That’s when I should have suspected something was wrong.
Napoleon said—I heard this on The History Channel—that in every campaign there’s ten or fifteen minutes in which the battle will be won or lost. Sometimes it’s that way in an investigation. Looking back at it, the ten or fifteen minutes in which I botched that investigation were right when everything was falling together so perfectly.
Things moved quickly. By 6:00 a.m. we found the other druggie, tall, big-haired Lincoln Caldwell, asleep in his room, red sweatpants hanging on his bedpost. His gun, in the top dresser drawer, had been recently fired. And—surprise—as I looked at the four rounds left in it, I didn’t need ballistics to convince me the gun would prove a perfect match for the round that went through Ross. His cell phone confirmed he’d called Jimmy Ross six hours earlier.
He denied it, of course. They always do. We arrested him and took him to the precinct.
It was gratifying, but not. Sort of like a crossword puzzle champion looking at a puzzle with answers so obvious there’s no point writing them down. I’m a Sherlock Holmes fan. I like to follow bread crumbs, not six baguettes leading me to someone standing twelve feet away who hands me a business card saying “Murderer.”
Still, I couldn’t argue with the bottom line. Two drug dealers for the price of one. One dead, the other off the streets for however long the court decides. Never long enough for me.
Sometimes the bad guys help out the good guys by doing what we can’t— blowing each other away. Kill a killer and you may save a half-dozen lives. Kill a drug dealer and you may save a couple dozen. Okay, that’s what cops say to each other off the record—and cop to cop is always off the record.
There weren’t many details requiring attention in the Jimmy Ross case. Too bad, I thought, since often the devil’s in the details.
I once cracked a case based on my discovery that one Monday morning a woman had ordered a grande white chocolate mocha. Remarkable for one reason: Every weekday for at least four years she had gone to the same coffee shop and ordered a regular skinny latte. Something had to account for her celebratory mood. Well, I was checking on her because her husband had died of “natural causes” on Saturday. The white chocolate mocha tipped me off that she might have contributed to those natural causes.
It took me a whole baseball season to prove it, but by the time the Yankees took the field for the first game of the World Series, I nailed her. No prize. No bonus. No street named after me. No letters of gratitude from husbands whose wives were on the verge of ordering their first white chocolate mochas. But that’s okay. I don’t do it for the thanks. I do it because it’s my job, my one contribution to a world that is truly—and I mean big time—a mess.
I’m saying this because the Jimmy Ross murder didn’t require turning over rocks to look for details. Everything that mattered fell into place. When they processed the fingerprints and the weapon and the blood DNA, it was a trifecta, a perfect triangle of independent evidence. Together they were irrefutable. The murder was open and shut. Lincoln Caldwell was our man.
I spent more time on the paperwork than the investigation. When two and two add up to four, you don’t try to refigure it six different ways to see if it can come out three or five. You tie a bow around it, give it to the district attorney, and move on. You hoist a beer or two and watch a football game. Case closed.
I’m a pretty broadminded guy, but I have a low tolerance for murder. I take my murders personally. Whether or not they know it, killers dare me to take them down. Nine out of ten times that’s exactly what I do. And when my mind wanders at a ball game, it lands back on the tenth.
You know that somebody’s out there thinking they’ve gotten away with murder. And you just can’t stand that. Your purpose in life is to show up on their doorstep some day and say, “Gotcha.”
“You take this too personally,” a police psychologist told me in the first of three mandatory sessions I did everything to avoid—short of bungee jumping off a bridge without the bungee cords. The last time I’d gotten in trouble, four months ago, my punishment—cruel and unusual—was seeing this shrink.
“That’s the way I’m wired,” I told him, using language I hoped would make the shrink see that I understood and respected his world, that we were fellow travelers on the road of life. Maybe, I hoped, as two self-actualized men, we could just pass on this counseling thing.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he said. “Whatever comes into your mind.”
“Okay,” I said, trying to appear cooperative so I could cut a deal to reduce my counseling sentence. “If someone gets away with shoplifting, I don’t like it. But if they get away with murder, I can’t stand it. I’ll do anything to nail a killer. I admit, like my file says, not everything I’ve done is strictly legal. But when it comes to murder, I have no problem with doing what it takes to put the killer out of business. To me, there’s only one thing as bad as murder: getting away with one.”
This is about as deep as I went, because I could see by his nods and understanding looks and the notes he was feverishly writing that if I didn’t shut up soon, I’d be spending a mandatory hour a week with him until I retired. I’d rather walk the Green Mile.
What I didn’t tell him, but I’ll tell you, is that of my 204 murder cases, I’ve solved 177. That’s 87 percent. But who’s counting? The rest, cold cases, still burn hot, deep in my gut. Every year or two, sometimes on my vacation, I solve one of those oldies, in my quest to raise my batting average to .900. Of course, if I ever make that, I’ll want more.
If the shrink heard me say this, he’d think I was an obsessive-compulsive passive-aggressive dysfunctional codependent enabler…what we used to just call a jerk.
But what I really held back from telling him was that I once sent a man to jail for a double murder he didn’t commit. Bradford Downs. I know his face well. Three witnesses, at least two of them completely credible, offered convincing testimony to back up some physical evidence. Naturally, he claimed he was innocent, but his criminal record made that hard to believe. After ten years of appeals he was executed by lethal injection. Turned out that two of the witnesses were the real killers. We’d never have known if the one who was dying hadn’t confessed, and offered us proof…three years after an innocent man had been put to death.
See why I didn’t tell this to Dr. Freud-face?
Maybe there is something as bad as murder and getting away with murder—being murdered for a murder you didn’t commit. And because I put him away, that makes me an accessory to murder, doesn’t it?
I don’t need more reasons for sleepless nights. Bradford Downs wouldn’t be my first choice for a face to fill the back of my eyelids every time the lights go out.
So why am I telling you what I wouldn’t tell the shrink?
Because what I didn’t realize that morning as I breathed fresh air on the fire escape outside Jimmy Ross’s apartment—what I didn’t realize until just a little while ago—was that nothing was as it appeared. That case was open and shut all right…it had been set up to open and shut on a conclusion that was dead wrong. I fell for it. And that makes me mad. It makes me even madder that it was only fate or circumstances or luck or providence—whichever you believe in doesn’t matter to me—that made me realize it. Otherwise, I could have been seeing Lincoln Caldwell’s face every night, alongside Bradford Downs.
There are five teams in Portland homicide, so my partner Manny and I get every fifth murder. It was our next murder, the one two weeks and three days later, that pulled the rug out from under me. Eventually it woke me up to a shocking truth that radically revised the story of Jimmy Ross and Lincoln Caldwell.
That next murder turned me, my job, and my friendships upside down. It shook all the change out of my pockets. It threatened to bring down an entire police department, end my career, and place me inside a white chalk outline with some other homicide detective trying to figure out who murdered me. (Even now, I’m not convinced it still won’t.)
>
Not one of those 204 cases prepared me for that next murder, where someone sinister hid in the shadows of a violated house, gazing out at me through a broken window. It was the most radical and unconventional and baffling case I’ve ever worked.
If that’s not enough, my investigation threatened to end the lives of some people I really cared about.
And, ultimately, that’s exactly what it did.
RANDY ALCORN FICTION
DEADLINE
When tragedy strikes those closest to him, award-winning journalist Jake Woods must draw upon all his resources to uncover the truth about their suspicious accident. Soon he finds himself swept up in a murder investigation that is both complex and dangerous. Unaware of the threat to his own life, Jake is drawn in deeper and deeper as he desperately searches for the answers to the immediate mystery at hand and—ultimately—the deeper meaning of his own existence.
DOMINION
When two senseless killings hit close to home, columnist Clarence Abernathy seeks revenge for the murders—and, ultimately, answers to his own struggles regarding race and faith. After being dragged into the world of inner-city gangs and racial conflict, Clarence is encouraged by fellow columnist Jake Woods (from the bestseller Deadline) to forge an unlikely partnership with a redneck homicide detective. Soon the two find themselves facing the powers of darkness that threaten the dominion of earth, while unseen eyes watch from above.
READERS RESPOND TO RANDY ALCORN’S BEST-SELLING NOVEL DEADLINE:
“This is the finest work of fiction I have ever read. And I read a lot of fiction!”
—BATH, NEW YORK
“Deadline is without a doubt the best Christian fiction I have read. The characters are well developed and the plot is excellent. For three days I rarely put the book down.”
—BLAIR, NEBRASKA
“I’ve never read the Bible, but Deadline really made me think about my life. It moved me in an unfamiliar way and also left me with a new thirst.”
—MOSES LAKE, WASHINGTON
“This was the finest book I have ever read. Not only was it a heart-stopper and heart-breaker, it was also a heart-changer. The Holy Spirit really dealt with me through this book. This old boy was changed—you’ll never know how much, at least not until we get on the other side.”
—FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS
“I just finished reading Deadline—what an intriguing, stimulating book! I absolutely loved the mystery and the challenging thoughts. I’m encouraging my friends to get a copy. I hope you’ll be writing another novel soon!”
—SAUGUS, CALIFORNIA
“I just finished reading Deadline and had to write to you to tell you how much I enjoyed it. It was almost impossible to put down. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.”
—FOND DU LAC, WISCONSIN
“I am compelled to write in response to your book Deadline. I have not read it once but twice, and plan to keep it in my treasure of books that are to be reread and savored anew each reading. Never have I read fiction that touched me in thought and spiritual contemplation. I must say this is the best book I’ve ever read.”
—GARLAND, TEXAS
“Deadline was one of the most powerful, eye-opening, stop-and-make-you-think books I have ever read. This is one book I’ll be recommending to all my friends. I sure hope there will be a sequel to Deadline. I’ll be watching the shelves.”
—SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
“I’ve had Deadline two days. I am up, sleepless and absorbed into the morning hours. It’s now 1:57 A.M. I have to get up in three hours. I want to buy a carton of Deadline novels and rave about it with family, pastors, friends, etc. Thank you! I continue to laugh and cry through this book.”
—CORVALLIS, OREGON
“I am most impressed with Deadline. It is the best piece of fiction I have read. I have been in the Christian bookstore business for fourteen years and am thrilled to introduce readers to your book. I am currently featuring it in the store.”
—MARYSVILLE, WASHINGTON
“I have just finished reading Randy Alcorn’s Deadline. What a brilliant and beautiful book!”
—HAKODATE, JAPAN
“Two days ago I finished reading Deadline. Never have I been so impressed by such a book. I just want you to know that you have touched my life with Deadline. I will never forget this book.”
—BOSTIC, NORTH CAROLINA
“Bravo! Bravo! Just finished reading Deadline and enjoyed it thoroughly. Hope we don’t have to wait too long for another novel!”
—MERRITT ISLAND, FLORIDA
“What a terrific book. It had more twists than a screendoor spring! We were on vacation and I was so engrossed I almost resented having to leave the book long enough to go look at scenery! It was pure genius the way you wove the story around biblical truths without sounding preachy!”
—SANDY, OREGON
“I’m actually almost at a loss for words as I write this note. This is one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever read.”
—GRESHAM, OREGON
“I could not put this book down. I am a bookworm and seldom find reading material which captures me as this did. I intend to reread it shortly as I am sure I did not even scratch the surface of what it contains.”
—FT WORTH, TEXAS
“I just finished reading Randy Alcorn’s book Deadline and was completely taken by it. It is a book that must be read widely.”
—SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
“I have worked in two libraries and read many works of fine literature. But I can honestly say that with the exception of God’s Word, I have never read a finer book than Deadline. The suspense, the humor, the spiritual insights were refreshing and inspiring. I no sooner finished the book than I wanted to read it again and get it to everyone I know.”
—BRIDGEPORT, WEST VIRGINIA
“I am a fussy reader, but Deadline was a fantastic story! I couldn’t put it down. My husband and daughters are happy to finally have me back with them. I’m checking the bookstores looking for another one!”
—WYOMING, MICHIGAN
“Deadline was wonderful! I’m a cross between Jake and Finney—but the book caused me to rethink my positions. I laughed and cried all the way through the book.”
—WASHINGTON, INDIANA
RANDY ALCORN
MORE GREAT FICTION
LORD FOULGRIN’S LETTERS
Foulgrin, a high-ranking demon, instructs his subordinate on how to deceive and destroy Jordan Fletcher and his family. It’s like placing a bugging device in hell’s war room, where we overhear our enemies assessing our weaknesses and strategizing attacks. Lord Foulgrin’s Letters is a Screwtape Letters for our day, equally fascinating yet distinctly different—a dramatic story with earthly characters, setting, and plot. A creative, insightful, and biblical depiction of spiritual warfare, this book will guide readers to Christ-honoring counterstrategies for putting on the full armor of God and resisting the devil.
THE ISHBANE CONSPIRACY
Jillian is picture perfect on the outside, but terrified of getting hurt on the inside. Brittany is a tough girl who trusts almost no one. Ian is a successful athlete who dabbles in the occult. And Rob is a former gangbanger who struggles with guilt, pain, and a newfound faith in God. These four college students will face the ultimate battle between good and evil in a single year. As spiritual warfare rages around them, a dramatic demonic correspondence takes place. Readers can eavesdrop on the enemy, and learn to stave off their own defeat, by reading The Ishbane Conspiracy.
Non fiction titles from RANDY ALCORN
THE TREASURE PRINCIPLE:
Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving
Bestselling author Randy Alcorn uncovers the revolutionary key to spiritual transformation: joyful giving! Jesus gave his followers this life-changing formula that guarantees not only kingdom impact, but immediate pleasure and eternal rewards.
THE PURITY PRINCIPLE:
God’s Safeguards for Life’s Dangerous T
rails
God has placed warning signs and guardrails to keep us from plunging off the cliff. Find straight talk about sexual purity in Randy Alcorn’s one-stop handbook for you, your family, and your church.
THE GRACE AND TRUTH PARADOX:
Responding with Christlike Balance
Living like Christ is a lot to ask! Discover Randy Alcorn’s two-point checklist of Christlikeness—and begin to measure everything by the simple test of grace and truth.
PROLIFE ANSWERS TO PROCHOICE ARGUMENTS
This revised and updated guide offers timely information and inspiration from a “sanctity of life” perspective. Real answers to real questions appear in logical and concise form. More than 85,000 copies sold!
WHY PRO-LIFE?
Caring for the Unborn and Their Mothers
Bumpersticker slogans prevail, but you want the facts. Prochoicers, pro-lifers, and fence-straddlers alike will appreciate the answers given here in a concise, straightforward, and nonabrasive manner.
This book is a work of fiction. With the exception of recognized historical figures,
the characters in this novel are fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons, living
or dead, is purely coincidental.
DOMINION
© 1996 by Eternal Perspective Ministries
published by Multnomah Books
A division of Random House, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission.
For information:
MULTNOMAH BOOKS
12265 ORACLE BOULEVARD, SUITE 200