Yes, sir?
I need you to help Dr. Kilpatrick move this crowd of reporters down half a block or so.
Right away, sir. The young man was barely in his twenties. He was new to the job and eager to please the senior officer. Dr. Kilpatrick.
Hi, Pete. She knew the rookie cop from a couple of counseling sessions on anger management issues hed had that had carried over from his off-duty life into his work. How are you doing today?
Havent gotten myself into trouble yet.
Good to hear. Kate summoned the necessary smile to send him on his way. She wore a more serious expression when she handed the notebook back to Detective Montgomery. Its my understanding that the
Rose Red Rapist hasnt stayed true to his pattern. The woman he attacked is dead?
Spencer nodded. Blow to the head. M.E.s office has her now. Theyll have to tell us if it was intentional or the result of the strugglemaybe the vic saw his face or managed to get away, and he did it to stop her.
Two things that hadnt happened with any of the Rose Red Rapists previoussurvivingvictims. Changes in a perps behavioral patterns could mean something as simple and tragic as silencing a witness to his crimes. But it could also indicate a psychotic breaka dangerous development that meant his attacks would become both more frequent and more violent.
Kate had counseled plenty of assault victims before, but shed never been assigned to work on a case where the victim hadnt survived. And were sure its our guy? And not a sick coincidence?
The crime lab liaison assigned to the task force, Annie Hermann, approached the opposite side of the crime scene tape, holding up a bagged red rose in her gloved hand. I dont know anyone else who leaves one of these with his victim. Ill run an analysis, but Im betting it came from the flower shop where she worked.
Thats gutsy. Detective Fensom lifted the tape for the petite brunette in the navy blue CSI jacket to join them. Buying a flower from the woman you plan to attack later? She probably looked him right in the face.
Could be why he killed her, Annie theorized. After a moments hesitation, she tucked her curly dark hair behind her ear and crossed beneath Detective Fensoms arm to join their circle. Maybe he was a regular customer and she recognized him by the sound of his voice, even if he did wear a mask to hide his face the way his other victims describe. If she called him by name, that could have been her death sentence.
Kate offered another, more disturbing explanation. Or maybe rape is no longer satisfying enough for our unsub to display his power over the women he attacks.
Spencer Montgomery tucked his notebook inside the front of his suit jacket. Yeah, well, lets keep that tidbit of information to ourselves. The citys already on edge. If they believe its a onetime thing, and not an escalation in the violence of his attacks, we might ease somebodys fears.
Kate nodded her agreement and inhaled another fortifying breath.
Go work your magic, Kate, Spencer encouraged her. You calm this chaos down and well finish up here.
Right. Well debrief later at the precinct?
Detective Montgomery nodded. This afternoon, if possible.
Keep me posted.
As the detectives and CSI went back to work, Kate pulled up the sleeve of her coat to make sure her watch was visible. Short and sweet was the key to a successful press conference. She was already formulating a brief statement and would set a time limit for entertaining questions. When she was done, shed send the press away to make their preliminary reports and tell the residents of Kansas City to remain cautious but not to panicthat KCPD was on the job. Then she could get back to her office at the Fourth Precinct to get some real work done on unmasking a serial rapist turned murderer and get him off the streets.
Kate raised her hands to silence the onslaught of questions that greeted her and took her position on the sidewalk. She pushed aside a microphone that had gotten too close to her face and squinted as the bright lights of numerous cameras suddenly spotlighted her.
Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention, please. As her eyes adjusted to the unnatural brightness, some of the faces in the crowd began to take shape. She recognized Gabriel Knight, a reporter for the Kansas City Journal and one of KCPDs harshest critics. She knew Rebecca Cartwright, another reporter who happened to be the daughter-in-law of KCPDs commissioner, and who would no doubt put a more positive spin on things than Knight would.
She hesitated for one awkward, painful, debilitating moment when she spotted Vanessa Owen, a woman who reported local news for one of the citys television stations. Vanessas caramel skin, dark brown hair and smoothly articulate voice had become a fixture on Kansas City televisions. Shed once been a fixture in Kates life, as well. Vanessa had been a good friend, a sorority sister from college who continued to move in the same social circles as they established careers and marriages after graduation. The story between them that mattered the most had thankfully never been aired, though at times like this, the events that marked the end of their friendship still burned like a raw wound in Kates chest.
But Kate was here to do her job, just as Vanessa was here to do hers. This wasnt personal. Suck it up, counselor. Youre in control here. KCPD made you spokesperson for the task force because they know you can handle it. And with that mental pep talk sending her emotions back into the protective vault inside her, Kate blinked and moved on with the job at hand.
Beyond that first row of reporters, the lights and flashes and eager crowd made identifying others in the sea of faces nearly impossible. Im Dr. Kate Kilpatrick. Im a police psychologist and public liaison officer with KCPD.
Gabriel Knight didnt wait for any further introduction. Is it true that the Rose Red Rapists latest assault victim is dead?
Biting her tongue to maintain a patient facade, Kate looked straight into the reporters probing blue eyes. I will be making a brief statement on behalf of the department and the task force investigating the attack, and then I will have time for a handful of questions.
Make your statement, Knight challenged.
Kate eased the tension she felt into a serene smile and included the entire gathering, including Vanessa Owen, in her speech. A twenty-eight-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in this neighborhood last night, sometime between ten p.m. and three oclock this morning. There was a rose left at the scene, indicating the attack was committed by the man she paused and held out her hands, placing the blame for their perps notoriety squarely where it belonged you have dubbed as the Rose Red Rapist.
Kate, is the woman dead? Vanessa stole Gabriel Knights question before he could ask it.
Although she bristled beneath her coat at the liberty her old friend had taken in addressing her by name, Kate merely nodded. Yes. We are in the preliminary stages of a murder investigation
Who was she? Vanessa followed up.
and pending more exact information and notification of the family, I cant give more details at this time.
Kate, Vanessa prodded. You have to give us something.