by Scott Bonn
In a loud voice, Pritchard announces, “You all need to hear this. I just received a telephone call from the office of Anderson Cooper, the prominent TV journalist at CNN. It seems that Cooper has just received a letter addressed to me from someone claiming to be the guardian. The producers at CNN believe that it may be authentic, and they have invited me over to Anderson Cooper’s office to check it out. I am headed there now.”
Pritchard adds, “Agent Cassidy, I would like to ask you and one of your criminalists to join me so that we can evaluate the letter together.”
Cassidy nods in the affirmative and says, “Sure thing, Captain. Janet Chin and I will be most happy to join you.”
Cassidy looks directly at Agent Baldwin and says, “Jason, please take the lead here in my absence. I would like you to explore our theory that the guardian has formal religious training and works in some religious capacity. Coordinate with Captain Pritchard’s detectives to explore this theory.”
“Yes, boss,” says Agent Baldwin with a slight smile.
Within minutes, Cassidy, Chin, Pritchard and an NYPD homicide detective are heading north on the West Side Highway to the CNN offices at Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle. Traveling in a squad car with the siren blaring, the group makes the five-mile journey in exactly thirteen minutes.
At 10:23am, an administrative assistant escorts Captain Pritchard and his associates to the office of Linda Shapiro, executive producer of Anderson Cooper’s primetime nightly news series.
After exchanging the normal greetings, Shapiro says, “Thank you for coming, Captain Pritchard. We think that we are in the possession of something very important. The letter you see in front of you claims to be from the guardian serial killer. It was hand-delivered at the security desk downstairs in our lobby at exactly 7:00am today. According to the security guard on duty at the time, the man who delivered the letter was in his twenties or thirties, tall and white. The security guard also said the man was wearing a hoodie, so he did not get a good look at him.”
Shapiro continues, “Anyone making a delivery before 9:00am has to sign an entry log at the security desk. Our mysterious deliveryman printed the name Michael Gabriel. My assistant, Jennifer, received the letter at 9:00am from security. I opened the envelope when I arrived at the office about 9:10am. You will notice that the letter is addressed to you, Captain Pritchard, in care of Anderson Cooper. The outside envelope is addressed to Anderson. There is no return address or stamp on the envelope.”
Linda Shapiro asks, “Do you think it is genuine, Captain? Did the guardian write it?”
Without responding to the question, Pritchard begins to read the letter lying on Linda Shapiro’s desk. After reading it to himself several times, he asks agents Cassidy and Chin to do the same. When the two FBI agents have finished reading the letter, they first look at one another and then look at Pritchard. They both nod at Pritchard to tell him that they believe the letter is genuine.
Pritchard sits silently for a moment to consider the matter and then exclaims, “Yes, Ms. Shapiro, I believe this letter is the genuine article. The guardian’s egomania, narcissism and anger toward me are apparent in both his word choice and the overall tone of the letter. He seems to delight in mocking me and denigrating my abilities. It is obvious that the author of the letter felt a great need to brag about how much smarter he is than me.”
Pritchard proclaims with enthusiasm, “The letter was written by the guardian all right, and I am delighted to see that I have gotten under his skin. This is excellent!”
Shapiro wrinkles her brow and asks, “Captain, how can you be so sure that the letter is really from the guardian?”
In response to Shapiro’s question, without being specific, Pritchard says, “This letter contains information that only the killer himself would know. I cannot say more at this time, except that it is the genuine article, I can assure you.”
“I see, fascinating,” says Shapiro.
She continues, “Captain, this letter is very newsworthy, as you might imagine. The network and I believe that showing it to you privately, as we are doing, before doing anything with it, is the fair and appropriate action. Now, that you have seen it, I would like to make you a proposition, Captain.”
“Pray, tell,” says Pritchard with a slightly sarcastic tone.
He decides to hear her out before informing her that he can take the letter from her as material evidence in his murder investigation whether she likes it or not.
Shapiro says, “Well, the network and I would like to invite you to appear tonight with Anderson Cooper, live on his show, to discuss this letter and the status of your manhunt for the guardian. People all over the country are in a fervor over these killings, and they want to know what is happening. They deserve to know. We will heavily promote your guest appearance throughout the day on CNN and local radio stations. I would not be surprised if the guardian himself tunes in to watch the show tonight. He clearly is obsessed with you, Captain.”
In a matter-of-fact tone, Pritchard says, “I will take your offer into consideration, Ms. Shapiro. I will let you know what I decide. In the meantime, I must take this letter downtown for complete forensic analysis.”
“I understand, Captain. For your information, we will produce the show here in our studio at 9:00pm tonight. That is ten hours from now. I have a photocopy of the guardian’s letter, but I really want you come to come on with Anderson tonight to give our audience your unique perspective on all of this. Here is my personal cell phone number. Please call me by 3:00pm,” says Shapiro brightly as she hands Pritchard her business card.
“Like I said, Ms. Shapiro, I will take your offer into consideration. Right now, we need to go back downtown to police headquarters,” says Pritchard with a forced smile.
Pritchard adds, “Also, I am going to need the surveillance tape from your security camera in the lobby for the exact time the letter was delivered this morning. I want to see our mysterious messenger. And I will need the original log he signed, too.”
Shapiro says, “I will have them sent to your office today, Captain Pritchard.”
Anxious to conduct the forensics tests on the letter, Pritchard and his colleagues make a hasty exit from Time Warner Center. By 11:17am, the group is in a squad car headed south on the West Side Highway back toward One Police Plaza.
Chapter Thirty One
Captain Pritchard and his colleagues arrive at police headquarters at 11:35am. The group heads immediately to the guardian war room on the second floor. Once assembled, Dr. Janet Chin, the most skilled criminalist among the FBI team from Quantico, requests responsibility for overseeing the forensic tests on the letter they brought from CNN. Pritchard enthusiastically grants her request.
After Chin leaves the war room to begin the forensic testing—a process that might take several hours to complete—Pritchard dismisses the detective who accompanied them and served as their driver on the trip to CNN.
Pritchard wants to speak to Cassidy alone, but the war room is abuzz with activity, so he asks her join him in his office.
Once they are alone in the homicide captain’s office, Pritchard looks Cassidy directly in the eyes and says, “What is your take-away from our little adventure up at CNN?”
She replies, “Well, even without any forensic testing, it is obvious to me that the letter is genuine. Only the killer himself would know about Psalm 34:7—the Bible passage that he carved into Melissa Stein’s body. Like you, I knew immediately that the guardian himself wrote the letter based on that fact alone.”
Cassidy continues, “It also seems to me that the guardian is trying to be cute with us once again.”
“How so?” asks Pritchard.
Cassidy responds with a question, “Did you hear Linda Shapiro at CNN tell us that the messenger printed the name Michael Gabriel on the sign-in log?”
“Yes,” says Pritchard.
Cassidy continues, “Well, my Catholic Bible school training tells me that Michael and Gabriel are the fi
rst or given names of two of God’s archangels. Michael and Gabriel are guardians of God. I would say that the use of those names on the sign-in log is a touch of humor by the guardian. It is an inside joke and it tells me that he delivered the letter to CNN himself.”
“Well, well. Very nice work, Julia,” says Pritchard with a smile while clapping his hands. Pritchard calls Cassidy by her given name for the very first time.
He continues, “I did not make the biblical connection with the name Michael Gabriel. I missed that completely. I also agree with you that he is joking around. The guardian is playing with us once again. He is testing and taunting us.”
Cassidy says, “Yes, he is. Let’s just hope that we get something useful from either the surveillance tape or the sign-in log when they arrive from CNN. I do not expect them to reveal much, however, because our killer is very meticulous. Then again, you never know.”
Pritchard says, “We might get lucky.”
Cassidy replies, “Another thing, James. I can see that you are trying to get under the guardian’s skin, and it does seem to be working.”
She asks, “Are you trying to bait him into a reckless error by making him angry?”
Pritchard replies, “Well, I would not say it’s a formal strategy, if that is what you mean. I enjoy pissing him off simply because I hate him. However, it did occur to me that he might make a mistake if I attack his ego and get him riled up.”
Cassidy smiles and says, “Good. My team and I came to the same conclusion. We believe that the guardian’s massive ego is a critical weakness of his that we can exploit. Therefore, attacking his ego should be part of our formal strategy against him.”
She continues, “The guardian’s new letter reveals that you are definitely getting under his skin. His mocking and taunting statements clearly demonstrate his irritation with you. He is taking a risk by writing to you, but his egomania and narcissism are compelling him to do it. My team and I are certain that we can exploit the guardian’s grandiosity and bait him into a trap.”
“I like it. Count me in,” says Pritchard.
Cassidy responds, “Good. I am glad that we agree.”
She continues, “Now, there is one more thing in the letter that stands out and disturbs me. It is what the guardian says at the end of it. I am certain that he is alluding to a new victim at the end of the letter when he says that ‘a surprise is waiting for you now if you can find it’.”
Pritchard grimaces and says, “Yes, I know. I was thinking the very same thing, and to make it even worse, I received a message from one of my lieutenants early this morning, before I got the call from CNN. He told me that a sixteen-year-old girl named Eve Curry who lives on the upper west has been missing for two days. This girl fits the profile of the guardian’s known victims—that is, mid-teens, white, upper-middle-class, and resides above 57th Street in Manhattan. I have a really bad feeling about this, Julia.”
Cassidy swallows hard and says, “Oh, I see. Yes, the missing girl really does sound like his victim type in every detail.”
She asks, “Should we alert the scuba divers to begin searching the Hudson River for a new body?”
Pritchard nods and says, “They already are. I gave the order before we went up to CNN.”
In an angry tone, he adds, “In my entire career, I have never seen anything like the guardian. He claims to be following a divine master plan, but all of this is fun and games for him. The thing that really pisses me off is seeing how much pleasure he is getting from killing innocent young girls. He is a fucking monster!”
Cassidy says, “I understand, James. The guardian is most certainly a cold-blooded psychopath. He has no real or honest feelings at all. That said, do not underestimate him or dismiss his self-described motives as being insincere. The guardian truly does believe that his so-called mission is divinely inspired. It is his belief in the divine purpose of his work that allows him to rationalize his enjoyment in killing and raping these girls.”
Pritchard says, “Okay. Please go on.”
Cassidy says, “The guardian is very intelligent and he has a complex personality. On the one hand, he believes that he is doing God’s good work. On the other hand, he derives great hedonistic pleasure from murder and necrophilia. In addition, he is really enjoying the game of cat and mouse that he is playing with you. Taunting you inflates his ego and makes him feel superior.”
She continues, “Do not forget that you have gotten under his skin. You have made him very angry, and he has become obsessed with you, in my opinion. You need to understand that his obsession with you is an advantage that you have over him. Do not let the guardian get under your skin, too, or you will lose your advantage. You must try to detach yourself from your feelings about him so that you can think and act clearly.”
“I see, Julia. Good pep talk,” says Pritchard with a smile.
More seriously, he continues, “You are right, of course. I cannot let this bastard get to me. If I do, it will play right into his hands. I need to be detached and unemotional.”
After a brief pause, he says, “Every time I criticize him in public, he responds immediately by taunting me in return. Just as you said, he always goes for the bait, and when he does, he is taking a big risk because it brings him out of hiding. Every time he taunts me, he is giving us something new to work with and possibly exploit.”
Cassidy says, “That’s right.”
Pritchard adds, “The guardian mailed his first letter to me privately and directly, but he delivered this new one through a high-profile TV personality. It seems to me that his need for attention and notoriety are escalating. That is certainly a weakness in him that we can exploit.”
“Absolutely, James,” says Cassidy with a wink.
Pritchard continues, “I am thinking that perhaps I should go on CNN tonight with Anderson Cooper and use it as an opportunity to poke the guardian in the eye with a stick, so to speak, and challenge him publicly once again. Perhaps I can bait him into making a fatal error.”
Cassidy smiles and says, “I like the idea of you going on the show for two reasons. First, as you say, it gives you a chance to set a trap for him. Second, it allows you to control how the public receives the guardian’s letter. Linda Shapiro made it very clear that Anderson Cooper will discuss the letter on his show tonight whether or not you are there to comment on it. I would much rather have you explain the letter and its meaning to the public than leave it to the pundits at CNN to speculate about it.”
Pritchard replies with a smile, “Thanks for the vote of confidence. I want to run all of this by Commissioner Bratton and get his feedback before I commit to appearing on CNN tonight. I am still uncertain about it. If I do decide to make the appearance, then you and I will need to quickly devise a plan for how best to bait and set a trap for the guardian.”
Just as Cassidy is about to reply, there is a loud knock on Pritchard’s office door. Pritchard turns and opens the door to reveal Lieutenant Frank Baker, the officer who told him about the missing girl several hours earlier. From the concerned look on Baker’s face, Pritchard knows that his chief lieutenant has something important to discuss with him.
Pritchard says, “Yes, Baker. Please come in. We are just wrapping up.”
Then he asks, “What can I do for you, Lieutenant?”
As he enters Pritchard’s office, Baker says, “Sorry to interrupt you, Captain, but it is urgent. Our scuba divers have just discovered the dead body of a teenage girl in the Hudson River. It appears to be the body of the missing girl, Eve Curry. She was discovered nude and bound in nylon cord with a metal cross around her neck just like the others.”
Pritchard exhales deeply upon hearing the news, which he knew was both imminent and inevitable.
Pritchard says, “Thank you, Frank.”
The lieutenant nods his head and walks toward the door. As he does, Pritchard glances at his watch. It is twelve noon and the homicide captain knows exactly what he must do.
Chapter Thirty Two
By 12:15pm, James Pritchard is sitting in Bill Bratton’s office and providing the commissioner with a briefing on the latest events in the guardian manhunt. Pritchard tells Bratton about the body just discovered in the Hudson River, the new letter from the guardian, and his invitation to appear on CNN tonight. Pritchard tells Bratton that he wants to accept the invitation to appear with Anderson Cooper because it will allow him to reassure the public that the NYPD is doing everything it can to catch the serial killer.
After reflecting on what Pritchard has just told him, the commissioner says, “I think you are right, Jimmy. I want you to go on TV tonight with Anderson Cooper and give the public an update on our investigation. You can explain the meaning of the guardian’s new letter, and you can bolster the public’s confidence. Your presence on the show will reassure the public that we are working around the clock with the FBI to catch this lunatic.”
Pritchard says, “Sounds good, sir. Also, I want to make a statement about the latest victim tonight—that is, assuming the medical examiner has officially identified the corpse as Eve Curry and I am able to speak to her parents before I go on the air with Anderson Cooper.”
“Good idea, Jimmy. It is better that the public hears about the guardian’s latest victim directly from you rather than the news media,” says Bratton with a reassuring nod.
Pritchard adds, “One more thing, Commissioner. The guardian is completely narcissistic and he has delusions of grandeur. He also seems to be obsessed with me and loves to mock and taunt me. Every time I criticize him publicly, he immediately fires insults back at me. That gives me an idea. I want to attack the guardian’s ego on the show tonight and publicly bait him into a trap. I am sure that he will be watching because CNN plans to heavily promote my appearance throughout the day.”