ACT XI
"Somma," Ryo said. "I think he may have already paid me a visit although I'm not sure how he knew where I lived."
"What do you mean?" Touin demanded.
"I went to the store," Ryo informed him. "When I got back...well, the place is in shambles," he finished, looking around at the mess as he spoke.
"Is your apartment secure for now?" Touin asked.
"Yes," acknowledged Ryo.
"Stay put," Touin told him. "I'll let Rose know what's going on. I'm sure he will arrange an escort for you to the station."
"Okay," agreed Ryo.
Twenty minutes later there was a knock at Ryo's door. "Who is it?" asked Ryo, cautiously peering through the peephole.
"Touin," Touin announced. "Commissioner Rose wants me to take you to the station.
After you file a report he wants you to stay at Laytner's until Somma's been recaptured."
Ryo opened the door as Touin spoke. "But Bikky..." he began.
"Dee said he would pick up Bikky at school," Touin interrupted him. "He wanted to pick you up as well but he and JJ had a lead on their case."
"Oh, right," Ryo said. "I see. Well, okay," he said, nodding his acceptance of the plan.
"Better grab some clothes," Touin told Ryo. "You may be there for a few days."
"That's alright," Ryo said, shaking his head. "I have spare clothing at Dee's."
Ryo missed the tightening of Touin's lips. "Isn't someone from forensics coming over?" asked Ryo as he and Touin descended the stairs.
"As soon as they are free," Touin acknowledged with a short nod.
"Dee's case," Ryo guessed. "Another victim?"
"Uh, yeah," Touin said. "Come on. I brought my car today. Less noticeable."
"Well, JJ said you could tell us something about our killer," said Dee, entering the crime lab after lunch and looking at the brown headed Medical Examiner.
"White male, thirtyish, with brown hair," Jim stated. "Uses very expensive cologne."
"Anything else?" demanded Dee, his brain working overtime. That description could fit almost anyone.
"Yeah," Jim said. "He's left-handed and he's raping his victims out of frustration."
"How do you get that?" JJ asked.
"The time from castration to penetration is less than two minutes," Jim stated. "And the penetration is hard and fast. My guess is your rapist slash serial killer is using the victims he finds as inadequate substitutes for someone he really wants."
"Calm down," JJ tried to calm Dee down as they headed back up to the CI unit. "I've never seen you so fidgety," he added, putting a hand on Dee's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "You're probably worrying over nothing."
"I wonder if Diana has found out anything," Dee said, ignoring JJ's attempts to keep him from worrying.
"Call her back," JJ suggested, dropping his hand from Dee's shoulder.
"I'll do that," Dee said, opening the door of the CI department and letting JJ precede him into the main room.
Dee went straight to the small office he shared with Ryo and sat down. Pulling his phone forward, he lifted the receiver and put through the call.
"I was just starting to call you," Diana said when she heard Dee's voice. "There was a rash of rape-murders with the castration in Michigan," she began. "The killer never was caught and the last victim was found about three weeks ago."
"Detroit?" Dee demanded through clenched teeth, gripping the receiver so tight his knuckles turned white.
"How did you know?" demanded Diana, amazed.
"It all makes sense," Dee said. "Thanks," he added, hanging up without satisfying her curiosity. Dee ran to the commissioner's office and burst in without knocking.
"Touin is our serial killer," Dee informed the surprised commissioner.
