Chapter Six - Meetings

"Looks like our guests have arrived," Munch motioned towards the door of the squad room. The Summers sisters were just walking in.

"Ok, Benson, stick close to the younger one, Dawn. See if you can get any information out of her," Cragen spoke quietly to his detectives.

"Gotcha."

"Munch, Fin, you two stick with Buffy," Cragen replied. As he watched the sisters Cragen noticed Buffy giving him a quick look. She smiled at him then turned and whispered something in Dawn's ear.

"Detective Munch, we have that information we promised," Buffy said. She handed him a file folder.

"Thank you," he replied

"There was something I wanted to ask you about," Dawn said.

"And what is that?"

"Well, I've been trying to figure out those markings on Emily's body. They are definitely some kind of writing. Some of the characters correspond to letters used in some eastern European languages in the early part of the first millennium. I'm guessing, but it appears to be one of the root languages the gypsies started using in the mid sixth century."

"You figured all that out in one night?" Tutuola asked.

"I majored in ancient languages at Oxford," she replied. "My professors always said I had a certain flare for deciphering difficult texts." She turned her attention to Captain Cragen. "Captain I know it's out of the ordinary. But if I could see the markings on the other bodies, it could give me a large enough sample to translate."

"Actually Ms Summers, we were thinking about asking you and your sister for help in just that matter," Cragen replied. "This is Detective Benson she can assist you getting the information you need."

Dawn nodded her head and reached out to shake Benson's hand. "Hi Dawn Summers. Just call me Dawn. You're one the detectives that interviewed our people at the office. Xander liked you."

"Hi, it's Olivia," she replied. "Your friend Mr. Harris is an interesting young man."

"He's also a good judge of character. We should get along just fine."

Cragen turned his attention to Buffy, "Buffy I assume you'll be working with your sister."

"No, Dawn's more research girl then I am," Buffy replied. "I can help out by looking at the previous crime scenes."

"I take it you've done this kind of thing before?" Cragen asked.

"You've been doing the background checks on us," Buffy smiled back. "You tell me."

Cragen had to shake his head. He was having a hard time getting a read on this Buffy Summers. Her look screamed California blonde. But something about her set off both Munch and Tutuola. She was also far more intelligent then she let on. Munch was right; she had a way of anticipating where a conversation was going and beating the other person there.

"We know you've had some unofficial involvement with the Cleveland PD and that you've done some 'consulting' work for the FBI on cult related cases. Care to tell us what that's about?" Cragen replied.

"Our work with the FBI is classified," Buffy replied. She knew saying classified just made people more suspicious. But it was true and it was a good way to deflect questions from people who were already suspicious. "We've helped the Cleveland police with some profiling and a few other things."

"You do this often?" Cragen asked.

Buffy thought for a second. She decided to go with cover story number two. "Our organization, among other things, watchdogs cults and other such groups."

"Was Ms Gaston involved in any of that?" Benson asked.

"No," Dawn replied. "Guardian and Buffy's group are completely independent of one another." At least on paper Dawn thought.

"How long have you two been doing this sort of thing?" Munch asked.

"Look, we can spend the next few hours trading war stories," Buffy said. "But that's not going to help us catch this killer. You've obviously decided to accept our help. So why don't you just go along with it for now. The sooner we get to work, the sooner we put this guy away."

Cragen noticed a subtle change in Buffy's demeanor. Nothing overt. But this was clearly a woman use to giving orders and use to having them obeyed. She was right though. Giving these two the third degree wasn't doing anything to catch their serial killer. He was just going to have to set his curiosity aside and go along with it for now.

"Buffy why don't you work with Detectives Munch and Tutuola," he said.

"Sounds good to me," she replied.

"Dawn, what do you need to start working?" Benson asked.

"I've got my laptop here," she held up the carrying case she was holding. "All I need is a desk. It has a built in cellular phone so I can connect with my computer back in London. It would be nice to have an outlet nearby so I don't waste too much battery power."

"You can set up at my desk," Benson said and led Dawn off.

Cragen nodded his head at Munch and Tutuola. "I'll leave you three to get to work." He turned and headed back to his office with Detective Stabler. Buffy noticed that an Asian man that had been observing their conversation from a short distance away joined them.

She turned her attention to the two detectives assigned to baby-sit her. "Like I said it would be helpful if I could see the places where the bodies were found."

"You think we missed something?" Tutuola sounded a little annoyed.

"No," she replied. "I'm certain you did a thorough job. It's just seeing the places first hand gives me a certain feel for the who I'm looking for."

Tutuola blinked. That feeling he had when he first saw Buffy returned. It was nowhere near as strong as before. But there was something in her eyes. Something that told him she was telling the truth. That somehow she could feel something about the killer. He didn't understand it. But he felt it.

He and Munch shared a look and he knew his partner saw the same thing. They nodded to each and he turned his attention back to Buffy. The feeling was gone. California girl was back. He had the feeling that 'California girl' was a mask for the real Buffy Summers. And he was pretty sure he didn't want to meet that Buffy Summers.

"Ok, let's take a ride," he said. "We can fill you in on the rest of case on the way."

Dawn looked up from Benson's desk. "Whatever you do don't let her talk you into letting her behind the wheel."

"Spoilsport."

"I don't want these nice New York detectives to get heart attacks," Dawn shot back.

"All right let's go," she motioned to the detectives. They made their way out of the squad room.


Cragen shut the door to his office and turned to Dr. Wong.

"So what do you make of the Summers sisters?" he asked.

"Buffy Summers is used to being underestimated because of her appearance," Dr. Wong replied. "And she's learned to use that to her advantage to keep people off balance so she can control the conversation. I'd say the same is true for Dawn."

"He's got that right," Stabler said. "Did anybody else notice that we didn't get anything new from them, but they got exactly what they want from us."

"Buffy's also use to giving orders and being in charge," Cragen said. "And it looks like she can switch the act on and off at will."

"That's probably true," Dr. Wong said. "I doubt you're going to get anything out of either of them by intimidation or questioning."

"So what do you recommend?" Stabler asked.

"Treat them with respect," Dr. Wong said. "They're both confident and both clearly know what they're doing. I would say they drop the act around people they know and respect. If you don't earn that respect they won't switch off the act. That seems especially true of Buffy."

"So Dawn will be easier," Stabler said.

"No, she probably has her own defense mechanisms, distinct from her sister's," Dr. Wong replied. "Don't underestimate either of them detective."

"We'll try not to," Cragen replied. He looked outside the office in time to see Buffy leaving with Munch and Tutuola. He saw Dawn setting up her laptop on Benson's desk and leafing through the case file. He wondered just what other surprises these two held.