| From: | Brian Angliss <angliss@*****.COLORADO.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Another ugly murder |
| Date: | Wed, 15 Apr 1998 17:19:46 -0600 |
>>>>>[ DP: Detective Midori Pardy
SL: Sergent Treasury Lancer
SL: The cheif send you out on this one?
DP: Yeah, he did. I've already got a case, that college kid, and he
decides to give me another one.
SL: I guess he felt that, since you haven't got all the results from
forensics back yet, you'd be fine for this. Besides, the Yaks do this
same thing to some of thier targets, I hear.
DP: On occasion. Crucifixion is historical. But I doubt this is a Yak
hit.
SL: Why?
DP: They rarely kill in a Catholic church, for one. They usually have a
little more respect for religion, even someone else's, than that.
SL: Well, we're here. Drek, so are the press....
DP: Find out what they're telling people. I'm going inside.
SL: Sure.
>>15 seconds delay<<
DP: Oh, drek..... This sure as drek isn't Yakuza.
SL: <whistle> That's nasty. Yakuza?
DP: No way. They don't do that. Start taking notes, Lancer.
SL: Right. Just a quick question before we start, ok?
DP: Why don't I use a recorder?
SL: Yeah.
DP: They're distracting.
SL: Uh, ok.
DP: Start taking notes. The crime scene is a small Catholic church, 1843
Fir St, Tacoma. The time is 1545, April 15, 2059. Upon entering the
church, the odor of dried and semi-dried blood is immediately apparent and
very strong. The source is a man, identified by a parishener as Father
Leon McCarthy, a Jesuit priest and theologen. His robe appears to have
been carefully removed and folded. It is laying in the fourth pew, left
side, facing the altar, immediately next to the center aisle. Cause of
death appears to be blood loss due to a large wound in his left side, but
I'll make a better determination upon lowering Father Leon from the
rafters.
SL: Detective, do you remember the memo from this morning, the Children
of Thunda one?
DP: Yes, what about it?
SL: You think this is connected.
DP: No. First, there's nothing anywhere that says "Let there be light",
and second, Father Leon is human. Continue my notes.
On the floor beneath the deceased is a large communion cup filled with
blood. It appears to have been carefully set so that the blood flowing
from the deceased would pour/drip into it. The cup has overflown and the
blood on the floor of the church appears to be from the cup. Continuing
forward to the dias, the cross that the deceased has been attached to
appears to have been mounted behind the altar, as per normal Catholic
practice. The floor of the dias shows several marks. Sergent, has
everything been photographed in enough detail for Matrix reconstruction
SL: Yes, ma'am, but nothing has been dusted for prints yet. Oh, and the
press are aware that there was a murder, but not the method.
DP: Good. Let's keep it that way as long as we can. Continue my notes.
I have just stepped up onto the dias and I'm inspecting the marks. They
appear to be a few scratches, about the size of the crucifix that now
mounts the deceased. There are also a number of shards of wood,
apparently from the crucifix as well. Off in the corner is a small saw
and the Jesus that was removed from the crucifix. The altar is similarly
scratched, but it appears to have a few drops of blood. Sergent, are
these from the deceased?
SL: Yes, ma'am.
DP: The blood drops appear to be placed about the same width as would be
required for correct nailing of the deceased to the crucifix. It appears
that the deceased was very alive when attached. Embedded in the New
Testament is a syringe, and sitting beside them are 2 bent spikes, 1
unbent spike, a hammer, 2 recently unsealed drug vials, a half-used roll
of medical bandages and a partially used roll of tape. Sergent, what were
in these vials? Has forensics identified it yet?
SL: Yes, ma'am. The large vial contains a powerful coagulant, designed
to be topically applied. The smaller vial contains an intravenus
anti-coagulant used in heart attacks and strokes to break up clots. They
can't tell us more until we let them lower the body, although the blood
contains a high concentration of the anti-coagulant. And yes, the New
Testament page has been photographed as well.
DP: Very well. Lower the body! Has the weapon been discovered?
SL: Yes. It was left right over there. It's an antique spear that was
reported stolen from a private collection several months ago.
DP: Someone's been planning this for a while now.... Continue my notes.
The body is pale belieing the loss of blood. The wound appears to be
quite deep, but I'll leave the details for an autopsy. The deceased's
arms appear to have been nailed to the crucifix, correctly, and then
dressed in bandages. The spike in the feet has also been bandaged, and
all three wounds show very little blood-loss.
Detach him from the cross, guys. He's all yours.
SL: So, who do you think did this?
DP: No clue. We'll start with the collector who reported the spear
stolen.
>>>Detective? You need to look at this.<<<
SL: What the hell?
DP: Keep that under wraps. I don't want anyone leaking this, do you
understand?
SL: Sure. What the hell does that mean.
DP: That means that this priest hadn't ever taken a vow of pacifism.
You're looking at a Soldier of God.]<<<<<
-- Lone Star Homocide Log <17:21:31/04-15-59>
