The statistics in this chapter were found on the RAINN website.
I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong. – Leo Rosten
Chapter Two - Mary Katherine McNamara
Avalon Women's Center, Downtown Manhattan: Sixteen Hours Missing
"Agent Jack Malone, F.B.I. Missing Persons Unit. We're here to see Katie McNamara." Jack flashed his badge at the security guards standing outside the door to the Avalon Center for Women. Vivian and Danny did the same, as the two guards eyed them warily. Finally, one of the guards nodded his head, handed back Jack's badge, and motioned for them to go on in. Jack pushed open a glass door that read Avalon Center for Women: Reach Out and Conquer Violence and the trio stepped into the lobby.
"Those are two really big guys." Danny said, looking back over his shoulder at the two security guards. "I mean, really big."
"They may look tough, but Mike and Lou are really big teddy bears." A bright voice answered from behind him. They turned around to see a young woman standing on a ladder hanging a framed poster on the wall and smiling down at them. "We like having them here to make the girls feel safe. The women who come in here are usually escaping from some of the biggest jerks on the planet...men who prey on women. But, as Katie says, they are also the biggest cowards on the planet. And nothing scares one of these cowards more than a couple of six foot ex-firefighters standing between them and the women they prey on." The young woman climbed down off her ladder and extended her hand as she approached. "Hi, I'm Lucy Donovan. Can I help you with something?"
Again Jack flashed his badge and said, "I'm Special Agent Jack Malone of the F.B.I. and these are agents Taylor and Johnson. We need to speak with Katie McNamara."
A look of concern spread over the young woman's face. "Is this about Mary Larson? Did that son of a bitch she's married to finally..."
Jack cut her off with a shake of his head. "No. It has nothing to do with any of the women who use your services. It's a separate matter."
Lucy eyed him suspiciously and asked, "Can I see your badges again?" It was quite clear that this woman didn't trust too many people. Jack didn't blame her. If he were in her line of work, he would be suspicious of strangers too. They handed over their badges and Lucy studied them closely, looking back and forth between their faces and their photos. When she was satisfied that they were who they said they were, she handed them back and said, "Missing Persons? What did you say this was about?"
Jack had to smile at her technique and said, "We didn't. We really just need to speak with Ms. McNamara."
"We take care of each other around here, Agent Malone. Katie takes care of us and we protect her vision. Now I don't know..."
"Ms. Donovan, I promise you that we are not a threat to the work you do here." Vivian chimed in, giving the other woman a reassuring smile. "In fact, we are big fans of all that you accomplish. We just need to ask Ms. McNamara a few questions about a case we are working on."
Folding her arms across her chest, Lucy eyed them for a few moments and then said, "K-mac is in the back taking care of another matter. I'll tell her that you're here. Have a seat." She gestured to a waiting area to their left and the agents nodded their thanks as Lucy went back to her post behind the information desk in the middle of the room.
"There are some tough cookies around here." Vivian whispered to Jack as they made their way over to the waiting area.
"Well they do spend their lives fighting for women who have been abused in some way and fighting against the monsters who do the abusing." Danny answered, looking around at the artwork on the waiting area walls. Glancing back to where Lucy had resumed answering the phones, he continued, "Can't be an easy line of work. They see some of the worst life has to offer. My guess is that they don't need any cream puffs who can't handle the job."
Vivian nodded as they waited for Katie to come out to speak to them. She walked over to where Jack was looking at one of the framed posters on the wall and read the statistics that they had posted there.
In 2002-2003, there were an average of 223,280 victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault.
Only about 40 of rapes/sexual assaults were reported to law enforcement in 2003.
Since 1993, rape/sexual assault has fallen by over 65 percent.
Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.
Avalon: Reaching out to conquer the violence one woman at a time.
"Makes you sick to your stomach, doesn't it?" Vivian asked, shaking her head.
"Makes me appreciate people like Katie McNamara." Jack said quietly.
A door at the back of the room opened and through it came two paramedics, wheeling a woman away on a gurney. Walking with them were two women...a heavy-set black woman with a stern look on her face, and a strikingly beautiful red head that Jack immediately recognized as Katie McNamara. Katie was holding the hand of the woman on the gurney and talking to her as they walked toward the entrance.
"How is she, Tamika?" Lucy asked the black woman, the look of concern back on her face as she watched them walk by.
"She just regained consciousness." Tamika stopped walking with the paramedics but followed the group with her eyes.
"What happened?" The woman on the gurney was asking.
"You didn't wake up this morning and we got concerned about you, Lily. These paramedics are going to take you to the hospital to get you checked out, okay?" Katie leaned closer as she spoke to the woman, apparently named Lily. Lily nodded and Katie squeezed her hand. "Why didn't you tell us when you got here last night that you got hit in the head? We could have had you checked out then."
Lily didn't answer right away. Instead she said, "I can't keep getting hit in the head. This is like the tenth time."
Katie pasted a smile on her head as she looked down at Lily, a smile that obviously concealed the anger she was truly feeling. Gently, she said to Lily. "Yeah, you definitely need a new hobby." Katie smoothed Lily's bangs out of her face and said, "Tamika is going to go to the hospital with you and I am going to call the police so they can meet you there. You have to fill out a police report this time, Lily. Tamika will help you and then bring you back here, okay?"
Lily nodded her head and Katie looked over at Tamika, who was pulling on her coat, and then back at the paramedics. She smiled and said, "Thanks guys. Take good care of her for me."
Mike and Lou held the front door open as Tamika, Lily and the paramedics headed out to the ambulance waiting at the curb. "We always do, Mac." One of the paramedics said, looking back over his shoulder and winking. "Say hey to your ma for me. Tell her Donna and I will be in one night this week to sample some of her fabulous wedding cakes."
"She's been waiting for the two of you to come in since we heard you got engaged. She's already making plans for your cake." Katie called after them, then turned back to the information desk. "Lucy, will you put in a call to the boys at the 43rd Precinct and ask them send an officer to meet Lily and Tamika at the emergency room? Son of a bitch isn't going to get away with it again this time."
"Already on it." Lucy said, picking up the phone and then lowered her voice, "You have company." Lucy looked over at where Jack, Danny, and Vivian were watching the scene with interest and said, "F.B.I."
"This can't be good." Katie muttered, turning to face the agents who were approaching her. She extended her hand to Jack and said, "I'm Katie McNamara. Is there something I can do for you?"
"I'm Special Agent Jack Malone. And these are agents Danny Taylor and Vivian Johnson. F.B.I.." Jack repeated his introductions for the third time.
Katie shook Danny and Vivian's hands and looked back at Jack. "Please don't consider this a bad pick up line, but don't I know you from somewhere?" She asked, recognizing the older man's face.
Jack smiled as Danny chuckled. To Katie he said, "I worked a case with you father. In return, he invited me to the block party your neighborhood held last 4th of July."
Katie smiled an easy smile and said, "Those 4th of July bashes are a trip, aren't they?" Jack nodded and she said, "Did you get to sample one of the sausage and pepper sandwiches? They're my Papa Sal's specialty."
"Actually, I had two." Jack said, liking Tommy McNamara's daughter instantly. This was not the same woman he had seen so often on the news during her rape trial. That woman hid her face from the cameras and looked like she could break down at any moment. But it was obvious that this woman had made the long journey from rape victim to survivor. She has lived through so much in her young life. She fought stronger demons than most people, only to have her rapist evade justice on a glitch in the very system that was supposed to protect her, and survived to help other women do the same. Jack hated what they had come here to do.
"This is quite an operation you have here, Ms. McNamara." Danny said, joining the conversation. "I've heard good things about this place."
"Thank you, Agent Taylor." Stacie said, turning her attention to Danny. "We do what we can."
"You built this place from the ground up?" He asked, although he already knew the answer. "Impressive."
"It was part of my healing process." Katie shrugged, taking his compliment lightly. "I am a rape survivor and was shocked to learn how many women didn't report the fact that they had been raped. As I talked to more and more rape survivors, I realized that women needed someplace to go after their ordeal. Someplace where they wouldn't feel pressured or scared. So Avalon was born. I was making good money in the business world, so I rounded up a few investors and bought the building." Katie looked around at her life's work as if she were seeing it again for the first time and then said, "I grew up with five brothers, as a daughter of the FDNY. Firefighters are all carpenter wannabe's on their off days, so I put my brothers and their friends to work on the renovations and hired a staff. We started small, but have grown a lot in recent years."
"I'm sure your pseudo-celebrity status after the trial helped to garner some interest in this place." Vivian said quietly.
Katie turned to look at her and said, "Well, I figured all that stupid attention had to be good for something." She smiled at Vivian, who nodded, and then turned back to Jack. "But somehow I don't think you are here to talk about Avalon, are you?"
"I wish we were." Jack said. "We need to talk to you about Frank Runyeon."
The moment the name was out of his mouth, the agents could see the visible change in her demeanor. The smile faded from her lips, her spine stiffened, and the easy sparkle in her eyes was replaced with a guarded, angry look. Even her voice took on an icy tone as she asked, "What about him?"
"He's missing." Jack said flatly.
Katie was quiet for a minute as she looked right through Jack and seemed to be transported to another place. After a few long moments, she finally said, "Good." Then she turned and walked away, leaving Jack, Viv, and Danny looking helplessly at one another.