The Lady Killer (24 page)

“Actually, I think he planned it that way to throw us all off base emotionally. He probably knew that we all liked Stacey and would be very upset about her demise. What he doesn’t know about me, is that he has made me even more determined than ever to catch him.”

Roy and Dan both shouted out at the same time, “Me too!”

“Okay, guys! We are all in agreement. Let’s hit Stacey’s place next!”

After getting the search warrant, the three of them went to Stacey’s apartment. It looked like it had been gone through by a professional cleaning crew. When CSU started dusting for fingerprints, they weren’t having any luck. Laura looked at all the empty hangers on one side of the walk-in closet. “It looks to me like Stacey’s friend moved out. I wish we knew when. That might explain her erratic behavior, if she was going through a bad break up.”

Roy was looking in the dresser drawers. “Bingo! Look at all this S & M and bondage gear!”

Dan walked over to him and was surprised at the strange assortment of sex toys, most of which looked very unpleasant. “Wow, Burns, did you know she was in to this kind of stuff?”

“No, I sure didn’t! You never know about someone, do you?”

Laura looked amazed. “Is it just me, or do you guys find it strange that our SVU team is made up of a domestic violence offender, an S & M enthusiast and what ever that Della is?”

Dan chuckled. “I know that you don’t like Della!”

“There’s something about that woman. I just can’t put my finger on it. The intense way she looks at me gives me the creeps. And after that superhero statement Stacey made, yuck!”

“I didn’t think you had that much to do with her.”

Laura shrugged. “I don’t, but I’ve passed her in the hallways a lot, and I’ve met her in the ladies room way too many times. When I do, I feel like she’s staring a big hole right through me.”

“Well, with Stacey gone and the possibility of Vitale being arrested, I think she will probably be way too busy to bother you.”

“Let’s hope so! I don’t see any photos around here. You would think that Stacey would have something, at least of her family. They were close weren’t they?”

Roy looked around the room. “You’re right. I know she was close to them. I was in his office, when Rutledge called her Mom. Man, was she upset! I’m just glad I didn’t have to do it.”

“Well, I think cutting herself off from her family is another sign of the drug problems she was having. That’s really too bad.”

One of the CSU people walked over to them. “Detective Peterson, can I see you for a moment?”

“Certainly, what’s up?”

“This place is clean. I have no prints anywhere. Someone deliberately sanitized this apartment. There isn’t even a hair in the bathroom drain. There’s no way Detective Morgan could have lived here and not left something behind.”

“Thanks, please keep trying, there has to be something. Look through the silverware and glasses in the kitchen.”

“We tired that. They are all in the dishwasher, and it has been run through a cycle. Whoever cleaned this up is pretty smart.”

“How about under the toilet seat? A man always puts the seat up.”

“Sorry, we already tired that too, and nothing.”

“Okay, just send the report to Captain Rutledge, and thanks for trying.”

She looked over and saw that Dan was opening the air vent. “Hey, he even took out the filter! I was hoping there might be some evidence left in here.” He reached inside and pulled something out. “Laura, look at this! It’s a driver’s license for Emily Anderson! It might have prints on it.”

The CSU person dusted it but found nothing. Laura thanked them for doing such a thorough job and told them they could go, so they packed up and left the apartment.

Laura looked at Dan. “He left that for me.”

Dan was very worried. “Are you sure?”

“Of course, he took the filter and left the license, just to see if we would find it.”

“You mean like a calling card?”

“Exactly! He knew I would be here.”

Roy came over and looked at the license. “The Captain is right. You aren’t going anywhere alone! This guy is watching you and wants contact. Let’s head back to the precinct.”

When they walked into the lobby, Annette told them that Dr. Foote wanted to see them. They were hoping it was something to work with. Ralph smiled when he saw them walk into the lab. “Hey, it’s the Three Musketeers, back at last. I heard that Stacey’s apartment was clean.”

Laura just shook her head. “Yes, and he left me a present.”

“I heard about that also. Well, I do have some good news of sorts. I did a drug screen on Stacey, and she had quite an assortment in her. The interesting thing is that she had enough Flunitrazepam in her to knock out a small elephant. It’s a wonder that didn’t kill her.”

“He gave her Roofies? Does that mean she didn’t suffer like the others?”

“So many, that I don’t even think she was conscious of what was happening to her. The Captain said that the tail on Vitale only followed him until he got home at midnight. So, he still had time to do the deed later.”

Laura was shocked. “Wow, that means he must have cared about her, so why all the elaborate staging? Why not just kill her and get it over with?”

Ralph shrugged. “Not sure, but they did have a farewell drink. There was wine mixed in with the drugs in her stomach. That’s probably how he got her to take the drug.”

Laura frowned. “So, the body was just staged for show?”

Dan put his arm around her. “I don’t really want to say this, but I think it was staged for more than one reason. One was to place his signature on the murder, but I think he also wanted to show you his power over women, especially because she was a female cop, like you.”

Ralph looked at him thoughtfully. “Very good, Detective Murphy, I think you’re right. And you, young lady, are going to be in the company of one of these gentlemen at all times, correct?”

“Yes, as much as I want my independence, I know that being safe is more important.”

The rest of the day was spent going over files and reports. Now that their office was bug free, they could converse without giving away their strategies. Around six, Jim called with news on the bugging device. Laura hung up the phone and turned to her partners. “Another unbelievable move! The bugging device was purchased by a licensed PI, named Emily Anderson!”

Dan immediately turned to his computer, searched the licensing records for PI’s and came up with one in her name. “I guess this guy has nothing better to do with his time, than play games with us.”

Roy let out a sarcastic laugh. “He sure is a multi-tasker! He can be all these women, plus hold down a job here. So, do we want to knock off early and get back at it first thing in the morning? It’s been a long hard day.”

Laura looked at the clock. “Yes, I’m tired, and we’re out of leads. Let’s just go home. A fresh start in the morning might be a good move.”

“Murf, are you escorting our wonderful boss to her apartment?”

He grinned from ear to ear. “Sure, I think I can handle that chore.”

On the way to the car, Dan suggested that they stop for a bite to eat. He took her to a quiet little Italian restaurant, so they could relax for awhile. After dinner, he drove her back to her building and rode up in the elevator with her, just to make sure she was safe. When the doors opened, they were facing her apartment. On the floor was a white, florist box. Dan pulled his gun and pushed her back in. They rode down to the lobby, and he called the Captain. “Sir, sorry to bother you this late, but Laura has a flower delivery in front of her apartment door! How do you want us to handle this?”

Rutledge had panic in his voice. “Where are you right now?”

“We’re down in the lobby. I was afraid he might be hiding somewhere on her floor.”

“Stay put, I’m on my way!”

Dan kept his gun ready in one hand and had his other arm around Laura. “Are you okay?”

She looked up at him. “No, but I feel safe with you. He knows where I live, Dan!”

“Just remain calm, focused and think. Did you remember to set your alarm this morning when we left?”

Laura thought for a moment. “Yes, I remember picking up my purse and keys before I set it.”

Within five minutes, four police cars and a CSU van pulled up in front. Captain Rutledge accompanied them in, and they started a floor by floor search of the building, including the roof. When they got to Laura’s floor, they radioed down an all clear. The Captain, Dan and Laura went up to her apartment. She put gloves on and opened the box cautiously. Inside was a single rose along with a note that read,
“Did you like my early present? Stay away from that big jock! This is a warning!”

Captain Rutledge had Laura open her front door. When they heard a beep coming from her alarm, she entered her code. Dan went in first with his gun raised. He searched the place and found it to be safe. CSU came and took the box away to be fingerprinted. Rutledge was pacing. “I don’t like the fact that he knows where you live. Is there any surveillance in your lobby?”

“Yes, Sir, I’ll call the manager right now.”

Within ten minutes, they had a DVD of the whole day. At about three in the afternoon, they saw a very bizarre looking woman entering the building with a florist box in her hands. She was gone again five minutes later. Laura’s mouth dropped open. “Sir, that’s the crazy lady from Julia White’s store!”

“Are you sure?”

“Roy had her assistant come in and see a sketch artist. That looks just like her. I can have him show it to Liz tomorrow, but I think that’s her.”

“Okay, what are we going to do about tonight?”

Laura looked confused. “Sir?”

“Do you want to stay here tonight?”

“Yes! I’m not going to let him drive me out of my home!”

The Captain looked at Dan questioningly. “I’ll stay with her, Sir.”

Laura whipped her head around. “No, you’re not! Did you read that note, Dan?”

“Yes I did, and I’m not leaving you alone! Just like you won’t let him drive you out of your home, I won’t let him drive me away from you. I’m sleeping right there on that couch, and we’re setting the alarm over night.”

“But I don’t want him to hurt you!”

“Well, I don’t want him to hurt you either. Trust me. It will be okay.”

Laura sighed. “I can see I’m seriously out numbered here. He can stay, Sir. Thank you for all your help.”

“Goodnight you two, I’ll see you first thing in the morning. Maybe CSU will get lucky on the prints, but she was wearing white, lace gloves, so I am not hopeful.”

Laura brought out a pillow and blanket for Dan. He set them in the chair and suggested that they have a glass of wine together. She got a bottle and two glasses out of the kitchen. He poured the wine and then sat her down on the couch beside him. “You have to let me take care of you. I know you want to be independent, and I agree with that completely. But, for right now, it’s more important that you’re safe.”

They sat quietly for awhile and had a second glass of wine. Unexpectedly, she let out a very small, nervous laugh. “Until I started working homicides, I had no fear of strangers.”

“Really, why?”

“Because I was never hurt by a stranger. All of the bad things that happened to me as a child were done by my relatives. It was my family that I feared the most. And then when I lived with Alan, he was like my family and look what he did.”

Dan frowned. “What did they do to you?”

“I’m afraid to tell you, because I don’t want to be judged by my past.”

Dan sighed and put his arm around her. “I think the person you are right now is intelligent, charming and wonderful. Nothing that happened in the past can change that. Whatever it was, you have overcome it beautifully. Besides, I’m a very non-judgmental guy. So, if you feel like telling me, I would love to listen. If you don’t, that’s okay too.”

“It’s just that having this psycho chase me, has brought up so much of that same kind of fear that I experienced as a child. In my job, most of the time the killers run and hide. Then I find them and lock them up. It’s simple. This guy is after me, and he has recreated those feelings of helplessness that I’ve worked so hard to put behind me.”

“Is that why you’ve been seeing a therapist?”

“Actually, I have worked on myself for years. I started seeing Dr. Walsh when Alan and I broke up. Now, I am seeing her again, thanks to psycho boy. You had such a wonderful childhood, are you sure you want to hear about my dismal one?”

Dan wanted to keep her talking about the past, instead of focusing on the fact that a dangerous psychopath was stalking her. “Sure, I’m interested in anything to do with you.”

She took a deep breath. “Well, I’m just going to blurt it all out at once and get it over with, so here goes. I was molested by my grandfather from the time I was three, until he died when I was ten. My father beat my brother and me every day for something. He used a belt, plastic flyswatter or a branch off of a tree, whatever he could get his hands on. My mother was just plain crazy! She took us from one doctor to the next for imaginary illnesses, but at the same time she allowed the abuse to continue. Now, I’m very careful about whom I allow into my world, so I have always felt safe as an adult. Thanks to psycho boy, I’m afraid all over again, and I don’t like it!”