At your Door

Chapter 2

The team sat disconsolately around the table, arms were folded, legs crossed. Bottles of water were untouched, all eyes on the screens before them. A collage of pictures faced them, dead women, crime scenes and largest and most prominent, a picture of Craig Lewes.

"We have confirmed, with trace evidence collected at the scene that this victim" Mac pointed to the screen closest to him "The latest, Serena Haswell, was Lewes latest victim"

Danny suppressed a yawn, it was late, or maybe early, his mind wandered to the age old discussion about the early hours of the morning being late at night or early in the morning. He struggled to focus on what was being said.

"We also have a theory that Lewes stalks or at least researches his victims, probably before death. The gun shot was a way of drawing attention to the body, of making sure she was found, and found quickly. Don?"

"Officers showed up at the address for a report of gunshot...s" he began "But there appears to be one shot fired. The door to the apartment was open, and on investigation, the officers found the vic, dead. There was nothing at the scene to indicate she had struggled with her attacker in the hallway and she wasn't registered to carry a gun, so it's unlikely that she pulled the trigger in self defence"

"The bullet didn't show any hits" Stella added "And it would appear that the gun was fired into the wall, not at anyone or anything, as Don said, there's no sign of a struggle in the hallway"

"So we can assume that the gun was Lewes way of attracting attention?" Danny asked "But if he had a gun, why not use it on the vic?"

"I went over everything" Adam intoned "From the first investigation and it would seem there are a few differences in this case, namely the use of the gun to attract attention. Lewes never used a gun, there was never any signs of guns at any of the scenes. He must have known that our vic wouldn't be missed"

"But" Hawkes asked "Why not just put an anonymous call into NYPD?"

"I thought about that" Jo said "I think he's deliberately changed his MO in a way he can. He's a sociopathic serial killer, and his style is something he follows to the letter. He has a set routine to follow, but this was something he can change without making things too difficult. He's always strangled his victims, for a specific reason, and to shoot one, wouldn't feel right to him, wouldn't satisfy whatever need he is trying to satisfy"

"This guy is seriously sick" Don grumbled.

"We need to connect these women" Mac said "We could show no apparent connection in his first spree, and believe me, we tried. But nothing came up, and Lewes has never revealed his motivation at all. I am starting to believe though that he is not choosing victims at random, and it's not visual or emotional connections, it's some thing obscure"

"I'm going back through everything" Adam assured him "With the details from the new vic, trying to piece together some sort of connection"

"Don?" Mac asked "Can you and Jo help with that? Speak to people? Adam can concentrate on the technological records, but you and Jo re-interview everyone again?"

"Sure" Flack showed Jo a whisper of a smile, he liked working with Jo, her presence was reassuring.

"Danny, I want you and Hawkes to go to PD and pull records of robberies, thefts and home invasions in the last week, try and find something, no matter how small, to tell us where Lewes is hiding. He must be running on empty. Last time he had a good job, car, an apartment and money. He has nothing this time, only his mind. He must have resources from somewhere, either hidden before he was caught, or stolen now. We may find something of use"

"Stella and I are going to re-evauate the evidence we have, try and find something to tell us where he is. We know who he is, we just need to find him" Mac said "Lindsay can help us tomorrow. Go home, grab a shower and some food, and I'll see you in the morning"

…...

"Would you like to share a cab?" the blonde woman asked, shivering inside her coat on the sidewalk.

"A lady like you" Lewes said "Should have a driver"

"I do" she nodded "But I gave him the night off, he has a life too"

"Very considerate" he gave a small, sad smile.

"It has been known" she laughed, flicking her hair back "So, the cab?"

"Thank you but no" regret was evident in his eyes, to her "I have my car"

"Oh" this woman was not used to being turned down, that much was evident.

"You have a safe evening now" Lewes said, heading away from her, feeling her eyes stare after him. He knew she was hooked now, it was essential that next time they met, she was pleased to see him.

He sat in the drivers seat of the stolen car. The lady it belonged to was unlikely to miss it, he'd been careful, stolen it after watching it for days. When the carbon monoxide poisoning had made her sick, she'd been taken to the hospital. Had anyone bothered to delve deeper, they may have noticed his fingerprints on the boiler where he'd tampered with it. But a simple case of CO2 poisoning wasn't suspicious, it happened all the time. So for now, the car was his.

He watched as she hailed a cab and followed behind. Looking up at the building she entered, watching carefully for lights to tell him which apartment she inhabited. Top floor, he smiled slightly to himself, that figured, she was rich and successful.

He waited and watched while the street and building quietened down before making his move.

…...

She sat shaking violently on the sofa, the police officers busied themselves with checking her apartment and the surrounding area for their suspect.

She sipped at the hot sweet tea, pulling a face as the taste assaulted her mouth. The foyer of her building was cold with the doors constantly opening and closing, she shivered. Touching her face she felt the swelling becoming more prominent. How dare he?! She privately fumed. How dare someone dupe her, tell her stories and trick her like that? Trick her into admitting something she'd told no-one? And then to try what he did, the indignity was almost worse than the pain.

"Ms Maxford" the detective looked down at her, elegant, even in pain and shock "You should really go to the hospital"

"I don't want to go to the hospital" she replied suddenly.

"Then may I ask you some questions?" he pressed "Or would you rather speak to a female officer?"

"No" Devon Maxford stood and faced him "Take me to the 12th precinct" she demanded, in control again "There's only one person I'm telling this to"

"Ma'am, the 12th is all across town" the detective soothed "My officers and myself will be dealing with this"

"You will not" she said, the steel that had ensured her survival surfaced again "And if you don't take me, I shall take myself. But I promise you this, I am not allowing some jumped up kid in a suit handle this, I want a proper detective on this case"

"Ma'am I assure you" the detective said, offhand and offended "I am just as qualified to deal with this as any other detective"

"I doubt that" she replied "Shall we?"