Chapter Five

Mind of a Psychopath

Bobby remains motionless until Alex closes her door. Moments later he is inside the vehicle, "What is it with that phrase today?" he says lightheartedly. She does not respond, he looks over at his partner and she is trying to put the key in the ignition, without success, her hand is shaking. He tenderly takes a hold of her forearm. "What is the matter?"

She slowly lifts her head, "Nothing, I told you before." She says sternly, not able to meet his eyes. He positions himself to face her, "Bull shit."

She tries once again to put the key in the ignition, she makes a motion to throw the keys, "Son of bitch," she mutters. She can sense him staring. "He….he scared me. I looked….in his eyes." She covers her face with her hands then wipes her eyes. "Oh my God Bobby, I feel as if I just met the devil." She sits erect in the seat shaking her head.

"I think maybe you did," he pauses, "So….let's get back to the station and put the little prick away."

She turns her head to face him and he has a slight smile on his face. She smiles in return and suddenly feels a sense of comfort, she has stopped shaking and she proceeds to put the key in the ignition and start the SUV.

Major Case Squad

While Jonathan is being processed, Goren and Eames do some further checking into his past. "Not much in here," Bobby says.

They uncover that Jonathan was born April 10th 1975 to Jessica and George Fletcher. Born and raised in Brooklyn New York. No siblings, parents are deceased. Graduated High School at age 16, school records indicates his IQ to be 148. He attended Hudson University for two semesters, was expelled due to undisclosed incident in the dorm.

"I can just imagine what that was," Alex says.

He has never been arrested. In the years since college, he has held one menial job after another.

"Detectives," Ross says as he walks toward them. They look up and notice a piece of paper in his hand. "I have the search warrant for Fletcher's place." Alex holds out her hand, "Thank you," she says as she opens it up.

"Are you going to search now or….." Bobby interjects. "No I want to talk to him first."

Interrogation Room-C

Officers Quincy and Williams escort Jonathan into the interrogation room. "Turn around," Quincy says. His handcuffs are removed. Williams points to a chair, "Sit down." Jonathan nods, sits, pulls the chair forward and folds his hands, staring straight ahead. Quincy stands in one corner of the room, Williams the other. The door opens and the officers look in the direction of the sound, Jonathan does not acknowledge the fact that anyone has entered the room.

Alex enters first Bobby following close behind. She sits to Jonathan's left; Bobby takes the seat across from their suspect. Bobby opens his leather case, "Evelyn Gavin," he places her photo on the table. "She's alive; you screwed up Jonathan, you left her alive." The reaction Bobby was hoping for does not come. He frowns but continues, "She picked you out of a photo line-up."

Jonathan sits back in the chair, "Try and find one minuscule of me in that house." He turns his head to the left, "Detective Eames." He smiles then wags his finger at her, "Alex right. Short for what Alexis or Alexandra, either way," he shrugs his shoulder. "Is beautiful," he pauses. "As are you," Alex reluctantly looks up as a look of gratification shows on Jonathan's face, seeing the fear on hers. She quickly looks away. Bobby as always is watching and absorbing the interaction, the sound of his chair being pushed back causes Jonathan to look up at the big man for the first time. He picks up the photo and replaces it in his case, and closes it. "Will you excuse us for a minute," he touches Alex on the shoulder, she stands and follows her partner out the door.

Bobby opens the door to the observation room, where Ross and Carver have been listening and watching. Ross turns his head to face them, "What? What's the matter? Why did you stop?"

Bobby clutches his case with two hands, gesturing with his head, "Look at him, look at his face." The men in the room focus there attention on Jonathan. Alex turns away.

They watch for a moment, Carver says, "He's aroused, he hasn't done anything to her."

Bobby calmly and methodically says, "Yes he has, she's a New York City police detective and a woman of authority and he…………"

"I'm sorry," Alex screams. "I'm sorry that….that sick son of bitch scared me." She grabs the doorknob, "At least I have some….." She lowers her head. "Go to hell Bobby," he says angrily. The men watch in silence as she leaves the room.

"What is that all about?" Ross asks.

Bobby rubs the back of his neck, takes a step forward then turns, "He scared her," he pauses. "When he opened the door to us," he exhales, "She told me that when she looked at him she felt as if she had just met the devil and I………" he turns away from them, opens the door and leaves the room.

He finds her sitting at her desk staring at the computer screen and typing. She glances up over the screen and notices him, quickly she lowers her head. He rolls his chair over to her left side and sits down. "I'm sorry." She stops typing but continues to face forward. "I didn't mean to sound so insensitive." He sets his case on her desk. "Alex, look at me, say something."

She lowers her head, "I'm not….I can't go back in there Bobby."

"I understand, I really do," he rolls the chair back. "Alex…."

"It's….I forgive you. I know that you're not," she pauses. "An insensitive man. Just doing your job and keeping your feelings out of it."

He picks up his case then stands, "Since when do I keep my feelings out of a case." She has to smile at the comment.

Bobby enters the interrogation room and sitting quietly is Jonathan. He follows Bobby with his eyes, "Ah….so he returns alone," he catches Bobby's eyes, "The protector." He says mockingly. Bobby resumes the seat across the table, ignoring the comment.

Once again he opens his case, "Kenny Elwell," he removes Kenny's written statement and places it on the table. "He has confirmed that you had possession of not only Tim Gavin's' wallet. Which," Bobby removes another piece of paper from his case and places it on the table. "Evelyn Gavin said you had come to their house to return it that afternoon." Jonathan leans forward and begins to read. "And only a few days before, Kenny said that you had Jacob Allen's, wallet." Jonathan hastily slides the paper in Bobby's direction. "That Elwell kid, he's mistaken," he leans forward. "Check him out….the kid smokes pot, everyday. The only reason they let him get away with it." Jonathan looks from his left to his right as if he is revealing secret. "He is not allowed near the guns." Jonathan sits back in the chair and crosses his arms.

"Great a pot head on the stand," Ross says.

Carver shakes his head, "I may have to cross him off the witness list."

Jonathan continues, "And as far as Misses Gavin picking me out of a line up. Hell," he clasps his hands behind his head. "I'll bet there are a thousand guys who fit my description living in New York." If he could, Bobby would love to smack the smug look off his face.

"That's all we got!" Carver exclaims.

"Goren and Eames plan to search his place, maybe….hopefully…." The door opens and Alex enters the room. Silence in the interrogation room and suddenly silence in the observation room. "So how's it going?" She says keeping her focus on Carver and Ross.

Ross shakes his head, "Not good, I was just saying to Mister Carver that hopefully you and your partner will uncover something in his home."

They once again turn their attention to the men in the interrogation room, they watch as Bobby picks up the papers that he placed on the table. "So Detective, why didn't Alex come back. Is she alright?" Just hearing him speak her name causes Alex to shiver.

Bobby ignores Jonathan's question, he looks to Officer Quincy, "Put him back in the holding cell." He stands and leaves the room. Moments later Bobby joins his colleagues, he walks up to Alex and lightly touches her arm whispering, "Are you alright?"

She looks up into those soft, warm brown eyes and smiles as she nods her head. He turns abruptly causing Ross and Carver to move back a step. "He's one smart, arrogant son of a bitch….he's not going to talk to me," he says staring at the man who he believes murdered three people. "Even my mention of a survivor and he doesn't blink. Can't play games with him he's too astute."

"Is he talking to us?" Ross says.

Carver smiles as does Alex, suddenly Bobby turns away from the glass and leads the way out of the room; they remain silent as they watch Jonathan Fletcher being escorted back to his cell.

"I have read Evelyn Gavin's statement and she seems to be a reliable witness but I want, I need more." Carver says sounding hopeful. "Find something in that house." He checks his watch, "I have to leave, call me if and when you find something."

"We will," Alex says confidently.

"I can do this alone, Alex, you don't have…….." She holds her hand up, "I'm going with you, come on."

Jonathan Fletcher's Home

Alex leads the way followed by Bobby and a team of investigators. They stop midway through the living room, "It looks like an old lady lives here." Alex remarks as she touches the plastic covering on the couch. Bobby nods in agreement, he scans the room. To his left are shelves, a wall of books. Alex smirks as she watches her partner make a beeline for the rows of paperbacks and hard-covers.

"These books are in alphabetical order and I thought I was obsessive." Directly eye level he sees the word Forensics, he scans the titles and one is familiar to him. 'The Illustrated Guide to Forensics—True Crime Scene Investigations' he flips hurriedly through the book, he comes across a chapter on blood splatter from a gun shot. He lays the book aside and scans through the hundreds of titles using his index finger as a guide, he stops. "This is it!"

Alex hears him and puts down a pile of Fletcher's mail that she had been sorting through, "What?"

He holds up a book, "It wasn't a text book it was a novel, a non-fiction novel about Leonard and Crystal White. He shot his wife and turned the gun on himself."

Alex stands next to him, "Leonard White the banker? I remember that story."

Bobby's response is a nod; in the middle of the book are photos. "Holy shit," he holds the book up facing the photo in Alex's direction. She takes the book from his grasp. "Oh my God it's….it's the same position that Jacob and Tim were found."

Aside from the books about forensics science and the novel there is nothing in the home to connect Jonathan Fletcher to the homicides.

"That is not what I want to hear Detectives." Carver says, glancing through the report.

"Haven't you spoken to Evelyn Gavin, yet?" Bobby says surprisingly.

"I had an appointment this morning but she has since contracted an infection and not able to speak with me." He sets the papers down. "I have another meeting with her tomorrow."

The Next Afternoon

Bobby and Alex have since returned from another crime scene and are discussing their victim and his family. Alex looks up and catches Carver approaching in the corner of her eye. "Detectives, good afternoon."

Almost in unison they respond, "Good Afternoon."

Carver leans down on Alex's desk. "I have just spent the morning with Evelyn Gavin, oh my God, that poor woman." He stands erect. "I have no doubt in my mind that she will not only be a very convincing witness but will indeed be what we need to put Jonathan Fletcher behind bars."

A Month Later

"I thought that you would be interested in the psychiatric report on Fletcher," Carver says handing Bobby a copy. "He still claims that he is innocent however with his background," Carver sits back in his chair. "This report can and will show that he is capable of this crime."

When I asked the subject Jonathan Fletcher, how he felt that two men that he was acquainted with were murdered he showed no remorse or concern for the deceased or the family. He did say, maybe unconsciously, that his father should have committed suicide and taken his mother with him, he let out a small laugh.

I asked him why and for the first time in our session, he seemed to lose his overconfident attitude. He started to fidget and he appeared to be afraid.

I asked what he was afraid of. He raised his voice and said that I am not afraid; in my opinion he acted and sounded like a child. He went into an irrelevant tear about things that he was able to do, now that she, he said the word 'she' with such distaste, is dead. She would constantly tell him that he was wasting his time; no matter what he did he could never please her.

I asked about his relationship with his mother.

He scoffed and said what relationship. I asked what he meant.

He suddenly seemed confident again, mostly due to the fact that, she was no longer alive and he could say anything without being punished for it.

She would day after day remind him of the fact that she never should have had a son but a daughter. During the session, he would from time to time imitate her. I don't understand boys and your father he doesn't know how to take care of anything, I have to do everything. The man is worthless as are all men.

He told of a time when he was in the second grade his class put on a play about farming. He was so nervous that when the teacher finally persuaded him to go on the stage he wet his pants. His mother throughout his life would tell people that story. To humiliate him yes but to further stress her point how useless and weak he and his father were. She was the dominate force in the family.

His father was indeed a weak man and a coward in his eyes. He never defended himself or his son. She ruled every moment of their lives. He continually speaks about what is important to him, interested only in self-gratification. His mother was a narcissist as is he; also, I would have to classify him as having a psychotic personality.

I have seen the photos and read the police reports, in my opinion the aim of the culprit is to put the couple in a no win situation. The humiliation and the fear is what he strives for and becomes aroused by. The men are helpless as he and his father were and in this situation he is the one with all he power and control something that he never experienced in the past.

"Fascinating but its all speculation, seems to me that Jonathan is willing to speak freely about his past as if he has come to terms with it."

Carver leans forward and clasps his hands together, "He said that his parents should have gone that way."

"He's shoving it in our face," he sets down the report. "I can say it, prove it."

"We don't have proof, do we?"

Bobby frowns, "No….but we have Evelyn."

"Indeed we do."

A Few Months Later

Alex rubs her eyes, "I'm going blind reading all this crap."

"More coffee?" Bobby asks.

"Yes, thank you."

"Detective," Alex looks up, "Yes Captain."

"Anything new?"

Alex points to a box on her desk as she shakes her head, "Want a chocolate cupcake Captain? I think there are a few left."

Bobby returns with a mug of coffee for him and Alex. Ross looks to him then points. "There's only one left. Do you want it?"

Bobby sets down the coffee mug on her desk, "No thanks I don't like chocolate cupcakes."

Ross gives him a queer look. Alex notices it. "I know weird." Bobby just shrugs his shoulders.

"Thank you," Ross takes a bite and nods, "This is good, homemade."

"Yes," Alex says as she set down the paper she was reading. "But not by me, my niece."

The phone on Bobby's desk rings, he takes a quick sip of coffe before answering, "Goren."

"Detective Goren this is Peter Carlton, I am Evelyn Gavin's attorney."

Alex notices the frown on her partner's face. "Yes Mister Carlton, I remember Evelyn speaking of you. What can I do for you?"

"Linda asked me call….I have some bad news…Evelyn was involved in a car accident this morning and…Jesus…she's dead."

Bobby rubs his eyes, "Oh my God, I…," he lets out a long breath. "Thank you for the call Mister Carlton, please extend my condolences to the Gavin family."

"I will Detective, goodbye."

"Goodbye," he cradles the phone.

Alex says, "Why do I get the feeling that this isn't going to be good news?"

The Next Afternoon

"Thought you two should know, Carver just phoned." Ross stuffs his hands in his pockets. "He has decided to drop the charges against Fletcher. He feels that if he went to trial now…he would lose. So rather then letting Fletcher go 'scott' free, drop the charges now and hope that in the future new evidence will come to light and then he can re-file the charges."

Bobby scrubs his face, "I have to agree, I don't like it. But….ah son of a bitch."

Saturday Afternoon

Alex' Apartment

4 PM

After a late afternoon shopping spree Alex returns to her apartment. She climbs the few steps to her door and as she is inserting the key into the lock, she hears a noise behind her. Before she turns to look, "Hello Alex." She can feel the muzzle of a gun on her back. "Don't turn around, you know who it is, just unlock the door," he commands. She does as she is ordered, as she opens the door he pushes her inside and she falls to the floor. She turns to face Jonathan Fletcher.

TBC