Branded for Murder (Scott Tucker Series) Page 4
There were several typed sheets listing the details of the crime. I read the report and then looked at the crime scene photos. This murder was a sixty-eight year old woman, who was attacked in Keene, New Hampshire. The first picture showed the bedroom taken from the hall. The woman was nude on the bed with her hands tied to the bedposts. I flipped quickly to the next picture.
It was a shot taken from the foot of the bed. Pantyhose were tied around her neck. The next picture was a close up taken from the side of the bed showing her head and upper body. I had never seen a picture of a dead person before. I reached for my coffee. I took some deep breaths to control my reaction. I need to get through this.
I tried to ignore the other pictures anticipating what they were going to show. I read the crime scene report next. I was glad I was alone so no one could see my anxiety. I knew I had many to look at and decided for Jackie’s sake I needed to go through them.
An aspect in the crime scene report forced me back to the pictures. One of the pictures showed the rope tied from the head post to the victim’s wrist. Another picture showed the bite marks on her body. Her mouth was taped shut with electrical tape. The body was left posed with knees raised. There were also several photos of objects out of their normal location, possibly used to molest her. I didn’t study any of those remaining shots, but looked at all of them.
The next item in this first file was the detailed autopsy report. I took my time reading the report and learned some new facts. The report indicated she was alive for up to two hours before being strangled. When the tape was removed from around her mouth, nylon panties were found stuffed in her mouth.
The remaining content of the file consisted of interview reports by the different officers on the scene, covering residents in the apartment building and the neighborhood. I noticed some differences in the content based on the towns where the murders were committed. However, they all covered the crimes in a similar manner. I could see a common pattern in the killings and the signature of the killer.
I was pleased with myself as I had managed to get through some folders without feeling like I was going to get sick. I also made several notes in my notebook about each of the cases for future reference. Another aspect I noted was there was no semen found in their vaginas, but there was some found on the bodies and bedclothes.
I could now understand why the authorities hid certain information. I heard the front door open. I saw Mike, Paddy and several other men enter. Mike looked my way, and I waved.
Paddy headed up the stairs. Two others headed for the conference room and Mike entered the office area. “Good morning Scott, how are you doing?”
“I’m doing okay.”
Mike’s expression changed. I wondered if he was upset I was looking at the folders.
He put his sport coat on the back of his chair and came back over. “Scott, we just came from yesterday’s crime scene.” He shook his head. “The young lady who was killed, well…it’s such a waste. She was a beautiful girl with only a year of college left.” He paused, looking at the file folders. “This creep has got to be stopped.”
“I have to meet with Paddy for a few minutes. Then we’re going to go over this latest case in the conference room. When we assemble, please join us. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to brace you for what you were going to see in these folders.” He straightened up, and headed out of the room, not waiting for any reply.
I watched as he headed up the stairs. Colleen came into view pulling at the bottom of her white-turtle-neck sweater accenting her figure. Why hadn’t I noticed that before? I smiled as she approached, wondering if she could tell I had noticed her figure. I could feel my face turning red.
“You know Scott, I could get a complex working in this office,” she remarked, shaking her head. “Sometimes I think I’m invisible with these men. They come and go and never seem to notice me. I’m sure it’s because they have other things on their mind.” She studied me. “Thanks for not being like the rest of them.”
That answered that question. I had to say something. “Have you been working here long?”
She flipped her hair behind her ear. “I’ve been here just over a week. Paddy interviewed me and told me he wanted me to start that day. It’s nice to get some money to help with my college expenses.”
“Where do you go to college?” I asked, looking to buy some additional time.
“Northeastern. I like it there. However, it’s not anything like Harvard.”
I looked at her brown hair cascading around her face as she bent over slightly, and I realized how pretty she was. “I met Paddy at his lecture earlier this week.”
She studied me without saying anything, then waved her hands over the file folders and asked, “Why would you want to be part of this task force?”
I was glad the folders were closed. “I want to be a district attorney, I think, anyway, and I could use this experience.” I looked at the folders and then back at her as she stood up straight.
“These cases are awful…he has to be stopped.” She looked deep in thought and looked at the folders again, finally adding, “I have been having some nightmares. I had my super add a couple of extra locks to my apartment doors, and have put up extra curtains. I’m not sleeping soundly either, and any noise wakes me. I’m sorry; you probably don’t need to hear these things.”
She looked like she was going to turn and leave. “Colleen, I’m glad you’re being careful.”
“Thanks, Scott. I’m glad you’re here. It’s nice to have someone I can share my thoughts with.” She turned and headed back to her desk.
I wondered if she had a boyfriend.
I resumed my study of the folders and noted there was no sign of forced entry. That means that the women either knew the killer, or he had to be someone of authority. It’s hard to believe all of these women would have known the same man. Maybe the killer is a utility worker, or someone connected with law enforcement.
My thoughts were interrupted by Mike. “Scott, I want you to join us in the conference room. Please bring those folders with you. Get yourself a cup of coffee, if you need one.”
He had to be kidding. I couldn’t carry all of these folders and coffee. I would be lucky to carry all of the folders at the same time. I decided to bring the folders into the conference room and then get another cup of coffee. Was Mike testing me?
Chapter 10
I felt all of the men’s eyes on me when I brought the folders into the conference room. Paddy pointed to where he wanted them placed. When I returned with my coffee there were ten men seated at the table. I took a seat at the far end of the table.
Paddy immediately started talking. “Yesterday was the first time we met as a group and introduced ourselves and our respective departments. Today, we have a new member. Scott Tucker is attending Harvard and wants to get a real feel of what real investigative work is like. He has volunteered his services, of which I’m grateful.”
Paddy continued, “Scott is going to buddy up with Mike. I’m sure they will get along famously.”
Each of the men then introduced themselves along with the organization they represented.
*.*.*
Mike watched Scott’s reaction while each man introduced himself. It’s an impressive gathering of talent. He also wondered what Scott’s reaction was to the case material. Did he do the right thing letting him see the crime scene material? Well, he’s still here and looks like he wants to be exposed to what we’re doing. He didn’t know how he was going to respond to being Scott’s buddy, but he was starting to feel more comfortable with the process. He wondered if he could have done the same thing at Scott’s age.
Paddy interrupted Mike’s thoughts. “Thanks everyone. We now have representatives from the FBI, the Massachusetts State Police, Boston, Cambridge and MDC police. In addition Dr. Thomas, Chris as he prefers, is a psychologist with Mass General Hospital. Later he will be giving us his thoughts on the killer’s profile. We have well over a hundred years of detective experi
ence here and we’re going to need it. I would like to run through each of the twelve cases now.”
Mike wondered if Scott was going to make it through this process. He decided he would keep a watchful eye on him.
*.*.*
“Case 12 – Butler: This was yesterday’s strangling on Commonwealth Avenue. She was twenty-two. All of you know the details of that case with the exception of Scott. He’ll see those details after this meeting.”
“Case 11 – Russell. This was a strangling in Woburn on High Street. She was thirty-one. She was strangled—”
After my cousin’s name was mentioned I could hear Paddy’s voice, but couldn’t make out what he was saying. I’m not sure how long Paddy had been talking. I had to close my eyes because the room was spinning. I grabbed the table to steady myself.
“Scott.” I heard my name being called. I opened my eyes. Mike was standing beside me. “Scott, Paddy called a break. Why don’t we get a doughnut and talk for a few minutes. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, thanks. It’s just a little overwhelming when you think of the number of victims and families impacted.”
Mike studied me without saying anything. “Yes Scott, that’s exactly why we have to catch this son of a bitch. Come on, let’s get some nourishment. It looks like you need another coffee.”
*.*.*
When we resumed I felt better. Chris Thomas was about to give his impression of the killer.
Dr. Thomas stood and addressed the room. “This killer is driven to these killings by some sort of circumstances. Given similar circumstances, he will indeed be driven to kill another woman, who could be either elderly or young. You might say his desire to kill is not tied to a particular woman’s appearance, but only the proximity at the time his urge is so strong he can no longer control it.”
He walked to the blackboard. “My thoughts, given the details in the cases, are that we are looking for a man under six feet tall, maybe inches shorter. He is married, but to an old-fashioned woman who does not provide any real satisfaction to his desires. They probably have been married about ten years with two or more children. She is probably of foreign descent, and does not know the strong desires, or urges, her husband has.” He printed the following on the board: short stature, married, multiple children less than ten years old, wife possibly of foreign descent.
“She does not like sex, especially foreplay or being touched, but does consent to his urgings as long as he does things in a missionary manner and gets the process over quickly. I might go so far as to say that she does not even get undressed, and protects herself from being seen in the nude. She merely spreads her legs and tolerates him getting his relief. It’s always in bed with the lights off, and possibly the same night of the week.” He added to the board; limited sex, missionary, in the dark, and hurried.
“It’s hard to say exactly what triggers him to attack and kill these women. It could be something he sees; while he is driving, something he sees on the sidewalk, in a park, in a store window, on a billboard, or even something he fantasizes about. Something triggers his sex drive, which has been suppressed, and he can no longer control his desire. He must satisfy his craving, and the tension just builds until he finds a victim to satisfy his needs. He carries out sexual fantasies with the victims.” He added the elements to the board.
“He carries with him the articles he needs to; gain access, subdue, threaten and immobilize the victim.” He wrote on the board; triggered by something, carries out fantasies, comes prepared with objects.
He turned to face us and then continued. “He brings his small kit of items including a knife and rope. The unlucky women are just objects to satisfy his needs. This could also be revenge for his childhood, taking out aggression on his mother, or getting even with his father. Look for someone who is handsome, but blends into the crowd. He might look innocent and possibly studious. As I get more details from future cases I might refine this profile, but I believe this closely fits the man we are looking for.” He added to the board; carrying a bag, handsome, and innocent looking.
“Thanks Chris, we can explore those points further in the future. We have been lucky that he has not had the urge to kill more often. Now let’s look at the commonalities of these cases,” Paddy remarked. He stood and went to the blackboard. “Each woman was strangled with nylon stockings or panty hose. The victims were found on their beds with their knees raised and legs spread. In every case, the bodies were displayed for a shock effect. In addition, most of the victims were molested with objects. All had their breasts bitten hard enough to draw blood, but not hard enough to detach the nipples.”
O’Brien picked up his notes and took them to the blackboard and resumed, “All had been tied up during the attack. They were all gagged with nylon stockings, panties or a sanitary pad stuffed in the mouth. Another nylon or electrical tape was tied across or covered the mouth. None of them were found blindfolded, but it appeared they had been during the attack. The attacks spanned in some cases as much as two hours.”
He looked around the room and resumed, “Semen was found beside or on the victims. In every case there were no signs of any forced entry or any struggle in their homes or apartments.”
A knock on the door of the conference room caused him to stop. “Come in.”
“Paddy I put the two dozen doughnuts by the coffee machine,” Colleen announced.
“Thank you Colleen. Let’s take a quick break for coffee, doughnuts or whatever.”
*.*.*
During the balance of the meeting each Detective talked about the separate investigations in each town. There was considerable discussion and speculation on how the killer could have gained entry into all these women’s homes or apartments. A key point developed out of that discussion—was that the killer had to track each of the victims for a period of time, always picking a woman who lived alone, or timing his attack when the man was elsewhere.
After the meeting I sat looking at the latest strangling case file, I could almost picture the killer now. However, I was having a problem with why my cousin would have let someone into her home. She wasn’t stupid and would have been very cautious.
Mike’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “Scott, you look miles away. Is this investigation going to be too much for you?”
“I’m sorry Mike. I’m trying to think why my…why any of these women would have opened their door to this stranger. You would almost think they all knew this person, but that would be impossible.” I could feel Mike studying me.
“It’s a key puzzle piece. What are your plans for tomorrow and the weekend?” Mike asked.
I thought about Jackie’s wake and funeral. “I was going to talk with you about that. I have something I need to take care of at my parents if I can be excused for tomorrow and this weekend? I can come back Sunday afternoon if you want me to.” Mike looked like he was trying to read between the lines.
“No Scott that’s fine. It’s nice to have you working with us, and I really would like to spend some time maybe after work someday next week to get to know you better. That is if you would like to do that?”
“That sounds fine to me. I would like that.” I could feel my face flushing again.
Mike noticed Paddy waving to him from the conference room door, and nodded to him. “Okay, why don’t you come in Monday morning and we’ll update you on what might have been learned in the meantime, and if you can make it, plan on a couple of beers following work at my favorite nearby pub.”
We shook hands. “Okay, see you Monday morning.”
I could sense he was interested in what was taking me away for the weekend. I felt guilty not sharing the details with him. He probably thinks I’m having a problem coping with the gruesome case details. However, I knew I would be thinking about those details for hours on my drive to Maine.
Chapter 11
I finished my school work and had taken my final. It was Friday. I was glad the week was coming to a close. The wake for Jackie was tomorrow morning
in Woburn Massachusetts, with a small family gathering on Sunday morning in Maine just prior to the funeral service.
I knew this was going to be a rough weekend for all of us. I was not going to go to my parents’ house until Saturday night. My parents and relatives would be coming to the wake in Woburn, since most of her friends were in the towns around there. After my brief conversation with Mike at the task force office yesterday, I sensed he had some questions about my being away this weekend. I was wondering if anyone from the task force would be at the wake tomorrow. I hoped not.
I knew I would tell Mike about Jackie being a family member, but not until he was happy I was helping with the investigations. His offer to spend some time together would be nice. I hope it would help us develop a better personal relationship so when I tell him, it would not end my connection with the team.
I haven’t stopped thinking about what I saw in those folders and what I heard at the team meeting. It is still awful that Jackie had to be one of the victims. I never did open her folder. I guess at some time I’m going to have to. I knew I couldn’t even force myself to see her that way. Maybe after this weekend’s services, I would change my mind. Why are there so many monsters among us? Is God testing our faith? If so, what other tests does he have in store for me? I still believe, but I have questions about why things like this happen.
*.*.*
I decided to check out my preferred study hall library to see if my future friend is there. I brought along some course material, but I knew I couldn’t really do that much studying. There’s too much going on right now. It was after noontime, the library was almost empty. The two girls were not there.