You mean that killing is like art to him?
Killingand displaying the body.
Kieran nodded. Jeannette was stunningly beautiful in life. Living art. Maybe he tried to preserve his victims, but couldnt?
Possibly. Buying mortuary supplies might raise a question.
Kieran gave him a brief, grim smile. Hes living his life in his own mind. Maybe he saw something in her. She thought of the original murder. Dr. Fuller, what was the other victim like? What do you know about her?
Young. Her name was Cary Howell. Thats all I have. Frankly, we need to get over to the FBI offices. Its just a short walk south on BroadwayI wont even have to drive again. You ready?
* * *
Two hundred and eighty-five milesdriving time approximately five to six hours, with a couple of pit stops, down to Virginia, Craig said. He had his board set up, having accrued more records on the Virginia case. Victim number onethat we know ofCary Howell, was found in a crypt when the matron of a family was about to go in. He pointed to her picture. Killed six months ago.
Then he pointed to Jeannettes photo. Gentlemen, he told McBride and Mike, please note Cary and then Jeannette. I think youll agree its highly unlikely that we have a copycat on our handsnot when you see the details.
A rose in her hands, Mike murmured.
White dress, McBride said. Let me guessCary Howell was stabbed in the heart?
She was. Of course, youll note the decay of the body is much greater in the first case. Shed been there longer, and Virginia can be hot. He glanced at his notes and looked over them. In fact, he said softly, the Virginia ME bemoans the fact that the heat does what it does to bodies. The decay caused breakdowns that made certain chemical testing impossible for him.
Still, Virginia, McBride said. We need to find a suspect who was in Virginia when Cary Howell was killedand here in New York when Jeannette was killed.
Not so easy, Craig said. The Virginia ME could only narrow down the time of death on Cary to about a week, and that week would have been six months ago. The drive to Virginia and back can be done in a day.
Still, we can find out who has been to Virginia, McBride said. Or if any of our suspects left the city around that time.
Not if they took side roads, Mike noted.
Hard to get in or out of New York City without hitting some kind of a camera, McBride said.
Truebut there are ways, Craig said. But I dont believe that Jeannette Gilbert went off with just anyone. She knew her killer. She trusted him. That makes me believe that the killer is from or lives in New York City since, even though she traveled for work, Jeannette spent her entire life here.
The other victim trusted her killer, too, McBride said.
But Jeannette Gilbert was a media star. She was known. Right now, Id like to look at this case as if it is a separate situation. We need to focus on possible suspects right here in the city, people who were close to Jeannette Gilbert.
Sure, McBride said glumly.
Naturally, everyone at the church-nightclub was questioned immediately, but only Gleason had actually ever met Ms. Gilbert, and that was because of an ad done at the club. He made no attempt to hide and didnt avoid any questions. Hell remain on our radar. Number one suspectaccording to the tabloidsis her manager, Oswald Martin, Craig said. I have officers out trying to find him now.
Cant convict a man via the tabloids, McBride noted.
Mike had a sheaf of notes in front of him. She had a row with a photographer a while backLeo Holt. High-fashion photographer. It was covered in the tabloids. And they lived in buildings on the same block by Central Park. However, theres nothing to link him to her disappearance.
We really have nothing to link anyone yet. Thing is, I dont think were going after the usualbecause of Virginia. I dont think its someone with whom she just had a petty argument. I dont think its a scientist working at the scene, either. Craig shook his head. But I like charts and lists, so Ill add Holts name.
Going in that direction, theres John Shaw himself, McBride offered. Hes creepy enough, crazy enough. My gut says no, but you could write him down, too.
Craig did. Then, he added, we have the owner of the club. Roger Gleason.
Definitely slimy, Mike said.
Cant convict on slimy, McBride put in.
No, but we have to start somewhere, Craig said. The first one who usually comes under suspicion is the significant other. In our casethe mystery man.
Mike cleared his throat. We dont know who he is. Thats why hes a mystery man.
Were going to find out. We have statements from friends and associates and coworkers already, since she was listed as a missing person, Craig said. It will come out.
We have to add in every one of the people involved with Shaw, Mike said. His colleague, Professor Digby. Henry Willoughby had been there, too, representing the historic preservation group. And then the grad students. He referred to his notes. Allie Benoit, Joshua Harding and Sam Frick. All of them go to the university here, and all have worked with Dr. Shaw before.
Theres her family, McBride said. The aunt... Shes just kind of a sad sack. And the step-uncle, Tobias Greena total asshole. Never bothered with the girl, begrudged every piece of food she put in her mouth as a kidand threatened to sue the NYPD if we didnt find her!
Add the asshole step-uncle to the list, Mike said.
I dont think you should write asshole on that board of yours. Probably against Bureau policy, McBride said wearily.
He probably is an ass, Craig agreed, but Im not sure if that puts him with the kind of man were looking for. Gilbert wouldnt have feared him, but how would he have gotten to know our other victim?
And you cant convict a guy for being an asshole, McBride said sadly.
Well still want to talk to him, Craig murmured.
Construction workers, bar employeeswere missing people, Mike said.
Yeah, well, we could be missing suspects that include all of Manhattan and beyond, since the news was out about the find, McBride said wearily. What have we got off security tapes? Did Tech finish with them yet?
We got nothing, Craig said.
How can you have nothing? I saw the cameras there.
The techs studied the tapes over and over. Roger Gleason stayed lateuntil Professor Shaw was all set up for today. You see him and Shaw leaving togetherin fact, you see Gleason setting the alarm. And, yes, the alarm company has been questioned and nothing went off last night. The cameras recorded through the night. You see no one go in and no one go out.
Thats impossible, McBride said.
It was a church, Mike argued. Theres more than one entrance. The door to the left leads to the officesat least what was offices when it was a church. The door to the right led outside.
I tried it, Mike, Craig replied. It doesnt open now. The next building is flush against it.
There has to be another way out, Mike said. I feel like an idiot. I went through every room at the place. I dont remember another door, but
There are two side doors next to the main pointed arch entry, Craig said. Locked from the outside, on the same alarm system. In an emergency, they open out.
I had Forensics inspect those doors. They werent jimmied. They werent opened, Mike said.
Shouldnt pass a fire code that way, McBride grumbled.
Thats just it. An alarm to the fire department goes off when theyre opened, Mike said.
Something had to have happeneda technical failure? McBride posited. And of course there are no alleys.
Its Manhattan, Mike said. Buildings wind up flush together because real estate is prime. No alleys, he added, looking at Craig.
No. No alleys, Craig agreed.
The cameras had to have been tampered with. Someone had to have jimmied the alarm system, McBride said. Its looking like the owner himself might be guilty in this thing. Who the hell else could have done all that?
Craig had to admit that it seemed the detective was right.
How had someone gotten into the church, carried the body downstairs and gotten it into the coffin without being seen?
She was killed by a ghost, Mike muttered.
Seems that way, McBride said, shaking his head. But shes still a real corpse. A ghost would have had to have carried in a real corpse!
Craigs buzzer rang then; he hit the intercom.
Special Agent Frasier, one of the secretaries said, Dr. Fuller and Ms. Finnegan are here. Ive taken the liberty of sending someone down to get them. Do I hold them out here or send them in?
Send them right in, Craig said.
Good. The shrinks can explain how ghosts work and make victims invisible, too, McBride said, his sarcasm a cover for his exasperation. Somethings wrongfilm, tape, digital images. They had to be manipulated.
We have the best techs in the world, Mike said.
I dont care how good you are, theres always someone better, McBride argued.
That was true enough, Craig thought.
And that would point to someone who knew Le Club Vampyre, he said aloud, glancing over at Mike.
Or the churchwhen it was a church, Mike said.
Its probably a new system. Its different being a church and a nightclub, Craig pointed out.
He was glad then to see Bentley Fuller walk in with Kieran.
Guy looks like hes in great shape. Hed make a solid FBI guy, McBride commented beneath his breath, and he stood to greet Fuller.
Craig thanked them for coming. Kieran nodded at him and took a seat, but he picked up on her vibe right away. She looked uncomfortable. He wondered why. She hadnt appeared so miserable the first time shed come down to the FBI headquarters, back when they barely knew one another. By now, of course, shed been here often enough. But still, there was something off about her.
Fuller walked right up to Craigs board and stared at the image of Cary Howell.
Wow, Fuller murmured. Same workas in what the killer seemed to do. Same hand, too. I would be stunned if it wasnt.
Kieran was looking at the image, too.
But heres what different. Cary Howell was in a mausoleum. The old lady who died might have lived on for years, and Cary wouldnt have been found until then. Why hide one girl and put the other where shed be found the next day? Craig asked.
He thinks hes an artist, Kieran said.
What? Mike asked.
Hes creating something with these womenart, in his mind. Temporary exhibits, if you will, Dr. Fuller said. I think he realized with his first victim that no one saw the true beauty of his creation since he didnt make sure that the body was found quickly enough, Fuller explained. I do believe that Cary Howell was his first victimor, I hate to say itan earlier victim. He has been experimenting and learning.
Why put them in a coffin then, period? Craig asked.
Because theyre dead, and the dead belong in coffins, but their beauty should be remembered, honored, Dr. Fuller said.
Craig glanced at Kieran. She was staring at his board. Her face was white.
Kieran, are you all right? he asked her.
Fine, she told him. She leaned forward. I was looking at your suspect list. And the thing iseveryone in New York knew about the historical find.
Yes, but, everyone in New York didnt know the layout of the church or where the wall had been broken, Craig said.
You have mystery lover on the list, she said.
Yes.
I dont see Jeannette Gilbert dating anyone who wasnt young, her age, say. Probably someone appealing. I dont see that as John Shaw or Henry Willoughby or...
She paused, her voice trailing.
Or Roger Gleason? he asked.
Gleason is...interesting, she admitted.
I think most young women would find him appealing, Mike said.
Slimy, McBride said, shaking his head.
Kieran glanced at McBride and nodded. Some women are drawn to men like him, though. He keeps himself fit, he has a quick smile andheres something importanthe had something to offer them. He must have seen plenty of young women coming in for a job at the club.
Rich as Croesus, he is. He owns the building, Mike pointed out. The whole old church. Man, thats some mean property in Manhattan.
Craig looked at Dr. Fuller. What about Miss Gilberts manager, Oswald Martin? The man is in his late thirties. He made her rich. But she grew up, and maybe she wanted to go her own way.
Possible, but unlikely in my mind. She was making a fortune for him. He tried to rule her life, yes, but she was getting what she wanted. She could slip away when she wanted, Fuller said. She gave impromptu press interviewswithout him around.
He might have been furious over the mystery lover, Mike said.
And she might have just made up the mystery lover for good press, Fuller said.
Kieran looked at him quickly. A mystery lover is always good press, she said.
Were all speculating now, Craig said, putting an end to the talk. I have agents out to find Oswald. I plan to speak with him tonight. Can you, at the moment, give us anything helpful? he asked Fuller.
Yes, Kieran and I have talked, but we needed to know more about his first victim, which is why we came down now, without a complete report with explanations. This is what weve got so far. This man has money. He can come and go as he pleases. Hes got a respectable appearance. Normally, I would have said he was between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five, but Kieran suggested a little older and I think shes right. Hes gained the respect he receives and hes intelligent. I imagine he pulled up the original church plans. Theyre available online, by the way, though not even onlineor in any archivewill you find a reference to the hidden crypt. Your killer listens to the news. He knew about the findings.
And how the hell did he get in? Mike murmured.
Theres always a way, Craig said.
But the security footage
Yes, that remains a mystery, Craig said, cutting off his partner. What else can you tell us, Dr. Fuller?
The killer used a mausoleum beforea family mausoleum. He was dissatisfied. I believe he was in love with Ms. Gilbertas he had been with Ms. Howell. Not sexually. His love is above all that. His love is for perfection, I believe. Both women were more than attractive. They were beautiful. He laid them out almost tenderly. They were...art. Fuller kept his eye on the pictures as he spoke. Ill write up my complete report. Youll have it first thing in the morning.