Chapter Two - Questions

Munch and Tutuola entered the ME's office. Tutuola was talking on his cell phone.

"Right Captain," he said. "We'll have the sisters ID the body then come back the station." He clicked off the phone and turned back to Munch. "Captain's sending Benson and Stabler over to Gaston's office."

"Ok," Munch looked over at the ME who was examining the body. "What have you got so far?"

"Ligature marks on her wrists and ankles. She was definitely tied down," came the reply. "Also bruising across her chest and on her hips."

"Like she was strapped down," Tutuola said.

"Exactly."

"Perp probably did it while he was carving those markings," Munch noted. "Anything you can tell us about those?"

"They're shallow cuts. Probably made with a small knife, maybe a scalpel" the ME said. "The markings are not the same as the last two victims."

"We've got the vic's bosses outside to do an ID on the body," Tutuola said.

"I'll clean her up and move her in front of the camera."

"That won't be necessary," Munch turned and saw the Summers sisters walking into the room.

"You shouldn't be in here," Tutuola moved forward to stop them from seeing the body. The blonde, Buffy, was in the lead. Munch blinked, as she just seemed to push past Fin without even noticing him. It was a blur of motion. One second Fin was walking up to her; the next he was turned sideways and Buffy was past him. Dawn took advantage of Fin's confusion and followed her sister.

They walked up to the body. Munch noticed that neither of them seemed shocked or surprised. Both seemed to look at the body with same critical eye of professionals. This was definitely not the first time they'd seen a dead body.

"She was beaten," Buffy said. Munch could hear the anger in her voice.

Fin recovered from his confusion and decided since they had already seen the body to confirm the victim's identity. "Is this Emily Gaston?"

"Yes," Dawn replied. "It's Emily." Munch studied her. Her voice carried both anger and sadness. But she was still able to keep her composure and study the body. She seemed to be focusing on the markings cut into Gaston's abdomen.

"Ms Summers do recognize those markings?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't recognize them." She continued to stare at them though. Deep in thought.

"Are you sure?" Munch pressed.

She looked up at him and shook her head. "No I don't," she said. She paused for a second then seemed to come to a decision. "They look like writing."

The ME looked down at the body. "She's right. It's not any language I recognize but it does look like writing."

"You said two other people had been killed this way," Buffy said.

"How do you know that?" Tutuola asked.

"I heard you talking before we came in."

Munch was certain the door had been closed. How could she have overhead their conversation with the ME?

"I think we need to get back to the station house now," Munch said. "There are still some questions we need to go over with you. Two other detectives will be interviewing the people at your office."

"I understand," Buffy said. "Anything we can do to help."


A short while later Munch and Tutuola were back at the station house with the two sisters. They were sitting at Munch's desk.

He set two pictures down on the desk. "Do you recognize either of these people?"

The sisters looked down at the pictures. The first was man who looked to be in his late teens or early twenties. The second was a woman. She looked to be in her mid-fifties. Both sisters shook their heads. Buffy spoke first.

"No I don't recognize either of them. Dawn?"

"I don't know them either."

"What about the names Thomas Nickles and Margaret Charney?" Munch asked.

"No. Nothing," Buffy said.

"Same here," Dawn said.

"These are the other two victims?" Buffy asked.

"Yes."

"Were they killed the same way as Emily?" Buffy asked. This wasn't the first time Buffy or Dawn had tried to get information about the other murders.

"Buffy," he was having trouble with her name, but since there were two Ms Summers he had to go by first names. "We don't give out that kind of information during the course of an investigation."

"I understand," she said. "I just want to figure out what happened to Emily."

"Of course," Munch replied. "Can you tell us how long Ms Gaston has been in New York?"

"She moved here three weeks ago," Dawn replied. "Right after we purchased the office space. She's been working with Xander Harris, our facilities guy in Cleveland, to set up the office. She's also been hiring office staff and meeting with potential clients in the New York area."

"And you two, how long have you been in town?"

"I came in last week to help with the final set up," Dawn replied.

"I arrived yesterday for the kick off party and to spend some time with Dawn."

Munch nodded. The first murder had occurred over a month ago. Almost two weeks before Emily Gaston moved into her apartment.

"Do either of you know of anyone who might want to hurt Ms Gaston, any problems she may have had, money, old boyfriend?" he asked.

Both sisters started thinking. Dawn answered first.

"No, no one that would want to hurt her. She's done maybe eight jobs for us over the last three years. We paid her pretty well for all of them. She was very good at her job. She had an excellent reputation. That's why we hired her to run the New York office," she paused again. "She had a boyfriend back in Chicago, but I'm pretty sure they broke up a couple of months ago."

"We'll need his name."

"I don't know it," Dawn said. "It's probably in her address book."

"How many jobs has she done in New York?"

"For us, two," Dawn answered. "I don't know about other clients she may have had. When I talk to London tonight I'll get them to e-mail the files on her New York jobs to me. I can bring them in tomorrow."

"We also told Xander to make sure to give your detectives copies of Emily's schedule for the past month," Buffy said.

Again Munch noted how much these two seemed to know a lot about police procedure. They were anticipating most of his questions. He didn't think they were involved. They're anger seemed too genuine for that. But he wondered just how often these two had been involved with police investigations in the past.

"Thank you both for your help," he said. He then held out is card. "If you think of anything else, please contact us. How long will you two be staying in New York?"

"We were planning on leaving tomorrow," Buffy said. "But after this, we'll be decided to stay in town a few extra days. We need to get the office settled." She pulled out a pad of paper and wrote something down on it. "Here's our hotel information," pulling off a sheet of paper and handing it to Munch.

"We'll be by tomorrow with the information on Emily's New York jobs," Dawn said.

"Again, thank you for help," Munch said. "I am sorry for loss."

"Thank you," Buffy said. The two sisters got up and made their way out of the squad room. Munch made a mental note to do a thorough background check on both of them.