“I’m glad to see you, but to what do we owe this visit?” I asked as soon as we were all seated.
“I have information to share with you. Peggy thought I should tell you right away. When I realized how close it was to lunchtime, I decided to come by and tell you rather than call.”
“That’s great! We haven’t had much success today,” I said. “Kim handles frustration better than I do.”
“No offense, but that’s good considering she’s marrying Brien,” Laura said. When she continued, Laura explained what she meant.
“He’s a hunk, and I can’t imagine him ever lying to you like our husbands did, Kim. Still, it must be hard given the stuff he says sometimes.”
“His difficulty deceiving others is a strong point, and I don’t mind that he’s a hunk,” Kim said, smiling. “And he’s not stuck on his good looks like so many guys I met at the studio in LA while I worked there. With Brien, what you see is what you get. After surviving the evil Mr. P, Brien’s a piece of cake. Not to mention, he tries harder to improve as a person than any man I’ve ever known. Besides getting him to cool it on the surfer lingo, what more could I want?”
“I wish I could say the same about Frank being as open and easy to read. Something is bothering him about returning to work, but I can’t be sure what it is. He’ll probably get around to telling me—eventually. In the meantime, I’ll play guessing games in my head.”
“I understand what you’re saying, Jessica, but given what they do for a living, Frank and Eduardo have lots of things they have to keep to themselves. On occasion, they need to be skilled at deception too. We don’t tell them everything about our clients, either, unless it has something to do with a case that we’re all working on. I don’t want to know everything Eduardo keeps from me, although I’d like to at least know where he is.” Laura paused and sighed.
“I take back what I said about Brien if all you’ve got to deal with is too much surfer lingo. You’re also right, Kim, Jessica needs to up her game when it comes to handling frustration.”
Kim was on to Laura right away and smiled. I’d just taken a sip of my soda, and her taunt caught me off guard. Trying not to do a spit take, the soda went up my nose. Once I caught my breath, I laughed.
“Laughing is much better than snorting soda from your nose when your clients get here,” Laura said, and I threw a Keto chip at her.
“You know Kim didn’t say I need to handle frustration better. I told you she handles it better than I do… oh, forget it,” I said as Laura batted her eyelashes at me, taunting me again. “Please tell us what you came here to do besides watch me snort diet cola from my nose.”
“First, DNP can be measured in blood, urine, and several body tissues. The main breakdown product of DNP in people is 2-amino-4-nitrophenol. That can be measured using the Derrien test, and it’s routinely used to measure the breakdown product left behind by DNP in the urine if you work around it all the time. It’s not foolproof because the test produces a purple color if 2-amino-4-nitrophenol is present, but similar chemicals can also do that. So, the total amount or concentration of DNP, and its main breakdown products in urine or blood, is a better indicator of DNP exposure. There are newer tests that can do that. Since we don’t know how much DNP he was exposed to, for how long, or exactly when he was last exposed to it, I don’t know what the tests will tell us. Because it can be stored in body tissues, we probably have a better chance of finding trace amounts than if it was only detectable in blood and urine. The bottom line, the hospital can send it to a lab.”
“Will Louie’s doctor ask for the tests to be done?”
“Peggy’s on it,” Laura replied. “I can’t imagine she won’t be able to convince his doctor that it needs to be done. She’s heard of the drug and understands the harm it can do. She also reassured me she can be very persuasive when she needs to be. The long-term consequences of using the drug vary from person to person, so Louie’s doctor should want to know whether it’s something to worry about in Louie’s case. Besides, she knows that you can have the police order the tests if the doctor refuses.”
“Thanks, Laura. I tried to prepare Louie for the possibility of more tests. I’m going to drop by with books he asked for that were among the items we brought back from Sacramento’s room. I’ll give him a pep talk about not giving Peggy any grief because he has to go through more tests.”
“I put on the quarantine getup and dropped in to say hello. He asked me if I was as good a nurse as Peggy, so they must be getting along well to speak to highly of her. Besides, every day in the hospital is one less day in a jail cell. At least until they really need to quarantine someone,” Laura added.
“George and Peter both have samples of the tea. It’ll be interesting to see if DNP is in it, although I don’t know why the Cleaner Man would choose that substance. At least we’ll have more evidence to demonstrate that Louie wasn’t delusional at the time of his arrest. Thanks for letting us know about the tests.”
“Wait! I have more,” Laura said. “What I’m about to tell you may or may not be about the Cleaner Man. Even if it is, it’ll take work to make the connection. Anyway, I asked about people coming to the ER either talking about el hombre limpio or the Cleaner Man, or anyone complaining about knockout gas or a weird tea given to them that made them sick. So far, that hasn’t produced much. When a friend asked me about the gas and tea, I told her both contain unusual chemicals that can affect the mind and the body. That’s when she remembered an odd situation with a patient a few years back.” Laura paused to finish the last bite of her bagel.
“As we talked about it, she realized it was more like eight or ten years ago. The patient was seen at an ER in San Bernardino, where she used to work. A man came in dazed with chemical burns on his hands and arms. He was incoherent and ended up being admitted to a psych ward while they treated the burns. They thought the chemicals that burned his hands also damaged his brain, and they called the police to investigate because he was going on and on about killing someone. When they figured out who he was and where he lived, they didn’t find a body, but there were chemicals stored there. He’d stolen the chemicals, so without a body, all he was charged with was the possession and theft of dangerous chemicals. Unfortunately, they didn’t get far with those charges.”
“Let me guess,” I said. “He was found incompetent to stand trial and placed in a forensic psychiatric hospital until, with treatment, he was deemed competent and could be adjudicated on the pending charges.”
“That’s it, Attorney Huntington. Are you experiencing a bout of déjà vu?”
“Something like that,” I replied.
“My nurse friend has no idea if he was ever convicted on the theft charges. That’s as far as I was able to get today, except that she believes his name was Christian Cursor. The first name could have been a variation on Christian like Cristiano, or a version of the name spelled with a “K.” She’s certain Cursor was his last name because it was the same word for a cursor on a computer.” I must have visibly reacted to the jolt of electricity that zipped up my spine when she gave us the name. “Are you okay?” Laura asked me.
“Yes. No matter what variation on Christian he’s using, the religious significance is apparent. He must be our would-be angel of light who dabbles in chemistry.” I paused, going over his last name in my mind again before speaking. “And, if my Latin for lawyers holds up, Cursor means messenger.” Both Kim and Laura reacted to that.
“It’s him!” Laura shouted.
“I agree, but that can’t be anyone’s real name, can it?”
“It could be, Kim, if he chose it on purpose,” I sighed.
“Are you saying this person legally changed his name to Christian Cursor?”
“Why not? The meaning is such a perfect fit for the Cleaner Man’s mission—too perfect unless it was purposefully chosen,” I replied.
“My nurse friend’s going to check with someone she knows in the records department at the San Bernardino hosp
ital where she used to work. After so many years, she doesn’t expect they’ll find information in the medical records unless he was readmitted. She had two suggestions. Since the police were involved, check the police records—duh! I thanked her, of course. She also suggested that we have a conversation with someone at Patton State Hospital. She says it’s likely that’s where he was sent since it’s a forensic psychiatric hospital located in San Bernardino. Depending on how long he was detained there, they might still have records.”
“That’s a good idea. Let me see if anyone in my network can introduce us to someone at the hospital who will help. George spoke to an officer with the San Bernardino Police Department when he was trying to place Xavier Oliver. Maybe his friend can check their records about this Christian Cursor person.” When I mentioned Xavier’s name, I was treated to another of those mini-electrical shocks. “Did I tell you that Xavier Oliver told Betsy he thought the Cleaner Man was dead until he turned up again?”
“Do you mean as in a man who started killing people, spent time in confinement, and picked up his work as a serial killer after being released years later?” Kim paused. “It’s my worst nightmare about my old associate Mr. P.”
“You don’t have to worry about him. He’s never going to be released again,” I said. “From what I’ve heard, he’s far from a model prisoner.”
“That’s good to know. Besides, those beady little eyes and his imperious tone are too well known for him to roam around unrecognized like the Cleaner Man. Not that Mr. P would want to be freed from prison if it meant he had to remain incognito.” Kim paused. “Enough about him. I feel better. Thanks. What do we do next about the Cleaner Man?”
“You can start searching for information, using variations on the name Christian Cursor. Maybe there was a news note or post about the incident on the Internet. If there are details online about what chemicals he stole or where he got them, it might provide us with a clue about who he is.”
“Laura, from what your friend told you about the burns on Christian Cursor’s hands, could they have left him with no fingerprints?”
“I don’t know. The burns would have had to reach deep into the layers of his skin to do that since fingerprints renew themselves when cuts or burns are superficial. Even if his original fingerprints were burned away, I can’t imagine he wouldn’t have been left with scarring that would essentially act as his new prints. Why do you ask?” I explained about Louie’s recent claim that the Cleaner Man has no fingerprints.
“If he was placed in Patton State Hospital, whoever cared for him there, would be a better resource when it comes to the condition of his hands when he fully recovered from the burns,” Laura suggested.
“I’m sure you’re right. Maybe there’s a police report. Ten years isn’t that long ago. They must have been scanning the reports or entering information some other way to store it digitally.”
“I’ll search the medical literature about what it takes to get rid of fingerprints. I’ve heard stories about criminals who hid their identities by doing that. Who knows how much truth there is to those stories? Let me check.”
“Good. Thanks. I’ll share this information with George, Frank, and Peter and see what they can do to help us find out more about him. The list of oddities related to this case keeps growing, doesn’t it?”
“I’ll second that,” Laura added, raising her can of cola.
I heard Amy’s key in the lock. When she came inside, she locked the door again since it was another half hour before the office would officially be open for business. I needed to prepare for my first client and stood to help clean up our lunch mess.
“We’re back here, Amy,” I hollered. “Did you have a nice lunch…what’s that?” My stomach flip-flopped when I saw what she held. I’m not sure why I asked. I knew what it was the minute that I saw it. So, did Kim and Laura.
17 Mr. Lugo’s Appointment
“Laura, how nice to see you,” Amy said in a cheery voice. When we just stared without saying a word, she continued.
“It’s a little white Bible I found on the stairs. Did one of you drop it?”
“No,” I responded, already on my way to check the feed from the surveillance camera facing the stairs. “Did you see anyone near the stairs when you came up here?”
“I wasn’t paying much attention, but I don’t think anyone was around,” Amy replied.
“I didn’t drop it,” Laura said as she and Kim followed me.
“Not me either,” Kim added. “I haven’t left the office since I arrived this morning.”
“Whoever left it, put it on the stairs after Laura arrived, and before you returned, Amy. Otherwise, Laura would have seen it.” I had my cellphone in my hand, calling George as I scanned the video.
“George,” I said when someone answered the detective’s phone.
“I’m sorry, he just left for San Bernardino,” the woman said.
“Without his cellphone?” I asked. Then I sucked in a gulp of air as I saw a figure in the video reach out from under the stairs.
“One minute, please. Detective Hernandez just stepped into his office. May I tell him who’s calling?”
“Jessica Huntington. Before he can tell me to call him later, let him know we’ve had a visitor who left a little white Bible on the stairway to my office.” The woman, whoever she was, spoke in a muffled tone.
“Jessica, that can’t be the guy we’re hunting because I just got a report that he went after Xavier Oliver. Spray gas, screeching, a loaded syringe—he put on a real show. I’m on my way to move Xavier to a new location if he’ll quiet down so we can move him without attracting attention.” George gave me a brief description of what had gone on. When he mentioned the description of the assailant, I stopped him.
“That’s like the man we’ve got on video. This one’s wearing a hoodie, raggedy jeans, although they’re too big for him, and worn-out shoes that are on the wrong feet. I’m not saying he’s the Cleaner Man, but someone who knows enough about the Cleaner Man to play this trick on us. You need to send officers to find him if he’s still around.”
“Okay, I’ll have the dispatcher send a squad car from the Palm Desert Police Department. I’ll tell them you’re going to give them a video after you let them get a good look at him so they can search the area, okay? If they give you any grief, tell them the incident may be related to a murder case I’m working on.”
“I can handle it. I hope no one’s playing a prank on you in San Bernardino. The incident doesn’t really seem that much like the Cleaner Man’s M.O., does it?”
“No,” George said, sighing. “If the culprit in San Bernardino is a prankster, he paid the price for it since one of Xavier’s guards shot him. I need to go, Jessica. Call me later to let me know if they were able to locate the guy in your video.”
“Will do. Please give me a few more seconds before you go. While you’re in San Bernardino, I need you to check on an old case. Ask if anyone remembers a guy charged in an incident about eight or ten years ago involving a man burned by stolen chemicals. He called himself Christian Cursor. There’s a good chance he ended up in the Patton State Hospital instead of prison for the theft.”
“I’ll never remember all this. I’m going to hang up now. Call me right back and I won’t answer so you can leave the information on my voice mail. Tell me all about the Cursor man, chemicals, and anything else you want me to know. Get those Palm Desert officers to do extra patrols too, okay? Bye!” I did as he asked and tried to be as concise as I could be about Christian Cursor and our interest in him.
“Great! All we need is a police investigation underway when my client shows up in fifteen minutes. As if it isn’t enough that I haven’t had time to prepare,” I moaned. “I’m going to call Peter. I can’t wait to see my bill from his firm this month. We need those devices that can protect us from a spray or breathing in a gas. Dispatch is calling the Palm Desert’s finest to look for our visitor who left the Bible on the stairs. George wants them to
do extra patrols in the area. What is he thinking? The Cleaner Man may have just tried to get into the hotel where the San Bernardino police have been hiding Xavier Oliver. What good will a patrol car do?”
“Did he get to Xavier?” Kim asked.
“No, but an officer is down after taking a hit from the Cleaner Man’s spray. Xavier Oliver is creating an uproar, and an officer inside the room fired at a man who kicked in the door. The officer hit the guy, who dropped a hypodermic needle and ran for it, leaving a blood trail.”
“He wounded the Cleaner Man?” Laura asked without being able to mute the hopeful anticipation in her voice. Amy, who’d been listening, was watching the interaction like it was a tennis match—her head moving as the dialogue switched from one person to another.
“It’s possible, but I can’t think of anything Xavier told us that would have caused the Cleaner Man to go after him. Nor has the Cleaner Man ever created a public spectacle like this when claiming a victim. I wouldn’t get too excited since there’s plenty of confusion about what happened. George is hoping the officer didn’t shoot a guest trying to get out of there and that the press hasn’t heard Xavier shrieking ‘don’t let the Cleaner Man kill me.’”
“If it weren’t for the use of the gas, I’d argue that Billy Castro is back on the job,” Kim argued. “Killing Louie was a way to make sure he never mailed the letter or passed it along to someone else. I don’t get why he’d go after Xavier unless he made a connection between Xavier and Louie and believes Louie gave it to Xavier.”
“It is a lot like the attack Billy Castro tried to launch on Louie at the hospital. His lawyer’s a clever man, but even Andrew Clearwater couldn’t have Billy Castro out on bail yet. Let’s see what they find out about the contents of the spray and the hypodermic needle.”
“Gas, hypodermic needles, letters… Xavier, Billy, the Cleaner Man. You all have stirred up trouble. You need to help me catch up, so I know when to duck or use a little spray of my own.” Amy was right. As usual, everything was happening so fast I was having trouble keeping up with it myself.
A Dead Nephew Page 19
