''Has Dr. Desinor been helpful?'' Jessica asked, knowing that FBI psychic detective Kim Desinor had been called in on the Punisher case.
"She's made some impressive hits, particularly locating the bodies after their disappearances, but so far little headway on the preventative side."
Jessica gave some thought to Dr. Kim Desinor. When last Jessica had spoken with Kim, the psychic detective had confided that the Punisher case had eroded any faith in herself and her power to do anything for the victims and their families.
Jessica finally asked, "So how's Kim really doing with the Punisher case, Eriq?''
"Are you reading minds nowadays, too?"
"Not good, I take it?"
"True."
"You're not thinking of pulling her off the case, are you?''
"If she doesn't pull herself together, 1 don't have much choice, now do I, Jess?"
"It's your call, Eriq, but there's always a choice, and just remember what she did for us in New Orleans."
"Not likely anyone's forgetting that, Jess… but we're talking another day here."
"So, it's business as usual… What've you done for me lately, huh?"
"Hey, I'm crass, but I'd hoped you hadn't seen that side of me," he joked to lighten the moment. "So, you and Parry have a good time overseas?"
Although she'd been back from her overseas vacation with Jim for some time, and although she and Eriq had worked the Punisher case to some degree together since then, it had been at remote points, as was the Phantom case now-she in her lab, he in his office, the two of them across a conference room filled with others on the tactical profile team of the Behavioral Science Unit (BSU) at Quantico. With additions such as psychic profiling, the team was no longer the small club it had once been in the days when Otto Boutine had first nurtured the unit into existence.
She knew it best to give concerted attention to how she replied to Eriq about James Parry and her ongoing, long distance love affair with her Hawaii friend. "Rome was splendid, Athens like a dream."
"That good, huh? Why don't you gush a little?" he continued to joke. "So, was Parry splendid, too?"
"When in Rome…"
"I don't see it, but if you say so, Jess, he must have something special."
"He is something special. Do you really want me to expound?"
Obviously not, for Eriq quickly changed the subject with his own question. ''Jess, are you sure you and Thorpe can handle things there alone?"
"We're hardly alone, Eriq. We've got the LVPD and Warren Bishop's local bureau to reach out and touch if we need it. Thanks now to your influence?"
"You don't sound worried about this creep's having reached out and touched you personally, Jess."
Jessica wondered for half a second if Eriq could mean Frank Lorentian, but she hadn't bothered to tell him of the threat Lorentian posed to the investigation. "I'm not worried about my personal safety, Eriq."
"You sure that's being wise? And God, but you do attract the perverts, Jess."
"Thanks, but I don't deserve 'em, as for worry… worry? What's that? Me, worry? Eriq, he's a maniac, a killer, but remember when Matisak was stalking me? This guy's but a faint shadow of Matisak, even fainter of that Night Crawler bastard we caught together last spring in Grand Cayman. I'm on top of it."
"You just give a holler, then."
"I will. So, any more initial impressions of this creep's handwriting?"
"Initial… clever girl, Jess. Well, he's all over the spectrum, clearly demonstrating a madness, but as I said, there's little to go on with, but the one word and the two numbers.''
"Make any sense of that, 'number one is number nine' and 'traitors'?"
"First impression? She pissed him off like a cat, nine times, nine lives maybe, and maybe the ninth time, whammo maybe, although she was his number one squeeze, because she was a traitor, and she didn't live past her ninth life? Who knows?"
"Good question: Who does know?"
"Besides the killer? Well, Billings and Leonard Winstone in documents and literature are having a look-see, so not to worry. Something'll come of it. Those guys are the best."
"We need the best on this, Eriq," she returned. "Any rate, I need you to see to it that previous MOs are checked in the history banks, see if this boy's been bad before, okay?"
"Sure thing, Jess. As we speak, it's being done."
"Then I'll hope to hear from you soon?"
"Very soon."
"Thanks, Eriq, and good night."
"You expect he'll call again?"
She hesitated answering, not wishing to voice her fears. "I've had my phone tapped. Hopefully we'll get a voice-print, if he is that stupid."
"Crime does that to you… makes you stupid. Good thinking on the tap. Then someone'll be listening in with you. You won't be alone with the Devil, as they say, if the creep contacts you again."
"Warren Bishop's seen to it, or so I was told."
"Good man, this Bishop?"
"Tops."
"Oh?"
"Warren's a friend. I knew him when I was going through academy training. He's a great guy. He was one of my training officers."
"Good… good…"
"And good night, Eriq."
"Not so quick, Jess. I mean it. I want you to take all due precautions. Don't get careless with this 'faint shadow of Matisak,' as you call him. There really are no faint murderous maniacs."
"The Phantom's a wimp…"
"What?"
"The press is calling him the Phantom, even though he's only killed one we know of; someone in the fire department put out a statement that he may be linked to other fire deaths around the city and outlying areas. See what if any truth is in that."
''Is he linked to other fire deaths?''
"Nothing even closely resembling this modus operandi in the previous fires alluded to that I can see, certainly no phone calls to me, no. And no fire investigator worth his salt would call these fires connected. This fire investigator guy probably just got carried away with the press attention."
"What's your gut reaction to this guy they're calling the Phantom, Jess? Honestly, now."
She let out a long spray of air in chaotic response. "Guy just may shoot himself in the head or burn himself up before he kills again, for all we know at this point."
"How did he get your number?"
"As I said, he must've somehow found out I'd be staying at the Flamingo, where the convention is being hosted. Likely just assumed as much, called the desk, and confirmed. We got a composite from the desk clerk 'cause the killer signed in using Chris Dunlap's registration. But the damn composite looks like a clown."
''Well, keep us apprised here, and like I said… You need anything, give a call."
"Thanks, Eriq."
They hung up, and she paced the room. It was a bit overstated in its decor, this place, far too much pink and flowers for her taste. She had wanted to attend some of the sessions today at the conference; there were always new methods, procedures, and information to learn at such conferences, and it was part of her duty as a medical examiner to keep abreast of the latest in forensics and science in general. Still, she was torn. There was much to do with regard to the Lorentian girl's death. Her friends, school associates, other relatives ought to be interrogated. Whoever got to her seemed to have known her movements. As it happened, she'd had a previous reservation or two at the Flamingo, quite possibly as a rendezvous place for a lover or lovers. From her pictures, she'd been quite beautiful.
Still, all such information could as well be gathered by the local police, and since they were on the case, Jessica decided to take advantage of the day to make the best of what had become an awful stay.