thursday
Police have stretched crime scene tape around the wooded path, and crime scene technicians comb the immediate area where Natasha was found.
In the light of day, Val Thompson, the security chief, is gray with exhaustion as he walks Detective Lewis along the route Natasha most likely followed. Detective Lewis scans the path carefully, but it just looks like wood chips to her.
A uniformed officer calls, “I need a tech over here.”
Lewis and Val leg it over to where the smug officer waits.
“What’ve you got?” asks Lewis.
“Looks like somebody’s been laying in wait in here. Lots of cigarette butts, stomped down earth, screened by the shrubs.
“That’s great,” says Val. “You can get DNA off the butts?”
“Maybe. None of them look too fresh.”
“Maybe this was where he scoped things out. Great work Harris.”
Harris preens as Lewis leads Val back to the paved path, saying. “Just don’t expect magic here, Val. CSI is only a TV show, and DNA only helps when there is a suspect to match.”
“Yes, I am aware of that, Detective Lewis.”
“Good, then. We may get something out of canvassing the neighborhood.”
Val asks, “What can we do to help you, Detective?”
“We’re gonna have to interview students. Her friends, classmates. Anyone who might have information. Can you round up a couple of on campus rooms we can use for interviews?”
“Yeah. Sure.” says Val, “That’s a surprise. The other rape we had didn’t get nearly this much law enforcement attention.”
“You talking date rape,Val?”
“Yeah. It was at a frat party.”
“This is different for two reasons. She holds up her index finger and says, “One, it looks premeditated. Laying in wait. Possibly a stranger, but maybe not. Either way, a predator.”
“Uh oh. You’re saying this isn’t going to be the only one?”
“That’s why we’re coming down on it hard, Val. The level of violence is very disturbing.” Lewis holds up a second finger. “He hit her hard enough to knock her out. Maybe she knows him, and he didn’t want her to identify him, but the perp didn’t just rape her, he used her as a punching bag, and when he was done he just walked away. Leaving her out in the elements without even an anonymous tip. Pretty cold.”
“You’re saying it’s not just a crime of opportunity.”
“We don’t know much of anything yet, but it’s a strong possibility. And, number three,” adding a final finger Lewis says, “The worst is that the perp doesn’t need a conscious victim.”
Val blanches as he gets the implication. “That’s bad.”
Lewis nods. “I have to get to the hospital. The victim’s regained consciousness. Maybe she can tell us something so we can keep it from happening again.”
“I’ll get you that interview room.”
