The Brass Ring (34 page)

"Nothing that hasn't been done here." The Captain shrugged. "The supervisor confirmed this?"

"Yes, as did the staff at Saint E's," CC said. "Terrell didn't even know about it until we went over the dates and times with him. The sad part is that if Terrell hadn't been in Brighton looking after his family, those two women would probably still be alive. And that brings us to Saul Rumford."

"Romeo." Max snorted in amusement. "The kid who filled in for Terrell."

"Right, the one who shut the video down so he could have his knob waxed," CC supplied. "We have an interview set up with him in a half an hour. He isn't being very cooperative since the hospital canned him after finding out what he did."

"What about the girl?" the Captain pressed.

"We're going to try to get her name from him although it's possible she's a working girl," CC said. "Hard to say by the way she was dressed; she could have just been young. I don't know how useful she'll be since, based on her position in the booth, I doubt that she could see anything of interest."

"What about the two girls from San Diego?" the Captain inquired. CC handed him the file that she'd received. The Captain grimaced when he looked at the crime scene photos. "If I didn't know any better I'd swear I was looking at the Bernstein crime scene."

"I know," CC agreed. "Which brings us to another problem. This could be a serial killer." She'd been biding her time in bringing this up, knowing what the reaction would be.

"No Feds," the Captain shouted. CC gave him a wary look in response. "You want to bring them in? Why would you of all people want to do that?"

"Because they owe me," CC spat out. "And the stakes are too high for me to let this bastard get away."

Max and her Captain sat there in a stunned in silence. "They can get information that we can't," CC explained. "Like if the victims in California were gay. Right now we can't find anything to support that theory. Or if Simon has anything in his past that might show a prior history and he isn't just some poor schmuck who has bad luck with women. And they can probably tie it up neatly so it looks like no one crossed any legal lines to get this information."

A chilly silence filled the room as her partner stared at her with a slack-jawed expression. CC had never thought she would be asking the same people who had covered up her shooting for help. But keeping Jamie safe outweighed everything else. "Anything else on the case?" the Captain stammered.

"No sir," CC responded casually.

"Well, keep me updated," he said in a faraway tone.

After they stepped out of the Captain's office Max was still staring at her in disbelief. "Don't fight me on this, Max," she cautioned him. "I won't lose her."

*  *  *

Jamie had a slight spring in her step when she entered the hospital. Despite the tension of the last twenty-four hours, she was elated by the time she'd spent with CC. And knowing that she wouldn't have to face Simon Fisher was an added bonus. "Good evening, ladies," she greeted the nurses who were busy pouring over their paperwork.

"You had sex," Evaline gasped.

"Jealous?" Jamie quipped with a bright smile.

"Yes," Evaline whined.

"Poor baby," Jamie offered with false comfort. "Well, time to get to work," she added brightly as she snatched a chocolate chip cookie from the tray sitting on the counter.

She entered the lounge area and went straight to her locker. She opened it, and with the cookie clenched between her teeth, began to change into her scrubs. As she pulled her lab coat out of the locker, a slip of paper fell to the floor. She stared at it curiously as she shrugged on the coat. With the cookie still firmly locked in her mouth, she bent over and picked up the piece of paper.

Jamie took the cookie in one hand and began to munch on it as she turned the paper over to see what it was. Her heart stopped when she saw the bold nondescript writing. The cookie fell to the floor as she stared blankly at the words -
'You're Mine'.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

"W
HAT ARE YOU thinking?" Max inquired as CC stared through the two-way mirror. The sight of Simon Fisher sitting smugly at the shaky table made her stomach turn. "You’re on to something. I can hear those squeaky wheels spinning in that noggin of yours," Max pressed.

"He’s smart," CC explained dryly as Max blankly stared at her. "I mean he’s really, really smart. He knows it and he likes to show it. Did you know that in San Diego the cops grilled him for hours and he never broke a sweat? They didn’t have anything and he knew it. Just like now; he knows we’re focusing on him but we don’t have any proof. That makes him happy. The good cop bad cop scenario is just going to amuse him."

"What would you like to do?" Max encouraged her.

"Go in there and tell him that you’re sorry for wasting his time but you don’t need to talk to him," CC continued thoughtfully.

"Excuse me?" Max sputtered.

"Go in and send him packing. Make sure he feels like he isn’t important enough for you to waste your time on," CC concluded with a wry smile.

Max nodded in agreement and left her alone to watch Simon Fisher yawn in boredom. The door to the small observation room opened. CC didn’t bother to look up; she knew who it was. He sat in the chair next to her. She handed him the files that had been resting on her lap.

"So this is business and here I thought that you were missing me." The man grunted in amused as he shifted in his chair.

"Take a look," CC instructed him firmly, never taking her eyes off Dr. Fisher. "Why would I be missing you, Mallory? The last time I saw you was over a decade ago. You were standing by my hospital bed reminding me how it would be in everyone’s best interest if I pretended that the whole incident never happened."

"Calloway?" the man nervously began.

"Relax and take a look at those files," CC instructed him coolly as she watched Max finally enter the interview room.

"Doctor . . . uhm . . . " CC smiled as Max seemed to fumble for the man’s name. "Fisher," he concluded as he yawned and scratched his head. "Sorry to waste your time but I don’t need you for anything."

"You’re sitting here watching your partner dismiss a witness?" Mallory scoffed. CC ignored the man’s arrogance; she watched in delight as Simon Fisher’s face dropped in confusion.
‘Just push him a little harder, Max,’
she mentally encouraged her partner. "Wait." Mallory’s excited tone broke her concentration. "Two girls in Boston and San Diego? This is federal," Mallory stated eagerly.

"Stop marking your territory and listen," CC cut him off sharply.

"Then why am I here?" Fisher began to stammer.

"Sorry, must have been a mix up," Max said with a shrug. "I have no reason to talk to you. There’s nothing you can help me with."

"Good boy," CC said with a smile.

"Well . . . uhm . . . maybe I could be of some use," Fisher suggested timidly.

"Trust me, Doc; we don’t need you," Max goaded him. "Sorry for the inconvenience."

"Mallory, you’re not taking over this investigation," CC cautioned the irate man sitting next to her as she waited for Simon’s next move. "You’re going to work for us, and all of us are going to end up looking very good and a killer will be off the streets."

"It’s a serial case. That makes it federal," Mallory asserted with a hiss.

"Shove it, Mallory," CC spat back. "Your office will work for us and reap much needed good press. I took two bullets because of your screw-up and your informant ended up dead. I’m trying to catch a killer. How about you? Is your ego really going to get in my way?"

"No," Mallory agreed with a grunt. "What do you need?"

"See this guy." CC pointed towards Simon. "Max told him that he doesn’t need to speak to the police and he’s free to go, but he’s still there. I find that interesting. "

"Uh huh," Mallory conceded and CC knew that she finally had his interest.

"I want everything about him," CC stated flatly. "And I mean everything, right down to when he was potty trained."

"Anything else?" Mallory spat out sarcastically.

"Yes," CC answered in a flat even tone. "Don’t even think about holding anything back or excluding me on this or your already soiled reputation will be looking a whole lot dirtier."

"Understood," Mallory gravely agreed. "Mind if I watch the show?"

CC nodded in agreement as her eyes remained focused on Dr. Fisher. Max had agreed to talk with the young doctor, claiming boredom and a chance to put his feet up. "So why did someone in your department ask me to come down here?" Simon inquired, trying far too hard to sound casual.

"That must have been my partner," Max grunted in disgust.

"That woman," Simon sneered.

"She doesn’t like you." Max laughed. "I made the mistake of mentioning that you were in Dr. Jameson’s neighborhood yesterday."

"What’s so strange about me visiting Jamie?" Simon inquired with a shrug.

CC choked back the bile that began to rise in her throat. "Hey, you don’t have to tell me." Max sighed. "But you know that kind," Max added in a disgusted tone.

"It’s sad," Simon agreed. "Thinking that they don’t want a man. Pathetic really."

"I know," Max agreed. "Makes me sick. But what can I do? Thanks to the bleeding hearts that run this state, I’m stuck with her."

"I just wish that she would leave Jamie and me alone," Simon explained, believing his own lies. "Frankly I’m tempted to file a complaint."

"Maybe you should," Max grunted. "Get the bitch out of my hair."

"Perhaps," Simon responded, sounding confused. "I wonder if she’s somehow behind the vandalism at Jamie’s home."

"Bingo," CC drew out with a confident smile.

"Vandalism?" Max responded, playing along with the charade.

"Someone broke her front window," Simon explained. CC noted the far away look in his brown eyes. "Smashed it with a tire iron."

CC and Max were drawn in by the young doctors’ slip of the tongue. "Come on, Max; don’t let him know that you know," CC whispered as she tightly clutched the armrests of her chair.

"That’s terrible," Max exclaimed. "And in such a nice neighborhood. I tell you the whole world is going to hell. You know, I can look into it for you. It could have been one of those freaks she encounters in the ER."

"I thought of that," Simon added. "That place is a cesspool. I’ll be happy when my rotation is over." Max just stared at him blankly. "Right, you don’t understand. We’re rotated so we can learn from the different departments. Last time I was in pediatrics. All those screaming kids. But I did have a good thing going with one of the nurses."

"You’re a real heartbreaker." Max chuckled. "I envy you."

"Well, you know." Simon blushed then his smile vanished. "But things with Ellen ended badly." The icy tone in his voice was making the hair on the back of CC’s neck stand on end. Then suddenly his smile returned. "But it doesn’t matter now that Jamie and I are together."

"That’s what happens when you meet the right girl." Max smiled in agreement. "They clip your wings," he teased the young doctor. "Well, I should get back to work," Max grumbled as he stood.

"So how is the investigation into Sandra’s murder going?" Simon threw out casually.

"Probably some lowlife freak that spotted her on the street," Max explained.

"Oh?" Simon mumbled in a dejected tone.

"Don’t worry. It was probably just some loser," Max explained as he led Simon out of the room.

"Let me guess. This Jamie doesn’t have a relationship with him?" Mallory inquired.

"Not in the real world," CC responded as Max entered the room. Her partner stiffened at the sight of the FBI agent sitting there.

"Max, this is Special Agent Mallory," CC made the introductions.

"We’ve met," Max grunted.

"He’s going to tell us all about Dr. Fisher," CC taunted the federal agent. "Aren’t you?" Mallory ignored her comment until she flashed him an icy glare. "In fact, you’re going to get started right now."

"Of course," Mallory groaned as he stood and left.

Neither CC nor Max acknowledged the man’s departure. "Did you get all that?" Max asked.

"I caught everything," CC responded grimly. "Jamie’s broken window, the tire iron, and Ellen Murdock. It’s still not enough."

"Did Jamie tell anyone about her front window?" Max inquired.

"Her supervisor," CC sighed.

"So it could have been common knowledge," Max processed.

"Still, I love the part about the tire iron." CC smiled. "Nothing like confirming our suspicions. At some point the good doctor is going to realize that he made that slip. Let’s just hope we’re in a better position by then."

The door opened and a uniformed officer poked his head inside. "Max, the head of security from Boylston General is on the phone for you," the young officer explained. Fear gripped CC’s heart. They rushed out of the room and to their desks. CC paced nervously while Max spoke on the telephone. "Well?" she demanded once he ended the call.

"Jamie is fine," he reassured her as she blew out a tense breath. "She found a note in her locker. Two words,
‘You’re mine’
." CC grabbed her car keys. "Sit," Max scolded her. "You can’t go near the evidence. Stay here. I’ll get the note, talk to Jamie, and take it to the lab," he explained carefully. CC opened her mouth, fully prepared to argue with him. "No," Max firmly asserted.

"I have to see her," CC protested.

"Call her," Max offered as he picked up his car keys.

CC had dialed the hospital before Max reached the door. "Dr. Jameson, please," she requested as she tried to still the erratic beating of her heart.

"Who’s calling please?" a voice inquired and CC relaxed, knowing that extra measures were being taken to ensure Jamie’s safety.

"Caitlin," she calmly offered.

"One moment please," the friendly voice said.

"Hey, baby," Jamie greeted her a few moments later.

"Are you all right?" CC asked in a soothing tone.