by Robin Mahle
Katie set her coffee down and moved toward Scarborough, who was studying the images on his laptop. “So, you’re trying to get an ID?”
“Yeah. I came back down here about an hour ago and recruited some of your people to help me get set up. When can you get in to talk to Shalot again?”
Katie looked to Marshall. “We need to know if his lawyer has arrived yet, right?”
“Let me get with Gibbons and find out.” Marshall quickly made his way back out into the hall.
“You sure you’re ready for this, Katie?”
She pulled out a chair and sat down next to Scarborough. “I think this will be the only way to get answers out of Shalot. I know we tried before, but we didn’t know what he had then.”
“You mean anything and everything pertaining to you?” Scarborough appeared almost as troubled by that fact as Marshall had.
“Yeah. Although if his lawyer is present, I don’t know how much he’ll say. We really need to get forensics back.”
“I’ve already got a call into the ME.” Scarborough continued analyzing the data on the screen. “What I find interesting is the geographic locations of his victims.” He proceeded to walk toward the TV monitor and began tracing with his finger the locations of the victims as marked by large red circles. They had all been discovered in remote locations – all small towns, and what emerged was a pattern that related to the highways. “Why is he choosing these particular areas? The chances these victims would never be found seems fairly high. Travel along these roadways is sparse at best.”
The exception to this was Lindsay Brown.
Marshall appeared in the doorway, pressing against the wall as he leaned in. “His lawyer has arrived; we can go ahead and see him now. Let’s go.” He tossed a nod in Katie’s direction.
Katie and Nick followed a few steps behind Marshall and she considered the questions she would be asking Shalot. The first question that came to mind was how he got his hands on her files in the first place.
“I’ll be in the observation room with Agent Scarborough,” Marshall said. “You need anything, just look into the camera and nod.”
Katie tilted her head forward in acknowledgment as the officer opened the door and allowed her into to the interrogation room.
At her entry, the pleading look from Edward’s face softened Katie’s demeanor. No one seemed to believe he killed Lindsay Brown; it was appearing too much like he’d been set up. But the question remained: what was he after?
“Good morning.” Shalot’s lawyer rose from his chair, extending a hand to Katie. “I’m Nathan Bender and I’ve been assigned to represent Mr. Shalot.”
“Katie Reid. I’m an evidence technician here at the department and I have a relationship with Mr. Shalot. We both attend UCSD.” Katie pulled out her chair, sitting down in a more hesitant manner than she’d wanted to come across.
“I understand charges have not yet been filed against Mr. Shalot as it relates to the death of Lindsay Brown,” Bender began. “Can you tell me why my client is still in custody? And where is the arresting officer?”
“Detective Gibbons has already spoken to Mr. Shalot. In fact, it was Mr. Shalot who asked to speak with me. From what I understand, Edward has obtained some personal information as it pertains to my student records. Detective Gibbons and Avery searched your client’s apartment as allowed by warrant and discovered files that should not have been in his possession.” Katie looked to Edward, surprised that he had appeared ashamed by her revelation.
“I’m sorry, Katie. I just wanted to get to know you better; that’s all. I tried to talk to you after class a few times, but you never seemed to have time for me.”
Bender raised his hand to pre-empt his client from further elaborating. “Mr. Shalot, you are not required to answer any questions. We are here only to ascertain if the prosecutor will be filing charges against you. As per California law, they can only keep you in custody for forty-eight hours without charges. I believe we have now advanced beyond the twenty-four-hour mark.” He returned his attention to Katie. “Ms. Reid, as you are not the arresting officer, nor are you an officer of any kind, I think it best if your superiors take over this interview.”
Gibbons had entered the small monitoring room. “How’s it going in there?” he asked Marshall.
“Not well. That damn public defender won’t allow Shalot to answer Kate’s questions. Now he wants her out of the room, insisting only the arresting officer continue with the inquiry.”
“Goddamn lawyers.” Scarborough knew the drill, but still disliked it.
“That’s what he wants? Then that’s what he’ll get.”
Gibbons immediately proceeded to the adjacent room. “I’m Detective Gibbons. You know, we were trying to keep this civil, let Mr. Shalot explain why and how he had possession of personal files of a member of our staff. Considering he knows Ms. Reid, we thought he might better explain himself, but I can see that won’t be possible now.” Gibbons turned to Katie. “Ms. Reid, if you’d like to get back to your work, I’ll take it from here. I appreciate your help.”
Edward quickly stood. “Wait!”
“Mr. Shalot, sit down please,” Bender said.
“Katie, I’m sorry. I really am. I just wanted to get to know you. I know what you’ve been through and I thought maybe I could be a shoulder to lean on.”
Marshall zeroed in on the monitor. His pulse began to rise as Shalot continued to speak.
Katie’s brow furrowed as she listened to Edward insist that he knew her on some personal level. “What is it that you think you know about me, Edward? What you read in the papers? What you saw on TV?” She shook her head and smiled. “That person is not real. The person standing in front of you now; this is me. I’m a real person, with real feelings.”
Katie stood there for a moment longer, wondering how she could use this situation to her advantage. There had to be a way to make Shalot talk. She wanted to appeal to him personally. Katie glanced into the camera, then turned her head toward Gibbons.
He seemed to know what she was going to do and wasn’t about to stop her.
Katie sat back down in her chair. She placed her arms on the desk, folding them carefully. She looked at the attorney, who seemed to be waiting for her to continue, and then back to Shalot. “Edward, we could have been friends. You didn’t need to go behind my back and violate me in that manner. Can you tell me, how did you get my school records?”
Edward cast his eyes down and was silent for a moment, then continued, “I got them from someone who works in student records. The kid had a penchant for gambling and needed some money. In return for payment, he pulled your file for me. I thought that if I learned more about you, you might think of me as more than just a friend.”
Marshall gripped the edge of the desk, which caused the monitors to shake a little. Heat had begun to rise beneath his collared shirt.
“You gotta cool down, man. I know what you’re thinking, but let her do this,” Scarborough said.
Katie’s face softened. “You understand that I am not available?” Katie inhaled a deep breath, pondering her next question. She needed to point the conversation into a different direction. Get him to answer the real question and that was how he got the files. “Edward, this friend of yours in records, what’s his name?”
For the first time, Edward looked to his attorney for guidance. Of course, anything that might point the light of accusation to another would only serve to help his client, so Bender nodded in reply. “Just some kid I know: Shaun Hudson.”
Edward looked directly in Katie’s eyes. “I thought you might see that I could make you happy. We’re so much alike. If only you’d have let me show you. I could have protected you too, you know; make sure no one would ever hurt you again.”
That was enough for Marshall. He yanked open the door and headed immediately into the interrogation room before Nick could stop him. Marshall held the door handle, his hand trembling with anger, then remembered what he’d said to
her just this morning. She needed to do this on her own.
The chair screeched beneath Katie as she pushed up from the table. “I don’t need anyone’s protection, least of all yours.” She opened the door to the sight of Marshall. “Jesus, you scared me.”
“You all right?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. I guess we need to talk to Shaun Hudson.” Katie began walking along the corridor.
Marshall quickly caught up to her. “Hey.”
She stopped and turned to him.
“You did great in there, Kate. I mean it. I would have lost it on the guy. I’m really proud of you.”
She eased a little at the comment. “Thanks. I don’t think it went as I was expecting, but at least we have a name. Now, we just need to get something back from the medical examiner; prove one way or another what we’ve got on our hands here.”
Bender had kept a short leash on his client and Detective Gibbons had gotten no further than Katie had. It was approaching midday now and Scarborough’s team continued their work on the other cases and remained in the conference room, waiting for something, anything from forensics.
Documenting the final pieces of evidence from Lindsay Brown’s apartment was the first priority for Katie. The crime scene photos were always the hardest to catalog. It was the first time she’d seen the body of the woman, as it had been covered prior to her arrival on scene. Katie looked at the monitor, the image so vivid, and it was the dandelion that caught her attention amid the lacerations Lindsay had suffered. It had been placed with extreme care inside the victim’s laced fingers.
Katie studied the flowers; only some of the white fluff remained attached to the stems while one still flowered with yellow petals. She began to think of the poem. “I’ll be back again tomorrow.”
A dandelion was essentially a weed that could grow anywhere, its seed carried by the winds when the flower turned to white fluff. Countless children have yanked them from the ground, made wishes, and blown them away, scattering the fluff into a million different directions, chaotic in nature.
“I’ll be back again tomorrow,” Katie whispered. She carefully studied Lindsay’s face. She had suffered blows to her cheek, lips, and right eye. Her hair had been yanked out in places. Lindsay had tried to fight back; defend herself from her attacker, as evidenced by the cuts on her forearms. The knife that had been used to carve her skin left marks on them.
The events of Katie’s past were so deeply ingrained in her identity now that it was impossible not to think of what Lindsay Brown would have done to defend herself. Was it possible to believe Edward had done those things? Would he have done them to Katie as well, given the chance?
Katie turned away just for a moment, searching for meaning. “The flower is a weed, spreading its seeds, giving life to new ones.” She dropped her voice, hoping no one was listening as she rambled away, trying to make sense of the thought that was beginning to form. “I’ll be back again tomorrow.” And then it came to her. They were not dealing with just one killer and it didn’t seem possible to her that this could have been the work of a copycat. She didn’t know how many, but it was the flower that convinced her. “If one was caught, others would be back tomorrow.”
11
KATIE HURRIED TO the conference room, where Scarborough was just ending a call on his cell phone.
“That was the ME. She’s got the labs back,” Scarborough said, spotting Katie as she entered. He turned to his team. “Myers, come with me. We need to know what she’s got.”
“This wasn’t Shalot, Nick.” Katie blocked the door. “I know we’ve already assumed that to a degree, but I also don’t think this was a copycat killing. A copycat just couldn’t have known the level of detail of the other murders. Look, I think we’re dealing with more than one suspect and I think they’re working together.”
Nick appeared impatient, folding his arms as he waited for more on her theory.
“It’s the flower. The poem. That’s what gave me the idea.” Katie looked to Agent Myers. “This isn’t about faithfulness, this is about a weed. A weed that spreads its seeds, creating new ones.” She returned her attention to Nick. “I’d like to come with you to the examiner’s office. Please, Nick. I know that we’re not dealing with a single killer.”
“We have tossed the idea around, in abstract terms,” Agent Myers began. “The logistics of the killer arriving here from Colorado in that time frame and finding Brown, it’s just not plausible. I know you and Ms. Reid have history.” She looked to Katie. “Let her come with us. Hell, it can’t hurt.”
As the three prepared to leave, Marshall and Detective Gibbons arrived. “Gibbons just got DNA back from Lindsay’s apartment from our lab. There were no hits in the database. We need to get Shalot to give us a sample for cross-reference,” Marshall said.
“I just got a call from Dr. Napier. She’s got lab results for us too. Let’s get down there. See what we’re dealing with and if we’re going to have to let Shalot go,” Scarborough replied. “Katie’s coming with us.”
Marshall didn’t object, but his expression turned to that of someone who’d begun to see the writing on the wall. It was in his eyes and Katie could feel it when he acknowledged the idea, nodding reluctantly. She sensed that Marshall thought she was slipping away.
“We’re here to see Dr. Napier. Agent Scarborough, FBI.” He again showed the woman at the front desk his badge.
She pressed a button on her headset. “Dr. Napier, I have Agent Scarborough with the FBI here.” She paused for a moment. “Thank you.” The woman looked at the others and then to Scarborough again. “Go on down; she’s waiting for you.”
Dr. Napier buzzed them inside. “Welcome. I see you brought some people with you?”
“Yes,” Nick proceeded. “You remember Detective Gibbons, this is Detective Avery, Katie Reid, also with PD, and this is Agent Myers. She’s been working on a profile of our suspect.”
“Please, come in.” Dr. Napier walked to one of the autopsy stations and retrieved her tablet. The victim’s body remained under cover of a heavy white sheet.
Katie had been through this before. She began to recall the moment she saw Sam’s body laid across the cold metal table. She recalled the precise locations of the stab wounds, the contusions on her face and body. Everything came back in such detail, she nearly reeled back as the doctor lowered the sheet that covered Lindsay Brown.
“I’ve determined the cause of death to be asphyxiation. We found high levels of carbon dioxide in the victim’s blood.” She pointed to Lindsay’s eyes. “Of course, the bloodshot eyes is a telltale sign as well. Finally, we found trace elements of plastic in the lungs. It appears she either tried to pull away at the bag or plastic sheeting that had been placed over her face and inhaled small pieces of it, or there were loose fragments that she’d inhaled.”
“What about any DNA under her nails, any fibers? Anything that we can use to find out who did this to her?” Katie asked, a little surprised by her own questions. It seemed she’d picked up on a fair bit working in Evidence.
“I was just about to get to that,” Dr. Napier replied. “First, let me just say that the carving on the victim’s body happened post-mortem. The instrument was dull and had a small blade, like an old pocket knife.”
“Not nearly the precision of the previous victim in Virginia,” Scarborough interjected. “According to the ME there, she bled to death from the wound and the suspect used an extremely sharp implement. Possibly even a scalpel. I haven’t received confirmation yet on the body in Kentucky, but it appears she had suffered the same, bleeding out from the wound. Both victims were essentially drained of all blood and had been moved later. That at least partially explains the lack of blood on scene.”
These victims were in stark contrast to that of Lindsay as well, Katie thought. Those women had families and were quite a bit older. Her theory didn’t seem so far out in left field right now.
The doctor returned to her tablet and began typing, appearing to open
up a file. “We did get something back from the lab that you might find of interest. Foreign DNA was found in the victim’s mouth. It appears she may have bitten down on her attacker.”
Scarborough turned to Avery and Gibbons. “We need to cross reference this sample with what you were able to pull from the scene and get Shalot to submit to that swab test. Dr. Napier, could you please email your results to me and Agent Myers? We need to get back to the station quickly. We have someone in custody and before he’s due to be released, we need to know if these samples match.”
“Of course.”
The CSI lab back at the station was overcrowded with FBI agents, detectives, and the technicians, all working to get the results before the forty-eight-hour mark when they would be forced to release Shalot.
Katie was leaning more and more on the theory that Edward wasn’t the culprit. It seemed Agent Myers was on her side as well. They would need to convince the others and cross-referencing the DNA from Lindsay’s apartment with the sample from the medical examiner would prove it one way or the other. Shalot had willingly submitted to a swab test, which was another reason to believe he wasn’t Lindsay’s killer.
Dr. Harris, the man in charge, didn’t like his team being put under such pressure. People under pressure made mistakes. And in his line of work, mistakes meant someone guilty could go free or someone innocent could go to jail; neither scenario worked for him and so he hovered protectively over his team. “I’d prefer if you let us do our work, Agent Scarborough. I can assure you that you will be the first to know when we get our results.”
Katie approached Marshall, who stood only steps from Agent Scarborough. Both loitered as if it would make a difference. “I’m not going to be of any use here. I’ll head back to my desk and get to work. See you later?”
Marshall seemed surprised by her sudden departure. “Kate, what’s going on? You wanted to be in on this and now you’re just going to leave?”
