Fractured (28 page)

“You can't drive, Ellie.” It took some effort on his part, but he did ask it anyway. “Should I call Grantham?”

“What's he going to do from New York? No.”

“Rush back here. Hand you your crutches. Wait on you hand and foot.”

“
This
is not why he should rush back here.” She pointed at her injured leg. “If I asked him he would, but I'm not asking. In fact, I was thinking about moving out.”

There was no question in Jason's mind that if she hadn't been a little out of it from whatever they'd given her for the pain she would never have confided that. Carefully, he said, “You could stay with me until you find a place. I sleep on the couch half the time anyway.”

“Are you crazy?”

“There are those who think so, and half the time I don't disagree. Look at it this way, I know my apartment is not a luxury suite or anything, but I am going to drive you home one way or the other. You probably shouldn't be alone since we both know in the morning it will all be worse, and I have no desire to sleep at Grantham's house. Do me a favor and just take me up on my offer. Believe it or not, having had two stab wounds just stitched up, I am not in a romantic mood, so you're safe there, though I will say the cast is dead sexy.”

For a moment she just looked at him, undecided, and then finally nodded. “Fine. Thanks.”

 

Chapter 27

Georgia recognized the names and just about dropped her morning coffee on the polished table in her kitchen as she watched the morning news.

Detective Ellie MacIntosh. Detective Jason Santiago. One missing fugitive, two officers injured in a stabbing, a near abduction, and a vehicular accident that could be charged as attempted homicide.

Rachel had been absolutely right. Lea was going to hurt someone and she had.

Georgia set aside her coffee and called Ellie's cell phone. It was somewhat of a surprise when a man answered, but at least she recognized his voice. He said curtly, “What?”

“Jason? This is Georgia Lukens.”

“Who? Oh hell. Fuck, it's on the news, isn't it?” He sounded a little groggy. “I should have expected that. What time is it?”

“Seven thirty.”

He was silent for a moment. Then he said quietly, “Ellie's still asleep, and she probably needs it.”

They were in the same place? It didn't surprise her actually. If his partner was injured, given his feelings, he would stay.

“From what I understand, you might need it too. Don't wake Ellie up, I can talk to you. It's about one of my patients. I've already talked to Ellie about this.”

“I thought you didn't reveal—”

“I don't,” she interrupted urgently. “It's about your suspect. I have a patient that I believe knows her. They live together.”

That obviously rang a bell. “Okay … okay.” It sounded like he came fully awake in an instant. “We've made that connection already. They live together. What else can you tell us?”

“Where Lea is from, what I believe to be the motivation for the crimes, details about her past. Confidentiality doesn't apply so much as she isn't a patient—”

“Lea? You can stop right there.” His voice took on an edge. “We need to talk face-to-face. Meet us at your office? When can you be there?”

“Give me about half an hour.”

“Thirty minutes. You got it. We're on our way.”

They were waiting when she got there, Santiago looking a little worse for wear with a vivid scrape on his cheek and bruising around it, his blond hair unruly. She recognized the man with him as Lieutenant Grasso, intense, dark-haired.

No Ellie. Thank goodness. Two homicide detectives were more than enough.

Georgia let them in as her receptionist wasn't there, and unlocked her office. She sat down behind her desk, motioned at the chairs for them to do the same, and booted up her computer. “I want you both to know that I am violating confidentiality on a duty-to-warn basis, and did not do so before because there was no real perceived threat except in the mind of my patient. Since I could not substantiate it, I could not report it. It seems she was right, but I am not an officer of the law and had no knowledge of an actual crime, intended or committed. Are we clear?”

Santiago leaned slightly forward. “Dr. Lukens, the homicide division of the Milwaukee Police Department does not pick to death the ethical requirements of your particular branch of medical treatment. We just kind of want to take people who like to kill other people off the streets. Are we clear on
that
? Just tell us. We could use a break.”

Fair enough. Georgia took in a breath. “I have a patient named Rachel who has been telling me for some time now she's uneasy about her roommate whose name is Lea. Nothing drastic: odd hours, some erratic behavior, she'd borrowed some clothing that has never been returned, and odd stains in her car. Rachel works at a hospital and is very responsible, but she seems to have a dysfunctional relationship with this young woman, and I have been concerned about it for some time. Lea takes advantage of her, and Rachel just goes along.”

“Lea, huh?” Santiago looked dubious. “We think we have a pretty clean lead on our killer already, but go on.”

Lieutenant Grasso asked, “Do you have any idea where we can find either one of them?”

“They live together and I can give you Rachel's address.”

Neither of them reacted like she thought they would. Instead they exchanged glances.

As she'd had growing concerns for Rachel for weeks, Georgia said deliberately, “Keep in mind, I've really been troubled by this patient since her first session. She and Lea are very different, but rely on each other. If Lea is truly the person killing those men and Rachel knows about it, she could be a victim too.”

“No offense, but you are kind of talking in circles here.” Santiago was predictably blunt. “Let me get this straight. This Rachel was seeing you and gave the impression her roommate might be responsible for the murders? Tell me, what does she look like?”

“Lea? I've never met her. I'm sorry I can't help you there. She's attractive according to Rachel. Men like her, she dresses provocatively and is in general quite different from Rachel, which could be why they are drawn to each other.”

He ran his hand across his jaw in a gesture of frustration. “Doc, please. We have a very strong lead—I can attest to that—on who probably killed those four men and tried to kill me. We'd love to talk to this Lea, whose name I suspect is something else, but we can't find her at this time. Do you have an address? I'd love to see if it matches the one we have for our suspect.”

Georgia wrote it down and explained haltingly as she handed it over, “I don't want Rachel to know this comes from me. She's very vulnerable, and for that matter, so is Lea. From what I understand a traumatic experience in her past might have been a catalyst for everything that's happened.”

“I had kind of a traumatic experience myself last night. I'll tell you all about it next week during our session.” Santiago glanced at the slip of paper and something flickered in his eyes. “Okay, this rings a bell, Rachel might be a pretty valuable witness. Can you get ahold of her for us?”

Georgia thought about Rachel in general. “She's fragile. No confidence even though she's a pretty girl, diffident and withdrawn.”

“You see a therapist?” Grasso said dryly to Santiago. “That's way past due.”

Santiago ignored him. “If you can, explain we just want to talk to her about Lea for a few minutes. What we really need is insight into where she might have gone.”

Georgia nodded but couldn't help but add, “I think Lea wants to right a wrong; she wants to punish someone, even if it isn't the right person. If it is her, like Rachel thinks, then she's done
something
when she commits the murders. She isn't powerless.”

“What wrong?”

“I don't know exactly. Rachel didn't tell me. I don't push for confidences, I wait for the patient to offer them.”

“I'll say.” Santiago pointed at his forearm. “Four men are dead, I have ten stitches, and Ellie has a broken leg and fractured wrist.
Do
you know where either one of them might have gone?”

“They are both from a small town in Jefferson County called Olathe. They met in grade school. If Rachel has proof Lea is doing these things, I believe that's where Lea might have gone to escape it.”

“Jefferson County.” The two men looked at each other and then were on their feet. “Thanks.”

“Find her.” Georgia said it to Santiago, her voice firm. “I care about this.”

“If you think I'm not going to do everything I can, I need to find a new therapist, because you don't understand me at all,” he muttered as he stalked out the door.

*   *   *

“We have our
warrant.” Grasso slid his phone into his pocket. “I'm dropping you off at home.”

“Like hell I'm not going with you,” Jason said forcefully.

Grasso drove like he did everything else, competently, passing a delivery truck that spewed slush on his normally pristine car. “Last night you were hit with a stun gun, someone stole your weapon and your cell phone, you were stabbed, and a killer practically ran over your partner with a car. You need a day or two off, don't you think? Just a thought. Oh yeah, Metzger
ordered
you to take time off, if what your boss wants matters at all to you.”

Jason glossed over that sarcastic observation. “Would we have gotten this last break if it wasn't for MacIntosh and me? The case is wide open. All we have to do is find Lauren. She doesn't have transportation that we are aware of, and I doubt she is exactly fugitive material.”

“
All
we have to do is find her? Last I checked, this is a good-sized city. Rachel Summers might be able to help us, or she might not. As far as I can tell, she didn't realize her roommate was someone else entirely. Can we really count on her for answers?”

He had a point. Jason knew nothing about this person.

Rachel, quiet and shy. Lea, just the opposite, out there drugging men and killing them. The two of them living together despite their very different personalities …

Both of them very nice looking. Rachel had told Lukens Lea was attractive to men.

Oh shit.

“Oh shit.” This time he said it out loud.

Grasso shot him a look as he braked for a light. “Oh shit what?”

“Call Ellie on your cell and hand the phone to me.”

Grasso did it, though he said something under his breath, and to Jason's relief, she answered on the second ring. As usual, he forgot any greeting, but this was urgent. “Don't answer the door, okay? And I need Lukens's number again.”

“My leg hurts, thanks for asking,” she replied caustically. “And don't answer the door? Why? Talk to me, please.”

“Lauren knows where I live.”

That isn't new information … do you really think she'd come after you here? I've been trying to call you, by the way.”

“Ellie, I don't have my phone. I probably dropped it in her car. If you've left messages, that means she knows exactly where you are. We're headed to Jefferson County right now, but don't open the door.”

“I got that the first time around, believe it or not, and I have my Glock. Using it might be painful, but worth it if it got ugly.” Her response was measured. “You have that tone. What's happened? Jefferson County? Fill me in.”

“You aren't going to believe it. I need you to text a picture to Lukens. We just left her office.”

“Why?.”

“It could be stupid, so I'm going to let you text first and ask questions later.”

“What picture?”

“Of Lauren. I took one of you and Lauren at the governor's dinner, remember? I used your phone.”

If anyone would get it, she would. “So? What good would a picture of Lauren do us? I've talked to Dr. Lukens and she told me she'd never seen Rachel's roommate.”

“Right. Rachel Summers is the patient. Only that is not the name on the lease. We checked that out this morning. Lauren's name is listed.”

“I'm trying to follow this conversation and get your point. We know Lauren is responsible for the killings and Rachel thinks her name is Lea. I'm not surprised the lease is in Lauren's name by the way. Her family has a lot of money.”

“But Rachel claims it is
her
apartment.”

“Well, it is if she lives there.”

“I don't think Rachel exists. At all. There's no Lea, and when you process that, admit there's a possibility there's no Rachel.”

Grasso shot him a sharp look as they turned a corner. Jason went on, thinking furiously, talking it out. “Text the picture to Georgia Lukens and ask her if that is Rachel. I'm going to bet you she's a dead ringer for Lauren Levine.”

“They're the same person?” She sounded doubtful, but not entirely. The hint of speculation in her tone encouraged him to keep thinking out loud. “You're crazy.”

“Am I? It has struck me all along that Lauren seems to be a little different each time I meet her. There's quiet, shy Lauren, and friendly Lauren, and sexy Lauren who turned into a friggin' maniac and tried to kill me. Remember Hammet's comment that it could be two different killers. I think she might be right, but they are still the same person. Ellie, listen, Lauren found out where I lived without any problem. What are the odds the roommate of the person killing these men goes to the same therapist I do? If she accessed hospital records, by her own admission, she could probably find out I see Lukens just by following me, which is what Lea supposedly does. What if she was talking about herself?” Silence.

Finally she said, “I'll call and send the picture. Just keep me in the loop, okay? I now understand why you were such an ass while you were off on medical leave.”