPTER 2

AT 10:30 PM I announced roll call in the basement of the building. Roll call consists of detectives, uniformed accident investigators, radar, alcohol enforcement officer’s and weight inspectors. Administrative staff such as the Desk Sergeant usually do not attend roll calls, as his duties require that he relieve the prior shift Desk Sergeant so that the building entrance is staffed at all times.

The Branch used to be a full division but a disgruntled former police chief who was denied a position on the motorcycle unit when he was an officer gutted the Division, sold off 100 motorcycles, and sent the officers to the various Districts. Even today traffic gets screwed up during rush hour because there are no motorcycle officers to keep traffic moving. Hope he can sleep nights.

The District of Columbia is divided into seven Districts. Traffic cruisers have run of the city but are assigned a District to patrol. Cruisers 411 through 418 are accident investigators, the 420 series are radar and weight enforcement, the 430 series are alcohol enforcement and Cruiser 409 and 410 are detective cruisers. I’m 409.

As I read off the officer’s last name and assigned Cruisers each officer answered. As I got to Cruiser 410 there was no answer. I again called out Detective Tom Wisner’s name and heard a sharp YO come from the rest room. I’m here Sarge said Detective Wisner. I‘ve got the shits. Get your ass out here dummy, I reply. Sorry Sarge, I’m doing God’s work, said the detective. The roll call room erupted with laughter followed by Tom entering the roll call room with a long roll of toilet paper protruding from his pants. More laughter followed by a bow by Tom. Tom, tonight is gun inspection. You’re lucky a round didn’t go off and hit you in the ass while you were on the pot. I can see the newspapers tomorrow; police officer wiped out while on pot, I said. Gee Sarge, what poetry," Tom shot back as he took his seat. More laughter.

Tom, a 22 year veteran, is my best detective having started as a uniformed officer. He had studied at the Northwestern Traffic Institute and other schools along with being a certified ASE mechanic. I had similar training but didn’t hold a candle to Tom and usually respected his opinion. He is, however, my problem child, always playing practical jokes. I know he is a semi-alcoholic and has been divorced three times but he never came to work with alcohol on his breath or late. He also was my first partner and I guess I gave him more latitude than the others.

After roll call I talked to the midnight Desk Sergeant and then climbed the two flights of stairs to my office for a debriefing from the three to eleven investigators about the fatal accident. They would be working late as their responsibility was to complete the accident reports for the Captain, Deputy Chief and the Medical Examiner. The day crew would deliver the reports. Detective John Spelling went over the case and expressed reservation about the cause. The pedestrian was found laying on Massachusetts Avenue in the westbound right lane about 70 feet from Wisconsin Avenue, NW. There were tire marks but the beginning of the marks showed they were acceleration, you know, dark and curved and not ragged. The body did not show the expected impact injuries. I mean no broken ankles. The ankle which has the weight of the body usually is broken when struck by a vehicle. If I were to hazard a guess at this point, I would say that the pedestrian was lying in the roadway and run over. There was grease on her skirt and blouse and her face showed contact with an object that was not the roadway. Cruiser 412 took the film to Police Headquarters with a rush on it. I picked up the clothing from the Medical Examiner’s Office and packaged it for the FBI lab in the morning. I had also interviewed the witness and he was asked to come to the police station in this morning for a full statement as-well-as Scout 77 who has court this morning so we won’t need to wait until tomorrow night. We canvassed the area with no luck and no one was home at the pedestrian’s address. OK, we’ll do what we can tonight and turn it over to the day crew.

I asked the midnight crew to canvass the accident area for about an hour but to stay in service. After an hour they were to go to their assigned Districts. I also called the dispatcher to advise them that they may receive calls for service from all Traffic cruiser’s out of the Second District area for about an hour and then the Cruiser’s would automatically return to their assigned areas for the rest of their tour of duty. This was important as any calls for service for traffic accident’s by the various Districts would include notice that the Traffic cruisers were coming from a longer distance than normal and that the Scout cars would be expected to remain on the scene of accidents for longer periods.

As I settled in to complete paperwork before joining Tom for a trip to the accident scene and the morgue,