Early Tuesday morning, Mike switched on his computer and opened his mail. Five from Dr. Singh alone. The first was just to tell him that the evidence had been received, The second when it was being cycled through the GCA and the third was the one he was waiting for. The perfume in all three vans was a match to the open bottle in the suspect's fridge. The fourth was the technical explanation of why they matched and the fifth was the results of retesting the gasses from the basement slab. It was definitely human decomp and the team had arrived early Sunday afternoon to tent the house and proceed with the body search first thing Monday. In a neighborhood with people and pets around in close proximity you didn't want them exposed to the odors associated with recovering a body or bodies buried for months. Both HEPA and water bath filters processed the air from inside the house and the extraction team wore full hazmat and breathing gear.
There was also a message from the county jail medical officer. She informed Mike that his suspect was not just HIV positive but had full blown AIDS. He suggested that all the officers that had contact with her be notified and their risk assessed.
Mike forwarded that one to Frank with a note to make it happen asap. He also shared the good news with Frank and heard Frank give a whoop in his office a few feet away.
Frank called each officer that was in contact with suspect Hobart and the detectives that brought her in. She had been fitted with a spit mask immediately because she was being resistive and aggressive. She was cuffed and then shackled and her cuffs were locked to a transport belt. That's how she was attired when Mike had interviewed her earlier.
The Intake sergeant had sent a transcript and a digital file of the intake process. She had Highlighted a particular exchange.
:Intake Off. "Are you pregnant?"
Suspect Hobart, "No."
Intake Off. "Do you have or are you positive for HIV or Hepatitis C?"
Suspect Hobart, Yeah, I got it," laughing.
Intake Off. "Which do you have HIV or Hep C."
Suspect Hobart, "Aids, I got Aids, I got it from my old man after he started chasing those whores."
Precedent protects the discovery in my experience. It isn't a true medical history and we aren't inquiring about culpability in any crime. You will of course want to run this past the prosecutor and his team but I thought you should have this.
Sgt. Livonia Patterson King County Women's Jail Intake supervisor.
Video and audio attached and a copy on disc will be delivered to your office with a custody chain attached.
L.P.:
Mike replied to that message with gratitude and praise for the sergeant and the team that Sgt. Patterson supervised.
Mike forwarded the message to Frank and the Prosecutor. Frank raced through the door.
"Let's hear the audio, I can't believe it until I hear it!" Frank cheered.
They listened at least five times and knew that they wouldn't have to dig any further for motive. Marina Hobart would probably not survive to be tried for any of the murders but that didn't mean the case couldn't have a satisfactory end. The prosecutor would trade her a comfortable hospice in exchange for allocution. That would mean describing each murder and victim as she committed them and disclosing any unknown victims or crimes. It would beat dying from AIDS in a prison hospital. It would take the better part of two years to advance to trial if the suspect stonewalled. It would be in her interests to cooperate.
Mike dialed Scott's number and filled him in. He was ecstatic. He waited a bit longer to call Herb, his reaction was more energetic than Scott's.
The prosecutor called and asked if it was true. Mike assured him it was and that the disc and transcript would be waiting in his office on Wednesday.
"We'll indict on two counts of Homicide one and special circumstances, She's done," He crowed.
"Eldon, I think you're missing something, she won't live to stand trial. She has full blown AIDS and the medical staff are assessing how far the disease has progressed. We'll be lucky if we can get her to allocute. They do that here don't they?"
"Of course we do, but what can we offer to get her to plea?" Eldon asked.
"Hospice care instead of a prison ward. It's a death sentence either way and we can resolve the number of victims and see if we have a copycat in the bargain. If we can promise her a comfortable exit she might agree. And I think she wants to justify her actions to somebody.
A monogamous woman suddenly finds herself HIV positive, where else is it going to come from. Her husband picked it up and gave it to her. At least I'm betting that's the case. We'll know more in a day or two. We'll have the body in the basement and it will likely be the husband from who, the M.E. will know how to proceed, he just needs the body first. They should be cutting concrete by now, we'll know more in an hour or two," Mike explained.
"You're pretty sharp for a new guy, I think my day just got a little better. By the way, we talk to the press tomorrow at noon. Scott set it up, so scold him if you aren't happy," Eldon quipped.
Two bodies were extracted from the basement tomb, They were male and female but nothing else was known. They were double bagged and prepared for transport to the M.E.'s office.
The street outside was lined with TV trucks all crowding the scene tape to get a good view of the two stretchers. Tawny Jarvis waited patiently and at the first sign of movement she and her camera man pulled respirators up from their necks and sealed their noses and mouths. The others fell back from the stench leaving Tawny free access to the scene. Then she and her camera guy videoed the extraction team decontaminating in kiddie pools in the front yard. Soon the remediation team would take over with chemicals designed to neutralize the stench in the house and the soil that had surrounded the bodies. Tawny smirked at the greenish complected talking heads from the networks and then she and her partner jumped in their van and left before the van carrying the bodies.
"Pretty gets you in the door, but smart keeps you out of the rain," Tawny smirked.
The M.E. worked a long shift Sunday, he came up with an I.D. on Louis Hobart fairly quickly. The M.E. had requested dental records for Mr. Hobart when Mike had speculated that he was victim #1. The second subject was female mid to late twenties, Caucasian and both had been nearly decapitated with a very heavy blade. The shock was that the male corpse had been dead a month or more longer than the female. Tissue samples were sent off to Bruce's lab rats to check for disease and other characteristics of decomp.
Herb was looking at pictures of the basement and saw an odd looking implement. He checked his email for the photo Palmer Rudt had sent him.
"I doubt he'll want it back know, I'm not sure if it can be done, certainly not until court case was completed if even then," Herb thought. Evidence in murder cases was often retained for years even after a conviction. It tended to piss off the heirs because they had to sue to get back the item in question.
*****
Monday was a busy one for Me, John, Chase and Carter. Mom took us to the outfitter that supplied our school uniforms. They were nice uniforms and both the jackets and cloaks had the school crest embroidered on the left breast.
John and Carter looked adorable in the short trousers and cloaks, Christopher Robin came to mind when I saw John. They would only wear the short trousers on warm days, they had regular full length trousers for winter wear.
Chase and I tried on Trousers and jackets, our cloaks were intentionally oversized and had large pockets in the interior lining. I thought we both looked very handsome and Mom confirmed my observation. I was glad at that point that Dad took the time to teach me to tie a Windsor knot. Chase had experience and it would fall to us to teach John and Carter. I was certain they would pick it up quickly.
I had worn uniforms at my old school but they were suited to California weather. These uniforms included pullovers and sweater vests each with the crest. The only thing that wasn't supplied was heavy coats, and snow boots or galoshes. We would only have to brave the snow or rain between the drop-off point and the gate and after that we had covered pathways to traverse the campus.
Once we were finished, John did not want to relinquish his cloak. He loved the texture of the wool and the hood. Mom promised to get another cloak that he could wear at home.
Our new uniforms were wrapped and placed in the car and we went out looking for lunch. Since we were near the school we suggested Geraldine's and then we visited the bakery. During lunch I floated the idea of getting John a bike and having a family outing in the area like so many others we had observed. Mom thought it was a great idea and said she would talk to Dad about it.
*****
At 11:30 a.m. Mike joined Scott Summers and prosecutor Lev Gaines at a podium in front of every media outlet in Seattle. Mike took the first turn at the microphone.
"Good morning, at approximately 1:30 a.m. the Sheriff's homicide bureau made an arrest concerning at least two homicides that occurred in the King county area. Each victim was found in a vehicle parked at or near a ferry dock. We will not be identifying the suspect until the indictment phase of the investigation, the prosecutor will speak to that shortly.
This case extends to Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties and we are still working on identifying two victims found during a search of the suspects residence. We are still processing evidence that will be made public at a later date. Our colleagues in the technical services and medical examiner's offices are rather busy at the moment so they are not here to comment.
I will answer a few questions but keep them pertinent to the case at hand.
Mike pointed at Tanya Barker from one of the TV stations. But instead of asking about the case she wanted to know how an independent reporting team was allowed at the scene of the arrest while the rest of the media weren't notified.
"Ms. Barker, were you not paying attention when I instructed the media to ask questions about the case. Would you like to try again or shall I move on to someone who understands instructions?"
Tanya Barker was dumbstruck, nobody had ever challenged her like that and she was used to getting her way. This guy wasn't falling for her aggressive style. Other reporters were beginning to smirk in her direction.
"We observed human remains being removed from the alleged suspects residence, have they been identified?" Tanya asked, trying to regroup.
"We do not have a positive I.D. on the second body, It's slow going with bodies in that state of decomposition. The M.E.'s staff are expediting their efforts and we should have results soon. The one body that was identified was a male, next?" Mike solicited.
Keith Statham stepped forward, "Was the killer targeting prostitutes exclusively?"
"It would appear so, we don't know the status of one of the bodies as I mentioned. The lone male was not a prostitute, we will release identities as soon as next of kin have been notified. Our Forensic teams are processing a ton of evidence so it may take a while to share what we have. Their efforts are key to completing this case and I would like to thank both the Forensic science division and the Medical examiner's office for all their hard work. We are confident that we have the responsible party in custody and expect to move forward as soon as the prosecutor is satisfied with the evidence. He'll be up here soon and you can ask him how he plans to proceed," Mike illuminated.
After answering several similar questions Mike handed the podium over to the prosecutor Lev Gaines. Tanya Barker tried to buffalo him too, but he wouldn't play her game and passed over her to another reporter.
Scott Sommers took the mic. And repeated the glowing report of the bureau's response to the case. He cited Mike's ability to hit the ground running as he simultaneously sorted out personnel problems and set up the team that handled the investigation. He pointed out that Mike lent the benefit of his experience in previous serial cases to his team and that the crew was putting the unpleasant details that preceded his tenure, behind them. He announced the dismissal and arrest of two command officers in the Homicide Bureau and gave a brief outline of the circumstances. He explained that a separate conference would be held once Internal Affairs was ready to proceed.
"Well, that went well, you really did a number on old Tanya. She's been a pain in the ass since she got here, she got canned from a station in Chicago and it took a while for her to catch on here. I don't care for her personally but I tolerate her. I've never seen anyone shut her down in the first two minutes. I hope my DVR caught that," Scot crowed.
"I wish Herb could have been here, he deserves some exposure, but he also needs some rest and I didn't want him getting waylaid by reporters. I will be talking to my entire bureau about how to deal with the press. When they do their job, they're an important part of the community, when they act like Ms. Barker did today, that sets off alarm bells in my head. I will eventually hold a meeting with the working press and lay down some guidelines for acceptable behavior, in return, I won't stonewall them when it's not necessary. Does that sound fair to you?" Mike asked.
"It sounds fine to me but I'm not a reporter. We have a symbiotic relationship with the press, but generally, they need us more than we need them," Scott concurred.
"Well I hope to get the majority in our camp and I will do that by being candid when I can," Mike added.
"Understood," Scott nodded.
Tawny caught Mike and Scott on the front steps of the Castle.
"I just wanted to thank you for letting me in on the arrest, but I don't want to be greedy. Maybe you can set up a rotation where one team gets the heads up to pool coverage. It would keep your scenes relatively clear and everybody would get the same chance to film on scene. I won't be independent anymore after Friday, I've been hired by one of the stations, me and Wills both. We just have to wait for management to deal with the current reporter. He's getting a promotion to newsreader and he'll be replacing someone who doesn't know they're moving on yet, it's all confidential. But once we're in place I'd really like to get an in depth interview, no hatchet job just your history and your goals for the bureau," Tawny explained.
"That individual's initials wouldn't be T.B. would they?" Mike grinned.
"I couldn't possibly comment," Tawny chuckled.
As for an interview, I'm supposed to clear that sort of thing with Scott beforehand, but if he's amenable then so am I. You have a refreshing approach to news gathering. I haven't heard a trace of agenda in any of your reports that I've seen," Mike praised. "Even my wife likes you."
"Well, I'm supposed to report not editorialize, that's someone else's job," Tawny stated clearly.
"I think an interview would be great after the case is in the hands of the prosecutor and Mike has his third star on his collar. will that be acceptable?" Scott inquired.
"Sounds like a plan to me, "Tawny agreed.
Tawny took her leave and Scott and Mike walked to the elevators, they shook hands and boarded separate cars, Scott to his office and Mike to the parking garage.
Upon entering the work bay of the bureau he received a standing ovation from the assembled detectives. It was later related that it was for his dealing with Tanya Barker so elegantly.
Returning to his office he had an unexpected email from the assistant medical examiner. Brian Talford.
: Following are the results of HIV testing in both corpses found buried in suspect Hobart's basement.
Male corpse showed no evidence of HIV RNA in any system. Spleen, lymph nodes, liver and marrow were all tested and no evidence of excessive T-4 cells were detected.
The same tests were carried out on the unknown female with the same results.
We chose deep tissue testing because HIV does not survive in fluids much more than 65 days after death. However residue and dead virus forms can be detected in the organs mentioned above. It is my opinion that neither body was infected with HIV at the time of death.
COD was a blow from a sharp heavy implement to the superior cervical spine, trachea and larynx were severed as well as both carotid arteries and jugular veins. The effect was near decapitation. There is evidence that both subjects received blunt force trauma to the occipital skull.
Brian Talford, AME :
"Hey Herb, we have a fly in the ointment, the theory about Louis Hobart passing HIV to Marina is not gonna fly. His corpse has no evidence of HIV. We need to talk to Marina again," Mike explained.
"Un-bloody believable Mike, I thought the virus didn't survive in dead bodies very long," Herb countered.
"The virus dies around 65 days after death but remnants collect in certain organs like the spleen and lymph nodes. The ME's office found no trace of HIV or antibodies anywhere," Mike added.
"But Marina has full blown Aids, where did she pick it up?" Herb asked.
"Well you did her background check, where did she work before the ferry service. Did she do anything remotely medical in nature where she could get a needle stick or something like that?" Mike asked.
"Just a second, let me get my notes out." After a pause Mike heard, "Oh shit, she worked at Swedish Hospital as a nursing assistant. She may have contracted it there or spread it to other patients."
Okay, get onto them about her and do it in person, we don't need a panic. Speak to an administrator not the staff, sorry, you don't need to be told that.
An hour later Herb was on the phone with Mike again.
"Mike, they want to cooperate but they need a warrant to release the information. Dr. Valentin Obersk told me he would pull the information together and have it ready when I return with the warrant," Herb related.
"Go get lunch, I'll make the call and get the warrant to you by the time you're done," Mike promised.
"Okay, give me a heads up and I'll meet it when it arrives," Herb agreed.
Mike made the call to the prosecutor and Lev Gaines said he would see to it personally. Mike found a detective that was about to leave and redirected him to the courthouse.
An hour later Herb was back and they were going over Marina's file. She had left the hospital as the result of a workman's comp case. She was cut by an improperly disposed of blade which may have been used to treat an HIV patient. The blade was found to have HIV virus still active. She had been tested but failed to return for follow up testing. Fortunately she had no contact with patients after her injury.
"So how did she make the leap that Louis gave her the bug?" Herb asked.
"For that we need to go to the source. She's in isolation at the jail," Mike muttered.
"Do they have Tyvek suits your size?" Herb chuckled.
"I guess we'll find out, but I have a few in my truck," Mike replied.
Lev Gaines met them at the jail ward and they all donned Tyvek, masks and gloves.
"Good afternoon Mrs. Hobart, do you feel up to a chat?" Mike asked.
"I have nothing better to do, what do you want to know?" Marina answered.
"We wanted to talk to you about Louis, we found him as you probably suspect," Mike went on.
"Yeah, I figured you'd find him."
"Okay first, who was the woman we found buried next to him?" Mike asked.
"Beth something, Marbert I think, Louis said he was teaching her to be an estimator for the business. But I knew what was going on."
"Why do you think Louis gave you the virus?" Mike followed up.
"He had to, I never played around, so it had to be him. Him and his whores like Beth. I saw his phone and he had one of those websites for hookers," Marina growled.
"That's as may be but Louis didn't have HIV, the medical examiner has tested his body and there's no trace he ever had the virus,"
"That can't be! He had to give it to me! He had to! Marina shrieked.
"I'm afraid not, most likely it was your injury at Swedish that gave you HIV, if you had kept up your testing you could have received treatment and all this would never have needed to happen," Mike informed her.
Marina began to collapse like a calving glacier, slowly she turned inward and became unresponsive.
"I think we're done here guys, let's go," Mike suggested.
They left the isolation ward and entered the decontamination area where attendants helped remove the suits, hoods and booties.
"I thought HIV was only transmittable by fluid exchange," Herb inquired of the attendant.
"True, but we have a protocol for other diseases in place, some of those are airborne," he replied. "But we don't have any active cases currently, we just follow the protocol as an abundance of caution, or so it says in the manual."
"Understood," Herb nodded.
"What do you think Mike, is she ready to crack?" Lev asked.
"Give her a day, let her absorb what she did, then contact her pd and see if you can work out a deal. Allocution for hospice treatment. We'll want a GPS ankle bracelet on her," Mike suggested.
"Agreed, I'll start working up a plea offer and get her pd involved. He's green and I'm guessing he'll welcome the help. No point going for special circs now, and that's fine by me. She's already executed herself, it's a sad stupid business but maybe we can get some closure for the relatives of the victims," Lev speculated.
"I agree, we'll get all the evidence listed and collated and present it to you. Then it's all up to you," Herb acknowledged.
"Let's get back to the bureau and find out what we can about Beth Marbert or whatever her name is. It's more than we had before," Mike suggested.
Bethany Marquart had been in the Air Force so her DNA was on file. A simple match would tell them if she was the woman next to Louis in the basement. She was listed as missing, her roommate said she had gone for some job training and never returned. Her parents had retrieved her personal belongings and now they waited to learn the fate of their only daughter.
Once the match was made, Mike drove to Monroe in Snohomish county, he stopped and picked up the Sheriff's chaplain in Monroe on the way and made the notification.
"I knew she was gone as soon as we heard she was missing, she wasn't the type of girl that would just take off from home and not take her clothes and other stuff. We had hoped she'd be found in a hospital but as the time passed we knew, we knew," her father said.
"I'm very sorry to bring you such terrible news, I don't know if it will help but we have the person in custody that caused her death," Mike offered.
"Well it's something, I guess. They killed two people you know, my little girl and my wife. The stress gave her a heart attack," her father added.
The chaplain offered prayer but the man wasn't having any, he thanked them both and showed them the door. He wanted to grieve in peace.
As they pulled away the chaplain told Mike, "This is the kind of thing that makes me question my faith."