Blood Web: Caitlin Diggs Series #1

by Gary Starta

  “Respectfully sir, I cannot offer anything other than theories at this point. There are no precedents to be found in any medical journal. I myself still don’t understand how the killer was able to inflict this brain damage, let alone take another person’s seratonin. I will happily share these findings with Agent Diggs, but I would request further study before submitting a formal report. In fact, if I may be so bold, I would recommend the lab prioritize this analysis, devoting its full resources to the effort. I would stake my career on this assumption, because I think this killer is certainly being influenced by something out of the ordinary. Whether it’s the crystal or not, I cannot say right now. All I do know is that we must determine what this influence is if lives are to be saved.”

  Dudek could not concentrate on the road anymore. He pulled the car over and parked on the shoulder. Visions of the Arrowhead Killer filled his head. Diggs was alone and vulnerable right now. He prayed Caitlin would not disobey his orders and try to apprehend Schenker alone. Right then and there the assistant director made a vow he would not let history repeat itself. He must not keep any details from his rookie agent.

  He glided his hand over his nicotine patch one more time for support. Then he spoke of Geoffrey McAllister in an effort to ease his mind and secure Rivers’ trust in him. “Agent Diggs had been on leave as a result of Geoffrey’s death. She did not fear her work. I was the one who requested the break.”

  He told Rivers of how Hainsworth insisted McAllister continue the sting despite contradictory intelligence reports. Rivers looked on stunned, wondering if she was promoted on merit or more sinister motives.

  “You know, this case reminds me how much I depend on Agent Diggs’ unorthodox approach to police work. As federal officers, Agent Rivers, we sometimes operate outside the handbook. But there is a difference between what Director Hainsworth asked McAllister to do and what I would condone. I don’t believe we should ever dilute our strength by working alone, no matter how heroic it might seem at the moment. That’s why I wanted to accompany you on this interview. It’s not because I don’t have faith in you. In fact, I want to let you know I value your judgment. I would certainly authorize more lab work if it can preserve life—even if means disobeying Director Hainsworth’s orders.”

  Dudek paused and sighed. “Speaking of the director, I willingly kept information about Diggs away from you on his orders. I believe Hainsworth fears Diggs because she is radical. And I think he wanted you to feel uneasy about your new partner, so you might come to fear and distrust her as well.”

  “For what purpose?” Deondra asked, clearly showing her exasperation.

  “As part of a grand scheme to acquire the crystal. I just don’t know who all the players are yet, Agent Rivers. But as soon as I get back to Washington I will see that the lab honors your request. You will also be personally granted full access to the pathology lab at all times. Again, I must apologize...”

  Rivers did not allow Dudek to complete his sentence. She didn’t want to agree or disagree with her boss’ conspiracy theories. She wanted to deal in facts.

  “Sir, I have another theory thanks to Ed Hoyt’s diligence. I—we—believe the killer’s blood may be lethal upon contact.”

  Dudek’s face lost all color. He ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to compose himself.

  “Agent Rivers, I think fate intervened to allow us to share this conversation today. Now I must capitalize on these findings to preserve life at all costs.”

  Deondra laughed to herself. The conversation had been fairly one-sided to say the least.

  ***

  Alyssa stood in the doorway, dressed in a long trench coat, impatient, as always. She frequently wondered how her stripper friends managed to retain their enthusiasm. Shedding clothes was such a tedious and boring act for Alyssa. She was used to getting right down to business. Alyssa untied the coat’s belt, sending the unflattering beige attire to the floor and her admirer’s heart into his mouth. Her body was almost too perfect. The irony was both heartbreaking and exhilarating. She was a walking, talking contradiction. In that way, she shared a commonality with Connah Hainsworth who gazed upon her body.

  Still, the FBI Director was perplexed as to why this beautiful young thing would allow herself to be treated like an object. At the same time, his blood bubbled and boiled with animal lust. He rarely examined his own hypocrisy, never realizing he was just like every other shady character he had ever come across. He would not realize it today, because Alyssa blinded him. She wore nothing but stiletto heels, a provocative grin, and a big red ribbon tied around her waist.

  Connah Hainworth came out from behind his desk. He peaked behind the call girl. Always one to expect the worst of humanity, the director needed to confirm that no one else was in his reception area. The coast was clear, even if his conscience was not.

  Connah’s secretary had already left for the evening. That explained how the girl had managed to slip by the old battle-ax. But how did this babe elude building security? In mere seconds, Hainsworth had his answer—Tom Wolvington.

  Connah Hainsworth was not about to let a guilty conscience interfere with this late night conquest. He tuned the imaginary ranting of his wife down a few notches until it was nothing more than a dull roar in his aching head. He could no longer discern her confrontational accusations about his womanizing. In fact, the voice in his head now sounded no more threatening than soothing waves on a tranquil beach. However, the image of the beach conjured up another thought—panic. Connah realized he needed a life preserver—and quick.

  He frantically searched though his desk doors. Finally pulling out what he had been searching for—a cherry-flavored ribbed condom. A wave of relief washed over the FBI director. Hainsworth was in control again. He was ready, willing, and able to gratefully accept his friend’s gift, because he had procured protection. For Connah Hainsworth, protection would never be anything less than top priority. His hypocrisy demanded nothing less.

  Chapter 26

  Rivers and Diggs were in agreement, they wanted to kick Gayle Swenson’s door down. Dudek had introduced the pair less than ten minutes ago. Each agent chose to skip trivial pursuits and feigned politeness. Neither asked how the other one was doing. They dispensed with trite lines like “it’s so good to finally meet you in person...”

  Instead, Rivers and Dudek circled their rental cars, readying for an attack like a pack of wolves. Both were frothing at the mouth to find their prime suspect, Lukas Dietrich Schenker. Dudek felt glad he was there to curb what he perceived as their shoot first—ask questions later demeanors.

  Dudek could understand why Diggs was chomping at the bit. She had just spent nearly two days doing nothing more than surveillance on Swenson’s house. He also understood this was the first time she was facing action in a while. He did not want to admit it to himself, but Dudek knew Caitlin would be avenging Geoffrey McAllister’s death with her next arrest. He could sense it like a foxhound. All those who lost a partner in law enforcement sought redemption through this manner, even if their current case was clearly an apple when compared to yesterday’s cold case—the orange.

  Andrew had a harder time placing Agent Rivers’ anxiousness. Maybe she was experiencing first case jitters. Or maybe she had been instructed to sit on her hands for far too long during the first weeks of the investigation. Regardless of their motivations, the agents were stoked as they paced the parking lot of Plates on the Move on the overcast Thursday morning.

  The agents asked the restaurant manager to positively identify Schenker. They showed him the same photograph that had been plastered across every American’s television screen the past week. He said it didn’t matter if he saw the photo a hundred more times or never again, he would stake his life that Lukas Schenker was the young man courting his waitress.

  He glumly reported that Gayle had not reported for work the past two days, and she had not answered her phone. Diggs never once saw Gayle leave her house while conducting surveillance. The car p
arked in the driveway had not been moved for days. No tire tracks graced the dirt driveway, which had become inundated with rainwater two nights ago. Diggs handed surveillance over to the Shady Grove Police Department in order to meet with Dudek and Rivers.

  She had lived in her car for nearly thirty-six hours straight. Despite her hope that Gayle’s lover would return to the scene, no hard evidence supported Caitlin’s desperate premonition. Diggs swore she saw Schenker in Gayle’s house. It occurred in a dream she had. She must have dozed off a few minutes in her car.

  She now wondered if her dreams about Geoffrey McAllister held any water. Maybe the dreams were just dreams. Either way, Caitlin was not about to reveal her intuitions to Dudek or Rivers. Besides, she had a far crazier notion. She tried to picture their faces when she told them how Schenker could be tracked through Eugene Campbell’s visions.

  The sky began to clear. Thin wisps of sunlight streaked through the dense surrounding of pine trees. The change in weather reminded the two agents they better decide on a game plan in the here and now.

  Dudek motioned for the agents to take a seat in the car. The assistant director did not care if they were in the middle of nowhere. He still feared strange eyes and ears existed everywhere, even in the great outdoors. Once inside, Dudek began to fill Diggs in on Rivers’ recent revelations. He hoped the threat of brain damage or contact with toxic blood would be enough to curb Caitlin’s anxious behavior. But it wasn’t. She retained the same placid look on her face throughout the briefing. The rapping of her fingers against the car’s armrest told Dudek she was ready to go interrogate Gayle Swenson without reservation.

  Dudek’s frustration grew. He was there to protect his agents. He had expressly flown out to Arkansas to warn them of dangers—both inside and outside the bureau. Dudek had to ask himself if he would be there right now if it wasn’t for McAllister’s death. Now that he was here, Dudek realized he might not be able to influence Diggs’ actions anymore than if he were back in Washington.

  Dudek fell silent as the car engine rumbled. He would take them to Gayle Swenson’s, resisting both the urge to spill further suspicions about Connah Hainsworth and the temptation to raid the glove box for a pack of Marlboros. A million and one doubts filled Andrew’s mind as he navigated the rural roadway. Just how could his agents apprehend Schenker without becoming a victim to Schenker’s strange chemical pathology? A gunshot might send his lethal blood spurting all over Rivers and Diggs. Or maybe Schenker would defy the laws of human physical limitation once again, overpowering them with a weapon or inflicting a cerebral brain hemorrhage with a mere touch.

  Dudek knew they were in a no-win situation. Any attempt to arrest Schenker would be fraught with danger. And even if they did apprehend him, he and his agents would be forced to file a report that could very well make them question their own sanity. Right now they could only explain bizarre circumstances with bizarre explanations. Where was definitive scientific proof? Rivers said it herself. There were no precedents.

  Was this all part of Hainsworth’s backup plan? Hainsworth was now in a position to clean house with Dudek and his agents. They would either die a violent death at the hands of the suspect or survive only to face public and professional ridicule for filing outlandish claims.

  Diggs had to correct Dudek several times during the drive. He nearly took three wrong turns as his head filled with conspiracy and paranoia. Caitlin and Deondra collectively sighed in relief when the car finally pulled onto Swenson’s road, twenty minutes later.

  Dudek parked the car about fifty yards from Swenson’s driveway. He pulled a phone from his suit jacket and alerted the officer on duty of their arrival. Then he addressed the agents. “I must remind you both that no warrant has been issued. Only the statement made by the diner manager connects our suspect with Gayle Swenson in any way, shape, or form. I strongly suggest we try our best to get the waitress to cooperate voluntarily. That means we don’t kick down any doors or draw any weapons without provocation.”

  Dudek also advised the women to keep their guns concealed but within reach. Both women rolled their eyes as they exited the car. Neither needed their hand held by the assistant director. Each was confident they would not leave the Swenson household without some solid leads.

  Dudek’s fears quickly subsided. Swenson let him and the agents into the house peacefully. Gayle wore a subdued look upon her face as if she were suffering a bout of depression. She was dressed in her waitress uniform. It was wrinkled and disheveled, as if she had been sleeping in it the past two days. Her tone was flat.

  “You won’t find him here. He left on his mission. I haven’t seen him in nearly a week.”

  Diggs weighed Gayle’s response. It seemed that Schenker had controlled her. She had seen this behavior before, usually involving cases of domestic abuse.

  Rivers could not hold her tongue any longer.

  “Are you a part of this mission, Gayle?”

  Caitlin shot Rivers a look. If they spooked Swenson now they might not get any answers whatsoever.

  “Ms. Swenson, I’m sure my partner is not insinuating that you are voluntarily aiding Lukas Schenker in any way. I think what she meant was that you might have been unwittingly coerced by Lukas. Did he exhibit any bizarre behavior?”

  Gayle’s eyes lit up like fireflies. A loud, cackling laugh ensued.

  Dudek sighed. “Can you tell us what’s so funny? Your boyfriend is wanted for at least two known murders.”

  “Yes, sir. I was not being disrespectful of your investigation. He just never told me his name was Lukas. I think that’s kind of funny. And as far as bizarre behavior goes, I never slept with a man who had more fire in him. The act went a lot deeper than any lust-filled fantasy I could ever imagine.”

  Rivers cocked her head. Diggs caught her gaze. They both wondered silently how Gayle could have survived contact with Lukas Schenker’s strange body chemistry.

  “Did you use protection, Ms. Swenson?” Rivers nervously broke her gaze with Swenson after receiving no immediate response to her inquiry.

  “Lord no. It was every bit organic as it was orgasmic, Agent Rivers.”

  It was now Diggs’ turn to question. “Why did you trust this man so? You had only known him for a few hours according to your boss.”

  Gayle answered Caitlin with no hesitation. “Two words: family values. This young man miraculously instilled a spirit of family in me. My inner light had been extinguished a long time ago. For me, sex was just about the act, you know, a base form of gratification.” Gayle paused, a foolish grin washed over her face. “I did not know sex could be part of a crusade.”

  Rivers brow arched. “We’re supposed to believe a killer instilled religion in you, Ms. Swenson?”

  “I think it all had to do with that pretty crystal thing, which hung around his neck. He refused to take it off, even when he showered. He took me by the hand and we both saw a light because of that jewel. You and an army of FBI agents will never be able to tell me otherwise.”

  Diggs reconsidered. Maybe Rivers was right to try a strong-arm tactic with Gayle. She held an allegiance to this man, or to at least to what he stood for. Caitlin realized Swenson would not volunteer Schenker’s whereabouts even if she knew them. Her mind raced, hoping to find a new tactic.

  Diggs and her colleagues were not yet fully aware of Gayle’s connection with Schenker. She had been linked to his world, if only for a few mere minutes. Her affinity for Lukas exceeded a mere crush or infatuation. The next words that came from Gayle Swenson’s mouth managed to register true shock among the agents. Despite hearing it, Diggs and Dudek almost could not believe their ears.

  “You’re what?” Diggs asked.

  “You heard right, agents. I am pregnant with Lukas’ child. I don’t need to take any tests. I just know I am.”

  “You’re telling us, you’re—he’s capable—of defying biological laws. It’s only been a week!” Rivers tried to pull the words back in her mouth. She realized she had just b
ehaved like a rookie officer. And why was she so surprised at Gayle’s claim, anyway? Hoyt had her believing Schenker could drink seratonin from his victims and survive fatal stab wounds. So why was a tale that rivaled the Immaculate Conception so startling?

  Swenson stared at Diggs with cold hard eyes that made the agent feel as if ice had just been poured into her veins.

  “Agent Diggs I bet you can’t understand all this because of your personal experiences.”

  Diggs fought to speak in a composed manner. “Just what do you mean?”

  “It’s written all over your face. You have sacrificed family life for your career. I know your loved ones tried to warn you about this. But you were stubborn. I hope you can see the light one day, Agent Diggs.”

  Dudek’s fears filled his conscience once again. They were losing control of the interrogation. “We’ll be the ones making the judgments here,” Dudek railed at Swenson.

  “Those who fear to be judged shall be cast out of heaven,” Swenson shot back.

  Diggs turned to Dudek. “I think we should let her talk.” She winked at him out of Gayle’s view. Caitlin hoped the woman’s anger and conviction would result in a slip up. It was abundantly clear this woman would do anything to protect Schenker. The question remained: did she have any useful information to give them?

  Diggs continued the inquiry. “So let’s say I believe in this mission. Can you tell me how it all started? Did Lukas ever reveal why he feels so passionate about his calling?”

  “I didn’t ask, because I have faith. But I would surmise it all has to do with the initial discovery of that crystal. Charlie—I mean Lukas—was eager to learn all he could about an invasion known as the Sand Creek Massacre. He believed many men were responsible for the heinous butchering of Cheyenne Indians. He bookmarked several sites about these murders on my laptop.”