‘Even a little?’ Sam asked. ‘Now and then, in that French maid’s outfit?’
Marie went pink since Fox, Terri, and Dillan were all there, and all giggling. ‘Well, maybe on special occasions, but I think I should start paying proper rent.’
Sam gave her a solemn nod. ‘We’ll discuss a suitable rent. Have you told Naomi about the series?’
‘Yes, and Nate had already called the Sisters to check there would be no problem with the concept. Actually, Sister Naomi said she might get some time to come over for this.’
‘A limousine has just arrived outside the house, Marie,’ Belle said. ‘I suspect she has succeeded.’
‘Oh! Good. I’ll go down and–’
‘I’ll go,’ Fox said. ‘You stay there and look like a vid star.’
‘There are two women in the Sisters’ uniform coming to the door,’ Belle informed them.
‘Two?’ Marie asked. ‘Wonder who she’s brought with her.’
‘I can guess,’ Fox replied as she headed for the door. ‘Belle, let them in and I’ll meet them in the hall.’
Gilly looked as though she was fully recovered from her injuries. Whether she was psychologically as fit as she was physically was another matter, but she was back in uniform and smiling as Fox came down the stairs.
‘Come on up,’ Fox said. ‘We’re camped out in Sam’s lounge. He spent ages laying it out just right and it seems a shame not to use it.’
‘He actually listened to those lectures?’ Naomi asked. ‘Hardly anyone bothers.’
Fox grinned. ‘He said pretty much the same thing, but he had the chance to do it, so he did. How are you doing, Gilly?’
Gilly was tripping up the stairs in high heels without any apparent discomfort. ‘I’m good,’ she said. ‘Mostly good. I’m still getting bad dreams a-and my confidence is… not quite what it was.’
‘I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but you’ll get over it. Mostly.’
‘Fox would know,’ Naomi said.
‘Unfortunately, I do have some experience with recovering from trauma. Terri’s upstairs too. Talk to her if you want a less… military view on recovery. I think that both of us benefitted when we finally nailed everyone involved in the Dallas op. You might be lucky. We think we’ve got a strong lead on the Ripper.’
‘You have?’
‘Yes, and Gilly’s picture was part of the solution. You helped when we get him, Gilly.’
‘Well, that would be something,’ Gilly said. ‘I think I’d recognise him when I see him.’
‘Maybe, but it wouldn’t do much good. What you saw was an android with an infomorph in it. I don’t want to go into the details now, but this is one of those freak things which… Well, someone probably should have seen something like this coming. NAPA in Boston have already arrested two men over it.’
‘I’m probably going to get extremely angry about that,’ Naomi said, ‘but it can wait until tomorrow. I assume Marie is rather excited?’
‘You could say that. To be honest, I think she’ll be more excited to see Gilly was fit enough to come over.’
It was something of an understatement; Marie practically bounced off her seat, across the room, and then continued to bounce with Gilly wrapped in her arms. ‘You’re okay! You look great. I’m so glad you could come. You’re allowed a drink, right? Let me get you a drink. Hello, Sister Naomi.’
Naomi grinned. ‘Hello to you, Marie, and congratulations. At least we can tell that stardom hasn’t gone to your head yet.’
‘Wait until the first reviews come out on the pilot,’ Sam suggested. ‘That’s when we’ll see the ego coming out.’ He was on his feet and handing Naomi a glass of wine. ‘Welcome to my home.’
‘You’ve done very well with it. I can see your lessons in the layout. You have v-tag colour schemes for working?’
‘Based on the schemes you taught me in Boston.’
‘They work too,’ Marie said. ‘I got him to try a few out one evening and… Wow. I couldn’t keep my hands off him.’
Gilly giggled. ‘I’m pretty sure that’s got nothing to do with the room. I saw the two of you in bedroom etiquette class.’
‘Yes,’ Naomi said, her lips curling. ‘We’ve considered using the recordings of that in other training sessions.’
‘You haven’t?!’ Marie squeaked.
‘Well, we may not be able to. That class doesn’t have a licence for recording porn.’
19th October.
Rutherford was glowering by the time Kit had run through the evidence that Driscoll was not the ‘real’ Ripper. She continued to glare at the displays Kit had put up for several seconds before speaking. ‘You are one huge pain in the ass, Meridian,’ she finally said.
‘I’ve been called worse,’ Fox replied.
‘I’ll put this in front of my captain, but the official line is that Driscoll is responsible for all of the deaths. IA is watching every damn thing we do and I think Robbard is pushing the single killer theory.’
‘What the Hell for? I don’t see why that gains anyone anything. I don’t see why IA is involved in this at all!’
‘Neither do I, but they are. There was some muttering about information security, but since you got that regulation passed letting you look at all the case files, I fail to see what their problem is.’
‘That was Wayden’s amendment. We just strengthened the reasoning.’
‘Whatever. IA is all over this case and the captain always comes out of meetings with Robbard yelling for me to wrap this up and tie everything to Driscoll.’
Fox frowned. She had her suspicions about Robbard’s motives and allegiances, and this did not seem to fit with them. ‘Kit,’ she said silently, ‘task Palladium with a background check on Inspector Robbard.’ Aloud, she said, ‘Put this in front of them. Do it soon. Because he’s going to strike again, and when he does, you want to be able to point to this and say you thought there was another man out there besides Driscoll.’
‘Huh, yeah, but that’s the problem, right?’ Rutherford said. ‘It’s not a man. It’s going to take a lot of convincing to get anyone to believe we’ve got a robotic Jack the Ripper running around killing people.’
It was Fox’s turn to glower. ‘How, exactly, do they figure Driscoll hit the Sisters’ chapter house? How do they explain the fact that the only live witness we have gave a description which does not match Driscoll in the slightest?’
‘Your witness was wounded and traumatised, and Driscoll got in through lapsed security.’ Rutherford held her hands up to fend off the immediate response. ‘That’s not in my reports; it’s annotations made by my captain. I tell you, someone’s putting a lot of pressure on to get Driscoll convicted of all of it.’
‘Great.’ Fox looked at Kit, but she kept her order silent. ‘Put a rush on that background check, Kit.’
20th October.
‘Inspector Alan Franklin Robbard, born in Wilmington, New England Administrative Region, in twenty twenty-one. His father was in the Army, his mother a housewife. Entered the Army himself, following home-schooling, in twenty forty-two.’
Fox listened as Kit went over Robbard’s basic history, waiting for the point where something sounded wrong. Something was going to sound wrong. Something had to sound wrong.
‘Following basic training, he went on to do military police training and then entered service with the fourteenth MP brigade. He was stationed at Fort Meade until leaving the service in twenty fifty-six, by which point he held the rank of first lieutenant and had graduated to investigative work. He joined NAPA the same year, as a detective, moving into internal affairs in twenty fifty-eight when he was promoted to inspector.’
Kit looked at Fox to see whether she would say anything, but Fox appeared to be thinking. ‘His military and NAPA careers have been unremarkable. No commendations or reprimands on record. He was noted for marksmanship with a four-millimetre pistol during basic training.’
‘Okay, so he’s NIX,’ Fox said. ‘Thought he was.�
�
‘Could you explain your reasoning?’ Kit asked.
Fox gave her a quick grin. ‘Of course I can, Kit. It’s kind of sloppy, actually. The fourteenth MP brigade is assigned to the North-West Protectorate. No way would one of them be assigned to Fort Meade. Well, maybe some sort of liaison role… It’s highly unlikely for that extended period. The Army doesn’t use four-mil pistols. That’s a street weapon, also employed by covert operatives due to the compact form factor. So, wrong weapon and an unlikely posting to the home of NIX…’
‘Would suggest a faked background designed to be appealing to NAPA, and so Inspector Robbard is likely to be a NIX agent.’
‘Correct. Now, why is he so keen to have all the murders assigned to Driscoll?’
Kit frowned for a second and then brightened. ‘If NIX were somehow aware of the Ripper AI prior to our discovery of it, they might wish to capture it. With NAPA’s attention focused on Mister Driscoll, NIX would be free to locate the Ripper AI without NAPA getting in the way.’
‘That is a good theory, but how would they have known about it?’
Kit shrugged. ‘Overwatch.’
‘We’re relying on internet conspiracy memes to explain it?’ Fox gave a grimace to indicate her thoughts on the matter.
‘Mister Martins believes it may be true. And a comprehensive surveillance system might well have known of the project and have access to the case files. AIs are good at aggregating data from multiple sources and the putative Overwatch AI could have put two and two together.’
Fox gave a grunt of displeasure. ‘I don’t like it, but it happens to fit the facts too well.’
‘Agreed. I… Fox, there are several breaking news reports appearing indicating that a number of bodies have been found by workers in a storm drain in the Brooklyn area.’
Fox raised an eyebrow. ‘A number?’
‘The reports vary between six and twenty. It appears that some of the workers contacted news channels before or after contacting NAPA. All the reports indicate mutilation and some considerable decay. All the reports also suggest that all the bodies are female.’
‘The Ripper again. Where is this?’
‘The exact location is not being reported, but it appears to be beneath the Sprawl in Brooklyn. The second Ripper victim, Jodine Cooper, was found in the Brooklyn Sprawl.’
‘So he killed more up there, but he hid the bodies for some reason. Maybe he meant to hide Cooper’s, but he was disturbed. Maybe he dragged them down there so he could take his time over the cutting. Whatever, they’re going to try to link this to Driscoll. I want the crime scene and autopsy reports ASAP.’
‘I’ll put the requests through immediately.’
~~~
‘A NAPA press release indicates that the seven victims were found with wounds consistent with those of Tony Driscoll’s other victims and that no other persons are being investigated at this time.’
Fox frowned at the news channel display. Sam and Marie were sitting to either side of her, waiting for her comments about the latest developments, but her immediate thoughts were just stemming from annoyance and not worth repeating.
‘Initial forensic analysis suggests that all seven were killed between the twenty-third and twenty-ninth of September, between the murders of Jodine Cooper and Sister Georgina Parton.’
‘Right,’ Fox said, ‘so after that amount of time in a storm drain, getting detailed wound analysis is going to take longer than a few hours. At this stage, there’s no way they could differentiate the Ripper’s work and Driscoll’s. They’re portraying conjecture as fact.’
‘Won’t they look a bit stupid when the real Ripper strikes again?’ Marie asked.
‘They’ll blame inaccurate reporting. Then they’ll go with a copycat following after Driscoll, or just make a scapegoat out of Rutherford.’
‘Oh.’
‘But you’re right. When the next body turns up, NAPA are going to look like idiots.’
Part Four: Marie Jeanette
New York Metro, 22nd October 2060.
Everyone knew her as Silver. It was actually her name, but most assumed it was a nickname and the result of her hair, which was waist-length, very straight, and metallic silver. She had discovered a cosmetician who could achieve the effect early in her career and made it into her trademark. It was memorable, she was good at her job, and she had made quite a fortune. She still worked because she enjoyed it, not because she had to. She could afford to be selective about her clients, so she was, and the result was that she enjoyed her job even more.
She walked up 3rd Avenue to an assignation with one such client because she only lived three blocks away and the evening was pleasant. Her black dress was tasteful and very expensive; the lingerie beneath was expensive and risqué. Silver was all about elegance and subtlety, combined with a wild sexuality her clients found almost impossible to give up once they had experienced it. She was at home in almost any environment, but had found her home in the MCD: this was her territory and she felt safe there.
It came as something of a surprise then when, shortly after she turned down East 83rd Street, someone pulled her over a low wall and into an alleyway.
23rd October.
‘Silver Quade,’ Sam said. ‘Everyone knew her as just Silver and assumed it was a nickname.’
‘Because of the hair?’ Fox asked.
‘Yes. She actually had her hair changed to match her name. I worked with her once or twice, met her socially once or twice. She was beautiful, exquisite really. Delicate to look at but strong beneath. Very well liked and quite wealthy. I’m not surprised the media coverage has escalated.’
Fox glanced at the six channel displays which she currently had hanging in the air in front of her sofa. The coverage of the death of Silver Quade had been nonstop since her body had been found the night before.
It had not exactly come at a great time, given that the funerals for the dead Sisters had happened the day before, and NAPA had still not delivered the forensic reports on the seven bodies in the storm drain. NAPA were citing ‘operational delays,’ but it seemed like they were holding the information back to delay Fox’s investigation. And there was the other thing…
‘I put a call through to Rutherford to ask whether I could go down to the crime scene, and she’s been pushed off into what they’re calling an “advisory role.” Inspector Olin from precinct eighteen is now the lead.’
‘They went for the scapegoat option?’
‘Seems like it. The case will get some significant resource now. That’s something at least.’
Sam frowned. ‘Somehow, I don’t find that comforting. I don’t believe Naomi will either.’
~~~
‘I have Inspector Olin and Detective Rutherford at the door,’ Belle announced. ‘I have verified their identities and credentials.’
‘That sounds serious,’ Fox commented, dragging her head out of contract requirements and rising to her feet.
‘Inspector Olin indicated that he wished to question you regarding the recent murders.’
‘Hmm. Let them into the hall. I’ll talk to them in the lounge downstairs. Don’t worry about refreshments. I’m expecting to kick them out in fairly short order.’
Olin was tall and slim, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and just a little too narrow in the face to be called handsome. His suit was designer. Cops who wore designer suits were, in Fox’s opinion, suspect. His expression suggested arrogance and a sense of superiority which did not exactly endear him either. He stood in the hall as though he owned the place.
Rutherford stood beside him giving a passable impression of a kicked dog.
‘Inspector,’ Fox said as she walked down the stairs. ‘Detective. I can give you a couple of minutes, but please be brief.’ Attack seemed the best form of defence and, sure enough, she noted the shift in Olin’s expression which indicated she had irritated him.
‘I’m investigating the death of Miss Silver Quade,’ Olin stated, ‘and any possible connecti
on with other deaths outside my precinct.’
Fox reached the bottom of the stairs and motioned for them to follow her into the lounge. ‘I’m sure you are. Detective Rutherford has all the information I’ve gathered on the other murders. NAPA has, so far, been negligent in presenting Palladium Security Solutions with data on the seven bodies in Brooklyn, and we have received nothing regarding Miss Quade.’
‘Negligent is a rather strong word, Miss Meridian.’
Fox turned around and fixed Olin with a stare. ‘It’s an accurate word, and one which was used in the complaint we lodged this morning. I’m extremely busy, Inspector. I have an investigation to run, which NAPA are impeding, and a considerable amount of contract requirement documentation to work through. If you are here simply to waste my time, I’ll be lodging another complaint before you leave.’
Olin’s eyes narrowed, but he seemed to have reasonable control. When he spoke, his tone was level. ‘You carried out two forensic examinations of crime scenes involved in this case.’
‘Yes. One at a location under contract to Palladium Security Solutions, the other at a site found by myself and my assistant. I consulted the lead investigator before going ahead with the latter having presented her with information leading to the arrest of Tony Driscoll.’
Olin smiled. ‘Oh yes, the information leading to Driscoll’s arrest. Where did that come from?’
Fox smiled back. ‘Cambot patrol positions are published two hours after the completion of a mission for verification purposes. Noting one in the correct location at the right time was a fairly trivial exercise, and one which NAPA could have done.’
The inspector scowled. ‘Let me make this quite clear, Miss Meridian. Your interference in this case will not be tolerated–’
‘Get out of my home then,’ Fox snapped.
‘What?’
‘You won’t accept my help and you’re wasting my time. Leave. Now.’
‘I want all the information you gathered at the two crime scenes.’
‘You clearly didn’t hear me, Inspector. You have everything which was gathered. Now, out. You are no longer welcome here. Any further questions to Palladium Security Solutions should be addressed through our legal department.’
Criminal Minds (Fox Meridian Book 4) Page 18