Shadowqueen Part 3

That evening when she told him she was going home he told her he was gonna work late again, to finish some paperwork.


The warm water of the shower felt good after a long day and McCall decided she was gonna confront Hunter with his behavior later that night. After the shower she set the alarm for three PM and turned in.
The streets were quiet when McCall drove to the precinct at three thirty to have a serious talk with her partner. When she entered the squad room it was empty much to her surprise. On Hunter's desk she found another poem,

In a part of town by now you know
Tonight's the night that I will go
You will be late my dearest friend
Next time I'll tell if I need a hand.

McCall took the note, went to her car and drove to the part of town where several museums were located hoping to find Hunter.
Just in case someone would be listening in she didn't use the radio.
She spotted his green car in a small parking lot across from the museum of modern art, parked behind him and got into his car.

"McCall what are you doing here?" his face in a mixture of anger and surprise.

"I could ask you the same. When were you gonna let me in on this?" she pulled out the poem.
"I went to the precinct to give you a piece of my mind and found this. What the hell are you doing Hunter!"

"Following a lead," he said his arms crossed over his chest, looking straight ahead.

"I don't know what's happening with you, this is not the Rick Hunter I know,"

McCall's rage was cut short by the radio,

"L56 come in."
"L56 do you read."

"Aren't you gonna answer that?" McCall said calming down.

Slowly Hunter picked up the receiver,

"This is L56, go ahead."

"Sgt. Hunter you better go to your house, it's been burgled."

"Damn," he said and started the car.

"I'll follow you," McCall said to him, got out and got into her own car.


They drove to Hunter's place, two black and whites were parked in front, several officers were canvassing the neighborhood and forensics were busy dusting the door and windows for prints.
With long strides Hunter hurried to the door and stopped in the doorway, the place was a mess. One of the officers inside saw him standing there and approached him,

"Sgt. Hunter could you take a look around to see if anything is missing?"

"Sure," he said slowly, his brain trying to comprehend what his eyes were seeing.

McCall had come up behind him and was speechless looking at the sight in front of her.

Another car pulled up, it was Charlie.
McCall went over to fill him in and to give Hunter some space to go through the house.

"Nothing seems to be missing," he told the officer after a thorough check.
"Nothing seems to be broken either," he continued but then his eye fell on a spot on the mantelpiece where a picture of him and McCall used to be.

His eyes darted around the room and stopped on the floor near the TV. There it was, smashed into pieces.

Meanwhile McCall was talking to Charlie,

"I don't want to know what you two were doing at this hour but what is going on here."

"I think he's becoming obsessed with this case Charlie, he just can't let it go. I was gonna talk some sense into him when the call about the burglary came in."

"Obsessed? I should take you off this case."

"You know he will continue with it anyway."

"I do and that's why I won't."

At that moment Hunter joined them holding the smashed picture, a wild look in his eyes,

"It's a hunch but I think I know who the burglar is."

"Who?" McCall wanted to know.

"I'll explain on the way, come on." he said and walked to the car.

McCall looked at Charlie,
"Go on, don't keep him waiting."


"I have to go by the precinct first to pick something up."

"Okay, now tell me who you think is the burglar." McCall shifted in her seat so she could look at him.

"When I went through the house I noticed nothing was missing and nothing had been broken except for this picture of you and me that I keep on the mantel." he gave her the broken picture frame.
"My guess is it's someone who has a real problem with us and the relationship we have."

"Do you think an ex -girlfriend of yours is behind this?"

"I said it was a hunch but it might be. Most of my lady friends just left but do you remember the one who actually tried to destroy us?"

"How could I forget Sharon. But she moved to the east coast didn't she."

"She did but returned about six weeks ago to visit the family. I ran into her the other day."

"It's a long shot but if you feel this strongly about it."

"I knew I could count on you," he said with a smile.


At the precinct Hunter went to the computer room to get something he needed,

"Back in a minute."

McCall went to their desks and noticed a plastic bag on Hunter's. Carefully she looked inside and found the pair of sneakers they had been trying to trace.
There was a note attached:

'You can look but you won't find.'