Blood Web: Caitlin Diggs Series #1

by Gary Starta

  In an effort to keep restraint, Hoyt limited eye contact with Rivers to only a few seconds at a time. He explained the forensic team had just caught a break. A secondary sweep of the knife used in the convenience store killing revealed that a skin sample had been left on it. The sample did not belong to Hobson or Mathews. The investigators were hopeful that DNA from the tissue could be matched to the perp’s blood samples left at the Jones residence and at the Quix store. Rivers thanked Hoyt with an air of sarcasm, reminding him time was of the essence.

  The pair immediately hunkered down to analyze the findings. However, neither Hoyt nor Rivers factored bizarre logic or human frailty into their scientific equations. The pathologist and the agent/biochemist were solely engaged in the analysis of serum, red blood cells, and tissue sample. Dudek and the entire FBI depended on this analysis.

  Officers of the law collectively believed forensic methodology was a powerful enough tool to not only identify a suspect; but bring him or her into custody as well. These officials were painfully unaware that a force equally as powerful could manipulate this process; a force that could rewrite scientific formulas and tap into both the psyche and biochemical makeup of humans to render a desired result. Although blood analysis could still be trusted to narrow down a laundry list of suspects, it would not tell the investigators how to deal with the intangible power of that suspect. A force was indeed at work here, as indefinable and elusive as the unspoken cues between men and women. Or put more simply, Ed Hoyt’s chemical attraction to Agent Rivers from a single glance.

  Extensive blood tests were conducted to confirm that samples taken from the Oklahoma and Arkansas crime scenes were related. White blood cell counts were also analyzed to determine if there was a risk of contagion. Dudek breathed a collective sigh of relief for the bureau when the results revealed no risk of infection was imminent.

  “There is no presence of disease or virus in any of the samples we tested, sir,” Rivers reported to Dudek via phone. “However, forensic testing of the unknown samples—that is the blood we know that does not belong to either victim—may prove a lot trickier to assess.”

  “How so, Agent Rivers?”

  “The samples seem to tell us that more than one person suffered blood loss at the scenes.”

  “So, can you conclusively say more than one killer is involved in both murders?”

  “I am not saying that yet, sir. In fact, it is too early to conclude anything. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say we’re looking at two murderers because the DNA taken from skin tissue does not match the blood samples. However, further analysis should provide a conclusive response.”

  Rivers explained she wanted to run further tests. She had a hunch the suspect could be classified as a chimera—an organism that possesses cells or tissues with a different genotype. Rivers used layman’s terms to provide an explanation for Dudek. “It’s possible one individual could possibly possess two different sets of DNA. Blood and tissue taken from two separate parts of the individual’s body could very well yield two sets of DNA.”

  Dudek surprised Rivers when he said he had heard about such a case on the science channel. “I hear that happens when fraternal twin embryos merge into one. Prior to the joining, two separate embryos reside in the womb, each sharing a different set of DNA.”

  Rivers attempted to keep all emotion from her voice in her response to Dudek. “So that’s why I think we could be seeing two sets of DNA when in reality there is only one suspect. Since all the blood at the crime scenes has tested as the same blood type—O positive—the possibility still exists there is only one individual involved.”

  Dudek silently praised his new agent, but at the same time, he doubted Rivers could make this radical theory fly with Director Hainsworth.

  Rivers continued to engage herself in silent calculation well aware Dudek had put his faith in her expertise. She did not want to jump to conclusions without completing a thorough examination of all biological evidence. For this reason, Rivers and Hoyt spent the better of the next day looking at antigens—chemical structures attached to the surface of red blood cells—and antibodies—proteins floating in the blood fluid. They believed this analysis would help shed some light on determining if an individual or individuals were involved in the murders.

  Their findings were crucial because all of this blood produced not a single hit in the FBI’s database. The perp—or perps—had no prior records. In addition to blood analysis, the forensic team examined polymorphisms, searching for variants in the blood to ascertain the probability of two unique samples. The final analysis: no pronounced differences could be found. Hoyt and Rivers were no closer to definitely determining whether one or more killers had supplied DNA at the crime scenes than when they began.

  Hoyt concluded that two men were involved in the killings. Based on the harried analysis of tissue and blood samples, his tone of voice lacked a ring of confidence. It silently laid blame on his superiors for forcing such a hasty response. Rivers was also unsure. Repeated calls from Dudek, occurring once every two hours, would ultimately influence the final analysis more than Rivers’ doubts. The special agent and the pathologist were reaching their deadline. Director Hainsworth demanded their final report be on his desk in twenty-four hours. Consequently, these demands extinguished all attempts at thoroughness. Cursing bureaucracy, Rivers grudgingly filed her report, concurring with Hoyt: “Blood samples indicate the presence of two indigenous men, both possibly Native American or Latin.”

  Hoyt, pleased to find his assessment was comparatively similar to Rivers’ assessment, incorrectly theorized the two now had “something in common.” Rivers ignored Hoyt’s advances, politely excusing herself to dine alone that evening. No matter how much sparkling mineral water she drank with her meal, she could not wash the foul taste from her mouth. She had been given her first taste of the big time and it was sour. Deondra realized she and Hoyt had been played like pawns in a chess game. It was as if their work was only required to appease the public. FBI heads were not concerned with the most correct answer—only the quickest. Rivers surmised the media was to blame. In the public’s eye, extensive research implied law enforcement was inept. But in Rivers’ scientific community, hastily drawn conclusions were frowned upon in equal measure. Rivers found herself at odds, realizing she must compromise some of her integrity as a biochemist in order to survive as an agent.

  In fairness to Dudek and Hainsworth, Rivers may have never been able to scientifically determine how the “two-man” theory just didn’t feel quite right to her— even if time was a luxury. As far as anybody knew, the FBI lab was ill equipped to explain such an anomaly. No sophisticated machinery would ever be able to determine how the delta-shaped crystal was able to download a dead man’s DNA into Shenk’s blood system. And although the skin sample was in fact Shenk’s, the DNA taken from the blood exclusively belonged to none other than the late Chief Circling Hawk.

  Chapter 11

  Andrew Dudek feared he would never be able to look in the mirror again. Guilt emanated from inside him. He had purposely dodged Caitlin’s calls and now he would have to pay the consequences.

  Dudek believed he could physically detect his guilt in his reflection. It welled up in his eyes and stared back at him. Its intensity took every last ounce of his willpower. He desperately desired the comfort of nicotine. Thanks to the patch he was able to abstain so far, but his will was waning. He would have to take a stand because a grown man shouldn’t be afraid to look in the mirror.

  A confrontation with Director Hainsworth regarding Campbell and the crystal was imminent. His conscience told him the confrontation better come sooner rather than later, because Caitlin was on the verge of losing the last shred of respect for him. Her tone of voice reeked of aggravation. She had left three voice mail messages, insinuating anger in hiss-like pauses between sentences. But could anyone blame her? The bureau had let McAllister’s killers slip out of the country without a chase. Now Dudek had invented some phony expl
anation for the oversight regarding Eugene Campbell. Diggs was too sharp to believe Dudek had simply forgotten to brief her about Campbell’s public warning.

  She was a veteran agent for Christ’s sake. Did her FBI superiors really believe she would follow every protocol to the letter without question? You won’t catch America’s most vicious killers by adhering to every order and directive of the bureau. You had to stay one step ahead. You had to be creative. Agents McAllister and Diggs were two of the cleverest agents Dudek had ever come across. Their ingenuity enabled the assistant director to vary the director’s game plan because at the end of the day they usually had a suspect in custody and a conviction on the way. Caitlin’s brazen approach to investigation began on day one. Seven years ago she was promoted to DC from the Los Angeles field office. She was paired with Geoffrey McAllister.

  FBI Director Connah Hainsworth made no pretenses about how he had wanted Diggs and McAllister’s first investigation to conclude: “There are no homicides here. You should find it was just coincidental three men happened to die within fifteen minutes of each other.” He instilled a sense of urgency in both Caitlin and McAllister to bring quick closure to the high profile case.

  The three oil company tycoons died while attending an energy conference in Houston. The magnitude of their deaths would not only impact their loves ones but investors on Wall Street as well. Connah, who was friends with nearly every major player in the oil industry, did not want the story gracing the nation’s front pages for long. He explained to Diggs and McAllister that “it would not be in the best economic interests of America.”

  When Connah suggested the men’s deaths be ruled natural, Caitlin’s suspicions of the director grew exponentially. If the deaths were ruled homicides, multimillion dollar life insurance policies would not be paid out to their wives. She wondered just how well Hainsworth knew these men and their wives. Maybe some kind of deal had been struck regarding the insurance payments.

  Diggs also suspected her new partner would fold under the director’s pressure just like the other pawns in Washington. But her judgment of Geoffrey was the one time her gut instinct had been delightfully wrong. He did not disagree with her assessment. “Yes, the men appeared to have been murdered like you said Agent Diggs. It is too coincidental that all three men died from natural causes at the same hotel. I would look to their wives as suspects.”

  Yet Diggs did not feel the wives played a part, even though money was a strong motive for murder. Why would they run the risk of exposure? The simultaneous deaths of their husbands would definitely send up some red flags. Caitlin kept these theories to herself until toxicology reports revealed all three men had been poisoned with strychnine, an extremely poisonous white crystalline alkaloid used to kill rodents. Caitlin then confided to McAllister that someone other than the wives used the particular poison to send a message.

  McAllister, intrigued by his young and vibrant partner’s assessment, gave pause to consider the motive. McAllister demanded facts. He urged Diggs to produce a viable profile to back up her wild claim. Diggs did.

  Within the next hour, Caitlin laid out a description of a male killer who probably worked within the hotel the men were staying at. “He is probably a chef, about thirty years of age, with a background in pharmacology.” A subsequent background check confirmed the hotel cook as a med student. Log records subpoenaed from the hotel also found the wives had been away from their rooms approximately one hour prior to their husband’s deaths. All had been offered a free trip to the hotel spa. Diggs believed the killer used this opportunity to offer the men complimentary room service.

  The men died, frozen in contorted positions on their beds, their eyes bulged wide open. It was highly probable they expired from poisoned hors d’oeuvres served by the chef. He probably took delight baiting these wealthy men with the promise of free food.

  Giving Director Hainsworth the benefit of the doubt, Caitlin saw how he might have mistaken the murders for heart attacks. But her gut also told her the director was not “mistaken” at all. These men may have been part of someone’s agenda. Each of them had been sympathetic to environmentalists. Their support for proposed laws could have severely curbed the production of crude oil in the continental United States. Caitlin could not help thinking the new director may have been strategically placed in the bureau to support the nation’s greedy oil barons.

  Despite this conspiracy theory, Caitlin still believed a serial killer was responsible. Ironically, this maniac had unwittingly served the interests of Hainsworth and his Texan cronies. Hainsworth may have initially feared his friends were involved because of the financial implications. If so, he may have wanted to deflect a murder investigation to keep himself above suspicion as well.

  McAllister warned Diggs her theory might very well find opposition in front of a jury. “How will you definitively prove the chef’s guilt? Poison is not like a gun. If he discarded the strychnine, we won’t be able to produce a murder weapon.”

  Diggs knew her partner was correct. Nevertheless, stubbornness pressed her to pursue a gut instinct. Gambling that the chef would be proud to take responsibility for his actions, she interrogated him without holding a single shred of evidence. The psychotic chef confessed to the killings without asking for a plea bargain. He said the money-hungry vermin running this country needed to be exterminated. Diggs later received a medal from the president, who believed the killer to be a terrorist.

  ***

  Dudek marched down headquarter hallways with every intention of reminding Director Hainsworth about his arrest and conviction record over the past seven years. But Connah didn’t need a refresher course. He had several plaques on his wall citing Agent Diggs’ accomplishments.

  Dudek believed he had every right to know just why Hainsworth wanted his agents to stay clear of Campbell. He breezed past Connah’s secretary with nary a word, managing to escape Hainsworth’s last line of defense.

  Dudek tore into the office, unbuttoned his chocolate-colored suit and set it in flight toward the director’s black leather couch. Hainsworth did not flinch.

  “I know why you’re here, Andrew.”

  Andrew despised the phony way Connah attempted to feign friendship by using his first name. No warmth radiated from the man’s pale blue cold-as-ice eyes. When Dudek addressed his agents by first name, it meant they shared a mutual respect. But Connah’s phrasing had nothing to do with friendship or respect. How could someone claim to be your confidant after second-guessing and nit-picking every move you made—especially when you amassed the highest conviction rate in the bureau?

  Dudek paused before replying to his superior. He had to calm his breathing down or he would end up sounding like some ranting lunatic instead of an FBI assistant director. He wanted to rail at Hainsworth for attempting to discourage Diggs’ reinstatement. He now knew why the director wanted to start fresh with two rookie agents. It would take away Dudek’s power. Dudek wouldn’t be able to cite his arrest record anymore. Subsequently, he would have little or no defense for bending anymore of Hainsworth’s rules.

  Hainsworth continued to play the game, cool and shrewd. Anybody could see Dudek was quite upset. But Connah took it in stride as if he was about to have a heart-to-heart talk with his teenage daughter. He had nothing to be alarmed about. After all, when you came right down it, the art of belittling was not very complex.

  Hainsworth could speak to his teen in much the same fashion. So what if there was a slight difference? The teen was reacting to hormones; Dudek was reacting to a nicotine craving. It was purely chemical. In both instances, Hainsworth would utilize a gentle manner to effect the desired result.

  So as Andrew Dudek stood in front of Hainsworth’s desk—not as an assistant director, but as a small child—Connah would employ the same tactics he would use on an adolescent. Dudek could hover over the desk, commanding the posture of a warrior, all day long. In the end it wouldn’t change anything.

  Hainsworth would talk and Dudek would listen
: Now be good Andrew and no more outbursts or Daddy will take away your car keys. But instead of being grounded, Dudek would probably find himself reassigned to head up some field office in a remote part of the country. And if that happened, well that would be the end of his association with Diggs anyway.

  Dudek took a chair, realizing he would have to change tactics. He would have to reason with Hainsworth to get what he wanted. Taking a deep breath, Dudek mimicked the director’s calm tone.

  “Connah, to effectively do my job, my agents need to utilize every available resource to bring our killer to justice. I believe it is imperative that our agents interview Eugene Campbell or anyone else who may come forward with information about our suspect. I would like to give Agent Diggs the green light to conduct the investigation without any fear of retribution.”

  “I hear you Andrew loud as a bell. But we must consider how the everyday citizen perceives our efforts. If we lend any credibility to Campbell’s warnings about the crystal, it may send the wrong message to the public. They may needlessly become fearful or panicked about a threat that doesn’t really exist. Then how will you be able to conduct your investigation amidst such chaos?”

  “Respectfully—Connah—every minute this perpetuator walks the streets, the public is in imminent danger. This far outweighs any concern of hysteria about a magic crystal. We need to get a lead on the suspect in order to apprehend him, which means we need to investigate every available resource to preserve lives.”