Lullabies & Dead Bodies, page 19
“Shame on you, Lance,” Zoe wagged a finger at him. “Sidney is my new assistant director here at Hope House, so I’m glad you two have met.”
“Assistant director? That’s very impressive. Now I doubly apologize. Please, forgive me.”
He looked at Sidney as though he were a child who’d just been given permission to eat all the candy.
“Sidney, Lance here is an attending physician at the Cleveland Clinic, and as luck would have it, he also volunteers here. He’s on call for us whenever we take in a new resident, like we did last night. Speaking of which,” Zoe turned to Lance, “how is she?”
“Bruised and sore. Mostly cuts and abrasions to her face and her right side, but nothing’s broken. Her feet took the worst of it, I’m afraid. Some of the gashes on her soles look infected. I treated them and gave her an antibiotic. She seems determined to get away from her abuser though.”
Zoe turned to Sidney and sighed.
“Her name is Diane. She showed up on our doorstep last night in quite a state. Barefoot, filthy, with only the clothes on her back. Normally, we don’t take people off the street like a typical shelter. Our residents come from doctor or police referrals. But she was so pitiful I couldn’t turn her away. I told her it was just for the night depending on the results of her drug test. How’d that go?”
She looked at Lance again.
“No narcotics in her system. She’s clean. And pitiful is a good way to describe her. She’s like a frightened mouse.”
“Yes. She told me that after he beat her, he clobbered her with a wooden kitchen stool. Just picked it up and whacked her with it. When she was finally able to stand, she ran out of the house. He came after her, and she hid in a sewer drain for what felt like hours.”
“Jesus,” Sidney whispered, shaking her head. She’d endured her own share of horrors, but Damien had never driven her down into a sewer. Not that she would’ve hesitated to seek refuge in one if it meant getting away with her life intact.
“She says she has no idea how long she was really in there. When she finally climbed out, she ran here.”
A pall fell over the room, and Zoe put Sidney’s completed files away, and then motioned with a nod of her head. “Why don’t you come with me, Sidney. I’ll give you that tour now and then we’ll walk through duties and routines.”
“Sure.” Sidney stood and walked to the door.
“Lance. Thank you, as always.” Zoe smiled at him. “I appreciate your time.”
“It is always my pleasure. Let me know if you need anything else.” He turned his attention to Sidney. “It was also a pleasure meeting you Ms. Fairchild. I’m sure you’ll brighten up the place.”
Sidney smiled, but his overly solicitous gaze made her slightly uncomfortable.
“You can call me Sidney.”
A gentlemanly nod was his only response, and although Sidney didn’t turn around to check, she could feel his gaze on her as she and Zoe left the room.
“Hey, Lieu!”
Gavin Hayes stopped in the hallway just outside the door of the briefing room and turned to see Ike Taylor heading for him. The morning briefing had just ended, and his detectives were filing out of the room in a steady stream. Ike awkwardly drew his arms in close to his torso, and shot nervous glances at those trying to get by. Noting his obvious discomfort, Gavin stepped over to the side, molding his own large frame into the corner and giving Isaac a little more room to get away from the passers by.
“What’s up?”
Isaac glanced around with a grateful expression.
“Well, I have an update for you, sir, but I’m not sure if you want to do this in your office or not.”
Gavin shook his head.
“Not. I know I’m probably being overly cautious, but I think it’s warranted.”
He had his reasons for being careful, but right now wasn’t the time to explain.
“Well, I’m going over to the morgue to check in with Hiroshi on our victims. Want to meet me there?”
Gavin didn’t even need to think about that. The morgue was in a completely separate building, away from any prying ears.
“I’ll be there in five.”
Isaac nodded in agreement and then headed for the stairwell, and Gavin marched off toward his office. He was thinking about the possibility of his office being bugged and exactly what to do about it when he stepped through the door and found Gerri Miller standing over his desk.
His heart did a quick tuck-and-roll down into his stomach at the sight of her.
Things had been awkward between the two of them ever since she’d let it be known that she was attracted to him.
Him.
Her boss, who had a good sixteen years on her in the age department. Hell, at twenty-eight she was closer in age to his nineteen-year-old son than she was to him. But had he thought about any of that when he’d lost control in this very office and kissed her a few weeks ago? No, he hadn’t. He’d let things get out of hand, and then he abruptly pushed her away. And trying to avoid her tortured, longing gazes ever since had become a nightmare. Gavin took a deep breath and stepped into the office, purposely leaving the door wide open.
“Can I help you, Detective?”
Gerri jumped slightly and turned to look at him, clearly startled.
“Oh. I didn’t mean to…” Her words trailed off, and then she tried again. “Um. I mean, I didn’t think…”
She was flustered, and Gavin wondered why she was so nervous.
“I-I was just leaving something on your desk, sir.”
She moved toward the door with swift jerky strides, like she was eager to leave.
“What is it?” Gavin stepped over to the desk. Situated on top of other paperwork was a form he didn’t see often, and his stomach gave way to a crashing feeling. He picked up the paper and studied it.
“What the hell is this?” He looked her in the eyes as disappointment and disbelief began to slow dance in his mind.
Gerri’s hands fidgeted and her gaze bounced around the office.
“I think it’s self-explanatory, sir.”
“Oh, no. You’re requesting a transfer out of my division. I think I deserve a little more explanation here.”
He fought hard to keep his voice even, and he watched her as the slow dance became a raunchy tango.
“I’m a good homicide detective, sir. I’d like to continue to work homicide, but I…”
“I know you’re a good homicide detective, Miller!” He cut her off as he lost the battle to keep his voice from rising. “You’re one of my best. But requesting a transfer out of this division makes it sound like you have a problem with one of your colleagues, or with me.”
They stared at one another for what felt like the longest minute of his life. This was what he’d been trying to avoid by not getting romantically involved with her. And it was happening anyway.
“It’s not my intention to imply that, sir. I just…”
“Then don’t!”
The silence stretched between them, and Gavin had no doubt in his mind that this was all his fault. He never should have kissed her. He never should’ve allowed her to get under his skin.
“Gerri…”
His voice was much softer than it had been moments ago, and he wasn’t entirely sure if it was because he simply wanted to be gentle with her, or if it was because he was aware of the possible bug in his office. Either way, his tone was almost a whisper.
“Is this because of that kiss we shared a month ago?”
Gavin looked her in the eyes, and what he saw staring back at him tugged at something deep inside him — longing and sorrow and something else he couldn’t place. So much emotion he felt it like a fist to his gut.
“No, sir. It’s because I want things. Things you’ve made it clear I can’t have. So working here at this precinct has become… painful. Sir.”
If the look in her eyes had punched him in the gut, her words left him completely gutted.
Gerri turned and left the office without another word.
Gavin dropped the transfer request to his desk and mumbled, “Shit.”
Isaac left Hayes and went down two flights of stairs, and then through the breezeway that connected the CPD to the morgue. Once there, he poked around the offices, but found Hiroshi in the lab looking over the body of an older black man.
“Hey, Hiro. You gotta minute?”
Hiroshi shot a dismissive glance his way.
“You know I hate that nickname, Ike.”
“Sorry. Hiroshi. Got a minute?”
“S’up?” Hiroshi pushed his wire-rimmed glasses up on the bridge of his nose with the back of one finger. “This isn’t your case, is it?”
He gestured to the gentleman on the table in front of him.
“No. I’m here about the little girls.”
“What about them?”
Isaac sighed. “Well, I don’t know. I was wondering if you’d found anything connecting them.”
Hiroshi gave him a strange look.
“Connecting them? I’m not sure what you mean? Anything like what?”
“I don’t know, Hiroshi.” Isaac fought to keep the frustration out of his voice. “I am admittedly grasping at straws here, man. I know this guy rapes them before he strangles them, and I know it’s brutal. They’re tiny and helpless against him and fighting gets them nowhere. But one of them must have scratched this asshole, or bitten him, or something!”
He knew he’d lost the battle with keeping a lid on the frustration when he heard his voice rising. But there was no way to stop it.
“There has to be some DNA somewhere!”
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes against the hurt expression on Hiroshi’s face.
“I didn’t mean to yell at you. I’m sorry.”
“You know that I’ve been more than thorough, Isaac.”
“Yes, of course, I know that. You are excellent at your job, and I’m sorry.”
“There’s no DNA left behind on any of them.”
Isaac nodded.
“However…”
He perked up. “However? I like howevers. Howevers can be good.”
“I did find something surprising.”
Isaac latched on to the smallest glimmer of hope just as Lieutenant Hayes walked into the lab to join them.
“Something surprising? Okay. What was that?”
“The bodies are clean,” Hiroshi said. “Like really clean, with traces of soap left behind in certain areas.”
That information took a few extra seconds to process through Isaac’s brain, and he stared at Hiroshi blankly.
“Are you saying this freak bathes them after he kills them?”
“Not just bathes. Scrubs. He scrubs them clean. Especially their genitals and their hands.”
An electrical current zipped up Isaac’s spine and caused his scalp to tingle. This was new information of importance. He didn’t know how or why yet, but his gut told him it was significant.
“There was no mention of that with the original string of murders from seven years ago.”
Hiroshi shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t know what to tell you there. I wasn’t the M.E. back then.”
“So, either this is something brand new, or the old Medical Examiner just completely missed this.”
Isaac’s gaze drifted around the lab as he reasoned it out loud.
“Completely missed it or deliberately botched it.”
Gavin’s tone was matter-of-fact. Isaac and Hiroshi both looked at him.
“Do you know something, Lieu?”
“Not here.” Gavin shook his head and then looked at Hiroshi. “Dr. Sato, may we use your office for a moment?”
“Of course.”
Isaac moved to follow Gavin, but turned back to Hiroshi.
“Hey. About before…”
“We’re cool, Ike. I know this case has to be getting to you.”
Isaac nodded, but didn’t respond.
In Hiroshi’s office, Isaac closed the door behind himself.
“So what do you know about this, Lieu?”
“Conway Porter. The former M.E.”
“Yeah?”
“At the time of the original murders he was Jay Schiffer’s brother-in-law. Their wives are sisters.”
All the air left Isaac’s lungs.
“Holy shit,” he whispered, gaping at Hayes.
“I think Porter and his wife are divorced now, but back then they were a tight foursome.”
Isaac shook his head and paced around the small office.
“No, no, no. You do realize that you’re suggesting a conspiracy to shield a serial killer. Right?”
He looked at Gavin, who stared him in the eyes.
“I do.”
“A conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of this police department.”
“Now you know why I didn’t want to talk in my office.”
Isaac shook his head once more, still trying to wrap his mind around everything.
“Yeah, about that. You honestly think someone’s listening in?”
Gavin shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just being paranoid, but since we have a leak we can’t seem to pinpoint, I’m not willing to chance it. I’ve been thinking back on things, back to when the leak began. I remember being in my office and talking to Sgt. Natalie Bains about the Rivas-Solis case. If someone was listening, then they could’ve easily heard that we’d put Sidney Fairchild up at the safe house, and then sold that information to Rivas-Solis. I’m going to have John Barton quietly sweep my office for listening devices.”
“John Barton? Lieutenant over the IT department?”
“Yes.”
“Wow.” Isaac stared at him and then took a deep breath. “Okay. Well, why don’t we do any future updates outside the building until this thing is over?”
“Might not be a bad idea,” Gavin agreed. “You said earlier that you had an update to give me?”
“Yes.” Isaac sat down on the edge of Hiroshi’s desk and clasped his hands together. “I had a visit last night from Special Agent Emmett Fox.”
“Great. What’d he find?”
“Apparently, Jeffery Schiffer has spent the last seven years in a mental institution in Dubuque, Iowa under the name Eugene Talbot. He was committed by his parents, who claimed that he was a danger to himself and others. Jay Schiffer’s financials showed a steady payment to the institution beginning barely a month after the killings here stopped.”
Gavin folded his beefy arms across his chest. The man was built like a linebacker for the Cleveland Browns.
“So after you let it slip to Jay Schiffer that you were looking into his son for these murders, he spirited Jeffery out of state and hid him away in an institution under an alias?”
“Yep. Which explains why I could never find him.”
Isaac watched the look of total disbelief take over Hayes’ face.
“It gets worse too, Lieu.”
“How so?”
“According to Fox’s intel, Jeffery Schiffer was released about three months ago because he’s supposedly no longer a danger to others. But when Fox looked into it, he found two unsolved murders that bear a striking resemblance to the lullaby killings in the Dubuque area.”
“Let me guess.” An unamused grin slipped over Gavin’s lips. “The murders took place after Jeffery Schiffer was released, but before our new string of killings began.”
“Bingo.”
Gavin sighed and nodded, and then leaned back against the door.
“Emmett Fox is looking into getting a subpoena for Eugene Talbot’s records from the institution. He wants me to be ready to fly to Dubuque at a moments notice. I told him I’d have to run that past you first.”
Gavin seemed to think about it for only a second or two.
“Travel approved. But don’t let anyone on your team know the details of your trip.”
“Too late. Pete Vega was at my house last night when Fox showed up. But I made sure Pete knows the details of what went down last time and what’s at stake this time around. He knows not to clue in Miller or Dorn for now. I just figured bringing him in on this would be a whole lot easier than trying to keep things from him.”
Gavin seemed satisfied with that, and he nodded.
“All right.”
“How do you want to handle this new information that Hiroshi laid on us?”
Gavin shrugged a shoulder. “Like normal. We’re still working under the presumption that this might be a copycat, so treat this new information accordingly.”
Isaac nodded. “Okay. And Conway Porter. He still in the area?”
“Yeah. As far as I know.”
“I’ll grab Pete and we’ll go talk to him about the scrubbed bodies. I want to look him in the eyes when he responds.”
“Well, be careful, Ike. Keep your questions to a minimum and focused squarely on the condition of the bodies. Don’t stray into dangerous territory. We cannot risk him tipping off his ex-brother-in-law.”
“Don’t worry, Lieu. This case is far too important to me. I won’t mess it up again.”
16
Back at the station Isaac marched into the detectives pit and headed straight for Miller and Dorn’s desks where the two of them and Pete were hard at work.
“How’s it going over here?”
Gerri Miller sighed and held up the lullaby book Isaac had bought.
“I’ve been going through the lullabies themselves, Sarge. Specifically the ones that have been used so far in the staging of the bodies. I figured maybe there’s a clue in the actual lines of the poems themselves.”
Isaac nodded. “Not a bad thought. Having any luck?”
“Nothing so far.”
Isaac turned to Dorn. “What about you? Did your search for the paper coveralls ever turn up any leads we can follow up on?”
“Yes, actually. I found a place locally that had recently sold small bulk orders to three different individuals as opposed to businesses. I’m following up on them today.”
“Excellent. Keep me posted on that.”
