The Brass Ring

by Mavis Applewater

  "Simon, you need to tell me the truth or else I can’t help you," Max continued. Simon seemed to relax even more. "Janie told me that she doesn’t want to see you."

  CC and Max flinched as Simon jumped out of his chair and threw it against the wall. "That’s a lie," he shouted angrily. CC was certain that she could hear a collective gasp emanate from the observation room. She looked completely calm as she watched his face begin to twitch and his dark eyes dart from her to Max. "I . . . uhm . . ." Simon floundered as she and Max shared a worried glance.

  He was breathing heavily and clenching his fists tightly. "Simon, pick up your chair and sit down," Max instructed him firmly. Simon nodded his head and followed Max’s instructions. CC’s jaw clenched as she watched his breathing slow down. ‘We lost him,’ she noted bitterly as she watched him calm down and lean back with a cocky smirk. He looked at both of them carefully. "Now, Simon, tell me what you were doing at the hospital," Max pushed.

  "Why?" Simon responded smugly. "I don’t want to talk to you anymore. If you have anymore questions for me, I want a lawyer."

  ‘Game over.’ CC sighed as she rubbed her temple. "That won’t be necessary," she grunted. "We don’t need this idiot, Max. You told me he could be helpful. I was right; he’s worthless," CC offered in a dismissive manner as Simon’s eyes darkened in anger. ‘Come on, you arrogant little bastard - take the bait!’ her mind screamed as she glared at him.

  "Fine." Simon smirked as he stood. "I’m leaving."

  CC felt completely helpless as he walked out the door confidently. "We blew it," she groaned.

  "No, you didn’t," Dr. Carter reassured her as he and the others entered the room. "The cops in San Diego never got a rise out of him. He really sees Max as a father figure. But he’s smart."

  "Yeah, you keep saying that," CC spat out. "Now he’s also pissed off and he’s going after his Janie."

  CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

  JAMIE YAWNED AS she stepped out of her car. She noted the ever-present car that had been following her since the hospital. She started to head towards CC’s townhouse and stopped in her tracks. Remembering that she was supposed to enter through the back door, she turned towards her own house, noting the replaced front window. She smiled as she pondered whether or not Stevie had thanked the contractor.

  It felt strange being in her own home after spending so much time with CC. She looked at the blinking answering machine then decided to check her messages and go through her mail before heading over to CC’s place. "I can’t wait for this to be over so we can start living our lives again." She sighed as she listened to messages from her sister, her father, and Becky. "Sorry, guys. Maybe when I stop looking over my shoulder, I’ll be better at returning phone calls," she whispered, knowing that she was afraid of talking to anyone close to her, worried that she would cause more needless worry.

  She shrugged off her leather jacket and headed up the stairs to gather clothing for the morning. She looked around and decided that once things were back to normal she was finally going to unpack and set up her new home. She felt slightly hopeful when she saw the police vans pull up and the officers start to ransack what she later would discover was Simon’s car. "Please let this finally put an end to all of this," she prayed as she sorted through her clothing. She grimaced when she realized that her laundry was more than a little far behind.

  She looked at her watch and out the window into the darkness. "There is no way in hell I’m staying here in the middle of the night just to do my laundry. I’ve seen enough bad movies to know that is just how those screaming, scantily dressed, high heel wearing bimbos buy it. I’ll do it in the morning while the FBI is watching me," Jamie reasoned as she headed back downstairs.

  The telephone rang just as she was heading towards the back door. She paused for a moment, listening to see if it was important. The silence after the beep made her edgy. "Janie," came the pleading whimper.

  "Oh shit." A chill ran down Jamie’s spine. "Time to go," she blurted out as she threw open the back door and raced out onto the deck. She reached into her pocket and fished the key to CC’s home out of her pocket, slipping it between her knuckles so she could use it to defend herself if need be.

  An arm reached around her as a gloved hand covered her mouth. "You should have answered the phone," a voice hissed in her ear.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

  CC WAS BACK in the conference room listening to the reports. "They got the tire iron," the Captain exclaimed as he burst into the room. "Plus a coat from his apartment and samples from the carpet in his car. Everything is on its way to the lab."

  Everyone seemed to relax and smile from the good news. The only one who didn’t breath a sigh of relief was CC. "Where is he?" she demanded.

  "He’s being followed," the Captain reassured her. "It’s too soon to make an arrest. We need the labs back first."

  "Where is he?" CC repeated with a hiss. "Did he show up at his car or apartment?"

  "No," Mallory said. "But he was on foot."

  "He didn’t take a cab?" CC choked out.

  "No," Mallory responded in confusion. "He hopped on the green line."

  "Not the red line which has a station right across the street," CC flared. "But the green line, four blocks over, which doesn’t go anywhere near his home or the hospital. It also goes underground just enough times for whoever is following him to loose radio contact. The same train line that has a stop a few blocks from Dr. Jameson home? That green line, you stupid son of a . . ."

  "Dr. Jameson is safe in her home," Mallory protested, as he turned paled. "My agent saw her enter and the lights go out. My agent is still watching."

  "Did she get safely into my home?" CC screamed. "Mallory, did your agent see if she made it safely from her townhouse into mine?"

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

  JAMIE CALMED HER breathing as the man held her tightly and led her back into her home. She heard the glass door being closed. ‘Just stay calm. Wait for your opening then run to Stevie or the FBI agent out front. Just go to the one you can reach first. No! I can’t put Stevie or Emma in danger. I’ll have to go out front,’ her mind reasoned as she fought against the fear building inside of her. She knew if she were going to survive she would need to keep a clear head. ‘I promised her that I wouldn’t leave her. I’m going to keep that promise,’ she silently vowed.

  Simon’s tight hold on her body prevented her from struggling. She calmed her breathing as he turned her around. There was a frightening blankness to his dark eyes. She kept her arms by her side as he tightened his grip around her throat. "Janie, you know that you belong to me," he rambled on in a distant voice, not really looking at her as his eyes glazed over.

  Jamie felt lightheaded as his grip tightened and his free hand reached out for her shirt. She swayed slightly as if she was falling. In reality she was adjusting her stance. With a quick fluid movement she raised her left knee and struck him forcibly in the groin. His grip loosened as he stumbled back slightly while he winced in pain. She cocked her arm back, keeping her wrist straight and her elbow level. Then putting all of her energy in her shoulder, she hit in the face and dug the key she was still clutching into his left eye.

  Simon howled in pain as he fell backward clutching his eye. Jamie didn’t waste any time as she made a mad dash for the front door. She fumbled with the locks on the door as the stunned Simon stumbled over and grabbed her by the hair. She shot her elbow back and delivered a sharp blow to his solar plexus. Simon gasped for air but still kept a firm grip on her hair. "Janie?" he panted in bewildered voice.

  "My name is Jamie, you sick freak," she growled as she raised her left foot and slammed her heel into his foot. Simon screamed in agony as he released his hold on her and stumbled backward. Jamie spun quickly and adjusted her stance. Reaching out she grabbed his arm. Holding it tightly, she pulled him down slightly and then delivered a hard roundhouse kick to his kidney.

  Simon howled as she released him with a slight shove. She watched as he crum
pled to the floor. There was a frantic pounding on her front door. "What’s the matter, Simon; didn’t the other girls fight back?" she sneered at him as he looked up at her in pain and confusion. She turned and unlocked the front door, her hands shaking as she released the locks. She could hear CC’s frantic voice on the other side.

  Jamie threw the door open and a stream of police flooded her living room. The sight of her lover rushing into her home offered Jamie comfort and fear. The icy glare in CC’s eyes as her hand reached for her sidearm sent a chill through Jamie. CC turned to her and the ice melted as her hand jerked away from her gun. Jamie breathed a sigh of relief as CC wrapped her arms around her and pulled her to her chest. Jamie released a sigh of relief and took a slight step back from CC’s hold. "You’re late," she teased her lover, hoping to wipe away the lines of fear that marred her chiseled features.

  The lights clicked on as the police surrounded Simon’s crumpled body. "Are you alright?" CC asked in a pleading tone.

  "I’m a little shaken," Jamie confessed. "But I had a promise to keep and I did."

  "Dr. Simon Fisher?" Max addressed the prone man. "You are under arrest for the murders of Ellen Murdock, Sandra Bernstein, and the assault on Jamie Jameson."

  "Assault?" Simon protested. "I’m the one who’s injured."

  Everyone in the room looked down at Simon and then over at the tiny blonde CC was holding tightly in her arms. "You did that?" CC stammered.

  "Yeah," Jamie responded with a calm shrug.

  CC’s jaw hung open as she stared down at Jamie. "Do you remember when I was in college and you told me that every woman should have some self defense training?" Jamie began to explain. "Well, for once I listened to you. Actually I ended up getting a black belt. I enjoyed the discipline and structure of my training. You really should finish arresting him because he needs to go to the hospital. That eye doesn’t look good and I’m worried that I may have damaged his kidney."

  "Right," Max agreed, still staring at the tiny blonde in awe. Then he shook his head and refocused on the whimpering man on the floor. "Where was I?"

  "You’re under arrest," Jamie supplied.

  "Dr. Jameson?" Mallory interrupted as Max advised Simon of his rights and called for an ambulance. "We need to get your statement and take pictures of the bruises on your neck." Jamie tensed at the suggestion, wanting this to be over with. "Detective Callaway will be at your side the entire time," he added in a comforting tone.

  "Okay," Jamie agreed as she took her lover’s hand. CC gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they left the townhouse and were greeted by a frantic Stevie who clutched a screaming Emma to her chest.

  Later, after they managed to calm both Stevie and Emma down, Jamie found herself at the police station. She had already endured having her neck photographed from every angle as well as the bruising on her arms from where Simon had restrained her. Despite the lack of serious injuries, Jamie felt violated. She was giving her statement to a room full of police officers as CC sat by her side.

  "Then as he was choking me I kneed him in the groin," she said and every man in the room winced while every woman smirked. "As he fell back I jammed the key into one of his eyes. The left one, I think. I ran to the front door. It was locked and he grabbed me from behind while I was trying to unlock the door. He held me by the hair on the back of my head. I elbowed him in the solar plexus; he gasped and then I jammed my heel into his foot. As he was falling back, I delivered a roundhouse kick to his kidney. That’s about it. I opened the front door after he collapsed on the floor and all of you rushed in."

  "That’s amazing," CC congratulated her.

  "Thank you, Dr. Jameson." Max smiled over at her. "You really kept your cool and that saved your life."

  "I was terrified," Jamie corrected him; CC’s face dropped. "But I had someone very important waiting for me," she added as she smiled at CC who still looked despondent. "So what happens to Simon now?"

  "Well, his injuries have been treated and he’s under guard at the hospital," Max explained. "Some of your colleagues weren’t very interested in treating him until we stepped in and reminded them it was in everyone’s best interest to treat him like any other patient."

  "I imagine that they were surprised at what happened. I know a lot of people thought I was overreacting when I filed a complaint," Jamie said. "He just seems so normal. Even I thought he was harmless until stuff started happening. And he never did anything around other people."

  "Simon is very sick and very clever," CC added.

  "He’ll be arraigned and he has a team of lawyers and his parents flying in," Max continued grimly.

  "What aren’t you telling me?" Jamie pressed as she noticed everyone’s gaze suddenly avoiding her.

  "There’s a problem," CC began carefully. "Our own experts have concluded that Simon is legally insane. Of course he’ll still need to go through a more in-depth analysis. But it looks like he could plead insanity."

  "Peachy," Jamie groaned as her body tensed. "So he goes to a mental hospital until he’s deemed sane?" She felt her anger rise as she spoke. "He’s done a psych rotation. He’ll be out in no time."

  "Let’s hope his ego prevents him from copping a plea," CC added with a confidence that Jamie easily saw through as an effort to comfort her. Dr. Richards released a heavy sigh. Jamie didn’t miss the warning look CC cast at the tall blonde.

  "Sorry," the tall woman quickly apologized.

  "You’re not a cop?" Jamie noted thoughtfully.

  "No." The woman smiled. "Well, I am, sort of. I’m Dr. Richards; I’m a profiler for the FBI."

  "So, Doctor, what do you think will happen? And tell me the truth?" Jamie pressed.

  "I don’t want to frighten you," the tall woman responded.

  "Too late," Jamie quipped.

  "Okay," Dr. Richards conceded. "I think that unless Simon’s parents are as arrogant as he is, and since they are the ones paying his lawyers, there’ll be a plea bargain. They don’t want this to get out and they’ll want Simon sent away as quickly and quietly as possible."

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

  THEY ENTERED JAMIE’S townhouse; a sense of eeriness pervaded it. The police had been through everything that might prove helpful. They’d taken Jamie’s telephone since it had a digital answering machine in it. It was now evidence. CC watched her lover carefully as the blonde folded her arms across her chest and just stared at her living room.

  It had broken CC’s heart when, after hearing Dr. Richards’s opinion on how things may work out, Jamie released a soft sob and squeezed her hand. "Take me home," Jamie requested in a small voice. CC nodded in agreement and led her lover out of the police station. The others could handle the police work from here on out. She had something far more important to do - she had to look after Jamie.

  CC was edgy as she stood there and watched the dimness covering her lover’s bright features. She felt helpless not knowing if she should just stand there saying nothing or if she should wrap Jamie up in her arms and hold her for an eternity. She took a shy step closer only to halt her movements when she saw Jamie flinch. "Maybe we should go to my place?" CC suggested in a soft voice.

  "No," Jamie responded flatly without turning around to look at CC. "I’m not letting him drive me out of my home again," she spat out with conviction.

  The tension loomed over them, as they remained standing in the same positions. "Who is Janie?" Jamie asked in a distant voice, keeping her back to CC.

  "Janie Jensen was Simon’s high school sweetheart," CC explained, fighting against the uneasiness that was welling up inside of her. Jamie spun around when she heard the name that was frighteningly similar to her own. "She disappeared several years ago after she broke up with Simon."

  "Didn’t anyone suspect him?" Jamie said incredulously.

  "No," CC admitted. "No one, with the exception of her roommate, knew that she was planning on ending things with Simon. The roommate never told anyone because she didn’t want to hurt Janie’s parents with
the reason why she was dumping Simon." Jamie stared at her as her emerald eyes silently asked CC to tell her everything. "They were lovers."

  "What is it with him and blonde dykes?" Jamie wondered aloud.

  "We think it always comes back to Janie," CC supplied. "The shrinks think he finds women who look and act like her and then he tries to woo them. When the romance fails he becomes lost in his delusions."

  Jamie held up her hand to stop CC’s explanation. "I get it," Jamie offered in a defeated tone. "You said she disappeared. They never found her?"

  "No," CC responded grimly.

  "Her poor parents," Jamie said as her eyes filled with tears. "Waking up every morning to face the day and then going to bed every night not knowing what happened to your child. I can’t imagine the hell these people must be living in."

  CC had to agree with her lover’s observation. It troubled her that they would probably never learn the truth as to what happened to Janie Jensen. Simon wasn’t going to tell them since CC felt quite certain that in his sick mind Janie was very much alive. Somewhere locked away in the disturbed young man’s mind was the answer that would finally give Janie’s parents the closure they deserved.

  "How many?" Jamie’s question broke CC’s troubling thoughts. "How many girls did he kill?"

  "We think that there were at least nine victims," CC informed her with regret as Jamie’s tears finally escaped. CC didn’t hesitate wrapping her lover up in her arms. "Ssh, it’s all over now," CC reassured her.

  "No, it isn’t," Jamie protested weakly.

  "Yes, it is," CC stated firmly as she guided Jamie slightly away from her body to look into her eyes. "It is over. Now will you do something for me?" Jamie nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Let me take you upstairs and hold you tonight." Jamie lifted CC’s hand to her lips and kissed them gently.