The Imposter (6 page)

Alex
relaxed in the inner sanctum of her office.   She laid her head on her desk for
a few moments to fight off the headache she always seemed to notice after
meeting with Montgomery.   She had just called the O.R. to check on Angie and
ordered lunch from dietary when Jack Françoise entered her office, accompanied
by a trim, dark-haired woman.  Alex judged the woman to be about 35 years old. 
She stood behind her desk, smiled, and extended her hand in greeting to the
woman as she said, “Hi, I'm Alex.   Please sit down."

Françoise
made the introductions.  "Alex, this is Nadine Wells.  She is an
investigator and the NOPD expert on rape and sexual crimes.  She is a forensic
nurse analyst.   Nadine, this is Alex.  She is the legal counsel for CCMC. 
She's O.K., ... for a lawyer, I guess." Françoise grinned and winked at
Alex.

Alex
waved her hand to quiet Jack.  "Hi, Nadine.  I am a lawyer, but most of
all, I'm a nurse.   I don't know why Jack never says that when he introduces
me," Alex said, giving Jack a reproving look.

"Whoops,
sorry, Alex."  Jack apologized for the second time that day.

"It's
nice to meet you, Ms.  Destephano.   The Commander has spoken highly of
you." Nadine Wells accepted Alex's hand.

Alex
was a bit confused and wondered who the "Commander" was.   Oh, yes,
Jack's new job.   But Jack wasn't doing anything differently as the Commander
than he had done as a Captain.  "Please, Nadine, call me Alex.   It took
me a moment to remember who the Commander was."  She gave Jack a teasing
glance.   "I'm not much on formality.  Do you have any information on the
possible rapist?" She looked hopefully at Nadine, admiring her petite
looks, her fresh appearance, and the fact that she was a nurse and a forensic
expert.

Nadine
hesitated for a moment, looking at the Commander.  Françoise spoke up,
"Alex, this meeting needs to be off the record.  All we have is
preliminary information.  The guys downtown would freak if they knew we were
talking to the hospital lawyer."

"Wow,
Commander, I thought you were the guy downtown," Alex said laughing.   “Of
course, it will be off the record.   I'm here as Angie’s friend.  Not to
worry.  This is completely between us.   Let's sit at the conference
table."

Nadine
looked relieved.  "Sorry, Alex.  We just had to ask.  Protocol and
all."

"I
know, Nadine.  No worries.  Please share."

"Well,
this case is more complex than some.  It presents a little differently.  We
usually classify rapists into three categories.  The first category is the
anger rapist who uses physical brutality to express rage, contempt, and hatred
for his victim.  The attack is usually unplanned and the rapist is seldom
sexually aroused when he initiates the attack.  Anger rape is usually quick,
this wasn't.   The medical information suggests that Angie was raped more than
once.  Usually with an anger rapist, the assault is one of physical violence to
the whole body."

Alex
was listening attentively and making notes on her legal pad.  "Yeah.  What
about the other categories? Do they better fit with what's happened to
Angie?"

Nadine
continued, "Well, a power rapist initiates the attack to overcome feelings
of inadequacy and insecurity.  For them, to accomplish sexual intercourse is
evidence of personal conquest.  These attacks are planned and premeditated. 
There is usually no injury beyond the attack itself, although it may occur over
an extended duration of time.  Power rapists outnumber anger rapists two to
one.  Victims of power rapists have relatively minor injuries." Nadine
stopped for a moment as Alex held up her hand.

"This
doesn't work.   Angie has extensive injuries.  It seems like her attacker has
attributes in both categories." Alex put her hands to her face.  "You
know, this stuff is sickening."

Nadine
Wells nodded in agreement.  Jack Françoise suggested that Nadine describe the
third category of rapists.

Nadine
sighed deeply as she continued.  "In contrast to anger and power rapists,
the third category is the sadistic rapist.  These rapists eroticize physical
force.  The rape may be long and involve torture, mutilation, or murder.  Often
times, this is the only way the rapist can achieve sexual satisfaction. 
Fortunately, this is the most uncommon type of rapist."

"Not
for Angie Richlieu! Would you categorize her rape as one of a sadistic
rapist?" Alex's blue eyes, crackling with intensity, penetrated Nadine's
soft brown ones.

Nadine
shook her head.  "No, probably not.  At least, he is not a pure sadistic
rapist.  Angie's rapist, at this point at least, seems to embody some of the
characteristics of both the anger and the sadistic rapist.  Certainly the perp
is sadistic.  He bit her, beat her, crushed her skull, and sliced up her face. 
But, he was angry.  I think our rapist is a cross between an anger rapist and a
sadistic rapist."

Alex's
heart was pounding in her chest.  "Jack, what do you think? Do you agree
with Nadine?"

"Nadine
is the expert.  I do agree with her.  I think the son of a bitch is angry.  I
think he was enraged, crazy, psychotic even."

Alex
nodded, "Yeah, for sure.   Nadine do you think he meant to murder
her?"

"No.  
At least, I don't think so.   If he had planned to murder her, he would have. 
He had the opportunity.  He simply wasn't motivated to kill her.  He wanted to
disfigure her, to scare her beyond belief!"

Jack
grunted.  "That doesn't mean he won't come back and try to murder her,
especially if it is someone she could identify or recognize.  Bastard!"

Alex
was anxious, "Oh my goodness, Jack, you don't think he will try to hurt
her while she is in CCMC recovering, do you?"

Jack
shrugged his shoulders.  "Don't know for sure.  Possibly.  Nadine, do you
have an opinion?"

Nadine's
voice was uncertain.  "I don't know, I just don't know.  This case is a
bit different.   He could.   Perhaps he thought she was dead or, at least,
would be by the time she was found.  It's hard to say.  There are so many
unknowns in Angie's case.   We need to be prepared in case he does,
Commander."

Jack
nodded, "I'll take care of it."

"My
Lord, what kind of profile do these rapists have? Is there a profile for this
type of crime?"  Alex's face paled as she considered the perp coming back
and attacking Angie while she was at CCMC.

Nadine
and Jack looked at each other sadly.  Jack nodded while Nadine answered Alex's
questions.  "Yes, these profiles usually reveal that the rapist is mentally
ill.  Violently, mentally ill.  They are often psychotic."

"Great
Day!  It is looking more and more like it could be a patient from the
Pavilion.  Do we have any inpatients that have such a profile?"  Alex's
headache was getting worse.

"Don't
know yet.  There are several patients in the Pavilion now that are violent and
have diagnoses that could suggest such a profile.  However, rape is not noted
in their medical histories.  Dr.  Desmonde and the psych team are analyzing the
records that we pulled.  We should know something by this afternoon.  I'm sure
she will talk to us then," Nadine assured them.

The
conversation was interrupted by a dietary aide delivering the lunch trays. 
Alex, Nadine, and Jack stared at the food as the aide departed.  The food looked
good, but no one was particularly hungry.  Finally, Jack spoke.

"Alex,
there's one more thing.  You ain't going to like it.  Do you want to hear
it?"

"Yes,
of course, Commander." Alex's formal tone was indicative of her distress.

"This
kind of rapist likes to revisit his victim.  He likes to come back to terrorize
them over and over.   It could be here at CCMC or after she has recuperated and
gone home.   It could be in five years, who the hell knows.   But, they do
often return and stalk their victims."

"Oh,
no.  We can't let this happen! No! What do we do?" Alex's voice was
approaching a hysterical level and her head was beating outside of her skull.

"When
he comes back, he'll try to kill Angie.  I am sure of it." Jack was
feeling again for his gun.  "Don't worry, Alex.  In the meantime, we’ll
place police protection outside her room.  When he comes back, we'll get him.  
Count on it.  It's a given." Jack's face was red with anger. 

Alex
stared at her plate of uneaten food.   She felt nauseated and was startled when
Jack's cell phone rang.  

He
looked at the number.  "I've got to go."  He turned to Nadine and
said, "We caught the double homicide this morning in the Quarter.   The
young couple.   I got to get down to the Coroner's office."

"Commander,
you're handling that?  I hear that's a bad case." Nadine's face was grim.

"Yeah,
Nadine, it is.   It's looking real bad.   But then, this case is bad as well.  
Today has been nothing but bad." He looked at the lunch he had been so
eagerly anticipating and said, "Sorry, ladies.   I just lost my
appetite."

After
Jack left, Alex and Nadine talked quietly and picked at their food.  Nadine
told Alex that she would be sure police protection for Angie had been arranged,
"just in case".  She also reminded Alex that she and Jack were
operating only on a theory and that they had no hard evidence.  Nadine promised
to keep in touch and the two women parted, leaving Alex tearfully depressed in
her office.   Shortly after she left, Alex remembered that she had forgotten to
ask Nadine about the puncture wounds on Angela's neck.   She'd call and ask her
later.  But, right now, Alex needed a little time alone.

Jack's
brain was bursting as he started his drive back down to Rampart to see Maddy
Jeanfreau.   He was doubly concerned about Angie's safety and felt there was a
risk the perp would try to finish her off, if she made it through surgery.  
Why did bad things happen to his friends?  He'd made a ton of friends over at
CCMC in the spring and the group had gotten together several times over the
previous months to keep their connection alive.   Several of the CCMC folks had
been piqued that he hadn't invited them to his Commander celebration.   As it
was, Jack had barely tolerated the evening.   He'd only invited the few folks
necessary to be politically correct.   Alex, Robert, and Monique Desmond had
all attended, the latter two having been his friends since childhood.  He
figured that if he had to suffer, his closest friends should suffer with him.

As
Jack slowed his Caddy to stop for a red light, he allowed himself to think of
what reason Dr.  Jeanfreau could have to call him downtown for the second time
in one day.   He prayed it wasn't about what he feared it was.   He had been
ignoring the possibility since he had left earlier this morning, but the phone
call from Maddy had almost confirmed his fears.   If what he thought was true
was correct, he wanted to bleep himself into oblivion for a few months or at
least visit an obscure planet he had never heard of.

 As
he wheeled his Caddy into a legal parking space, his spirits lifted.   Two
legal spots in one day.   That must be a record for him.  
Things couldn't
be too bad, right,
he convinced himself.  
After all, I am parking
legally for the first time in months.   That has to be a good omen.
  But
then again, it was probably his old Catholic upbringing coming back to trick
him.

Maddy
was washing up in the autopsy room.  She looked like she had aged 5 years since
this morning.  It must be a very bad day in the morgue.  She saw him,
brightened a bit, smiled, and pointed with a soapy hand back towards her
office.

"I'll
be back there in a few minutes.  Got to finish getting cleaned up.  Enjoy the
Hershey Kisses in my candy bowl ... as if you needed an invitation," she
admonished.

Jack
gave her a half smile and said, “I might just do that," remembering that
he had turned down lunch and a second jelly donut.  Besides, he deserved it. 
It was a shitty day.

He
made himself at home and sat at the little round table in Maddy's office near
the candy bowl.  He looked around.  Maddy had pictures of her husband, who was
a noted urologist in town, and her twin daughters, who looked just like 10 year
old Maddy miniatures.  He picked up a picture of them taken at their weekend
home in Pass Christian over on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.  The four looked
just great, tanned, fishing poles sticking out of the grounds, sitting under an
umbrella on the beach with the Mississippi Sound  in the background.  Maddy
looked fantastic and carefree.  Something she certainly didn’t look like
today.  Jack was reading her numerous diplomas, degrees, and commendations when
the petite M.E. joined him in her office.   She saw Jack holding her family
picture.

She
shook her head.  "I'd love to be over in the Pass now.  Anywhere but here
in this depressing morgue cutting open dead people all day."

Jack
nodded, "Yeah, I bet.  Me, too.  I still want to take you up on that
fishing trip offer when it cools off."

"You
bet.  Right after the lunch you offered this morning."  Maddy grinned at
him and asked, "What's up at CCME?"

Jack
shook his head.  "Not good.  An attack on one of the nurses who worked in
the Pavilion last night.  She was raped and beaten up pretty bad.  Laid in the
bushes for hours until someone noticed her early this morning."

Maddy
shook her head.  "Oh my, I'm not surprised.  The Pavilion is a festering,
snake-pit, time-bomb.  I've autopsied two patients who have gotten killed over
there in the last couple of years.  We're lucky it hasn't been worse.  Monique
Desmonde deserves multiple gold medals for staying in that hell hole."

"Oh,
do you know Monique?  I didn't know that.  "

"Of
course, I know Monique.  I love her.  We female docs have to stick together,
particularly in this God-forsaken, old boy network town.  I don't see her as
much as I'd like, but we do get together fairly often."

"Good
to know.  I'm afraid the perp could be one of her patients."

"Boy,
Commander, I feel real sorry for you.  Monique will protect her patients like
they are her children.  She is a marvelous physician and psychiatrist.  If you
ever need an advocate, she is there for you."

Jack
shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes.  "Yeah, I know.  There could
be a struggle.  I've already figured that out.  Now, why did you call me down
here again on this hot as hell day when I could be eating chocolates in my air
conditioned office?" Jack smiled, but his dark eyes were serious.

The
two locked eyes for several moments and then Jack knew without Maddy telling
him.   He shook his head and said, "Oh no!"

Maddy
just stared at him and said simply, "He's back.  St. Germaine is
back."

Jack
looked miserable.  "Yeah, I thought so.  I was afraid of that.  What the
hell, here we go again.   He could feel his gut tighten up and cramp."  He
was instantly depressed and despondent.

Maddy
nodded and said, "Yeah, you're right.  Here we go again.  And we got zip
from the bodies.  We still need to identify them."

"So,
I guess you are telling me that their throats were torn out just like the lady
in 2009?"

"Yeah,
and their wrists were slit, as well.  We could get no finger prints off the
bodies so, hopefully, your team got some.  You were right.  The bodies had some
pretty scary tattoos on them.  They were definitely into the occult.  They had
less than 200 mLs of blood that we could drain out."

Jack
looked glum. "This sounds identical to 2009 and 1933, as least as far as
we can tell from the police report from 1933.  And God knows how many more that
we never found.  Anything else?”

Maddy
gestured negatively and said, "Oh, there may be one thing.  I don't think
they were killed in the Quarter.  There were scrapes to both victims’ legs that
were post mortem.  It looks like they had been dragged. There were grass and
pebbles embedded in their clothes that I am sure didn't come from the Quarter. 
The female's shoulder was broken, possibly from being shoved into a small space
or, perhaps, she was dropped from a balcony.  I can't be sure."

"I'll
have the guys check around.  Can you maybe pin-point the grass or rocks?”

Maddy
nodded, "Will do my best.  We're running them through the database.  We're
also data-mining everything we know.  Jack, have there been any sightings of
St.  Germaine lately that you've heard about?"

Jack
shook his head.  "Only the ones from tourists who have been on cemetery
tours or have over-indulged.   We are always getting St. G. sighting from
drunks, at least a couple a week.  We investigate, but  there is nothing. 
We've found nothing substantive since just before the 2009 murder," Jack
reported and sighed with fatigue.  “Damn, I feel about 200 years old now.   We
don't need this Maddy.   Keep it to yourself.  We don't need any media hype of
this stuff.  You know the mayor will have a fit and we'll get the BS about
hurting tourism."

"Got'cha. 
O.K.  I'll ask the tech to keep quiet, but you know I cannot promise
anything.   Word, no matter what you do, travels in cases like this.  Just be
prepared for a media onslaught.”

Jack
nodded, "Just do your best and keep in touch."

"You,
too."  Maddy hugged Jack for the second time that day.  "We've got to
stop meeting like this," she quipped.

"Yeah,
for sure.  Thanks, Maddy, " Jack said as he left her office.