Goddess
Volume 1: Descention
Book 4: Fever
Part 6: Old Friends
Mutability
William Wordsworth
(1770-1850)
From low to high doth dissolution climb,
And sink from high to low, along a scale
Of awful notes, whose concord shall not fail;
A musical but melancholy chime,
Which they can hear who meddle not with crime,
Nor avarice, nor over-anxious care.
Truth fails not; but her outward forms that bear
The longest date do melt like frosty rime,
Old Friends
New York City
Detective Michael Sully sat at his desk and read the ME report on the woman in the woods. They had found an ID; she was Susan Hartford, a forty-year old real-estate agent. Her younger sister had filed a missing persons report a few days before Susan's body was found. Being new to homicide Michael Sully was unfamiliar with informing people of the grim news of a loved one's death and he concluded that it was the toughest part of the job. The sister, Denise, took it well enough until it came time to view the body, then she broke down. Seeing someone you care about dead is a terrible thing but the state Susan Hartford was found in, that was a nightmare come true. Even cleaned up the damage done to the poor woman was more than evident. The symbols carved into the woman's… Susan's flesh were intricate and complex; it would have taken time and according to the ME report she was alive when he did it.
What made the situation worse was the reporter that had snuck into the morgue and managed to take a picture of the grieving sister and the body. It was all Sully could do not to break the bastard's arm as he wrestled him out of the room and into the hands of a couple uniforms who escorted him off the premises. But the damage was done, by the evening edition the press was calling the killer 'The Carver'.
Sully had searched two years worth of homicide investigations all over North America looking for similar cases and had little luck. Most of the more brutal cases were closed; the killer being either found or dead. The few open cases Sully found didn't match the level of depravity or the violence done to Susan Hartford. Also the few murderers that Sully found to be known but still at large just didn't fit the MO: Among many others there was Rodeiro 'The Hunter' Rodriguez out in L.A. who favored chopping off limbs with a machete; intricate symbols just wasn't his style. Up in Detroit there was Gerrard Doyle who drew stick people on his victims before he asphyxiated them and according to his profile he can't stand the sight of blood. Then there was Victor Zsasz in Gotham City, only a stone's throw away but again carving symbols into his victims wasn't what he did, he liked to carve them into his own flesh and they were simplistic hatch marks, one for each of his victims. Sully had never seen Zsasz but he'd heard his body was covered with scars from those marks, and that they numbered in the hundreds. If there was truly one for each victim that would make Victor Zsasz one of the most prolific serial killers of all time. He was loose too but according to his profile he was territorial; he had never killed anyone outside Gotham City as far as anyone knew and the news and the police reports out of Gotham claimed he was there terrorizing their city. Better them than us, Sully thought with a shudder, they had enough trouble with 'The Carver'.
Sully looked up to see his partner Theo Ranoli walk toward him, a disgusted look on his grizzled face. "You find anything yet Shamrock?"
During the first week of their partnership Sully learned to ignore Ranoli's blatant racial slurs to his Irish heritage. "No nothing substantial, Victor Zsasz is loose but he seems to be wreaking havoc in Gotham. You find anything?"
"Nothing at the vic's apartment, no sign of forced entry though the lock could have been picked. No prints other than her own and friends and family that have been accounted for and the boyfriend has a solid alibi."
Sully could tell his partner was getting frustrated. He had a high closure rate but a brutal case like this with little to no leads, it was maddening. "What about the symbols?"
"I'm on my way to that symbologist again, hopefully he skipped lunch today."
Inwardly Sully had to smile, the last time Ranoli consulted with the symbologist the detective brought pictures of Susan Hartford's symbol engraved body for the expert to decipher, he took one look then threw up all over Ranoli's shoes. "Hope you brought a spare pair this time."
Ranoli looked even more disgusted, if that was possible. "They're in my car. I'm bringing him drawing of the symbols this time, these shoes cost me sixty bucks and I ain't risking them!" Theo grabbed a file from his side of the desk and looked down at the array of files on Sully's side. "How far back did you go with your research?"
"Two years, like you said and found nothing that matches this MO exactly. I did find a few similar cases but the suspects were either killed or apprehended."
"Go back further, five years, ten, maybe this guy was in prison, maybe he was in a coma. He's killed before and you're going to find his previous victims." Ranoli turned to leave and over his shoulder he said, "Do your magic leprechaun, find me a pot of gold."
Sully silently sighed as he watched his partner walk away then he spied another familiar face. It was Matthew Wrinn, his old partner from vice and smiling Sully rose to greet him. "Matt! What are you doing here?"
Grinning Matt Wrinn approached, he was taller than Sully but not by much. He had that bad-boy look that was more than a little popular with the ladies; sandy brown hair, dark blue eyes and just unshaven enough to look rugged rather than scruffy. As Matt drew closer he extended his hand, "Just slumming it here on the Island, thought you might have missed me."
Sully took his hand and shook it affably, "With every shot but my aim is getting better."
"Man, that's getting old, you need some new material. Aren't they teaching you anything up here in homicide?"
Sully gestured at the files piled on his desk, "Oh yeah, I'm learning all kinds of things, how to treat paper cuts and red eye from staring at the computer all day."
"Heard you're on the 'Carver' case. From what I heard it sounded pretty gruesome."
"Don't get me started."
Wrinn glanced at the multitude of files on Sully's desk, "You're new partner got you chained to the desk eh?"
"Yeah well, somebody's got to do it. Tell me, how's things in Marsh-land?"
"Not much has changed, same shit…
Smiling Sully nodded, "…different day. What pulled you out of your hole in Brooklyn?"
Wrinn looked around cautiously, gestured Sully to sit and pulled Ranoli's vacant chair over then sat next to his former partner. His voice, while not whispering, became hushed, "Actually I came here with some news that I thought you might be interested in." Wrinn pulled out an evidence bag from his jacket's inside pocket and Sully recognized what it contained immediately.
He took the bag from Wrinn, "Where did you find this?" It was a small triangular throwing star, a shuriken and Sully had seen it's like before, many times.
"That was one of several we found at the scene of a warehouse raid in Brooklyn a couple of days ago. That particular one was pulled from the hand of Tommy Fervani."
Sully looked up at his former partner, "The Tommy Fervani? Grandson of Guido Fervani who pretty much owns Brooklyn's racketeering and drug trade?" Wrinn just nodded as sully continued "I heard something about that raid, there were people from several organizations there, but no drugs were seized."
"No, it was some sort of meeting and all we got were parole violations, weapons charges and misdemeanors. They weren't saying what the meet was about but they were all eager to give us info concerning the masks that were there, you're former girlfriend included."
Sully's mind was racing and the 'girlfriend' remark barely registered but something else Wrinn said did, "Masks? More than one?"
"Yeah, it seems your old partner has found someone else to fumble around in the dark with."
Sully waved the comment off, "Come on Matt, it was never like that."
Wrinn grinned again, "Not for lack of trying." then he pulled some papers from another pocket and unfolded one. "I'm sure you recognize her." Sully looked at the paper, it was a police artist's sketch and he did indeed recognize the face. Without a doubt, it was Shay, she was back and in spite of himself his stomach rolled and his heart quickened and he hoped to God his face hadn't reddened. Wrinn's grin widened but mercifully he didn't say anything, he just unfolded the other paper and gave that to Sully as well. "You know more about the world of masked vigilantes…"
"No I don't Matt, I don't think she ever worked with any other masks."
"She didn't say anything during those long midnight talks?"
"They were never long and they were always business."
"Sure buddy. Just take a look. Do you know anything about him?"
Sully studied the sketch. The mask looked to be in his twenties, clean shaven, no distinguishing marks, dark hair and a domino mask covered his eyes. Sully shook his head, "I've never seen him before, got any leads on him or why they were at that warehouse?"
"We've identified him as a vigilante known as Night-wing but he's out of his home territory. He's been known to work in Bludhaven and in Gotham with that Batman character." Wrinn gestured at Shay's picture, "She ever mention them?"
"Not that I can remember, she really wasn't part of that crowd, I got the impression she was a loner."
"But she worked with you."
"It was never a close working relationship, you know that. She'd find the slimebags and call us in…"
"No, she called you in, she never liked dealing with me. I don't know why, I'm much better looking."
Sully's eyes sought the picture of Shay again and his mind began working things out, but his thoughts were interrupted by his former partner.
"I really opened up a can of worms didn't I?"
Sully looked up, "No Matt, I just… I'm in homicide now. If she's back, well you know what she did for us…"
Matt sat back in Ranoli's chair, "And for herself…"
"Exactly, I wouldn't be able to help her any more, she might contact you."
Wrinn didn't look convinced, "Maybe, but I doubt it, so does the Captain."
"You mean your Captain."
"Marsh is still your superior Mike, and he thinks she'll reach out to you."
"Why?"
"For one thing she's back and you my friend, were the only person in the department she ever talked to."
"That was two years ago Matt…"
Wrinn interrupted, "There was something else, we found a burner phone at the site. The last number it called was 911. I doubt the drug pushers and racketeers called the police, that leaves the masks."
"See? That just proves my point, she didn't call me…"
"Not from that phone no."
Sully finally caught where this friendly interrogation was going, "You think I'm lying to you?!"
Wrinn looked around, making sure no one was nearby to hear Sully's hushed outburst. "Calm down Mike." Then he leaned in and spoke quietly, "Look, I was your partner for three years, you were working with her months before you stared working with me and I know how you felt about her. You'd try to protect her."
"Protect her? From what? She never needed my protection."
Wrinn studied his friend's face looking for anything that might indicate deception. "Reports at the warehouse scene state she was shot."
"What?" Sully made to rise from his chair but Wrinn pushed him back down.
"Just listen, we checked hospitals and clinics across the city and found no one matching her description admitted with a gunshot wound. Witnesses state they didn't shoot at the vigilantes, but that doesn't jive with the evidence. But they all concur that they heard two shots fired inside the warehouse after both masks disappeared."
"You think they turned on each other?"
Wrinn looked frustrated, "I don't know what to think. The whole situation is a mess, I mean look who we got for witnesses, Tommy Fervani and others like him and worse. All we do have is her weapons pulled out of the hands and wrists of several felons, the phone and an empty gun that was found far from the witnesses location, traces of blood and two blood trails; one leading out a back emergency door and out into undeveloped land nearby, and the other led to the roof where the uniforms on the scene report to have heard the sound of a helicopter fly over the area. If they were working together why wouldn't they leave together? Then there was the bombs."
"Bombs?!" This was beginning to sound like a television show. "What bombs?"
"There were a dozen devices planted all over the warehouse, the witnesses think it was the masks that planted them but it could have been rivals, there were a few gangs and organizations missing from the guest list. One or both of the masks could have been hired to rid someone of a rival. Do you remember her ever using explosives?"
Sully didn't want to admit the truth, "Yes, but there were never so extravagant, she used small charges, once she was trapped in a freezer compartment and she blew off the locking mechanism of the door to escape. Small stuff like that. She never used anything powerful enough to blow a whole building."
"The mechanisms were faulty, there wasn't enough explosives in them to do any real damage. Maybe it was some sort of scare tactic. Maybe she's taking the war on drugs and organized crime personally."
Sully had always felt she took everything personally. "Look I know you think she contacted me Matt, but honestly, she didn't. If she was shot…" She could be dead…
"Okay Mike, I just wanted to give you the heads up. Unlike myself, the - my captain, wants her and that other mask off the streets."
"He sent you here didn't he? Captain Marsh."
"Yes, he was going to haul you in to his office but I got him to send me instead. I told him you might be more inclined to talk to a friendly face. But listen Mike, if he finds anything linking you to her recently, well like I said I just wanted to warn you."
"And that's all you wanted?"
"All I really want are some answers. I want to know what happened at that warehouse, if there's something major going down we need to know about it. Some sort of gang war about to erupt…"
Sully nodded, Matt Wrinn was a good cop and he had almost as many run-ins with Marsh in Marsh-land, his former precinct, as Sully did, and the only reason Michael Sully stood lower in the Captain Marsh's regard was Shay.
Sully looked his former partner pointedly in the face, "I'm not saying she has contacted me or that she will, but if she does I'll find out what she knows about that warehouse meet and I'll tell you."
Wrinn grinned again, "Well that wouldn't satisfy Marsh but it's good enough for me."
"So what are you going to tell him, your captain?"
Wrinn's smile remained on his face but it faded from his eyes, "Just what you told me bud, the truth; that her being back in town was news to you and that I'm inclined to believe it." Than he rose from Ranoli's chair, "You look like you're buried in work here and I'm sorry to drop a bomb on you and leave but I've got to get back to Brooklyn."
Sully waved off the apology, "No, I'm glad you came and told me, looks like you still got my back Matt, and I appreciate it."
"Hey, you'd do the same for me."
They shook hands again and Wrinn turned away with a wave but Sully took a step after him, "Hey, Matt, lets go for a beer sometime soon, and lets not just say we will and never do it, okay?"
Wrinn turned again smiling, "Hey, I'm free tomorrow night."
Sully smiled too, "Alright, tomorrow it is. It was good to see you Matt."
With another departing wave Matt Wrinn turned and walked to the elevators, and the smile was still on his face.
Sully sat at his desk again and contemplated his old partner. He had to admit, if only to himself that he missed vice, he missed a partner he could talk to, trust, have a beer with after work. Sully looked down at the picture of Shay and he admitted, again only to himself that he missed her too. But it wasn't just her, it was the thrill, the arrests and the few times he saw her work.
He remembered being cornered in the backroom of a meth-lab, the fumes were tearing his eyes, making him nauseous. There were three pushers all with automatic weapons and he couldn't get a shot at any of them and Wrinn and his back-up were ten minutes away. Then she was there. She dropped on them from the ceiling and they didn't know what hit them. She was a blur of motion, and she took them down in seconds. She probably saved his life that day. Now she was back and if it was for good… He wondered if he should go back to vice, after this case was closed of course.
Then he thought about the case and Susan Hartford dead and mutilated in the woods. He thought about the crime-scene that day and the evidence they collected and something clicked in his mind… Sully jumped up and went to Ranoli's desk and searched the files there until he found the report he was looking for.
It was the analysis of the paint chips found on a guard rail at the scene. It wasn't simply paint, it was a matte-black automotive under-body sealant. Sully remembered Shay driving off many times on a matte black motorcycle. It had been concluded that the vehicle that hit the guard-rail near the scene of Susan Hartford's murder was a motorcycle. He then returned to his own desk and computer and looked up Matt's report on the warehouse crime scene, specifically the address and found it wasn't all that far from the golf course where Susan Hartford was found. Sully recalled the ravine and that they had found a multitude of foot prints but what was more interesting was the indentation on the ground where motorcycle had landed, and it was just a few yards away from the indentation where Sully found the small pool of blood. They had put in for a DNA test on it but it wasn't a high priority at the moment, the results could take another week to come in. He looked at Shay's picture again and wondered, was she there at his crime-scene? Did she see the body? Did she see the killer? Then a terrible thought rose in his mind and his brow furrowed in concern, Shay… don't be this bastard's next victim.
To be continued...
