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thou shalt not kill

CLASSIC ROUND ROBIN

Chapter 5

by Samantha Coleman

“Do you think she recognized you?” Rick asked Charlie after the benefit and when they were alone.

“I’m not sure. These scratches on my neck may have given me away.” After pausing, Charlie added, “Either way, she needs to be eliminated. We cannot be stupid about it either. We must meticulously plan this out. I’m afraid our normal MO won’t work.”

Thinking aloud, Rick offered a suggestion. “A planned accident. One where she ends up at Lenox Hill with severe trauma…”

“…enough to need surgery,” Charlie said, finishing the thought.

“Yes, the only hard part is to get her within 10 minutes of the hospital. That way the paramedics are required to take her there.”

“Which leaves cutting her car’s break line out.” After thinking for several minutes, Charlie suggested, “How about a T-bone on the side of the car she’s sitting on?”

“Sounds like a job for Earnie. Keep tabs on her. Learn her schedule.”

“Perhaps we can station him as the doorman to her apartment building.”

“If he’s at the door, we’ll have to enlist someone else to cause the accident.”

“How about we reverse the equation: put Jed on the door and Earnie following?”

“Hummmm…might just work. Earnie is a loose end anyway…”

“If this doesn’t work, we can always gaslight her, then attack her credibility in court. Seemed to me she knew that guy in the cat mask.”

“How about a two-pronged attack? We drive her to distraction without killing her, while Earnie takes her out with an accident?”

After mulling it over for a couple more hours, Catherine decided to tell Joe what she had discovered. She would also tell Mike when she delivered his calzone later that day.

After walking to Joe’s office, she stopped and knocked on the door.

“Come,” Joe answered through the closed door.

“Have you got a few minutes?”

“For you, anytime, Radcliffe.”

“I know who is responsible for the Dracula attacks. But I can’t prove it, and it won’t hold up in a court of law. There’s also not enough to arrest them yet either.”

“Who?”

“Rick MacLaren, defense attorney for Lucy. And Doctor Charlie Emerson, trauma surgeon at Lenox Hill. Which explains the precision markings on each of the victims.”

“How do you know this?” Joe demanded.

Catherine relayed what had happened on Saturday afternoon and how she had encountered them at the benefit later that same evening.

“At least you didn’t go alone. Of course, if I were them, I would go after you and Isaac.”

“I know. That’s why I’m asking you to make sure, if something does happen to me, I not be taken to Lenox Hill. We should draw up a Durable Power of Attorney so you can make that call if I’m in no condition to let my wishes be known.”

“I’m also putting you under surveillance. No questions asked. No arguments,” Joe said as he picked up the phone.

“Isaac will need protection, too,” Catherine said, agreeing to the order.

“I need to see Mike Juarez at the 54^th Precinct. I’ll tell him what I’ve told you. I’ll go home after I see him.”

“Did you drive today?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Good. Don’t take any cabs for the duration. Bus is questionable, too.”

Catherine decided to go home first so she could let Vincent and her tunnel family know to stay away for a while. She also told them why.

“Vincent, where are you going?” Father asked, worried he already knew the answer.

“I am going to keep an eye on Catherine, too. Don’t worry so, Father, I will not be seen. I just want to be close by.” Turning to Catherine, he offered his arm. “Shall we go?”

“Before you leave, Henry and Lin came across that Tammy girl you were looking for. She is in the infirmary now. She is in no condition to talk though.”

“I’ll see if it’s possible to talk to her at a later time then.”

Catherine took Vincent’s arm and said, “We shall go. But we need to use the basement entrance. I’m not sure how fast Joe will get the surveillance started on me. I need to look like I’m coming from the parking garage. After I change clothes, I’m going to the 54th Precinct.”

Going upstairs, she quickly changed out of her work clothes and into some comfortable jeans and a sweater. Then she was out the door just as the officer showed up at her door.

She did notice that Roger, the regular doorman, was not on duty that evening.

“You realize this has become a race to see what happens next? Do we get them, or do they get you first?” Mike asked, concern in his voice.

“Joe has people on my tail already. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, don’t let anyone take me to Lenox Hill for anything.”

Puzzled, Mike started to ask why.

“Charlie Emerson is a trauma surgeon there. Instead, call Dr. Peter Alcott at this number.” Catherine scribbled down a number. “He’ll answer the call.”

Next, Catherine stopped off at Peter’s house to fill him in on what he might expect.

The next day, Catherine had a Danish waiting for her at her desk. There was a note from Vincent wrapped inside the package.

One of the men following you is the same one I saw outside Lucy’s place. Here’s a sketch of the other man following you.

Catherine reported to Joe that Tammy had been found and was under a doctor’s care.  She showed Joe the drawing Vincent had provided. “Oh, yeah, my regular doorman was not on duty last night. If the new one isn’t one of ours, you might want to run a background check on him.”

Several hours later, Edie stopped by Catherine’s desk. “You got a real bad cat following you.”

Catherine started to pale at the suggestion of a cat following her.

“His name is Earnest Oswald. Goes by the name of Earnie. He has a rap sheet a mile long. In and out of both jail and juvie. Latest scoop is, he’s into this Lost Boys Dracula crap.”

“What about the doorman?’

“Only the names have changed. This one is Jed McGuyer. Bad dude, too.”

“Have you told Joe yet?”

“Just on my way now.”

“Let’s go then,” Catherine invited with a swoop of her arm.