Killing Ways

14

That afternoon, Gary stood at the top of the conference room in front of the Safe Streets squad, twenty DPD detectives, Cliff James, and Douglas County Undersheriff, Cole Rodeal.

‘How’s the arm?’ said Ren, as she walked by.

‘It’s healing,’ said Rodeal. ‘Another two weeks, the cast is gone.’

‘OK,’ said Gary, eyeballing Ren into silence. ‘SA Ren Bryce called this and will be case agent. Everything is to go through Ren. She will be coordinating the investigation with — on the DPD side — Glenn Buddy.’

‘Easy to remember cuz they rhyme — Ren and Glenn!’ said one of the DPD detectives.

Larry Someone. Dimwit.

Ren was walking to the top of the room. ‘Sadly not everything we need to remember on this case will rhyme, so I hope that doesn’t make things too difficult for you.’ She delivered it deadpan. Then smiled as she turned to face everyone.

Nervous laughter.

‘OK,’ said Ren, ‘we have — as far as we know — three brutally violated victims of what we believe is the same killer. In chronological order the victims are: Stephanie Wingerter, Hope Coulson, and Donna Darisse—’

‘Can you explain to us why you were linking them?’ said another one of the DPD detectives. Ren searched for the voice.

Unkempt, lazy-looking fuck. Sorry.

‘To break this down very clearly,’ said Ren, ‘the victims are of a similar physical type: petite, and blonde. In Donna Darisse’s case it was a wig, but the killer wasn’t to know that when he saw her. All three victims were either raped with a foreign object and/or sexually mutilated. Stephanie Wingerter was bound at the wrists with rope, Donna Darisse, with cable ties. The same two victims were prostitutes. Knives were used both on Stephanie Wingerter and Donna Darisse; manner of death was exsanguination. Hope Coulson was strangled, as evidenced by the broken hyoid bone. Post-mortem, he has inflicted burns on bodies both by setting the body alight in conjunction with an accelerant, and by using acid.’

‘And do we know for definite they were all raped?’ said the detective.

‘Because of decomposition in the case of Stephanie Wingerter, and because of the acid on Donna Darisse’s genitals, no,’ said Ren. ‘But Hope Coulson was violently raped with a foreign object. And, like I said, all three women were clearly sexually mutilated. The UNSUB could well be in the system, so he knows we have his DNA. Therefore he doesn’t want us to have any more of it. So, we have to ask the question — is the mutilation part of the thrill for our UNSUB or is it simply to destroy evidence? Also, what was the reason behind the rape with a foreign object? Did he try to rape initially, but then couldn’t sustain an erection, so resorted to whatever object was closest? I don’t know. And where were they killed if not where the bodies were found?’

She paused.

‘Weirdly, Donna Darisse had glass embedded in the soles of her feet, and Stephanie Wingerter’s feet were burned. I haven’t come across feet being targeted before, but there’s always a first time.’

‘Maybe the killer gets a kick out of making them walk over surfaces that will cause pain?’ said Rodeal.

‘Maybe,’ said Ren.

‘Are you absolutely sure it’s just one killer?’ said the detective who asked the first question.

Yes!!!! ‘I have a problem dealing in absolutes,’ said Ren. LOL. ‘But, yes — I believe it’s one killer. And in my opinion, this UNSUB doesn’t want to get caught. However, despite himself, he has clearly created a series of crimes that are linkable.’

‘What’s his motive?’ said Rodeal.

‘I think he has more than one,’ said Ren. ‘Yes, it’s a sexual thrill, yes, it’s a power thing, but I think there’s more. We’ve sent details to our profiling unit in Quantico, and they will be back to us within two weeks with a profile.’

‘It takes that long?’ said another DPD detective.

Ren searched the room until she found the questioner. ‘Is this your first case involving the use of a profiler?’ You little shit.

‘No, ma’am.’

‘Then, I don’t really need to answer that.’ Do I?

Silence.

‘I’m ready,’ said Ren, ‘with your help, to find this monster. I do not want him to be caught because he has a broken fucking taillight. He will not be stumbled upon because of a routine traffic stop. This is not routine: there is a psychopath out there raping, killing, and mutilating innocent women. He will not win. I will not let him win. And, I know, neither will you. We are going to find him. We will stop him.

‘At the end of this briefing, I will be assigning different tasks to each of you. I want you all to do what you’re assigned to do, to focus intently on the task at hand, but to also have a three-sixty view of the entire investigation. I need you all to cross-reference things, to read everything in detail, and to sharpen your ability to make connections. There is now a copy of the preliminary autopsy findings for Donna Darisse on the table by the door, along with the autopsy reports of the other two victims.

‘On the subject of the media, I do not want one breach. Is that as clear as it sounds to me? This is not going public right now. We will be agreeing on what we’re releasing to the media. Our UNSUB will be brought to justice. There will be no compromises. I do not want the lives of the women of Denver, our investigation, or the resulting court case to be fucked up because the wrong thing appears in the newspaper, because someone in this room, or someone they know, releases information for money or to get a fucking kick out of seeing it in print or because they have a better plan than mine to catch the killer. If misleading information enters the public domain, someone could be killed. By me.’ She smiled. ‘I’m not fucking kidding.’

She put her hands on her hips.

I can’t believe I just put my hands on my hips.

‘For those of you who don’t know me,’ said Ren, ‘I don’t like repeating myself. In fact, I hate it. And I would find it very strange to have to repeat myself to adults who have reached a certain age, made it through college, through police academy, Quantico, wherever. So if you’re in a conference with me, you need to listen the fuck up to everyone who speaks. Please — ask all the questions in the world — I have no problem with that, but I don’t want to hear the same question asked twice. I mean, go ahead, by all means, but—’ She shrugged.

Gary was giving her a shut-the-fuck-up look.

‘So, that’s it,’ said Ren. ‘Good luck. Come to me with any issues, big or small.’

Gary called her into his office after the conference.

‘“Come to me with any issues, big or small”,’ he said. ‘Do you think you made that easy for them?’

‘Uh: yes,’ said Ren. ‘Why?’

‘You’re coming off arrogant.’

What?! ‘I’m not arrogant.’

‘You’re coming across that way.’

‘Who says that?’ said Ren.

‘Me,’ said Gary. ‘But I doubt I’m alone.’

‘I’m sorry, but I always think people are pussies if they can’t handle being expected to live up to a certain standard. I don’t mean standard, but fucking do your job is what I mean. Do your job, don’t be stupid, don’t talk to the media. Hardly traumatizing... this is serious shit, Gary. I’m not having people coming in here like lazy assholes, half-listening, checked out, just thinking about what time their wife is going to put supper on the table. Women are dying.’

‘Yet it’s OK for you to go out and party every night...’

Oh, fuck off, Gary. ‘I’m working, minimum, fifteen hours a day on this. I haven’t been late once. What I do with the remaining nine hours of my day — two of which, I’m likely to spend working out — then what can I say?’

‘So, you’re surviving on how many hours’ sleep?’

Jesus CHRIST ALMIGHTY. ‘I’m more than surviving.’ I’m fucking thriving. ‘I love how you talk like you get ten hours’ sleep a night.’

‘It’s not the same for me.’

I want to punch you.

Gary checked his computer. ‘Do you have an appoi—’

Appointment! Yay! Let’s top this the fuck off with that! ‘Yes, tomorrow. I do.’

‘And... did you get a chance to call Karen?’

Even better! Let’s top this the fuck off with your wife!

‘Not yet, Gary. But I will.’

I can think of two stronger candidates for therapy right now.

Gary stared at his screen, then glared at Ren with barely contained rage. ‘Well, here it is, as expected — an email from Briar’s lawyer: stay the fuck away from my client.’ He sat back in his seat. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, introducing your case agent...’

This is a fucking AK-47 of a conversation...