Disclaimer: Standard
Warning—Getting very dark
My knowledge of Cornell University and Ithaca, New York comes from brief views of Wikipedia articles. My apologies for anything I got wrong.
Chapter Three
Bobby recovered quickly from his initial shock. "I need a CSU team right away," he said calmly. "Eames…"
Alex recovered immediately after Bobby. "I'll get Ross."
There were many other photos in the package, many with far more horrifying images of the young woman being brutalized and tortured by a young white man who kept his face hidden. The last of the photos showed the young woman's body lying on a pile of stones.
Alex looked closely at the last picture. "I…I recognize that place…It…It's where Jo Gage dumped…"
Bobby placed his hand on her arms and gently squeezed. He did it quickly and subtly so that no one noticed. "Do…Do you smell it?" He waved his hand over the box and its contents.
"That scent…" Alex said.
"Sebastian," Bobby said.
Ross sniffed the air. "You're both sure…Of course, you're sure," Ross said. "Go check to see if the body is where you think it is. We'll work on trying to trace the victim and the package. I guess we all think Mr. Mark Caldwell is the man who wants our attention?"
Bobby and Alex nodded.
"We'll work on seeing if we can find him," Ross said. "Detectives…"
Alex and Bobby turned back to their Captain.
"Are you both all right? I trust your skills…There's no other team I'd want…but…"
"I'm good, Captain," Alex declared.
Bobby nodded.
"This is not your fault, Goren," Ross said.
"Yes, Sir," Bobby said, but his response failed to convince Alex and Ross that Bobby believed this.
"The Captain's right, you know," Alex said after several long silent minutes in the SUV.
"I know," Bobby said flatly. "Are you sure you're ok?"
"I'm not happy about this," Alex said. "But I'm more than functioning, and I want to catch this creep." She glanced at Bobby. "You'll let me know if you think I'm in trouble."
Bobby looked at her. "Yes…and you'll do the same for me."
They saw the police cars and their lights as they neared the scene.
"Looks like we were right," Bobby said.
"Sometime, I hate being right," Alex said.
She parked the SUV. As they unbuckled their seatbelts, Bobby gently touched her arm Alex felt the warmth of his touch through his glove and her coat, and it strengthened her. They walked to the grim scene where the young woman's body lay in the same place and position of Jo Gage's victim. Alex involuntarily took a deep breath and felt Bobby's hand brush her back.
"She's posed exactly like Sebastian's victims," Bobby said softly. He knelt by the body, leaned forward, and sniffed the young woman's hair. He looked up sadly at Alex.
"Sebastian's returned? Or another copycat?" Alex asked.
"It's been nearly a decade since Sebastian's last confirmed killing," Bobby said. He blotted out the chaos of the CSU techs and cops around him. He examined the body and the ground around it. "After all that time…" He spoke softly, almost as if he thought out loud. "It's unlikely it's Sebastian…It could be…But more likely a copycat…" Bobby cocked his head and studied the body. "Or a protégé…or student…"
"Great…A student of a master serial killer," Alex muttered. "Why do you think it might be a follower?" She squatted next to Bobby.
"It…It's the way the body was positioned…There're signs it was moved and…That it was repositioned…And…here…" Bobby pointed at some of the rocks and stones. "Those were set up…Like…Like a stand…And this…" He gestured at several torn notebook pages. "These look like instructions…"
"Get those," Alex said to a CSU tech.
"The killer…May have been following instructions carefully…But then to leave bits of them…" Bobby stood. "But the killer…knows details about Sebastian's crimes…Details that weren't released to the public."
"He'd have to know Sebastian…Or someone who worked on the case…" Alex said.
Bobby nodded.
Ross met them when they returned to Major Case to wait for the CSU and autopsy results. "We may have an ID on the victim," he said. "Marian Brewster. She actually is a student in the Psychology Masters Program at Cornell. She disappeared about a week ago driving back to Ithaca from her parents' home on Long Island."
"Did she work in the Psych Department's office?" Bobby asked as he hung up his coat. "A long shot," he shrugged as Ross and Alex gave him curious looks.
"Well, it's a good one," Ross said. "She worked part time there."
"She'd have access to the Department's stationary…If she knew the killer…If he was this Mark Caldwell…" Bobby again spoke his thoughts.
"A lot of "ifs"," Alex said.
Bobby immediately acknowledged her. "Yea…"
"We're already in touch with Cornell," Ross said. "And with the Brewster family. And we've contacted the FBI…"
Bobby looked apologetically at Ross and Alex. "The FBI won't be happy about this…Especially after they learn about my connections with Gage…"
"I'm dealing with the Bureau," Ross said. "I have a couple of friends in the New York Office…"
Alex spent the rest of the day dealing with the IT department in attempting to track Mark Caldwell's electronic trail. Bobby tracked down as many details as he could about the Sebastian case. Late in the afternoon, the M.E.'s office called, and Bobby and Alex headed to the morgue.
"The tech guys are making Caldwell highest priority," Alex reported. "They're making optimistic sounds about tracing him."
Bobby smiled wanly. "The Tech Guys never want to admit the possibility of defeat…" He leaned back against the elevator wall.
"Ross is right, you know," Alex said gently. "You're not responsible for this girl's death."
Bobby concentrated on the elevator's flashing numbers. "I know…But…"
The doors opened, and Alex and Bobby stepped out.
"He escalated so quickly…I…I didn't expect anything like this from him…I think he must be working with…Motivated by…Someone else…"
Alex entered the autopsy room first. As he had since his explosion of several months earlier, Bobby scuttled in the room behind Alex as if he were apologizing for his existence.
"Thank you for getting this done so quickly," Alex said.
M.E. Rodgers shrugged. "Not a problem. I understand we might have a copy cat serial killer…Anything I can do to help…"
She pulled the sheet back from the body. There were so many slashes and cuts on it that it was difficult to make out the autopsy's surgical cuts.
"We ran the dental records and checked out a student ID. It's definitely Marian Brewster. Lots of damage to her body…Lots of things done to hurt her…The immediate cause of death was blood loss…Not from any one cut or blow, but from a combination of several and the internal bleeding from the beatings…"
Bobby moved carefully closer to the body. "These incisions…" He pointed to several particularly deep cuts. "They look surgical…"
"They are," Rodgers said. "Her spleen was removed…And her appendix…and a kidney…all while she was still alive…"
Alex shivered involuntarily, and Bobby's fist flew to his mouth.
"She might not have felt it," Rodgers said. "I found codeine, oxycontin, morphine, heroin, and some amphetamines in her system."
"She was tortured…and given painkillers?" Alex said. "That doesn't make any sense."
"It does if the purpose was to keep her alive as long as possible," Bobby said grimly. "To torture her…Give her the drugs…Then torture her again…"
"Poor kid," Alex said.
"She was also sexually assaulted," Rodgers said wearily. "Every way possible. And by objects. She was severely restrained by ropes and handcuffs. The truth is, she was tortured to death."
"Thank you," Bobby said after a long moment. "If you could get us the report…"
"As soon as I can," Rodgers said. "And, Detectives…"
Alex and Bobby stopped at the door.
"Please…Get this guy…" Rodgers' voice shook.
"Takes a lot to spook Rodgers," Alex said as they rode in the elevator. "Truth is, I'm spooked."
"Truth is, I am too," Bobby said. He shook his head. "It's like Sebastian…And it isn't…"
The elevator doors opened, and they walked into Major Case.
"Sebastian didn't remove any organs," Bobby said. "He sexually abused his victims, but not with objects."
"Maybe the student is trying to out do the teacher," Alex said as they reached their desks.
Ross approached them. "Rodgers gave me a quick recap of the autopsy. I'd like to speak with both of you in my office."
Bobby and Alex gave each other an uneasy look as they followed the Captain.
"You're not in trouble," Ross said as he shut his office door. "You're my two best detectives…Like I said, I wouldn't want any others leading this case…But…"
"Raise your hand if you didn't expect that "But"," Alex said.
Ross smiled sadly. "You don't have to stay on this case. Either one of you. I know it cuts close."
"Do you think we can't handle it?" Bobby asked calmly.
"I didn't say or suggest that," Ross replied with equal calm. "But you've both been through a lot. I don't want you to go through any more than you have to."
Alex sat quietly, but thoughts raced through her mind. Part of her rebelled against the idea there was anything she couldn't deal with. And another part wanted to run from the pain she saw looming for Bobby and her.
"We're facing a two edged sword," Bobby said. "Our…Our experiences give us some insights. But they also make us vulnerable. And the fact that our suspect seems to regard this as some kind of personal duel…" Bobby shrugged. "The same."
"I'm with my partner," Alex said. "If he wants to drop this…"
"Oh," Bobby said dryly. "It's up to me, is it? I thought you were the senior partner…"
"As if anyone, including us, ever notices that," Alex said.
Bobby turned back to Ross. "You'll let us know if you think we're in trouble?"
"I will," Ross said. "There's too much at stake for me not to."
"All right," Bobby said. He stood. "I want to get this guy…"
"I'd like you both to go to Ithaca right away and talk to the people at Cornell," Ross said. "They're expecting you tomorrow. And I expect you'll want to speak to the Brewsters."
Bobby and Alex couldn't keep from wincing.
"I know," Ross said gently. "They seem to be good people. I called them when we definitely know it was their daughter."
"I don't envy you that," Bobby said softly.
"There's a flight this evening from LaGuardia to Ithaca. The locals know you're coming," Ross said. "You can talk to the people there tomorrow and perhaps the Brewsters tomorrow evening."
Bobby deferred to Alex, who shrugged. "I can not sleep on a plane as well as I can not sleep in the crib or in my bed."
"We've both learned to keep at least a change of clothes and a toothbrush here," Bobby said. "So I think we're ready to go."
"Listen…" Ross leaned forward in his chair. "No one expects you to solve this in a few hours…or days…You've got a solid suspect and leads…Don't add to the pressure…"
Several minutes later, Alex and Bobby were in the back of a cab headed to LaGuardia.
"I hate LaGuardia," Bobby muttered. "It's one of the outer circles of hell. And it's late in the day, so all the flights will be late."
"Yea," Alex said wearily. "We'll probably spend more time in the airport than in the air. I suppose it's better than driving to Ithaca."
"Several hours jammed in a car versus a couple in a plane…Not much of a choice," Bobby said.
"Maybe we'll get lucky and no one will want to fly to Ithaca tonight," Alex said. "And the plane won't be packed."
They broke even. Their flight was an hour late taking off, but only about half full.
"I guess no one wants to go to Ithaca," Alex said.
"They don't in the middle of the week in the middle of winter," the attendant said cheerfully. "So you can spread out after we take off."
Neither Alex nor Bobby was a good flyer. Alex hated to give up control—she was the driver in their partnership—and Bobby hated to be confined in anything. Neither could sleep well on a plane unless they were heavily medicated. The short flight ruled out both pills and alcohol, so they spread out the case files on the empty seat between them and tried to work.
"I…I may have to speak to Dec," Bobby said as he examined a photo.
Alex stared at him. "Bobby…You can't…And you said…His mind is going…What could he do?"
"He…He has moments of clarity…He knows Sebastian better than anyone, even if he made mistakes…"
"He blew the case," Alex said angrily. She calmed at Bobby's hurt expression. "Maybe we'll get luck and someone at the FBI will…"
"It's just," Bobby said. "The Sebastian case didn't just ruin Dec. It ruined anyone who had anything to do with the case. The Bureau reassigned the agents working on it. I'm not sure if anyone who knows about the case is still around."
"They threw the baby out with the bathwater," Alex commented.
"Yea," Bobby said. "I…I was out of Dec's circle…Had been for a long time…When it happened. But I know my association with Dec blighted my reputation at the Bureau for a long time…Maybe still…"
"Great…" Alex muttered. "Politics…"
"We're getting ready to land," Bobby said. He gathered up the files and photos. "I hope we can get to the hotel quickly. You hungry?"
"Yea…But I can't tell if I'm more tired or hungry." Alex yawned. "I hope someone is waiting for us at the airport. I hate getting around new places when I'm tired."
Bobby stood and pulled their bags from the overhead compartment. "Well, at least we won't have to wait for our baggage."
As they entered the terminal, Bobby and Alex saw two young women, one wearing a police uniform, waiting for them. The civilian, a red-eyed twenty-something, identified herself as a Psychology Department secretary and a friend of Marian Brewster.
"You…You're sure it's her?" she asked as the policewoman looked on.
"Yes," Alex said.
"She…She was a good person…She was very kind…She hoped she could work with emotionally troubled kids…Foster kids…"
"Did she have a boyfriend?" Bobby asked.
"Well, there was this guy who really wanted to be her boyfriend…He hung around a lot…Marian worked part time in the office…And this guy would come by…He didn't seem scary or anything…He was nice. Marian said he getting ready to apply for grad school."
"Do you know his name?" Bobby asked, trying not to show his excitement.
"Mark…Collins…Caldwell…That's it…Caldwell…" The young woman looked shocked. "You…You don't think…"
"It's still very early in our investigation," Alex said. "That's why we need to talk to everyone we can who knew Marian."
The young secretary provided Alex and Bobby with names and directions to the Psychology Department. The young policewoman drove them to the Cornell Student Union, where two rooms waited for them.
"We thought you'd want to stay here so you could get right to work tomorrow," the officer said. "And the Ithaca and University police can meet with you here." She frowned. "I'm afraid this case doesn't show anyone at their best…Her family didn't report her missing for several days…He roommates thought she was taking a few days off…There was some fumbling among us and the city and the state once she was reported missing…"
"Yea, we know about that sort of thing," Alex said.
"We finally got our acts together…I do have copies of all of our files for you…"
"Thank you," Bobby said. "Is there some place where we could get a bite to eat?"
"I wouldn't chance the food at the Union or that there'll be room service this late," the cop said. "But I know a good sandwich place on our way."
The young cop dropped them at the Union, and Alex and Bobby checked into their rooms. Alex's hunger won out over her exhaustion, and she ravenously attacked her sandwich.
"Hey," she said when she realized after a few moments that Bobby wasn't eating. "You need to eat. You barely had anything today."
Bobby roused from a study of the new files. "Uh…Yea…" He stared at his sandwich. "I'm like you, Eames…I don't know if I'm too tired to eat or too hungry to sleep…
"That probably means you're too tired and hungry to work," Alex said. She smiled. "My youngest brother…You could feed him when he was asleep…Really," she said in response to Bobby's skeptical look. "Just drop food in his mouth and he'd chew."
"He didn't choke?" Bobby reached for his sandwich.
"Nope…Never…" Alex laughed. "My Mom said his metabolism was so high that he had to eat while he was asleep or he'd starve." She yawned and stretched. "Listen…I'm getting a shower…"
"I guess this is your room, then," Bobby said. "Do you want me to go?"
"No…Stay…Eat… And try not to think about the case." She pulled several things from her bag and headed into the bathroom.
Bobby rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. "If I could only stop thinking about the case," he thought. He finished his sandwich before Alex emerged in a cloud of steam from the bathroom. She was dressed in a huge T-shirt and flannel pajama pants covered in dogs. Bobby couldn't repress a smile.
"Do not laugh at my dogs," Alex warned him. "Good…" She flopped on the bed. "You ate."
"Yea," Bobby said. "But I'm afraid I did think about the case."
"I expected that." Alex pushed the pillows behind her. "What do the reports say about Marian's disappearance?"
"I'm not sure it would have made any difference, but the officer was right. There were glitches in communication…Nothing anyone did deliberately or anyone not doing their jobs…I wonder…" Bobby stared at the files. "If Caldwell…or whoever did this…knew something about police and their communication problems…" Bobby turned to Alex.
She lay back against the pillows with her eyes shut and mouth slightly open. Bobby felt a stab of guilt. He gathered the files as quietly as he could. He moved to the bed and lifted Alex's legs as carefully and gently as he could so that he could pull the covers over her. She stirred slightly as his hands brushed against her legs, but remained deeply asleep. He tenderly lifted the covers up and around her. He set the alarm and turned off all of the lights except for the lamp sitting on the table. He sat in the large, overstuffed chair across from the bed.
"Just a moment," he thought. "Just to make sure she's asleep and ok…"
As he watched her, his breathes joined hers, his eyes drooped shut, and he fell asleep.
END CHAPTER THREE