Syd Parker - The Killing Ground

Jordan leaned forward, meeting his eyes. “Was the clinic aware of the problem?”

“Hell yes, they were. I spoke to his assistant, Dr. Mercer. I requested that Dr. Stein no longer handle Lizzie’s procedures. She assured me that the proper disciplinary action would be taken.”

Rebecca sucked in a breath. A knowing look passed between she and Jordan, and she could see a look of confusion pass across Jordan's face before she buried it just as quickly. Why had Dr. Mercer lied? Was she covering for him? And, if so, why? “How did Dr. Stein react to being caught?”

“He had the nerve to threaten me. He said he would take me to court. His last words to me were you will pay.”

Rebecca smothered a smile. That pretty much cinched it. Means, motive and opportunity. Dr. Stein had all three. Getting caught, and subsequently disciplined, would be the perfect motive to frame Richard Hudson for murder. The pieces were finally starting to line up. “Have you seen Dr. Stein since then? Has he tried to contact you?”

“No. You have to understand, Detective Foxx, I made it very clear to Dr. Stein that if he gave us any trouble or tried to back up his threat, I would make things extremely difficult for him.” He leaned forward again, and the glaze in his eyes disappeared. “Why are you asking me all these questions about Dr. Stein?”

Rebecca decided it was time to level with him. She owed him that much at least. “We have reason to believe he may be involved in the killings and is trying to frame you for the murders.”

“That fucking son of a bitch!” Richard slammed his fist on the coffee table. “I’m going to kill him.”

“Please, Mr. Hudson.” Rebecca’s eyes pleaded with him. “Let us do our jobs. Killing him isn’t going to bring Lizzie back. I know it’s asking a lot, but can you promise me you won’t go after him? Please let the CDD do our job.”

“Like you did it when you arrested me?” His voice was a sneering growl. “He killed my wife, and the bastard is going to pay.”

Rebecca leaned across the table and clasped his hand tightly, trying to make him listen to reason. “Lizzie wouldn’t want that. She wouldn’t want you to give up your life trying to find misguided justice. Don’t let her die in vain. If there is justice to be had, let us get that for you.”

His nostrils were still flaring, but he didn’t respond. His eyes started to well up, and Rebecca hoped, no prayed that somewhere deep inside, the voice of reason would prevail. She didn’t want to have to throw the guy in jail twice. “I can promise you this, Mr. Hudson. I won’t rest until he is serving a life sentence with no hope of parole.”

He didn’t reply, merely pulled his hand away and nodded at the door. He was already raising the bottle of whiskey to his lips when Rebecca and Jordan slipped out the door.

“Guy’s a mess.” Jordan said softly. “I can’t imagine what it must be like to lose one wife, much less two.”

“I wasn’t blowing smoke in there.” Rebecca punched the unlock button. “I’ll see to it that bastard rots in jail.”

She started the car and headed back to District Five. Rick and Matt were already there, faces buried in what looked like day-old donuts. “Hey, boss. Find out anything good?”

A cryptic smile spread across her face. “It’s something so good that if I were straight, I’d kiss your ugly mug.”

Matt busted out laughing, and Rick shot him a glare that said to knock it off. “Oh yeah? Well, me and Matt may have struck pay dirt as well.”

Rebecca pulled up a chair in front of the whiteboard and straddled it hooking her arms over the back. “Don’t tease, Jonesy. Tell us what you got.”

Jordan swiped a donut and perched on the corner of the nearest desk. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but what Rick relayed to them was the furthest thing from her mind. “Apparently, Ruth Dawson and Dr. Stein were closer than what they originally led on. They had an affair about five years ago.”

Rebecca leaned forward, waiting for the link. Rick saw the impatient look in her eyes and paused just to piss her off. “It was short-lived, and nothing came of it. But Mrs. Dawson said while they were sleeping together, she helped him take frozen, uhh, samples to his house. She didn’t say anything because of their arrangement.”

Jordan shook her head and dusted off her pants. “Bastard paid her to keep her mouth shut.”

Rebecca concurred. “It would have been nice if she would have told us that the first go round.”

Rick nodded. “Said she was too scared to. Dr. Stein had a temper, and he threatened to fire her if she opened her mouth. She needed the income since her husband worked construction and it was seasonal.”

“She say why she was coming forward now?” Rebecca stood up and added a new section to the whiteboard with the words Ruth Dawson and affair written next to Dr. Stein’s name.

“Said she didn’t feel right someone else paying for his crimes…if he was truly guilty. My guess is she will feel safer with him in prison than out on the streets. And get this?” A Cheshire grin broke out on Rick’s face. “Tell ‘em what you found out, Matt.”

Matt smirked. “Jimmy Dawson, Ruth’s husband, apparently didn’t know about the affair or his wife’s arrangement with Dr. Stein. He’s got a history of beating women up and wouldn’t have taken too kindly to his wife’s stepping out. But he did tell us that he had his own little arrangement with Dr. Stein. Guy hired Jimmy in the offseason to do odds and ends around his house…including digging some pretty decent size holes out in the back yard. Dr. Stein said it was for compost or something. Apparently, Dr. Stein is into the green thing.”

“Apparently.” Jordan said sarcastically. “Recycled his own boys a few times.”

The reference to substituting sperm brought a chuckle out of the room.

Jordan continued. “Five-to-one, we find something besides old fruits and veggies buried in his backyard.”

Rebecca was adding new lines as they spoke. “Okay, so let’s get this straight. Around the time the murders began, Ruth Dawson was helping Dr. Stein smuggle frozen samples out of the office. He starts killing women from the clinic. A few years pass and he gets ticked off at Richard Hudson and starts leaving his DNA at the scene. He figures no one will doubt forensic evidence, and Richard will go down for it.”

“Except…” Jordan took the marker and drew a line to the last victim. “He can’t control his urges and kills another woman while Richard is getting ready to stand trial, effectively ruling Richard Hudson out as the perp.” She capped the pen and tapped her chin with it. “What I’m confused about is why those particular women? What ties them all together?”

Rick grabbed another donut and bit into it. “The clinic. What else would there be besides opportunity?”

“That’s just it. He had opportunity. But there would have been lots of clients in a clinic that size. Why pick those particular women?” Jordan bit her lip in deep thought.

“I’m following you.” Rebecca sat back down on the edge of the desk and studied the board. “What made them so special?”

The room was silent until Jordan jumped up and snapped her fingers. “I got it.” She pointed at each one of the victims. “They remind him of someone. Look at how much they all look alike. Long, dark hair, blue eyes. Perfect porcelain skin. They have to look like his ex-wife.”

“Except…” Matt pointed at two of the women. “They’re blond.”

“Not naturally.” Jordan pointed at their eyebrows, which were dark in contrast to their lighter hair. “Hundred bucks says they aren’t natural blonds.”

Rebecca pointed at Rick’s computer. “Find a picture of Stein’s ex-wife. I want to see her.”