Guarding Light (10 page)

   "I'd say more like factor ten." Catlyn smirked.

   Jack laughed. "You're right. But, then, I kissed you and I totally forgot why we were even in that position. I only knew I wanted you."

   Catlyn watched him beneath her eyelashes. Jack held his breath waiting for her response. "Apology accepted Chief Gard. Let's forget it."

   Jack had one more thing on his mind. He gently touched her hand. "Catlyn, I am truly sorry if anything I did caused you pain or brought up bad memories. I'd cut off my hand before wanting to expose you to that or I'd want to die if anything I did reminded you of that day. God, I am so, so sorry."

   Seeing his distress and his agitation in wanting to convey his contrition made Catlyn want to console him, his throat muscles moved as he nervously swallowed, awaiting her next words.

   "I-it's ok. Nothing you did resembled my attack in '88. I wouldn't ever confuse you with my attacker."

   "Are, you sure? 'Cause I can get someone else to work with you…."

   Annoyed Catlyn cut him off. "Chief Gard, you were there on that table with me. I kissed you back, my nipple responded to you."

   "But, did I scare you or bring back…"

   Again she interrupted him. "Stop! It was mutual ok. If I wanted you off me sooner I would have taken the actions needed to get you off me as I did." She stood and paced across to the whiteboard. "Now I'd like to change the subject. Other than showing you my wet panties I don't know what else I can do to prove I was not reminded of my attack and ease your mind."

   Jack almost choked when she mentioned her panties. He looked at her standing there with her hands on her hips looking impatient and very much in control. She wasn't hurt emotionally or physically by their encounter. Jack was very happy.

   Teasingly he asked, "Wet panties, huh?"

   "Jack!" She warned with flashing brown eyes.

   Satisfied she had used his first name, he laughingly said. "Ok, ok, bringing it down to warp factor one."

   "Thank you. Now before we-"

   Jack stopped her. "Sorry, just one more thing," his tone serious as their gazes locked.

   "What is it?" She asked with stretched patience.

   "Catlyn, you are within your rights to report me for my behavior, get an official reprimand on my record. Would you like the paperwork for that so it can be logged?"

   Surprise flashed across her pretty face. Then she seemed to consider for several moments. Jack waited on tenterhooks. Then she shrugged. "I don't believe that will be necessary, Chief Gard."

   Their eyes remained locked for long seconds, each probing the others, standing he went to her, holding out his hand he whispered, "Thank you."

   Catlyn stared at his hand for several seconds before placing hers in his to be engulfed by his warmth. Slowly they shook hands and then Jack smiled and she returned it with one of her own.

   Releasing her hand Jack went to unlock the door.

   Tasha and Agent Sanchez walked in.

   "Well, the furniture is still in place, so I guess it's alright if we come in now?" Tasha teasingly took in her boss and her old friend.

   "Yes please come in and let's get started." Jack motioned to chairs around the table.

   When everyone was seated, Catlyn gave Tasha a look. "Do you always sit in meetings regarding murder cases?"

   "Oh, no you didn't, wench." Tasha stood putting a hand on her hip. "You did not just put your hoity toity nose in the air at me?"

   "Better in the air than in other people's business." Catlyn shot back.

   "Why you…" Tasha started, but Jack quickly intervened. "Tasha, enough."

   He turned to Catlyn. "Tasha takes all our notes and creates all our files. In fact she is the one who organized all the reports regarding this case into a cohesive packet both the hard copies here and the virtual one she sent to your tablets."

   At Jack's defense Tasha sat down and gave Catlyn a takethat-bitch look.

   "Fine, whatever." Catlyn took her tablet from Sanchez, ignoring the questioning look he gave her. "Shall we start with the victimology?"

Chapter 5

   The hodge-podge team worked well together. They worked into the afternoon, gathering pertinent facts as well as eliminating useless ones. The victims ranged in age twentytwo through thirty. All had decent jobs, no kids, lived alone, were well liked and had no known enemies. Other than their addresses being in a high-crime area, the women didn't fall into the high-risk category. None had been in any high-risk activities. No drugs, no prostitution, no gambling and no gang affiliations.

   It didn't make sense. How was this guy choosing his victims? These women had been model citizens, paid their bills, taxes and were generally known as a good neighbor. What was the draw?

   Catlyn stretched her back, reaching her arms above her head. "Well, I am getting hungry. I say let's break for something to eat." Looking at her watch added. "It could be considered a late lunch or an early dinner."

   Sanchez was gathering up the M.E. reports, putting them in neat piles. "How about we order in and continue?"

   "Now ya talking my language, Sanchez!" Tasha winked.

   Sanchez flashed his Colgate bright white smile. "Really now, how does spicy tuna and steamed vegetable rice sound to you?"

   "Boy that sounds like heaven! You married Jose?" Tasha laughed.

   Sanchez laughed, shaking his head in the negative. "No I am not. You ever have a Latino, Tasha? We're pretty hot stuff, hard to keep up with?"

   "Ooookay, now, scared of you my Latino brother." Tasha laughed, clapping her hands.

   Catlyn rolled her eyes. "Really, should we give you guys the room?"

   Tasha cut her eyes quickly to Catlyn, shooting back, "Why, you and the chief done wit' it?"

   Catlyn's eyes narrowed to angry slits. Before she could respond Jack put up a hand. "Truce, ladies, let's order some food, my treat."

   Jack took out his wallet, handing Tasha a black credit card, he said, "Get a mix of items and make sure you get Agent Sanchez's spicy tuna."

   "The Red Dragon ok?" Tasha asked as she rose and headed for the door. At Jacks affirmative nod she smiled at Catlyn. "Kitty Cat, you want anything specific, I mean besides my boss?"

   "Latasha!" Jack growled.

   "Ok, ok." And then she was gone.

   Forty minutes later they were all seated around the table with their plates. It was a pleasant atmosphere.

   "So Cat, has your hometown changed much?" Sanchez asked between bites of his spicy tuna.

   After swallowing some water Catlyn answered. "Yes! So many places have changed. Up on 17k all that area that use to be small patches of grass or sections of woods now have businesses on them. TGIF, Barnes & Noble, Chilies, Pier 1, Lowes, a few of the hotels, the Gateway, none of that was here when I was last home. And the waterfront didn't have anything down there but an abandoned factory. Now it is a variable tourist stop."

   "Girl, that ain't the half of it, you should see where you used to live. Some rich guy bought up the whole block and it's beautiful, looks really out of place with the surrounding buildings but because of this one guy others are making an effort to keep up the maintenance on their buildings and land, sorta like a ghetto 'keeping up with the Jones'."

   Nodding Catlyn added, "I also notice the new extended entrance and exit ramps to I84 and the new exchange for the NYS thruway, I87 and the new exit for Stewart International Airport. I remember when that all use to be woods and the only thing there was Stewart Air Force Base and Barracks."

   "Yea, we're a regular buzzing metropolis now. And, oh, you should see NFC, that place has gotten huge the main campus- OUCH!" Tasha abruptly stopped talking and cut her eyes to Jack.

   "That hurt! What the hell was that for?"

   Simultaneously Jack and Sanchez spoke.

   "Catlyn doesn't care about NFC!" Jack gave Tasha a meaningful look.

   "What's NFC?" Sanchez wanted to know.

   Tasha looked horrified. "OhEmGee! Catlyn, I'm sorry I wasn't tryin' to score points or anything. I swear. I just wasn't thinking." Tasha looked miserable as she put her chopsticks on her plate.

   Silence reigned after Tasha's last words. Sanchez looked from Catlyn to Jack to Tasha and back again. "What? What's NFC?"

   Beseechingly Tasha looked at Catlyn, "I'm sorry. I swear I wasn't tryin' anything."

   Catlyn had stopped eating, losing her appetite after hearing her al mater mentioned. "It's ok." She assured Tasha, looking at Sanchez she said. "NFC is Newburgh Free Campus, my old high school."

   Confused Sanchez frowned. "And, we hate your old high school, why?"

   Catlyn's throat worked nervously as she fought to keep her emotions under control.

   "Hey, man, who doesn't hate their high school." Jack cut in, standing he gathered some of the food to put it away. "How about we clear this and get back to work?"

   The mess was cleared quickly with all of them working together. Soon they were back at the table.

   Jack stared at the whiteboard. "This asshole is smart. The forensic counter-measures he uses is gloves, dumping the body leaving us without a primary crime scene, even the murder weapon is so common it can be picked up at any local sporting goods store, Wal Mart even has it, simple hunting knife. And, I can't figure out how this guy picks these girls out of all the girls he can pick from." Jack stood. Going to the board, he tapped the first picture. "Our first victim Ashley Ford was a teller in Keys Bank and was taking accounting courses at SUNY's Newburgh Campus at Kaplan Hall." Then he tapped the next four pictures. "Becky Lions, Carrie Stint, Deanna Manelli and Ebeth Troy, although having similar backgrounds didn't know each other and their paths didn't cross. Besides the teller we have a, Target frontline manger, cosmetic counter girl at the Bonton, a Destines Movie Theater manager and a kindergarten teacher at Rainbow on the Hudson."

   Sanchez stood too and began to pace. "But we have determined that each woman visited an establishment on the Newburgh waterfront regularly and within a week of their murders."

   Jack nodded. "So he is coming in contact with them at the waterfront. But, what makes these girls
the one
. I mean, come on, do you know how many women are down there at any given time and how many of them are black? What was it about these women said 'come kill me'?"

   Catlyn stood and joined her partner in pacing. "Well, they are all black, young."

   Sanchez added. "Pretty, and although different grades of pay, they were all professionals to some degree."

   Jack nodded, considering. "Yes, but they aren't just pretty. They're exceptionally so." He stared at their pictures. "Any one of these women could have been a model."

   "Hmm, that could be why team one hasn't had any luck." Sanchez said to Catlyn.

   Catlyn paused giving him a thoughtful look. "Could be."

   Jack looked at the agents and questioned, "What's this now?"

   The agents held a non-verbal conversation, ending with Catlyn giving an approving nod. Sanchez turned to Jack. "Chief Gard, although you didn't request the FBI's assistance on this case until just recently, we've had a team assigned to Newburgh. They've been undercover here for about two months."

   "What?!"

   "Now before you get all riled up let me assure you…"

   "Are you fucking kidding me?" Jack advanced on Sanchez. "You've had a team of two or more women here in my jurisdiction without telling me? What if the killer had gotten one of them? I would have had no idea!" Jack looked at Catlyn. "You went along with this idiocy?"

   Catlyn understood his being upset. She would have been too if someone had totally ignored and undermine her authority. "Jack, please, we were going to tell you."

   "Yeah, when? When one of your agents ended up on a slab in the morgue?"

   Catlyn placed a hand on his arm, trying to ease his anger. "Please it's…"

   Jack stepped back from her touch and went to the table, grabbing a pen and paper. "I want their names and location right now."

   Sighing Catlyn answered. "Special Agent Sharonda Washington and Probationary Agent Jabaria James they are posing as roommates in an apartment located in the Flats on the corner of Liberty and Benkard."

   Jack swore lavishly. "Are you telling me you have a young, black pro-bee out there in my city dangling as bait for a serial killer?"

   "Yes. And she has been there for two months." Sanchez said.

   Ignoring Sanchez Jack barked out. "Write down their descriptions, any distinguishing marks." Catlyn took the pad, pen and quickly complied.

   Jack took the pad to the phone, dialed. "Hello, yeah, Anderson, I need you and Rider to drop what you're doing and get over to the Flats, Liberty and Benkard. Find the two female FBI agents and keep an eye on them. Don't interfere, but keep your eyes on them and don't let them out of your sight." He closed the call with the two agents' names, descriptions and exact address.

   Jack looked at Catlyn with a considering pause. "If you've been involved for two months, why didn't you just send these agents over to conference with me after I called?"

   Again the agents did that silent communication bit, Catlyn spoke. "We wanted to make sure their cover remained intact. And, we decided to put me in the mix. I could blend. I wouldn't be seen as new but as a returning local."

   "You have an angle?"

   "Yes, I've already rented an apartment not too far from the other agents and I will be waitressing at the bar and grill on the waterfront."

   "You already knew the women were being targeted on the waterfront?"

   Catlyn nodded. "Like you said, the victims' lives didn't intersect anywhere. The only common denominator is the Newburgh waterfront."

   Tasha who until now had remained deep in the files looked up. "I think I found something, another common denominator."