Sense of Evil - Kay Hooper [8]
“Why effeminate?” Rafe was listening intently, his eyes narrowed.
“These women were killed brutally, with a viciousness that suggests both a hatred of women and doubts or fears about his own sexuality. All three were sexual crimes—deep, penetrating wounds and targeting the breasts and genitals are classic signs of a sexual obsession—and yet none of the women was raped. That, by the way, will probably be his next escalation, raping as well as killing.”
“And if he's impotent? This sort of killer often is, right?”
Isabel didn't hesitate. “Right. In that case, an object rape, possibly even with the murder weapon. And it will be postmortem; he doesn't want his victim to see his possible sexual failure. In fact, he'll probably cover her face, even after he kills her.”
“So he's a necrophiliac as well.”
“The whole nasty bag of tricks, yeah. And he will be escalating, count on it. He's got the taste for it now. He's enjoying himself. And he's feeling invulnerable, maybe even invincible. He's likely to begin mocking us—the police—in some way.”
Rafe thought about all that for a moment, then asked, “Why blondes?”
“We don't know. Not yet. But it's very possible that his first victim—Jamie Brower, right?”
“Right.”
“Twenty-eight-year-old real-estate broker. It's very likely, we believe, that something about her was the trigger. Maybe something she did to him, that's possible. An emotional or psychological rejection of some kind. Or something he saw, something she made him feel, whether or not she was aware of doing so. We believe she was a deliberate choice, not merely a random blonde.”
“Because she was the first victim?”
“That, plus the uncontrolled violence of the attack. According to the crime-scene photos and ME's report you sent us, she was riddled with stab wounds.”
“Yes.” Rafe's lips tightened as he remembered.
“The wounds were ragged, multiple angles, but virtually all of them so deep the hilt or handle of the knife left bruises and imprints in her skin. He was in a frenzy when he killed her. With the second and third victims, except for some minor defensive injuries, most of the wounds were concentrated in the breast and genital areas; Jamie Brower had injuries to her face and wounds from her neck to her lower thighs.”
“It was a bloodbath.”
“Yes. That sort of fury usually means hatred, very specific, very personal hatred. He wanted to kill her. Not just a blonde, not just a representation of his killing fantasy. Her. We believe that by focusing the investigation on the life and death of Jamie Brower, we're likely to uncover facts or evidence that will help us to identify her killer.”
“Focusing on her how? We've accounted for all her movements the week before she was killed.”
“We'll have to go further back than that. Months, maybe even years; the pressure built inside him for a while before he acted, and during that time their paths crossed.”
“If she was the trigger.”
Isabel nodded. “If she was the trigger.”
“And if she wasn't?”
Isabel shrugged. “Still a valid, even critical, investigative approach, knowing who the victim was. Who all of them were. We won't understand him until we understand the women he's killing. Something more than superficial appearance connects them.”
“They were all unusually successful at their jobs,” Rafe said, relaying the information without the need to consult any file or notes. “Jamie had been Broker of the Year with her company the past three years; Allison Carroll had been recognized both locally and statewide as an outstanding teacher; and Tricia Kane not only had a very good job as a paralegal to one of our most successful attorneys but also was a very talented artist gaining regional recognition.”
“It might be the public recognition of their abilities as much as their success that drew his interest,” Isabel mused. “They stood in a spotlight, lauded for their achievements. Maybe that's what