I was a fawner back then, but I have no intention of being one now.
“First let me start by saying how much I empathize with both of you,” Halligan says. “This is an upsetting turn of events for all of us.”
He smiles sympathetically. Though I think he’s heavier than he used to be, and the mustache might be new, he’s beginning to seem more familiar—the light-brown eyes, Roman nose, and faint acne scars along his cheeks. He had a kind of hyper, eager-beaver manner back then, which I’d sensed reflected a desire to look good to his boss, Caputo, but he’s clearly gained confidence in the ensuing years and seems at home in his skin. Good. That’s what we need.
“We appreciate that,” Logan tells him. “And we’re eager to hear whatever you’ve learned.”
“It’s been a busy week and a half,” Halligan says, opening the folder while moving his gaze back and forth between us. “I’ve spoken multiple times to investigators in both Pennsylvania and Ohio and also touched base with one of the detectives we dealt with in Plattsburgh. And I’ve gone back over our own files as well.”
Please,I think,just tell us.
“And?” Logan says as if reading my thoughts.
“Why don’t I lay out what I learned, and then we can discuss the possible implications. What you need to bear in mind is that we’re working with a lot more information now that there are two additional cases in the mix.”
There’s an ominous undertone to his words.More information.If it were more information in our favor, he’d probably be saying so upfront. I squeeze my hands into fists in my lap, urging myself again not to get ahead of things.
“Based on the directions Ruck gave,” Halligan continues, “the police in both states had little trouble finding the remains of the two college students he killed. The body of Jessica Lombardo, the Ohio girl, was buried under leaves and dirt in some thick woods about two miles from the highway, and the girl from Pennsylvania, Rachel Mullen, was also found in a wooded area.”
He pauses and plucks two pieces of paper from his folder and then, after turning them around, slides them across the table toward us. They are photocopies of the “Missing” poster created for each girl a decade ago. I wince at the sight of the photos on them. Jessica is brunette and Rachel, very blond. They’re both pretty and friendly looking and seem full of life. Ready to take on the world.
“They were each killed in the same way,” Halligan continues. “Struck on the back of the head with some kind of blunt object and then strangled.”
“Jesus,” Logan exclaims. “They were able to tell that after all this time?”
“Yes, with the help of both a pathologist and a forensic anthropologist, who examined the skeletal remains. In each instance there was a small linear fracture in the skull from the blow, as well as a fracture of the hyoid bone in the throat, caused by strangulation. Since the skull fracture in each case was not catastrophic and probably didn’t result in the crushing of any brain tissue, it indicates that the victims must have been struck first, probably to incapacitate them, and strangled to death afterward.”
I get a taste of bile in my throat and wish I’d accepted the offer for water.
“So, Ruck had the same MO right from the start,” I say.
Halligan nods. “Yes, it appears that way.”
“Can they tell what type of ligature was used?” Logan asks. “I mean, was it a dog leash?”
When I glance his way, I see that his face has gone slightly gray. Underneath that confident demeanor, he must be as distressed as I am to be covering this ground again.
Halligan shakes his head. “Since there was no tissue remaining in either case, it was impossible to make that determination.”
“But there’s no reason to think itwasn’ta leash?” Logan says.
“That’s right.”
“So even without the leash marks, there are strong consistencies among all five crimes,” he says.
Crinkles form in Halligan’s forehead. “Yes and no. There are a couple of similarities among the two newer cases and the two in Plattsburgh that aren’t there in Melanie’s case.”
Okay, here it comes, just what I was dreading.Out of the corner of my eye, I see Logan shift anxiously in his seat.
“The first has to do with the location of the bodies,” Halligan continues. “What we’ve learned in law enforcement over many years is that some serial sexual murderers take pains to conceal the bodiesof their victims in a so-called organized way, and others simply leave them at the crime scene, and they stick with one approach or another, rarely varying it. As I’m sure you recall, Sailor Abbott’s body was discovered in a wooded area a few days after she disappeared. And Ruck was apprehended hiding Amanda Kline’s body in woods north of Plattsburgh. But there appeared to be no attempt to dispose of Melanie’s body.”
“That never bothered you eight years ago,” I say and quickly warn myself to tone it down. The goal here is to be less fawning, not hostile.
“And it wasn’t a concern for good reason,” Logan says. “It always seemed that Ruck got spooked somehow that night and didn’t finish what he set out to do.”
“Yes, that’s still a possible scenario,” Halligan says. “But I want us to factor it in now that we have something else to consider.”
“Well, let’s hear it,” Logan says. He’s letting his agitation show, but I can hardly blame him.
