The Amateur

Gunderson called around noon on the fourth. He sounded better, but still not rested. This was not going to be his favorite holiday.

I suggested he come over to my place. His place had plastic taped over the window, and police tape all over the front yard. We didn't talk about the rug. I gave him my address.

"You're kidding, right?" he said. No, I was not.

"My address is 666 Crooked Hill Road" he said.

Both of our addresses were 666. Coincidence, or pattern?

While he was driving over, I called Murphy. "What was Petersen's address?" I asked. "You're pushing it, Bloch" he said, "It's not going to happen."

"Was is 666?" I asked

"No, that was the church. Go fish." he said. I said thanks, and goodbye, and hung up.

When Gunderson arrived, I told him about the conversation, and showed him the address of the church where Petersen was shot. 666 Albin Avenue.

"This guy's a nut case," he said.

We got on the net and did a Google search. I typed in "church psychiatric 666". The third page that came up had Our Lady of Grace and Pilgrim Psychiatric. Both on the same page, a list of community organizations.

We looked up Martha's name, and Pilgrim Psychiatric. No hits.

We looked up Wanda Gunderson and Outreach House II. She was listed as an administrative contact. We looked up Wanda Gunderson and 666. There was her address.

"A nut case with a computer." I said.