“If these pills turn out to be Rohypnol, I think we have enough to arrest King,” states Tippen.
“Oh, I agree,” responds Masters. “It shouldn’t take long to identify these pills. And if that box of bullets turns out to be the exact same as those in the gun, we even have a stronger case against King. How would he explain having his bullets with his prints on them in Cooper’s gun? A gun he said he didn’t know where Cooper kept it”
“Good question Bill.”
King is afraid to return to his condo. Afraid the police are watching it and will arrest him if he shows up. He checks into a local Best Western for the night. What could they possibly have to tie me to the murder? How could they know about our affair?
Thursday
King does not show up for work on Thursday. He is too afraid the police are looking for him. He is not sure what to do. He calls Lisa, his assistant.
“Hey Lisa, I’m not going to make it in today. I’m not feeling well.”
“What’s wrong Justin?”
“Nothing, just haven’t gotten much sleep and need some time off. It’s been stressful. Hey, if the police call or stop by looking for me, let me know and I will call them right back.”
“Okay Justin,”
Just before noon, detectives get a quick answer from the lab. The pills recovered from King’s bathroom are in fact Rohypnol. The bullets found in King’s top dresser drawer are the same make and type as those found in the murder weapon. Whether they are from the same manufacturer’s batch will take longer to determine. Tippen shares this information with DA Simmons. Simmons agrees they have enough to obtain an arrest warrant on King. They still are not sure who shot Naomi, but there is enough evidence now to at least charge King as a co-conspirator in the death of Naomi Cooper.
By 3:30 pm, detectives have their warrant for the arrest of Justin King on charges of First Degree Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder.
“King is probably still at work,” says Masters. “Why don’t we try to pick him up there before he leaves.”
“Thinking the same thing,” responds Tippen.
Masters and Tippen arrive at KC Spark Electric at 4:10 pm, accompanied by four Castle Rock patrol officers. Two officers station themselves at the rear door in the alley. Masters, Tippen, and the other two officers enter the front door.
“Hi Lisa,” says Tippen.
A startled Lisa responds, “Hello, what’s going on?”
“We need to speak with Justin. Is he in?”
“No, he called in today. Said he wasn’t feeling well.”
“Do you mind if we look around?”
“Of course not. Am I in any danger here?”
“No, Lisa, we just need to talk to Justin.”
A quick search of the office area confirms King is not in the office.
“Lisa,” says Tippen, “if Justin shows up, please give us a call, but don’t tell him you called. We need to talk to him.”
“Okay,” says a frightened Lisa.
Once the police have left, Lisa calls King.
“What’s up Lisa?”
“The police were just here looking for you. You told me to call.”
“Yeah, what did they want?”
“They said they needed to talk to you.”
“Did they say why?”
“No, they seemed kind of secretive about it. When will you be back in the office?”
“I’m not sure Lisa, I’ll call you later,” says King as he disconnects.
Masters and Tippen plan their next move. They both agree King was probably spooked after finding out his condo had been searched. The question now is, where can they find him?
“Let’s have Lone Tree PD check out his condo,” suggests Masters. “If he is there, they can hold him until we get there.”
After contacting the Lone Tree police, Masters and Tippen head back to the station to wait. It is not long before they receive word that King is not at his condo. They now believe King may be on the run. They decide to put out a BOLO (be on the lookout) for King and his white BMW four-door, license number KCS173
“Nothing to do now but wait,” says Masters. “Why don’t we go home and get some rest and dinner. It’s been a long week and who knows when someone will find King. We’ll tell dispatch to notify us if anyone finds him.”
“That’s the best idea you’ve had in a long time,” jokes Tippen.
Friday
Since seeing officers at his condo, King tries to keep off the main streets. He is afraid to return home or go to his office for fear of being arrested. He so wants to know what the officers have against him, but is afraid to be confronted. He is adamant he will not go to prison for this. He has managed to stay out of sight by only leaving his hotel for walks to get food or visit a nearby bar. By mid-afternoon, he decides he needs to leave but is not sure where to go.
He gets in his car and starts driving through the foothills a while to clear his mind, King eventually finds himself in the village of Castle Pines, a small community of approximately 10,000 just a bit north of Castle Rock. Having only eaten junk food for the last two days, King is hungry for some good food. He drives around town until he finds a small quaint café in Castle Pines with animal heads decorating the walls. He hasn’t seen or heard anything on the news, so he doesn’t believe anyone will recognize him or even know the police are looking for him. He orders the meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans with a Coors Light to quench his thirst. Comfort food is what he needs right now.
After dinner, King knows he has to get out of the area to give himself some time to think without being worried about being arrested. He has a friend who has a cabin up in Red Feather Lakes, a mountain
