Apple Spies (Ordinary Heroes)

Apple Spies - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 : The case

Swift and the four students gathered in his office. He cleaned his desk, opened his drawer and took out a bunch of files. He opened them and displayed the pictures from the crime scene and the autopsy report. All of them looked at it carefully and read the files. Vanessa and Ian sat on the sofa while Shawn and Lana took 2 chairs and sat next to Swift around his desk.
"Ok, guys. This is what we know so far." Swift moved to the white board and started writing facts, dates, times, MO, victim's names, locations, occupations. "Both girls were blond-haired in their thirties. They worked as waitresses in two different pubs here in NYC. They were both Russians but that's the only thing besides their
occupations that could be a connection with the killer. One of them was a single mom with a 5 year-old son. The Bureau checked everyone at the school already. The other was single, no kids, was waitressing to pay for her tuition fees at college. She wanted to get a degree and start a new life. CSI said they were both found in a street behind the pubs which are 10 blocks away. Nobody saw anyone stalking them after work. They both had to close the pubs and left around 2 am. Time of death is estimated between 2 and 5 am. Now, Vanessa I would like you to take a closer look at the crimes scene and tell me what you can guess about the MO and the killer's crime staging. Ian, I'm gonna send you question their colleagues again and their relatives. - the Bureau said one of the girls has an aunt who does not speak English so I'd like you to go back there and see what you can dig. Shawn, canvass the net and find me anything that could connect the killer to both victims. The first one Natacha was killed on July 31st and the second, Katia on August 15th. If that's a pattern, we could expect the killer to strike again very soon. Lana, you'll go with Ian and try to make sketches of all the customers who were at both pubs after midnight. There are surely regulars that could help identify someone who was new to the place. Any detail matters. The ME wrote that they were put there after they were killed but rigidity was not yet on as we can see, he carefully sat them against a wall as if they were just having a break or a fag. There were no prints on their bodies so he definitely used gloves. The report says they were choked but there are no hand marks or no rope print on their necks. The ME concluded they might have had an allergic reaction to something and could not breathe. It can mean that the killer does not touch them but enjoys seeing them die slowly. Vanessa, do you agree?", said Swift looking at her.
"Yes, the staging tells me he wanted them to feel comfortable even after they were dead. He likes to watch but does not want to act on it. Touching them might be repulsive to him as if he got remorse of having to be so cruel. There are no struggle marks on their arms or skin under their nails. He did not sexually assault them. It means there was no Oedipian complex in his childhood. He's enjoying taking their lives but just watching gives him pleasure. He could have been stalking them at work or after work, maybe followed them at home. I'd say he's young and in control of what he does. Probably in his late thirties. No girlfriend for a long time. A loner, watching porn to entertain his twisted brain. He hates them for one reason and we need to find why.", Vanessa retorted.
"That's a start. Well done Vanessa.", Swift said, smiling at her.
"Did they find any phones next to the bodies, something that might help us know where they were killed or what was their last convo?", asked Shawn.
"Strangely, CSI found no phones on the crime scene but I can ask the Bureau to give us the contents of their laptops they found at their places and you can have a look at it, ok?" replied Swift.
"Yeah, sure Professor."
"They got their work clothes on, I'd say they might have been interrupted while closing the pubs, a last customer maybe, reluctant to leave?", asked Lana, looking at the pictures.
"How are we gonna find that son-of-a-bitch if even your Bureau mates could not find a connection? " asked Ian.
"Who said it was a man, Ian. It could easily also be a woman. There seem to be no vengeance purpose, no cheating story that could make him want to kill them. I'm gonna go over to the library and see what I can find about recent murders in Russia, maybe he was not from here and is new to NYC. For now, the only thing we can link between the girls is their native country. I'll join you all later. Professor Swift, give me a couple of hours , I'll see what I can find." Said Vanessa, getting up and heading to the door.
"Great idea Vanessa. Ian and Lana you can go too. Find me something I can use. Question everyone and report to me in 2 hours too. Shawn, you'll come with to the Bureau. I'll see if I can get hold on these laptops or ask for a flash drive. Good luck everyone. See you all later.", Swift said , satisfied.