J Robb: Imitation in Death

“You believe it was random.”

“Not exactly. He wanted a particular type of woman, an LC. A whore.A street prostitute in a poor area of the city. He had very specific requirements; Wooton’s dead because she met them. Nothing more or less than that. I’ll give you everything I’ve got orally, then once I’ve worked it up, I’ll send you everything in a file. But I want, I need,” she corrected, “some sense that I’m going down the right road.”

“Tell me what you know.” Mira handed her a delicate china cup, then sat and balanced her own on her knee.

She began with the victim, giving Mira a sketch ofJacieWooton, as she had been, as she’d been found. She described the note, her fieldwork thus far, andMorris ’ preliminary findings.

“Jack,” Mira murmured. “Jackthe Ripper.”

Eveleaned forward. “You know about him?”

“Any criminal profiler worth her salt has studied Saucy Jack. You think we’re dealing with a copycat?”

“Do you?”

Settling back, Mira sipped her tea. “He’s certainly laid the groundwork for that conclusion. He’d be educated, egocentric. He abhors women. The fact that he chose that particular style of killing is telling. His prototype for this crime assaulted and mutilated women in different ways. He’s elected to mimic the one that attacks and removes that which makes the victim female.”

She saw byEve ’s slow nod that the lieutenant had already reached that same conclusion.

“He has, essentially, desexed her. Sex is equated for him with lust, violence, control, humiliation. His relationships with women are neither healthy nor traditional. He sees himself as elite, canny, even brilliant. So only you would do,Eve.”

“Do for what?”

“For his adversary. The greatest and most elusive killer of modern time couldn’t settle for just any cop to pursue him. He didn’t knowJacieWooton, I agree. Or if he did, his knowing of her was only to select the right victim. But he knows you. You’re as much a target as she. More. She was a pawn, a momentary thrill. You’re the game.”

She’d thought of that, too, and was still circling around how to make it useful. “He doesn’t want me dead.”

“No, at least not yet.” A faint crease of concern marred Mira’s brow. “He wants you alive so that he can watch you chase him. Watch the media report his deeds and your pursuit. The style of note was taunting, and he’d want to continue to taunt you. You, not just a cop, but a high-profile cop, and a female. He’ll never lose to a woman, and his certainty that he’ll crush you, serve you your biggest defeat, is a large part of the excitement for him.”

“Then he’s going to be seriously bummed when I take him down.”

“He could turn on you if he feels you’re getting too close, ruining his fantasy. At first it’s a challenge, but I don’t believe he’ll tolerate the humiliation of being stopped by a woman.” She shook her head. “Much of this depends on how much of the Ripper personality he’s taken on, and which persona ascribed by the various theories to the Ripper he, himself, believes. It’s problematic,Eve. When he said, ‘sample of my work,’ did that mean his first, or has he killed before and gone undetected?”

“It’s his first here, inNew York, but I’m going to do a check through IRCCA. Some psycho tries to emulateJack the Ripper every now and then, but I don’t know of anywhere he wasn’t caught.”

“Keep me updated, and I’ll work up a more substantial profile.”

“I appreciate it.” She rose, hesitated. “Listen, Peabody had a little trouble this morning. Thevic was in pretty bad shape, and… well, she got sick. She’s brooding about it. Like she’s the first cop to puke on her shoes,”Eve muttered. “Anyway, she’s under some stress prepping for the detectives’ exam, and then she’s hunting for a place to cohab with McNab-which I don’t really want to think about, but she does. So, maybe you could find a minute to pat her on the head about it or something. Whatever. Shit.”

Mira let out a quick, bubbling laugh. “It’s very sweet for you to be worried about her.”

“I don’t want to be very sweet,”Eve said with some passion. “Or to worry about her. This isn’t the time for her head to be up her ass.”

“I’ll talk to her.” Mira cocked her head. “And how are you?”

“Me? Fine. Good. No complaints. Um… things good with you?”

“Yes, they are. My daughter and her family are visiting for a few days. It’s always nice for me to have them, and the chance to play Grandma.”

“Uh-huh.” Mira with her icy suit and pretty legs wasn’tEve ’s picture of anybody’s grandma.

“I’d love for you to meet them.”

“Oh, well-”

“We’re having an informal cookout on Sunday. I’d very much enjoy it if you and Roarke could come. About two,” she said beforeEve could think of a response.

“Sunday.” A little bubble of panic lodged in her throat. “I don’t know if he’s got anything going or not. I-”

“I’ll check with him.” There was a laugh in Mira’s eyes as she set her cup aside. “It’s just family. Nothing fancy. Now, I’d better let you get back to work.”

She walked to the door, opened it, and all but scootedEve out. Then she leaned back on the door and laughed. It delighted her, absolutely, to see that slightly horrified and completely baffled expression onEve ’s face when confronted with the idea of a family cookout.

She checked the time, then hurried to her desk ‘link. She’d just contact Roarke immediately and boxEve in before she could find an escape hatch.

– -«»--«»--«»--

Evewas still horrified, still baffled when she reached the Homicide Division again.Peabody leaped out of her cube and hotfooted after her. “Sir. Lieutenant.Dallas.”

“What do you do at a cookout?”Eve muttered. “Why are you cooking at all, much less out? It’s hot out. There are bugs. I don’t get it.”

“ Dallas!”

“What?” Brows lowered,Eve spun around. “What is it?”

“I’ve got the customer lists. It took some fast talking, but I convinced the two outlets to give me the names of purchases, those on record, for the stationery found withJacieWooton.”

“Did you run the names?”

“Not yet. I just got them.”

“Let me have them. I’ve got to do something to get my brain back in gear.”

She snatched the disc out ofPeabody ’s hand and plugged it into her desk unit. “I don’t have a cup of coffee in my hand,”Eve commented as the names began to scroll. “And I’m sure I need it, immediately.”

“Yes, sir, you certainly do. Did you see? There’s a duchess and an earl, andLivaHoldreak, the actress, and-”

“The coffee isn’t in my hand. How can this be?”

“AndCarmichaelSmith, the international recording star, has a standing order for a box of a hundred sheets and envelopes, every six months.” As she spoke, Peabody put the mug intoEve ’s outstretched hand. “His music’s too wanky for me, but he, himself? Totally iced.”

“I’m glad to know that, Peabody. It’s important for me to know he’s both wanky and iced should I arrest him for the murder of this very unfortunate LC. We need to keep these things in the forefront.”

“Just saying,” Peabody grumbled.

She scanned the names, shuffling those with only European residences on record to the bottom. She’d hit the ones with secondary residences in the States first.

“CarmichaelSmithkeeps an apartment on theUpper West Side. Holdreak has aU. S. residence, but it’s in New L.A. We’ll just drop her down a notch or two.”

She started a standard run, studying the names. “Mr. andMrs.ElliotP.Hawthorne, Esquire. Ages seventy-eight and thirty-one, respectively. You wouldn’t thinkElliot would be out cutting up LCs at his age. Married two years, third time around.Elliot likes them young, and I just bet he likes them stupid, too.”