Irrefutable (10 page)

“Do you expect more rapes?” asked another.

“That is certainly a possibility. That’s why we are asking women not to jog alone.”

“Samantha Stone, Village Herald. We have heard that there is an investigation into a security breach at a local car dealership that involves financial information being stolen. Can you confirm this?”

Alex was not prepared to answer these questions. How did word of this get to the press? “It is my understanding that there has been a breach in the computer files, but that case is being investigated by the District Attorney’s office. I have no direct knowledge so I cannot comment.”

“Detective, what about the rumors that the two rape victims were among those on the list from the dealership?” Stone asked.

Alex was speechless. His pulse quickened as his mind scrambled, searching for the correct response. “We have no evidence to suggest a connection and no reason to believe the two cases are related at this time.” He lied.

“I’m sorry folks,” Lt Phelps said as he stepped beside Alex, “That will be all. Thank you”

Both men turned to walk away. The group of reporters was now like a school of sharks in a feeding frenzy. “So you deny a connection?” one reporter shouted over the others who were all asking similar questions. Alex and the Lieutenant escaped to the safety inside the building.

“What the fuck?” shouted Phelps. “How the hell did that get out?”

Alex had no answer. He was asking himself the same question.

The two men walked back to the violent crimes division. “I want everyone in the conference room now.” shouted Phelps. “Now!

Chapter Thirteen

Alex held the door as Rachel and two forensic technicians entered the dealership’s showroom. “I’ve talked to the general manager. He should have everyone assembled in the break room.” she told him.

“I hope they cooperate.” Alex still felt a twinge of anxiety, talking to her after the awkward dinner last night.

“So, the press conference didn’t go so well, huh”

“Where did you hear that?”

“I saw it on TV.”

“Great. So I wonder if anyone here has seen it.”

“It doesn’t matter. They’ll hear it from us anyway when we ask for samples.”

“True.” Alex said as he let out a sigh.

The two of them, along with the techs, were escorted to the break room by Raymond Greer. “Do you know what you will say?” Alex asked as they paused outside the door.

“What do you mean, what
I’m
gonna say?” She smiled, “I’m just here for moral support.”

Alex looked at her without expression.

“Relax, I’m teasing. This started as my investigation. They already know me, so I’ll talk to them.”

“You scared the crap out of me.” He replied.

Greer opened the door to the break room and motioned for them to proceed, then followed them inside.

“Okay, listen up people.” He said to the room. “You all remember Mrs. Summers, it is Mrs., right?”

“Ms,” said Rachel, “I’m not married.”

“Right, Ms. Summers. It seems there have been some new developments in the hacking case. She wanted the opportunity to speak with you all again.”

No one in the room spoke.

“Good afternoon.” Rachel said. There was still no response. “As I’m sure some of you have heard there have been two sexual assaults since I started this investigation.”

“What does that have to do with us?” a voice came from the back of the room.

“I’m getting to that. We are asking for your cooperation in helping us narrow the field of potential suspects. The reason we are here is both of the assault victims were on the list of files stolen in the security breach at this dealership. We are asking for your voluntary submission to DNA screening to eliminate, hopefully everyone here, as a suspect.” Rachel scanned the room, once again looking for any tell tale sign of guilt.

“Do you have a warrant?” It was a familiar voice.

“Why, Mr. Dupree, nice to see you again.” Rachel said. “In answer to your question, no, we don’t have a warrant. If need be, we could get one, but we are hoping for everyone’s cooperation. If there is nothing to hide, then there is nothing to fear.”

“So you think someone here is a rapist?” he asked looking around the room at the other employees.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. We just have to investigate any and all leads. We don’t suspect anyone here any more or less than we have reason to. By submitting to this screening, you can clear yourself and we’ll move on.” Rachel walked across the front of the room. “The process will be a simple swab inside your cheek. You will, of course, be required to sign a statement of voluntary submission of the sample and a chain of custody form. The procedure takes just a few seconds to complete, you can then go on about your day.” Rachel again scanned the room. There were no more objections. “Okay. Our forensic technicians will pass out the necessary forms for you to fill out. We will need to see a photo ID when you are being swabbed.”

The technicians passed out the paperwork handing each employee two forms.

Rachel approached Mr. Greer who was standing in the corner by the door. “Is there a roster of all the employees so we can make sure no one is missed?” she said quietly.

“I’ll get one from Glenda, she’s our HR manager.” Greer left the room and returned a short time later. He and Rachel quietly went over the list, looking about the room, matching names with faces. “The only two missing are on the sales floor. I can send them back when there are a couple of people to replace them. We are still open for business you know.”

“I understand, and I appreciate your cooperation.

“I appreciate your discretion,” Greer said.

The room was quiet, except for the sounds of pens scratching on paper as the men filled out the forms. Rachel motioned for Alex to follow her outside the room. Once in the hall, she closed the door behind them. “About last night, I’m sorry. I didn’t know Carmen hadn’t told you about inviting me.”

Alex blushed. “No, no. Don’t feel bad. It wasn’t
your
fault.” He folded his arms across his chest, but realized this was a defensive posture. He’d seen it hundreds of times while interrogating suspects. He relaxed them to his sides. “I was just surprised, that’s all. Carmen could have told me.”

“Would you have objected, you know, if she told you?”

Alex turned to look through the window, into the break room. He wanted to change the subject, but couldn’t think of anything to say.
Why am I so uncomfortable?
He realized she was waiting for an answer. “No, I wouldn’t have objected.” he said, finally, “I would have been better prepared for conversation. I must have looked like a school boy who didn’t know how to act around the opposite sex.”

“You did.” Rachel chuckled. “You seemed very awkward. I was laughing inside. It was actually adorable.”

“I’ve never been accused of being adorable.” Alex put his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor.

“Don’t look now, but you’re doing it again.” Rachel laughed. “Anyway, I just wanted to apologize.”

“No problem. Now, let’s just leave it in the past and move on.”

“Consider it left.” she said. “So, how was the aftermath of your press conference?”

“Phelps was livid.” Alex shook his head. “He wants blood. He just doesn’t know whose.” Alex avoided eye contact by looking through the window into the break room. “He has people calling the reporters, trying to find the leak. The only people outside the unit that know anything are you and Dr. Reynolds, the one working on the profile.”

“We can’t reveal our sources.” Rachel said, making quotation marks in the air.

“Speaking of profiles, Dr. Reynolds is supposed to be at the station around three to go over what she has come up with.” Alex turned to look at Rachel. “Are you interested?”

She nodded. “I’ll come check it out.”

The technicians had set up two stations, one at either end of a long table. As each sample was taken, the men signed the chain of custody form and a tape seal, then witnessed it being placed around the cap on their sample. One by one, the men left the room as each procedure was completed.

When the room was empty, Rachel approached Mr. Greer. “Was that everyone?”

“Everyone but two. Jerry Patterson and Richard Webb. They refused to submit. They’re our self proclaimed law experts. They said it was a violation of their right to privacy and something about illegal search and seizure.”

Rachel laughed out loud.

“Well, we can run the ones we have. If need be, we can get a warrant for the remaining two, unless you can convince them.” Alex said. “Explain the desire to do it without the attention it will bring on them.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“What about you? Did you give a sample?” Alex said.

“You can’t be serious.” Greer seemed offended by the very idea. “I am the manager of this establishment. Do you really think I could jeopardize the entire business by being involved in something so vile?”

“That’s a judgment that only the forensics lab can make.” Alex said.

Rachel quietly talked to one of the forensic techs, who then approached Greer with the paperwork and swab kit.

“This is preposterous.” Greer snatched the papers from the technician and sat at a table. He quickly filled in the required information then opened his mouth to allow his sample to be taken.

“Thanks for cooperating.” Rachel said. “And besides, you’ll look better to your employees.”

Greer shook his head in disgust and left the room.

“That went well.” Rachel said

“Didn’t hurt a bit.”

_________

Liz sat on the edge of a table in the conference room chatting with the other detectives while she waited for Alex to return from his previous mission. She made small talk, a little background on herself, how she became a profiler. It was never her dream. She just fell into it. After her psychiatric residency, her father, who was a retired U.S. Marshall, had pulled some strings with a friend in the FBI. She was invited to a training program for criminal profiling.

“Have you ever caught anyone?” asked Morris, one of the other detectives in the unit.

“That’s your job. All I do is help point you guys in the right direction.” she smiled.

“Sorry I’m running late.” Alex said, “I had a…thing…then...”

“I took him out to lunch before going to the dealership.” Rachel said. “He’s a little embarrassed to be seen with me I think.”

“We discussed the case.” Alex said with a defensive tone, as he looked about the room. “What is everyone looking at?”

Everyone laughed, especially Rachel.

“Can we get on with this?” he said, with a blush.

“I’m rather enjoying this.” said Liz, who couldn’t help but laugh too.

“What’s so funny in here?” Phelps barked from the door.

“Nothing, we were just about to hear Dr. Reynolds’ profile.” said Morris.

Phelps was obviously still upset from the press conference. Or maybe he was just being his normal self. Alex couldn’t be sure. There wasn’t much difference. “Come on in sir. You should probably hear this.” Alex said.

Phelps crossed his arms and leaned against the wall in the back of the room. “Please proceed doctor.”

Liz pointed to a large poster that stood on an easel. It displayed a chart with various diagrams. “This is your suspect,” she said, “a schematic representation of him, if you will. I’ve taken into consideration, all of the facts from both of the assaults and what we have from the dealership. I developed this profile with the rapes alone, then with the information from the dealership thrown into the mix. And actually, the difference was only slight.” Liz flipped to the next page, which showed two dictionary type definitions. “When developing a criminal profile, we must break the evidence down into two main categories, the MO and the signature. I’m sure you are all aware of what MO means to law enforcement. To a profiler, the MO is what the suspect needs, to commit the attacks. In this case, he needs the cover of darkness. He needs restraints, such as plastic zip ties. He needs a place to take his victims in order to carry out the sexual assault. And, he needs time. This person was very organized. He planned these attacks out, well in advance and probably stalked his victims before hand, to learn their routines. To spend this much time planning, he probably lives alone. He doesn’t have anyone to question his whereabouts.”

Liz looked around the room, “Simple stuff right?”

Most nodded.

“The signature, on the other hand, represents the needs within him that are being filled, or the gratification he receives by carrying out the assaults.” She smiled looking about the room again.

“Here is who I believe you should be looking for.” She flipped to another page. “A white male in his mid thirties to mid forties. I believe he is old enough to have been involved in multiple failed relationships, yet young enough to still possess the physical strength to over power and control his victims. According to forensics, he has the sperm count, of a young, healthy man. And, as I just said, I believe he lives alone.

I believe, because of the type of women he targets, he has been in failed relationships, possibly multiple divorces. Both women are of approximately the same age, the same social status and very similar in physical appearance. Is everyone with me so far?”

All acknowledged, so she continued. “He may have recently suffered the ending of a relationship. This could explain the sudden start in the activity. I believe that these victims represent those, who he feels, have hurt him in the past, or something he has lost. He doesn’t accept the responsibility of his own failure to relate with others on a meaningful level, therefore he does not accept responsibility for his failed relationships. He blames those who have hurt him. These women, the victims, serve as surrogates, if you will, for those toward whom he feels the need to retaliate. He leaves them in remote locations and takes their clothing leaving them lost, naked, and alone, feeling very vulnerable and humiliated. I believe this is how he has been made to feel by those who have hurt him.”

She scanned the room again, making eye contact with Alex. “He may compensate for his lack of self esteem by being overly talkative or outgoing, trying to impress people with his superior intellect, especially in public around women, while he is in fact, intimidated by women in a more intimate setting. This is an over compensation for his insecurity involving those of the opposite sex. Can I get an Amen?” She looked around the room. “Just making sure everyone was still awake.” She smiled.