Chapter Four - Background
"Ok people tell me we found some kind of connection between our victims," Cragen told his detectives.
"Nothing so far Captain," Benson replied. "We went back to the other victims families and none of them have heard of Guardian Research or the Summers sisters or any of Guardian's other New York employees."
"There has to be connection somewhere," Cragen said. "Serial killers follow a pattern. So what's the link between a fifty-six year old female grade school teacher, a nineteen year old male college track star and a thirty four year old appraiser?"
"Vics all lived in different parts of the city, different social circles, different hobbies nothing connects them," Tutuola said.
"Dr. Wong, you got anything for us?" Cragen asked.
"Other then the method nothing about these crimes seems related," Dr. Wong replied. "Makes it very difficult to come up with a profile. Perpetrator is male. Probably mid to late thirties. May have had some arrests in the past. A history of violence. He beats and rapes all of his victims. Shows rage and control issues. He leaves the bodies where they can be easily found. Its possible he's trying to taunt the police. Showing off his power."
"Any kind of pattern about where the bodies are being left?" Stabler asked.
"Nothing I can see," Dr. Wong replied. "Captain Cragen is right the killer has to be following some kind of pattern. But its one that seems to exist only in his mind."
"Rape kits came up positive for semen for all three victims," Stabler said. "We've also got fingerprints off the victims belongings. Nothing comes up in the system. Our perp's never been fingerprinted."
"So much for previous arrests," Benson said. "What about the markings on the body."
Dr. Wong shook his head. "Nothing that makes sense. The markings are different on all three victims."
"Dawn Summers seemed to think they were some kind of writing," Munch said.
"It's not in any language I recognize," Dr. Wong replied. "Again it might be something that only has meaning for the killer."
"What have you turned up on the Summers sisters and Guardian Research?" Cragen asked.
"A lot more questions then answers," Munch replied. "Guardian Research is pretty straight forward. Founded forty-two years ago in London. Specializes in appraisal work on antiquities and artwork. They also do research on historical documents and sponsor the occasional archeological dig. Company's mostly done business in Europe. For the last four years they've been actively expanding into North and South America and Asia. They have an excellent reputation. Contracts with museums and auction house all over Europe."
"So nothing out of the ordinary," Stabler said.
"Not exactly," Munch smirked. "Guess who was named CEO back in August?"
"Who?"
"Dawn Summers."
"That girls got to be what, twenty one?" Cragen said. "Who puts her in charge of a multinational company?"
"The companies founder and CEO, Quentin Travers, was killed in a terrorist bombing in London almost five and half years ago, along with thirty three other people."
"Guardian's offices?" Cragen asked.
"No," Munch replied. "Apparently it was private organization based in London that Travers was a part of. I can't find anything on it. After Travers died, control of Guardian reverted to his grandson, Eric Travers. He turned over the job to a Dr. Rupert Giles three and half years ago and moved to Cleveland Ohio. Dr. Giles stepped down and put Dawn Summers in charge in August."
"So what's the connection between Dawn Summers and this Dr. Giles?" Benson asked.
Munch smiled. "Sunnydale California."
"The town that turned into a giant sinkhole five years ago?" Stabler asked.
"That's the one," Munch said. "Here's where we get to the tale of the Summers sisters. Before I begin I want to stress, neither of them has ever been arrested or convicted of any crimes. Their names, especially Buffy's, just seem to pop up occasionally."
"So tell us what you found," Benson said.
"Both were born and raised in Los Angeles until Buffy's sophomore year at Hemery High. There was apparently some kind of gang fight during the senior dance and the gym got burned down. Twelve students died."
"Was Buffy involved?" Benson asked.
"No charges were ever filed. She was expelled. Her parents divorced and her mother took Dawn and Buffy with her to live with her in Sunnydale."
"So what happened in Sunnydale?"
"Well anything she might have been involved with during her high school years, she was a minor. We can't get to any of those records. Even if we could those records are at the bottom of Lake Sunnydale now. I did manage to find some interesting tidbits. Buffy was questioned in the death of Sunnydale's deputy mayor soon after her eighteenth birthday. Again no arrest. And someone else later confessed to murder and went to jail about a year later."
Munch continued. "During the Sunnydale High School graduation ceremony."
"Wait let me guess," Tutuola said. "Another gym burned down."
"Close," Munch again smirked. "The entire high school blew up in what was described as a quote 'gas main accident'."
"A gym, a high schools and an entire town. Does anybody else have the urge to get out of the state?" Benson noted.
"Might be the smart move," Tutuola said.
"Want to hear the funny part?" Munch asked.
"There's a funny part?" Tutuola said.
"The librarian at Sunnydale High was one Dr. Rupert Giles."
"That sort of explains the connection to the Summers sisters," Benson said.
"What happened after high school?"
"Buffy went to UC Sunnydale. Dropped out her sophomore year after the death of her mother to take care of her sister. Had a series of odd jobs until landing a position as guidance counselor at the rebuilt Sunnydale High," Munch said. "After Sunnydale sank the sisters moved to Rome. Dawn completed her high school degree there. A year after moving to Rome Dawn moved to England and Buffy moved to Cleveland. Dawn took a year off, couldn't find what she was doing and then went to Oxford. She graduated top of her class after two years with degrees in Mythology and Ancient Languages."
"Ancient languages," Stabler said. "Do you think it's possible she recognized the markings on the body?"
"She said no," Munch replied. "But she was studying the markings very closely."
"So what's Buffy Summers been up to in Cleveland?" Cragen asked.
"She's listed as the director of a private foundation. Funding comes from some organization in England. Hit a dead end trying to find out anymore. Never been arrested or connected to any crime in Cleveland. Worse she has is a couple of moving violations."
"Explains why she lets her sister drive," Tutuola said.
"I did talk to a couple of guys in the Cleveland Police Department," Munch motioned towards Captain Cragen. "Including your counterpart. He swears Buffy Summers is one of the good guys. He said we should take whatever help they offer and quote 'thank God he saw fit to put people like them on this world.'"
"A cop said that?!?" Cragen was amazed.
"I did some checking," Munch said. "The number of murders and disappearances in Cleveland has dropped by double digit percentages in each of the four years. Ever since Buffy Summers moved into town. I went back and did some checking on Sunnydale. Sunnydale use to have one of the highest rates of murder, assaults and disappearances in the country. That is until Buffy moved to town. Rates dropped all seven years she lived in Sunnydale."
"So what are you saying?" Cragen asked. "That Buffy is some kind of vigilante and the Cleveland PD gives her a pass to do what she wants? I can't believe any cop would do that I don't care how bad things got."
"I'm just telling you what I found out."
"What did the other cops you talked to say?" Stabler asked.
"Pretty much the same thing. Buffy and her people are the good guys. One said if this bastard is as sick as we think he is we should lock him a room with Buffy for five minutes. He guarantees our perp will get what's coming to him."
"Who the hell are these people?!" Cragen shouted. He calmed down and asked, "Do we think they are connected to these murders?"
"No I don't," Munch said. "Again none of their people were in town when the first murder happened. And the ones who were in town for the last two all have alibis."
"The local staff they've hire all have solid alibis for all three murders," Benson added.
"So where does that leave us?" Cragen asked.
"If Dawn Summers can figure out what those markings mean, I say we ask for their help," Munch said.
"You're kidding," Tutuola said.
"We're shooting blanks right now. We can't find any common thread on these murders. Dawn Summers would seem to be an expert on languages. It's not like we've haven't gone to outside experts before."
"Dawn called this morning," Benson said. "She said she and Buffy would be by in about an hour to drop off the files on Gaston's New York jobs."
Cragen started pacing while he thought through Munch's suggestion. "Ok. Dr. Wong, have the FBI do a quick check on Buffy and Dawn Summers. If it comes back clean we'll show them the markings on the other two vics. Munch I want you to clear this with Cabot and I want her here. I don't want to run into any problems down the line. I'm already certain I'm going to regret this."
