He came up quick, hand strong on his imaginary knife.
Then, Mike said, arching, as if he had a knife in his back, she swirled around. Possibly trying to face her killer.
But, Craig said, the killer delivered the knife without missing a stride and just kept walking.
Kieran said there were no screamsnot until she reached the woman and screamed herself. Shed already called the cops and me...there was an officer in uniform there in a matter of minutes and a detective on the scene within ten. I arrived just about the same time as the detective.
That would be Lance Kendallhe should arrive momentarily. In the meantime, well proceed as scheduled. One would think that the dead would wait patientlywhich they do. However, their loved ones tend to be very emotional and impatient, so we do try to keep up. If youll follow me? Dr. Andrews requested.
Craig was far too familiar with the OCME. The Manhattan offices were close to the FBI building which, in a way, made it too easy to be present for an autopsy, even when it certainly wasnt always necessary.
Mike must have been thinking along the same lines.
You know the French Revolution? he asked Craig softly.
Craig glanced over at him. Well, I know something about it. Im not sure Id want to teach a course on it.
Mike nodded sagely. They say that those who had to die, well, they were nobles, and thus they had to behave noblyand so they went nobly to the guillotine. Madame du Barry screamed and cried and had a fit, and then the people saw how ugly it was. It was only after that theythe people as a massbegan to protest the sanctioned murders.
Good thought, Craig murmured. Weve seen enough death. We could have left the autopsy to Lance Kendall.
No, I know you. We had to be here no matter what. It just always takes me longer than Id like to get rid of the feel of this place.
That was something Craig understood. They worked hard at the morguevery, very hard. Every floor, every table, every instrument in the place was cleaned and cleaned again; antibacterial agents ruled.
And still the scent of death was strong.
They were offered paper suits and masks; two minutes later, they were in the room where there were actually two autopsies in process.
Their victim waited for them, tragically naked but clean, ready for the knife.
Anthony Andrews adjusted the mic he wore and cleared his throat. He identified their Jane Doe by date and circumstance and stated the date, his own work as the ME, Jerry Sanders as his assistant, and Mike and Craig as witnesses.
And he set to work.
Y incisions were, to the laymanand to Craig this many years into his worklittle less than horrendous. The sound of the ribs breaking seemed extremely brutal.
But Craig was also passionate in his belief that the dead did speak. Autopsy was incredibly important. He believed in God or a higher power, and that when the soul was long gone, the body could no longer be hurt. But, it was still hard to watch sometimes.
The process today was the usual. Andrews and his assistant worked over the body. The organs were studied and weighed; samples of blood and stomach contents were taken.
Lance Kendall arrived sometime soon after the first hour. He stood as Mike and Craig didstill and listening. Craig hadnt met Kendall before hed arrived at the scene of the murder on Friday, though he did know many of the men with the Major Case Squad of the NYPD. At the crime scene, Kendall had been thorough and detailedpolite to Craig, and making no comments about not needing the FBI for a murder on the street. He was, Craig imagined, ambitious, but didnt seem the kind to put ambition before results. Of course, Craig had no idea how the man felt about it all now that the case had been handed to a task force and the FBI was taking the lead.
This is something you need to see, Dr. Andrews said.
He was inspecting the corpses mouth.
They all moved over, one by one, and the ME pointed out the womans dental work.
Craig had no idea of what he was looking atonly silver fillings here and there.
He knew that Andrews would explain.
I believe that this woman is approximately fortythough she does look fifty. She has not, however, recently borne a child, so the baby is not hers. What I was showing you, that isnt American dental work, and it isnt new. It was probably done more than ten years ago, and Id say that it was done somewhere in Eastern Europea country that was once part of the Soviet Union or under the Communist bloc, most likely. Russia maybe, the Ukraine...but, then again, maybe Albania or somewhere in the former Yugoslavia. In other words, I do believe shes of Eastern European descent, but shes not malnourished. Shes healthyjust worn. I dont believe shes taken care of herself wellshes probably faced tremendous stress to look ten years older than I believe her age to be. Shes worked hardmanually, I believe. Take a look at her hands. Possibly, she worked as a maid. Were trying for an ID, naturally, through fingerprints. Well search through dental records, but I doubt well find local records for her.
We are testing to see if she was related to the baby, Craig said. It wasnt really a question; it was an obvious action to be taken.
Of course, Andrews said. He looked at Lance Kendall. As your FBI team members noted, the one stab wound in the back that killed her most probably occurred swiftlyshe didnt know what hit her. She staggered toward Miss Finnegan in the street because you instinctively turn when youre attacked from behind. The attack was planned and fluidthat type of knife isnt just in everyones daily purse or briefcase.
So our Jane Doe was followed to the offices of Fuller and Miro. And she went to those offices to hand the baby to Kieran Finnegan. Why? Kendall asked.
We dont know, Craig said. Andrews cleared his throat. Gentlemen, Ive given you what I can. Ill make sure you all receive a hard copy of the report. If we discover anything else on our end, of course, youll be notified.
What about ethnicity through DNA? Craig asked.
Well, we might be able to pinpoint an area of most likely ancestry, Andrews said.
That will be helpful, Craig said.
Of course, Andrews said. Ill keep everyone informed on any information that I get. As soon as I have it, naturally. He stared at them all.
It was their cue to leave. The three of them thanked him and headed toward the building entrance. As they did so, a man was hurrying in. He was very tall and lean, with tawny eyes and sandy hair. He was in a polo shirt and jeans and a jacket. Beneath the jacket, Craig was aware, the man was carrying a weapon.
LeBlanc? he asked. Hank LeBlanc?
The US Marshal nodded and intros went around. So we have the whole gang. I imagine well get a counterpart from Homeland Security before this is all over, LeBlanc said.
Good, Kendall responded, his voice vehement. They all looked at him, and he shrugged. Maybe well get somewhere, working together. As long as we all keep it realkeep the contact going.
Sure, yeah. Of course, LeBlanc said. I, uh, Im trying to see if I recognize our dead woman right now, if she might have been one of ours. Informant or witness. We lose them now and then. Except...
Except what? Craig asked.
Sure, yeah. Of course, LeBlanc said. I, uh, Im trying to see if I recognize our dead woman right now, if she might have been one of ours. Informant or witness. We lose them now and then. Except...
Except what? Craig asked.
Shes not one of ours, Im pretty sure. Im here because they want every t crossed on this thing. If she had been ours, we would have known something. Everyone in every local agency knows about thiswe all know enough to know we dont know a damned thing but that someone thinks theyre getting away with murder.
Not this time, Kendall said flatly.
Nope, not this time, Mike agreed. Hell, the best of the best, right? Were all on it.
Nods went around.
Well keep it tight, Mike said. Ill be the liaison between agenciesmake sure were always all up to speed on whats going on.
LeBlanc thanked him and headed on in as they continued out to the street.
So the womanour dead womanknew your girlfriend by name, Kendall said to Craig as they reached the street.
We established that the other night, Craig said.
There has to be a reason, Kendall said.
Yes, we actually figured that, too, Mike said quickly, his tone easy, as if he was afraid that Kendall and Craig might get heated over the facts. But, as you know, Kieran had never seen the woman before. Of course, we all realize that the woman knew about Kieran somehowor, perhaps, she knew about Fuller and Miro and knew that Kieran handled a great deal of their therapy and exploratory work. She might have a reputation for having tremendous empathyas someone who would take care of a baby.
And Kieran still cant think of anything or anyone who might feel that way about her? Kendall asked Craig.
No. And its driving her crazy.
Might have to do with that thing in the subway from a couple of years ago now. Miss Finnegan was all over the news then, Kendall said.
Craig wasnt sure why Kendall reminding him of Kierans situation in the subway a few years back disturbed him so much. Actually, she had been meant as a targetbut a young girl had wound up being pushed and nearly died a horrible death as a train was speeding into the station.
Kieran had caught her. And when assailed by the press, she just murmured, Anyone would lend a helping hand.
It became a temporary motto for the city.
Actually, it was a pity it hadnt seemed to have stuck around longer.
That is possible, Mike said.
Craig knew why he was disturbed.
Damn it. The man was right. Maybe whoever this woman was, she remembered the subway incident, too. And she had heard of Kieran and...
If someone could save a baby, maybe it was her?
Im not sure it matters how this woman found Kieran. The thing is, she did, he said gruffly. But, that it was Kieran she found may not mean a thing. Whats important is that she was brutally cut down on the street after handing the baby over.
Kendall nodded thoughtfully. Its a good thing your girlfriend is smart as a whip as well, warning the building security clerk, calling 9-1-1 and you. Because if you think about itthere were cops already on the way when the woman was stabbed. The killer might have seen them milling on the street. If there hadnt been cops around and he saw Kieran with the baby, he might have taken the time to retrieve his weapon and attempt to kill Miss Finnegan, as well. After all, at that point, she had the baby.
Again, Kendall was probably right.
Again, it irritated Craig.
Yeah. Thank God shes smart, he said evenly.
Mike offered Lance Kendall his hand. Detective, well keep tight on this. The city is in an uproar. He hesitated and shrugged. A woman murdered on the street in the middle of a crowd, and a baby involved. Well be on it day and night.
Ditto. So, we learn anything, we keep one another posted, Kendall said.
Yes, Mike agreed.
Kendall looked at Craig and offered him his hand.
Detective, Craig said. He accepted the handshake.
They parted ways. As they started walking, Mike punched Craig in the shoulder.
Hey!
You know, menand womenin different agencies can be jerks.
Yeah, they can.
Dont you be the jerk, huh?
Craig lowered his head with a half smile on his face.
Mike was right.
He was being a jerk. But a jerk doubly convinced that they had to find a killerand fast.
He looked at Mike. Hows your Russian? he asked.
Worse than my Spanish, Mike told him.
You dont speak Spanish at all, Craig reminded him.
I rest my case. Actually? Im kind of lying. I do speak some Russian. Had a Russian great-great-grandma who watched after me when I was a kid. Why?
I was thinking we might head out to Brighton Beach, Craig said. They had a friend working at a restaurant out by Brighton Beach pier. Jacob Wolff had been born in America; his mother had been Russian and his dad had been born in Israel. He worked undercover for a division of the FBI linked with Homeland Securityhis job was to blend in with the locals so that he could hear all the chatter. Russian mob operations had become a more and more serious factor to the city in the past few years. So far, hed been able to warn the authorities in time to stop two car bombs and the assassination of a local councilmanall without giving away his cover.
He listened. And when people were comfortable in a place, they tended to speak a little too openlydismissing a waiter as a nobody.
What? You dont think his friends will look at us and think, Well, hell, theyre FBI right off the bat?
Not if we go undercover, too.
Mike groaned. Craig had done a lot of undercover work, changing his look drastically for each assignment. Mike was an up-front, flat-out, find-the-truth kind of a guy.
Dress up wasnt his thing.
So swim shorts and Crocs, huh? Enough to look like were wannabe beach boys, huh?
No one is ever going to call me a boy, Mike said. He had Craig by a decade and wasas Craig liked to tease himan old geezer in his midforties.
Wannabe beach whatevers? Come on, we wont really be working. Ill buy you a fizzy drink with an umbrella, Craig said.
Dont you dare.
Craig grinned. Well head to my apartment.
Thought you were mainly living at Kierans apartment.
Yep, thats why were heading to my place.
Think you ought to call her? Let her know that the case is a priority for us and that were part of the joint task force? Mike suggested.
Ill let her know, Craig told him. I just...
What?
I just need to try to figure out something to tell her that actually suggests were making headway on solving the case.
* * *
You know you did it. You cant keep lying. You stalked heryou stalked her and then you killed her, Kieran used her fiercest voice, trying to sound like a cop.
Her twin looked at her and arched a brow. He lowered his head, trying to hide a smile. No, he said simply.
We can understand how it happened, how you must have felt
No, Kevin said again.
She rejected you. You felt like an ass.