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The stalker part2
by elessar73
*** 8. chapter : Copycat ***
Colby, David and Megan arrived at the crime-scene. The whole place was already swarming with police officers and CSI. Colby got out of the SUV and took a first observing glance around. Somehow, the place looked familiar to him and even though he couldn't put a finger on it, the place brought back an evil feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"Oh my god," Megan stated taking position right beside him. "This can't be," she whispered more to herself, pictures of crime-scenes buried in the deepest part of her soul, flashing through her mind.
"Are you alright?" David asked lying a soothing arm around her shoulder.
"Just look at that," Megan declared.
The black agent did as said and inwardly shuddered. They were standing in front of an old, abandoned warehouse sited in an industrial area in east L.A.
The yellow crime-scene tape fluttered in the soft breeze and even though it was a sunny, warm day the sound of it made the three agents shiver. It resembled the places Mary Clark had choosen for her insane deeds too closely for them to be comfortable. But that must be a coincidence, cruel by any account, but nothing more. They had arrested Mary Clark months ago and ever since she'd been behind bars, in a high security ward in the 'Sun Valley' psychiatric facility.
Colby shifted uncomfortably on his feet, fighting for composure. He banished the sinister memories of the woman, who had put Charlie Eppes' life in jeopardy several times.
"Let's go," he addressed his friends, but his voice wasn't as steady as usual. Megan noticed the unsteady undertone at once and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. It surprised her to find a deep frown on his forehead giving him a stern appearance.
A movement to her left caught her attention. She noticed David searching for his sunglasses. The agent squeezed his eyes against the bright light coming from a relentless sun. He leaned against the hook of the car avoiding the pull to look directly at the warehouse. 'He must be fighting the same demons.'
"Okay," Colby who'd been nominated as team-leader was ready to give his instructions. "David go check out the surroundings and see what L.A.P.D.'s found out already."
David nodded shortly and walked away.
"Megan, you come with me." Together they forced their way to the entrance. Flashing their badges at the police officer positioned at the entrance they stepped in.
The feeling of a déjà vu became more and more overwhelming. Megan closed her eyes fighting down the bile that was threatening to rise up her throat.
'That's impossible.'
The interior was completely empty. Dim light found its way through dust covered windows, sending a surreal glimpse of light to the room. Clouds of dust whirled through the stale air.
Colby wrinkled his nose and made a face when he noticed the underlying coppery smell of blood. The young agent looked around. Several CSI officers were processing the scene, searching for evidence. The blue eyes finally found the corpse lying in a puddle of blood in the left corner of the room. Colby stumbled backward. Reacting fast, Megan reached out her hand to steady her friend. "Colby?" She asked concerned. "You okay?" Her voice was low, the words were meant only for him.
Colby didn't react; his eyes were still resting on the corpse. Megan followed his glance and immediately knew what was off.
Megan swallowed hard, the familiar appearance of the corpse took her breath away: a mop of dark curly hair framed a thin, pale face covered with cuts and bloody smears. The limbs were spread in impossible angles from the body, which seemed to be boneless, bathing in a sea of its own blood.
"This can't be true," Colby whispered stepping closer to the corpse. The movement forced Megan's hand to slip from his arm.
"Go find out if Clark is where she belonged," Colby demanded, his voice clipped.
Megan stared at him with wide eyes. "You really believe..."
"Just check it, okay," Colby spat out angrily, cutting her short.
Megan took in a deep breath surprised by Colby's harsh tone of voice. Despite her anger she reached for her cell to get the information Colby had asked for.
"Dr. Greenburg," Colby greeted the coroner kneeling beside the victim.
"Agent," the doctor replied without looking up. "Where's Eppes?"
"Vacation."
The coroner raised an inquiring eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yep," Colby grinned sheepishly.
But the grin faded when he took a closer look at the victim. The young man's face was a bloody mess and resembled exactly the torture wounds Mary Clark had inflicted on her victims.
A shudder ran down Colby's spine. 'It must be her.'
Dr. Greenburg cleared his throat. "I'm done for now." The man rose to his feet.
"And?"
"Well, at the first look I'm tempted to say that he was beaten to death and finally bled out."
Colby flinched at the words. He would never get used to a coroner's emotionless statements.
"He has multiple bruises and swellings, actually his whole body is one big bruise. He's got several fractured limbs and cuts, mostly on his face, but also on his arms." Dr. Greenburg took a breath glancing once again at the corpse. "The injuries on his face are post mortem. I'll have more after the examination."
Colby nodded his agreement. "Thanks, Doc."
"One more thing," the doctor added. "The whole MO exactly the same as Mary Clark's MO."
The words hit the agent like a punch in the stomach. "She's locked up," he stated, not absolutely convinced.
"I know," the coroner frowned. "But it's her method."
Colby watched stunned, as the man left. "A copycat?" He asked himself. Finding no answer he sighed deeply and turned towards a CSI agent.
"Hey Jason," he greeted the agent he'd known since his first case with the FBI. They had both been the youngsters in the team, over enthusiastic and doing more wrong than right. Colby smiled at the memory. "You've got something for me?"
The tall man turned around, a faint smile on his face. "Colby." Jason raised his hands in sarcastic praise. "The big boss comes down to us."
"Funny, Jason." Colby couldn't stop his own smile.
The dark haired CSI agent clapped him amiably on the shoulder. "Though it's true, isn't it? You're the boss for now."
"Somehow, but just temporally, until Don's back."
"I see." Jason's glance flew through the room. "Bad case to start with."
"Yeah. So, what you got?"
"Actually, not much. No I.D., no wallet, nothing. We took his fingerprints and DNA-samples. Maybe we'll get lucky with those." The man shrugged dejectedly. "We found part of a thumb print on those iron bars." Jason pointed towards them. "But the question is, are they connected, and if yes...?" Jason searched for the right words. "I don't have to tell you, you know the procedure."
"Yeah I know," Colby declared. "That's really not much." Colby shook his head and fell silent.
"Hey guys." Megan's appearance banished the uncomfortable silence, which had settled between them. "Clark is safe and sound in 'Sun Valley'. It couldn't be her." Megan slapped reassuringly on Colby's back.
"Good." Relief swept through Colby's body. "But who are we facing then? According to the coroner the perp has copied Mary Clark perfectly."
Jason Brooks squeezed his eyes, remembering the recent case. "You referring to the maniac threatening Eppes' brother? But if she's behind bars…"
"Exactly," Megan confirmed the man's thoughts. "We may be dealing with a second Mary Clark."
"The question is, if this person's initial goal is the same, too," Colby threw in.
Megan froze by Colby's words, her mouth dropped open. "You think Charlie's in danger." The female agent peered at Colby with wide eyes. "Colby!"
But Colby turned around and left the scene without a word.
Megan caught a last glimpse of his back when he stepped out of the front door, his cell phone pressed tight against his ear.
TBC
