Chapter 5:

Dr. Varava

Police Station

Mid-Morning

"I'm sorry sir, but it's been confirmed," Capt. Thomas was saying into the phone on his desk, as Keegan and Goodwin both sat in chairs opposite him. It had been chaotic all night, forensics specialists and town police coming and going in an out of the police station at all hours, nervous calls from concerned townsfolk of suspected yet unconfirmed sightings of Esther, and their very own messages to the Saarne Institute left unanswered.

"Yes, the body of the orphan girl wasn't found in the pond last night," Capt. Thomas said to the mayor, "The dive-team are going to search again in the daylight. Trust me sir, we're working on it and trying to get it sorted. Yes, I'll keep you informed. Goodbye, sir."

He then hung up, sighed wearily, and then rubbed his temples, which were throbbing.

"Jesus Christ, I haven't been this stressed out since waiting for my goddamn prostate exam results," Capt. Thomas grunted. He then glanced up at the 2 detectives, asking, "So, what've we got, you two?"

"I was hoping to speak with you before your chat with the mayor," Goodwin said, handing Capt. Thomas a handful of crime scene polaroids, "But you can probably call off your 2nd dive search. We had another homicide called in this morning. O'Reilly and his team got there before us and started an investigation."

"Another homicide?" asked Capt. Thomas, taking the polaroids, and looking them over, "Who was it?"

"It was old Howard King, the war vet and his dog Charlie," Keegan explained, "Both were found in the woods behind his home. It was a violent murder and robbery, but a murder that supports the idea of Leena Klammer's escape. Small footprints were found all around the area, plus the wet clothes that Mrs. Coleman said that Leena was wearing during last night's attack were found in the resident's garbage."

Capt. Thomas glanced up from the polaroids and then stared at her for a few stunned moments before he found his voice again.

"Was his vehicle stolen?" Capt. Thomas asked.

"No, but his keys were taken," Keegan replied, "They were left on the washroom counter, like the killer had thought about stealing his truck and then thought better of it."

"Well, that was very fortunate for her," Capt. Thomas said, placing the polaroids down on his desk, "Okay, suppose she did escape the frozen pond and made it all the way to King's home without suffering from cold shock paralysis or even hypothermia... what's next? She's not going to just steal a vehicle that we can easily track. So, what's next?"

"We've already thought of that, sir," Goodwin said, "So with that possibility eliminated, we're checking all CCTV systems of Hamden's Greyhound bus station, as well as all nearby truck stops and gas stations to see if we can get a positive I.D. of Leena on any surveillance footage. Then we'll go from there."

"We're also still trying to reach Leena's doctor at Saarne," Keegan added, "We're going to see if they can assist us in this little hunt for our little fugitive. If anyone knows what her next move is, it'll be her doctor from there."

"Very good, you two," Capt. Thomas said, nodding to them both. He then paused, before adding, "I guess we can let the press know at this morning's press conference that Leena has escaped and is now at large." He picked up the phone once more. "I'll cancel the 2nd dive search. In the meantime, I'm also going to contact the state police and give them the situation, so that they can be on the look out for anything or anyone suspicious that could be linked back to this case. One way or another, we're going to find this little mother fucker, living or dead."

"And we'll let you know when we get into contact with Saarne," Keegan said as he and Goodwin stood up, adding, "and if we get any positive I.D. on Leena via CCTV, you'll be the first to know, boss."

"Excellent," Capt. Thomas said, giving them both a nod. The 2 detectives then left their captain's office and got back to work.

As both detectives entered Keegan's office, they passed a bunch of Esther's things, which were stacked in large, white evidence boxes on a nearby table across from Keegan's desk. Tagged bags of her personal items stuck out of them; the corner of her bible, the sleeve of her blue dress, some of the corners of her paintings.

"That stuff gives me the creeps," Goodwin said as she sat down.

"Yeah, I think it's putting everyone on edge," Keegan said as he sat down at his desk, "This whole situation gives me the creeps." Keegan's then phone went off and he picked it up.

"Keegan," he said.

"Hey Keegan, a doctor from the Saarne Institute is trying to reach you," said Heather, their dispatch, "Line 1. It's a… Dr. Varava?"

"Thank you, Heather," Keegan said, pressing the Line 1 key and putting it on speaker, "Hello, Detective Tim Keegan here."

"Hello detective, it's Dr. Varava from the Saarne Institute calling," said an older man's voice on the other line with a thick Eastern European accent, "I'm dreadfully sorry about the delay in response. Bad weather interfered with our communications, I'm afraid. It's been snowing like crazy here and we only just got them back up and running."

"Dr. Varava, it's good to hear from you," Keegan said, as he and Goodwin glanced at one another, "I'm joined here by Det. Goodwin, as we're the ones working the case on a former patient of yours. A, Leena Klammer?"

"Ahh yes, Leena Klammer," said the voice, "She escaped from here a few years back. Since then, we've sadly lost track of her over time."

"Yes, she terrorized a local family here in Hamden," Keegan said, "After they mistakenly adopted her, thinking she was a 9-year-old orphan girl. She murdered the father and nearly claimed the rest of them. Unfortunately, she managed to escape before we could apprehend her."

"So, it really was Leena that Katherine Coleman had been calling us about?" said Dr. Varava, who paused for a few moments to process what he'd been told. He then spoke once more. "I'm sorry to hear that she claimed someone else. I was hoping to help prevent that in time. What can I do to be of assistance to you, detective?"

"We'll probably need a copy of her file to know exactly what we're up against," Keegan explained, "Anything and everything you've got on her. We want to prevent this from happening again to another unsuspecting family."

"Yes, of course, detective," Dr. Varava said, "I can send a copy right away. But I don't think Leena will try to be adopted again, especially after her story gets out."

"What do mean, doctor?" Keegan asked, his voice showing a hint of alarm.

"She's an exceptionally adaptive con-artist," Dr. Varava said, before adding, "She's very intelligent and manipulative. Once her story gets out, she'll most definitely drop the orphan-act and take on a brand-new identity. She's done so before and gone by many aliases during her time in Estonia. She might've already altered her appearance to fly under the radar; dyed her hair, bought different colored eye contacts. She might even try to change her accent."

"Shit," Goodwin softly cursed. Keegan gave her a startled glance and a momentary silence from all 3 followed. Dr. Varava then spoke up once more.

"Don't worry, Detective Goodwin," Dr. Varava said in a reassuring voice, "She may be very smart and highly skilled at disappearing for short spurts, but she was never one for having the best patience or anger management, which is why she spent a lot of her time in a straight-jacket. She's bound to slip up sooner or later, and when she does, you'll find her."

"It's that anger and impatience of hers that frightens me, doctor," Goodwin said, "I don't want her to claim anyone else."

"Well, I'll do whatever I can on my end to make sure that we find her before she does," Dr. Varava said even more reassuringly, "Anything you need in your investigation and apprehension of her, I'm here to help."

"Thank you, doctor," Keegan said, his and Goodwin's minds now more at ease.

Townhall

Noon…

Capt. Thomas stood at a hastily placed podium on townhall's front steps, where he overlooked the large crowd of reporters, journalists, and curious townsfolk. Detectives Keegan and Goodwin stood close by with a few other unformed police, stationed at either side of the podium, also facing the crowd. The press conference was already heavily underway.

"Yes, it's been confirmed that the body of Esther Coleman wasn't found in the frozen pond behind the Coleman residence," Capt. Thomas was saying, "There is also solid evidence that she killed again that same night, and is still at large."

The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, but Capt. Thomas held up his hand, gesturing for silence. When the murmuring died down, he continued.

"While her whereabouts are currently unknown at this time, we're working with State Police to be on the lookout for her," Capt. Thomas continued. He then held up an enlarged photo of Esther, originally taken by the Colemans. "This is our suspect," Capt. Thomas continued, "Her real name is Leena Klammer. She's 33 and originally from Estonia."

Capt. Thomas then held up a photo of Leena Klammer, taken during her incarceration at Saarne. Audible gasps could be heard from the crowd, as they all stared back at the woman with the deranged expression on her face, glaring back at them from the photo.

"This is Leena's actual appearance," Capt. Thomas continued, "She may look different now, as the staff at Saarne said that she's an exceptional con-artist, able to blend in and disappear with ease. But we're asking the public to please be extra vigilant and report any and all suspected sightings of her to your local police, who are all working closely with us on this matter. She is considered armed and extremely dangerous. The sooner we get her into custody, the better."

Det. Keegan's eyes lowered as he began to think about the Coleman family, and what they've all been through. This news must've been an absolute gut-punch to them while they were in enough pain. He sighed and closed his eyes for a few moments.

'Christ, I'm sorry that Mrs. Coleman and her kids have to find out this way that Leena is still out there,' Keegan thought to himself, 'Especially after I promised her young daughter that Leena was gone. But I will make it up to them by finding this rabid little bitch.'

He then opened his eyes and then glanced over at Goodwin, who caught his gaze. She gave him a look that let him know that she was thinking about the exact same thing. He silently said a prayer for the Coleman family in his mind, before returning to staring the crowd. The flurry of questions from the press all blurred together for him, as he was mentally miles away.

New Haven Hospital

Daniel's Room

The Coleman family all stared in stunned silence at the TV screen, showing the press conference going on at that very moment. Daniel and Max glanced at one another; horrified expressions frozen on their faces. Barbara glanced over at Kate, from whom the color seemed to drain completely from. Kate's jaw worked, as if she were trying to formulate words, but nothing came out. She clutched her chest as she heaved through her nostrils in a mix of shock, disgust, and horror. A shaky hand covered Barbara's mouth.

"Oh no," Kate quietly breathed, "Oh my God, no."

Esther's taunting words from her nightmare the night before now echoed in her mind. "Yes, we're family, Kate," Esther had said, "And we'll always be family. Y'know, it's times like this that I remember my birth father's words that he always used to say to me. Never turn your back on family. And I never will."

Kate's eyes closed for a few moments as she continued to whisper incoherently to herself. Her eyes then opened as she looked over at her kids. Daniel and Max were staring back at her with that same expression she now wore on their own faces.

While they thought their nightmare with Esther was over, deep down they all shared that same dreadful feeling that it hadn't even begun.