No Mercy

by Torbert, R. J. ;

  There was silence in the room except for Gina's soft cry. She had grown fond of Walter Dugan over the past five years, and although she had only met Detective Hansen the week before, he was a fellow officer.

  “Boss,” Bud said softly and respectfully, “what does this have to do with Deborah? I'm not sure about the connection. At first maybe, but now I'm not sure.”

  “Bud,” Paul said, as he looked at Detective Cronin for his blessing to speak up, “Wakefern has visited O'Connor four times in the last six months. Three women have been killed that look like Deborah, to give the impression of a serial killer. Dugan is killed at Wakefern's house, and now Hansen is killed while he was checking in on Deborah. Do we really think this is a coincidence? Bud, if O'Connor wanted to get back at the three of us, he would come after us and the people we love.” As he heard himself speak, his heart started beating faster about Rachelle.

  “Listen,” he spoke again, “we need to talk to her. She may know something that she doesn't think is important to this case.”

  Bud stood there and looked around at everyone and sat down. He looked up again and said, “What about the girl, Lindsey?”

  Cronin spoke up. “Wyatt is at the house right now, but we are going to have to borrow two squad cars to relieve him. He is shaken up over losing Hansen.” Detective Baker came into the room to tell Cronin that Rachelle Robinson was in front and wanted to get into the Priority 1 area to see Paul.

  “Shit,” Paul said, “what is she doing here? Let her come to my desk. I will be out in a second.” As they were finishing up, Lynagh and Healey brought Deborah into the room and would stay with her until Powers and Johnson were ready.

  “Wait, guys,” Paul said. “Let me see what's going on with Rachelle. Bud, go talk to Deborah and reassure her we are not sure just yet but we are concerned. Don't ask questions until I'm back.”

  He left the central monitoring area and met with Rachelle at his desk. He greeted her with a hug and a squeeze of her hand as she asked, “Why has Deborah been brought here?”

  “Rachelle,” Paul said, as his disapproval showed.

  She interrupted him, “Why, Paul? Tell me. I'm not leaving.”

  The detective took her hand again and said, “We think she may be in danger and need to be certain.”

  Rachelle started moving toward the interrogation room. She knew where it was due to her many visits to the new precinct over the past year.

  “Where are you going?” Paul asked.

  Rachelle turned around and said, “I don't want her to be alone; I want to be there with her.”

  Paul reached for Rachelle as she stopped and looked at him. “I will not abandon her when she needs support. Take me to her, Paul, please.”

  “Rachelle,” Paul spoke, “if there is a connection, I would worry about you being with her until this is resolved.”

  Rachelle moved his hand from her arm and said, “I am not leaving her.”

  Paul looked at her for a few seconds and relented.

  “Come with me,” he said. He opened the door to the room where Lynagh and Healey were with Deborah. Rachelle smiled as she hugged her friend, and Deborah would not let go of her.

  Rachelle spoke. “It's going to be all right, and I am here with you. Come on, let's sit down.”

  Cronin, Ashley, Bud, and Paul watched as Rachelle held Deborah's hand tight on the table.

  Detective Cronin looked at both Detectives Powers and Johnson and asked, “Are you two going to be able to be objective?”

  Paul started walking toward the door and said, “Don't insult me.”

  “Answer the question!” Cronin yelled.

  “Yes,” Bud answered. Cronin looked over at Paul, who started to nod a weak yes.

  “John,” Cronin said to Ashley, “I suggest you go in there on behalf of Deborah. She's not a suspect, but you need to be sure nothing is violated. She is a friend, and I think it is the wise thing to do.”

  Paul and Bud came in and sat across from Deborah and Rachelle as John Ashley walked into the room and took a chair and sat on Deborah and Rachelle's side of the table. Paul immediately knew the reason. ADA Ashley told Lynagh and Healey to see Cronin in the monitoring room. Ashley began to explain to Deborah why he was there and noticed how Rachelle continued to hold her hand. When Lynagh and Healey reached Cronin, they were instructed to get to the hospital with the other officers to show support and respect for the families of the fallen officers.

  Paul looked at Rachelle, and then turned his attention to Deborah.

  “Deborah, we need to talk about a few things. We don't know or understand everything that's going on, but we need to be sure there is no connection to you.”

  Deborah started to speak, but Ashley asked her to be quiet for now.

  “Deborah,” Bud said, “we have a problem.”

  Ashley interrupted, “Guys, is there a question anywhere?” Cronin behind the mirror started talking out loud to himself. “Jesus Christ,” he said, as he shook his head.

  “Deborah,” Paul asked, “in the last week has anything unusual happened?”

  “Well, other than Bud starting to text and call me again, no,” she said with a smile. Paul looked at Bud as he spoke again. “Deborah, nothing else besides Bud?”

  She shook her head and said, “No, seriously, other than that. Missing me, I'm still beautiful, no nothing else.”

  Bud frowned as he said, “Deborah I never sent you any texts like those. May I see your phone?”

  The young woman reached for her smartphone and pulled up the text messages to show Paul and Bud. Bud turned the phone back to Deborah to show her it wasn't from his number.

  “I guess,” she replied, “I assumed it was from you because it was around the same time you started communicating with me on a regular basis.”

  Paul spoke up. “We knew there was a slight possibility there could be a problem, so I'm sure that's why Bud was keeping an eye on you.” Deborah looked over at Bud as Rachelle gave Paul a look of disappointment at what he said.

  “Of course,” Paul said to try and save the situation, “out of concern for you.”

  “Listen,” Bud said, “anything else other than these texts? We are going to check the number, but I'm sure they are disposable phone numbers. What about at work? Anything out of the ordinary happening at work besides what happened today?”

  “No,” Deborah answered, “nothing.”

  Paul spoke up again. “What about your dad? Anything unusual going on with him?”

  “No,” she replied.

  “What about the men you have dated?” Paul continued. The young woman was silent. “Deborah, please,” Paul asked again. Deborah Lance finally spoke, saying,

  “I can't talk to you about that in front of Bud.”

  Bud looked at Deborah and wanted to speak, but his thoughts were interrupted by Ashley, who said, “Bud, please leave the room.”

  The detective was starting to speak again when the PA was used. Detective Cronin's voice said, “Detective Johnson, I need to see you, please.”

  Bud got up slowly, and as he reached the door he heard Deborah's voice say, “Bud, is that why I started to hear from you again, because of this?”

  The detective put his hand on the doorknob and replied, “I was worried about you, Deborah.”

  She shook her head and said, “OK, I guess I just thought you wanted to be with me, that maybe you missed me.”

  Bud started to speak again when the PA was used again, but this time Cronin used a much firmer voice: “Detective, now!”

  Bud went into the monitoring room and stood by Detective Cronin without saying a word.

  Rachelle continued to hold Deborah's hand as Paul said again, “Deborah, talk to us about the men you have dated over the past six months.”

  Bud stood behind the mirror as the young woman he cared abo
ut explained in detail the three different men she had dated over the previous six months. There was nothing out of the ordinary.

  Paul pushed a little harder. “None of them ever became aggressive with you?”

  “No,” she answered. “Only,” then she hesitated, “well, one of them sexually, but I stopped it before it got out of hand.” Bud moved closer to the mirror.

  Paul patiently asked for his name. Deborah looked at Rachelle as she answered, “His name was Sean Martin; he is from East Hampton.”

  Cronin pushed buttons on the PA and said, “Gina, have Officers Lynagh and Healey pick up Sean Martin from East Hampton first thing tomorrow morning.”

  “Yes, sir,” she replied, and Cronin's attention went back to the interview.

  Paul asked, “Deborah, did he ever ask you to do anything that made you uncomfortable?”

  Ashley spoke up. “Don't answer that, Deborah. Next question, please.”

  Paul continued, “Why did you break up?”

  The young woman hesitated and then answered, “I just didn't feel it could go any further. I've never been one to waste time. Besides, sex isn't the most comfortable experience since the kidnapping.”

  The kidnapping Deborah was referring to was her own eighteen months prior. She was beaten and almost raped and killed until Madison barged in with the Ghost Face mask on and killed Wayne Starfield, who was holding her hostage under the orders of John Winters and Jason “Jack” O'Connor.

  “OK, Deborah,” Paul said, as he caught Rachelle giving him the eye to be careful about what else he asked her.

  Paul continued, “This is going to be a really crazy question, but I need to ask it. Does the group Mystic Strangers mean anything to you?” Deborah's eyes widened as she looked over at John Ashley. Paul was surprised by her reaction, especially to a question he almost didn't ask.

  Ashley got out of his seat and went to the other side of Deborah. She whispered in his ear as Paul turned around to face Cronin and Bud with a questioning look on his face.

  Cronin looked at Bud and said, “I guess Paul hit on something here.”

  Ashley looked up and spoke to Cronin through the mirror. “Please have Bud leave the monitoring room.”

  Bud raised his hands. “Oh, come on!” he yelled.

  “Bud,” Cronin said, “there's something here that she doesn't want to say in front of you. You have a personal relationship with her. Go ahead and leave the room for now.”

  He rubbed the side of his head as Bud spoke again, saying, “I'm scared that she's in trouble again, and I need to be there for her.”

  Cronin pushed the PA to the interview room and said, “Hold up, John, we are having an issue here.”

  Detective Cronin walked over to Bud and put his hand on his shoulder. “I have a feeling, Bud, that you will be there for her at the right time.”

  As Paul, Deborah, Ashley, and Rachelle sat in the room waiting, Paul tried to break the ice by saying to Rachelle,

  “What time is Suze Orman on tonight?”

  Rachelle just gave him an angry look. Paul knew things would be tense with her for bringing Deborah in, so he felt he needed to speak up again and be clear about why she was brought in.

  “Deborah, you do realize you were brought here as a precaution in case there is a threat to you, right? We are only here to see if there is any connection to your safety and the case we are working on.”

  Deborah nodded as the voice of Kevin Cronin came over the PA, saying, “We are ready to continue.”

  Ashley went back to his chair as Rachelle gave Paul another stern look. Still she was holding Deborah's hand.

  “Deborah,” Detective Powers said, “please tell us why the group Mystic Strangers means something to you.”

  Deborah looked at Paul and answered, “It was Robert's favorite group.”

  Cronin hit the wall with his fist and said, “Damn it!”

  Robert Simpson was Deborah's former boyfriend and worked as her father's personal assistant from the time she was thirteen years old. He became her lover when she was eighteen and their relationship continued until the Face of Fear investigation and Bud came into her life.

  Paul continued, “Have you heard from him at all since he left eighteen months ago?”

  “Never,” she answered.

  “Deborah, other than liking the group, and this is real important, is there any meaning to any of these songs?”

  “Yes,” she answered. She took a long breath and spoke. “He loved to have sex while the music was playing. It turned him on.” Behind the glass Cronin caught himself talking out loud. “Holy mother of hell.”

  Deborah continued, “He wasn't rough with me, but we were intimate at least three times a month with certain songs playing. He liked the dark, Gothic sounds, especially when there was no light.”

  Cronin began talking to himself again. “Where have you been, Robert Simpson?”

  Paul shook his head and could understand why Deborah had wanted Bud out of the room. “Deborah, do you think Robert Simpson is capable of killing women who look like you?” he asked.

  She shook her head and said, “Not the Robert I knew, but I don't know him anymore.”

  Paul continued, “Do you think he would hurt you physically in any way?”

  Deborah teared up as Rachelle put her arm around her friend, and answered, “I'm not sure of anything anymore. Do you think women are being killed because of me?”

  “OK,” Ashley said, “this interview is over. Detective Powers, please give us a minute.”

  Paul got up and touched Deborah on her shoulder before he walked out of the interview room.

  “Excuse me, John,” Cronin's voice came over the PA. “Deborah, this is Detective Cronin. I'm sorry to have to ask you this, but does the phrase ‘If I can't have you, no one will' mean anything?”

  The young woman looked up to the mirror.

  “No, Detective. Robert was upset about not being a part of our lives anymore, but he did not specifically use those words.”

  Cronin spoke again. “What about the words ‘You are still beautiful'? Does that sound like something Robert would say?”

  Through her tears, Deborah replied, “He always said I was beautiful, since I was thirteen years old.”

  “OK,” Detective Cronin answered, “thank you.”

  Cronin released the PA button as he spoke to himself again: “Sick motherfucker.” He looked over at Paul and said, “Have one of the uniforms take her to her car at the school. We should get to the hospital; fill in Bud on the details on the way. I'll see you later; I'm on my way there now.” Paul nodded as Cronin left.

  Paul met with Rachelle, Deborah, and Ashley in the hallway. “Come on, Deb,” Paul said, “someone will take you to your car.”

  Rachelle spoke up. “I will take her.”

  “No,” Paul sighed as he spoke again, “not without an escort.” Bud walked up to Deborah and took her hand as she acknowledged him. ADA Ashley asked for Detective Cronin, and Paul told him he was on his way to the hospital. The ADA acknowledged that they should also make an appearance, which included him as well.

  As they left the Priority 1 area, an officer came running around the corner shouting, “There's been an explosion outside!”

  As Paul, Bud, and Ashley reached the parking lot and raced to the explosion, they soon realized it was Detective Kevin Cronin's car.

  “No!” Paul yelled. Bud fell to his knees, as he could not believe what he saw.

  “No!” Paul kept saying. ADA Ashley stood there in silence as he tried to pull Bud up, who was crying. The sirens could already be heard from the fire trucks as Ashley escorted Bud back to the building, where he sat in the nearest chair as Deborah came over to him, held him, and began crying with him. Paul stood up against the wall in the precinct and starting banging the wall with his fists as Rachelle
reached for his arm.

  “Stop, please stop,” she said, as tears came down her face. He looked at her and then put his head to rest against the wall.

  Rachelle put her arms around his waist and could hear Paul struggling to hold his tears back as he said, “His family is in California.”

  Rachelle continued to hold him as Ashley said, “I will take care of it.”

  Just then Gina ran out to the front area as the ADA caught her and held on to her while she cried uncontrollably. John Ashley walked Gina back to her office and stayed with her until an officer could drive her home.

  He pushed the buttons on his smartphone when he was alone. He waited till the call was picked up. He said “Let the games begin,” then disconnected the phone call.

  The ADA shook his head and waited for the news to break on television. It took only fifteen minutes for the Long Island News 12 anchor, Mary McKenzie, to break into regular programming to announce the killing of Officer Dugan, Detective Hansen, and now Detective Lieutenant Cronin. Ashley sat there as he waited for Commissioner McGuire, Chief Jameson, and DA Steinberg to get to what had been Kevin Cronin's office only forty minutes earlier. It was another ten minutes before the DA and the chief came into the office as Ashley quickly shut the door.

  The chief looked at the ADA and said, “I gave this case to Priority 1 to solve it, not get everyone killed, for Christ's sake!”

  “Chief,” Ashley said, “there will be no more killing. Now it's time to solve the case.”

  The chief looked at DA Steinberg for support and asked, “What do you think of this?”

  “I say,” the DA answered, “based on their track record, let them have some time with this.”

  The chief looked back at ADA Ashley and asked, “Can Detectives Powers and Johnson handle this?”

  “Sir,” the ADA said, “there is no one else I would dare have handle this.”

  “Listen,” the chief replied, “we can't have any more bodies, especially our own.” He looked back at DA Steinberg and continued, “I'm getting too old for this shit. Let's call Detective Powers in.”