Kiss Me, Kill Me

Sean said, “A Hunter College student found Kirsten Benton’s cell phone at the abandoned warehouse during the party. He forgot about it and found it this morning. I retrieved it, and I talked to him about Kirsten. In the course of our conversation, I asked if he knew who Wade Barnett was. He did, and confirmed that he was at the Sunset Park warehouse the night Jessica died. He left around three a.m. with an unknown woman.”

Suzanne nodded. “So I understand that you interviewed a witness about my primary suspect in a capital murder case.”

Lucy’s stomach flipped.

Sean said, “You could say that, but it was ancillary to my search for a missing minor.” He slid over a copy of Kirsten’s text messages from the thirty-six-hour period before Jessica was killed. “I downloaded her text messages and put them in chronological order along with other facts, including phone calls she’d made. Read the last two pages.”

Suzanne picked up the packet, skimmed the opening pages, then read where Sean indicated.

Suzanne frowned. “Is this accurate?”

“You noticed the change in messaging.”

“It’s obvious.”

Sean nodded. “Someone else sent Kirsten that last message. And that person only knew her by her Party Girl name.”

Lucy said, “We know she used the name whenever she came to New York-both Josh Haynes and Lauren Madrid knew her only as Ashleigh. But Jessica knew her real name.”

“Maybe they were in their roles?” Suzanne said, though by her tone she didn’t believe it.

“I think it’s clear that this gives you a good window for time of death,” Sean said.

Suzanne didn’t say anything, but made a few notes on the packet.

Lucy said, “In Kirsten’s message to her ex-boyfriend on Thursday, she said that there was something about the text that was wrong, and I think even through the haze of whatever drugs she was on, she noticed that Jessica called her ‘Ash,’ that it wasn’t written in their usual shorthand.”

“Thank you,” Suzanne said. “Is that it?”

Lucy nodded, but she was antsy. She thought that Suzanne and she had gotten off to a good start yesterday, and then this morning she was talking about dinner. “We’re sorry to take up so much of your time. You’re obviously busy, so if we need to cancel dinner to pitch in and help, we’d be glad to.”

Suzanne looked confused for a moment, then said, “Look, I appreciated your help yesterday. We’re working two different cases that happen to overlap. I can’t tell you to stop looking for Kirsten Benton, but apparently you have enough clout to bring in the brass over my head.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sean said.

Suzanne stared at Lucy. “She does.”

It came clear to Lucy. “You called Hans and he told you I discussed the case with him. I wasn’t second- guessing-”

“I didn’t call Washington. When I arrested Barnett this morning, getting a profile of a killer I had in jail was the last thing on my mind. But now I have to. I have dozens of potential witnesses to interview, but when an assistant director at national headquarters calls and asks for something, however nicely he does it, I have to spend my time putting it together.”

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t know Hans would call.”

“Hans? Really? You’re on a first-name basis. You could have clued me in earlier that you have connections.”

“Any connections I might have aren’t important. I didn’t try to pull one over on you. I’m not even an agent.”

“Yeah, but you act like one. I’d love to have your help because obviously, you two know what you’re doing. But I got blindsided today and feel like a damn rookie again.”

“Please believe me, Suzanne, I didn’t know Hans was going to call. I wish he hadn’t.”

Suzanne let out a long, pent-up sigh. “I’m glad he did,” she said, though she didn’t sound happy about it. “I don’t think I’m wrong about Wade Barnett, but-I’m not one hundred percent convinced he’s a killer. I have thirty-six hours to get convinced, because he’s going to be arraigned on Monday, and if he’s guilty, I have to convince the U.S. Attorney to remand him into custody. No judge is going to let him sit in prison for lying to me. We could push and get a conviction, but he’s not going to do time for it. If he’s guilty, I don’t want him on the streets. But if he’s not guilty, I need to find the killer before someone else dies.”

Sean said, “I’ve served as a civilian consultant in the past. I have clearance; you can contact Washington.”

Suzanne considered his offer. She said to Lucy, “Do you know what Dr. Vigo needs for a profile?”

She nodded. “Absolutely.”

“I need to make a call. Stay here.” Suzanne walked out.

Sean turned to Lucy. “You didn’t tell me you talked to Hans about this case.”

“Something was bothering me about it, and Hans knew exactly what it was after I explained everything.”

“What?”

“That suffocation is a feminine way to kill.”

“Which means what exactly? That a woman is the killer?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Hans agreed that while the murders were intimate, they weren’t sexual. There was no violence.”

“No violence?” Sean questioned.

“No excessive violence. The victims were weak, compliant. The killer held them while they died. And that’s the other big red flag.”

“Why?”

“Because whoever killed those women watched them die. Suffocation isn’t quick.”

“Shit, that’s sadistic.”

Suzanne returned with a dark, curly-haired female in her late thirties. “This is Andie Swann, the best of the best on our Evidence Response Team.”

Andie rolled her eyes. “I pay Suzanne for compliments.”

“What? In beer?” Suzanne laughed. She tossed Sean and Lucy two badges. No photo, but their names were printed on the cards. “Now if you need to take a leak, you don’t have to call in security to escort you. Andie is going to babysit you, however, because I’m responsible for these files. She’s also smart and has been my evidence coordinator from the beginning of the joint task force, so pick her brain.”

Lucy asked, “What do you want us to do?”

“You know what Dr. Vigo needs. Give it to him.”

Sean wasn’t happy. “You want us to do your paperwork?”

“You created it.”

Lucy was elated. “I’m happy to do it.”

Sean glanced at her and frowned. She ignored him. Sean was all action, but Lucy loved picking through reports for the gold nuggets that solved puzzles.

Suzanne said, “This isn’t a punishment. Dr. Vigo asked me to do this, and I’m trusting that you know what you’re doing. Otherwise I’ll be the one who looks bad.”

“I promise, you’ll look good.” Lucy hesitated, then said, “Sean might be more use to you outside the building.”

“That’s okay,” Sean said. “I’ll help you.”

“No, you’ll hinder me. I know what I’m doing.”

Suzanne said, “I don’t need a partner.”

Sean grinned. “You got one.” He winked at Lucy and mouthed thank you.

After Suzanne and Sean left, Andie asked, “Are you related to Dr. Dillon Kincaid?”