14. The Final Tango.

“Detective Brewster - get your butt in here!”

I gritted my teeth, bit back the comment I nearly came out with and did as instructed.

Lieutenant Matt Grimble was an old-style detective. That’s another way of saying he’s a sexist, semi-alcoholic misogynist, who lacks all the proper manners and graces of the human race. He was past fifty and was only still in this particular department because he had enough dirt on those politicians and senior officers who’d love to see the back of him, but daren’t risk the attempt in case that dirt was allowed to see the light of day.

He was an overweight, overbearing and overpaid oaf of a man whose life was likely to become miserable as soon as he handed in his badge in three months time. I knew of at least twelve local officers who were determined to bust him for anything they could. I’d been here a short time, but I was now hoping I’d still be around to try to bust the fat bastard myself!

It wasn’t my department, so I had little loyalty to either him or the department. I was, however, on temporary loan to the Allandale Police Department in Maryland because, allegedly, I was an expert in a social field that made me invaluable to the investigation of a series of nasty attacks.

How the heck did I find myself over here?

It’s a long story.

It started with a phone call from Peejay. His friend, the transsexual Chrissie Spencer, had been having a tough time trying to lead a new life as a girl. Things had been tough for her after quite a good start.

Her father still hadn’t accepted the condition, so this had indirectly led to the break up of her parents’ marriage. Things had apparently not exactly being going that well anyway, so this was the final straw, so to speak. Although independently wealthy, Chrissie’s mom had suffered a nervous breakdown and moved back to Vermont.

Six months into the treatment, Chrissie had persevered, having been placed on a course of hormones and therapy. She was beyond the point of no return, as the hormones had successfully chemically castrated her, so was now simply waiting for SRS.

The medical side was the least of her problems, as her relationship with Matt, Peejay’s housemate, had foundered before it came to anything. Her unusual circumstances forced her to leave her living accommodation, so now could only find a scruffy apartment some distance away from the campus.

Despite having an equal opportunities policy, the university was hardly overjoyed to have a transitioning transsexual as a student, but tolerated her, just.

Her single saving grace was a lack of financial worries. Her mother had given her a reasonable allowance and she had an inheritance, which helped. However, all the money in the world couldn’t shield her from the ignorance, prejudice and nasty people who treated her like shit for simply being different! Her most crushing problem was loneliness, but some of her old friends had taken the trouble to keep in touch and include her in the less sensitive areas of social activities.

“Hi sweetie, how’s things?” Peejay asked.

“Good, you?”

“Okay. But poor Chrissie’s in the wars again.”

“Oh, no, what’s happened this time?”

“She was attacked on the way home a couple of nights ago.”

“No? Is she okay?”

“I’m not sure, she’s still in hospital and the police won’t allow visitors just yet.”

“Shit, that sounds bad, what happened, was she sexually attacked?”

“I don’t know, there’s a rumour going round that gays and TVs are being targeted by a weirdo. There’ve been a few attacks now, each time a guy dressed as a girl is the victim. The last one was a couple of weeks ago and the victim died later. The papers said she’d been raped.”

“She?”

“Well, not really, she looked like a girl, though.”

“That’s awful. Have the police any leads?”

“Hell, Sherri, how the heck should I know? I’m still a student.”

“Not for much longer, hey?”

“Okay, I’ve six weeks to graduation, but still I don’t have any contacts with the department.”

“Who’s handling the investigation?”

“It happened outside the city, so I’m not sure, it could be in Allandale.”

My knowledge of the departments in Maryland was minimal. I did know where Allandale was, at least. It was a large town not far from Baltimore with a department that had around four hundred officers.

“What was she doing there?”

“Visiting a clinic or transgender centre, I think.”

“Oh. Has Matt been told?”

“Yeah, he’s weird about it all, though. Part of him is still attracted to her, while part of him is screwed up over her being a boy underneath. He still feels guilty about walking away.”

“How do you know he still feels something about her?”

“That’s easy, as he’s down the hospital now, waiting for the cops to allow visits.”

“You’re joking?”

“No, honestly, he went down as soon as he heard. He said that she didn’t exactly have many friends, as her parents wouldn’t be there for her.”

“That’s so sweet.”

“So, what’s happening your end?” he asked.

“Not a lot, some burglaries and we finally got to court with the Jellyman saga.”

“Shit, Sherri, you made that bust months ago!”

“Yeah, these things take time. There were all kinds of legal shit to try to reduce the charges, plea bargain and stuff. The FBI and prosecutors were pretty good, they let the defence lawyers try everything and then shot them down in flames.”

“Well, what happened?” Peejay asked, knowing I was teasing him.

“All found guilty. Jellyman’s been remanded for sentencing, the others got from two years to ten, depending on what they were charged with.”

“Jellyman must be facing multiple life sentences, huh?”

“I guess. I don’t care that much. I did my job, so I just let the courts do theirs. He won’t be getting out for a long time; that much I do know.”

“How’re you getting on with your studies?”

“Good, the department lets me have time off to study, so I’m on course for my law degree. I get some credits for work place assessments and courses attended.”

“Does that mean you’ve made up your mind?”

“About what, marrying you?”

“No, you dumb blonde, about the FBI?”

“Kinda. I got a call from someone in Washington, DC not the state, a couple of days ago. Apparently, the deputy director in Seattle filed a positive report about me. Anyway, this guy, Sanders I think his name was, tells me that he’d like me to consider applying as soon as I’ve gained my degree. It’s the one non-negotiable condition of entry. I have to have a four-year degree from an accredited university or college.”

“Does yours count?”

“Yeah, I asked and it’s fine.”

“So?”

“So what?”

“Sherri!”

“I’ve got the application forms. I just have to wait until I fit the conditions on age and qualifications.”

“Cool. So where will they put you?”

“I don’t know. Look, we don’t have to talk about this now. When am I gonna see you again?”

“I don’t know. I have my finals coming up.”

“Peejay, can’t you take a week off, say at the end of the month?”

“No, sweetie, I have the last big law exam then.”

“Shit. I’m stuck here until then.”

“Well, if you moved your buns over to a civilised side of this great nation of ours, then we could see each other more often!”

“Yeah, I know. It’s not like I haven’t thought about it.”

“I miss you, Sherri!”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Look, after I graduate, we can be together all summer.”

“Isn’t Daddy insisting you get a job with a law firm?”

“He’s sort of pushing me towards that. I need two years with some firm before I’m fully qualified.”

“Shit, we’re doomed to be apart!”

“Not if you come over here and get a job in Maryland or Virginia.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it.”

“Hey, I have to go, Matt’s on the cell phone.”

“Okay, give Chrissie my love if you get a chance. I still want her as a bridesmaid!”

“Sure will, bye Sherri, I love ya!”

“Me too, bye!”

The next day I went to work as usual, arriving at around eight am. John Cowie, my Lieutenant, called me into his office.

“Sherri, Jellyman’s out!”

“Escaped?”

“Yeah. He was in the hospital infirmary, complaining of pains in his chest. He went unconscious and it looked bad. ECG had his heart rate all over the place, so they were transferring him to hospital by ambulance. Suddenly, he came to, attacked the guard and took his gun. Then he hijacked the ambulance, making the paramedics jump out while it was still moving. The Sheriff’s deputies found it abandoned thirty miles away. The guard was dead, though. It seems Jellyman found a way of altering his own heart rate.”

“Shit!”

“There’s more. He’s reported having told another inmate that he’s after you. He wants you dead and he wants the satisfaction of doing it himself.”

I think I surprised him by laughing.

“Sherri, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. A murdering lunatic I helped lock up now wants to kill me, my fiancé is thousands of miles away, a friend was raped and is in hospital, so everything is just dandy!”

“Okay, then you’ll appreciate what I’m going to make you do. I want you to take some leave, go East if you want, just get the hell away from here.”

“I’ve got active investigations outstanding. I can’t just leave!”

“Sherri. Hand them over to the others. These things happen, so we don’t want you to be around and to fall foul of this guy. The FBI and US Marshals are out in force; he’s gone to the top of the most wanted list overnight. I’m to ask you whether you want protection, but I guess you’ll turn that down.”

“Damn right, but what about my family?”

“Your family is spread all over the goddamn states, the Feds will put someone on your parents, but that’s it.”

“I’m gonna have to take this bastard out myself, aren’t I?”

“No, Sherri, you aren’t. Leave it to others. Just get yourself as far away as you can. He’ll come here looking for you, so we can take him down.”

“And if he doesn’t and you can’t?”

“We will, don’t worry about that.”

“John, I can’t just do nothing, as I’ll go nuts. Is there any way you can get me an attachment to a Maryland Department, so I can help out with my friend’s attack?”

“Is that what you want?”

“No, I want to stay here, but if I’m not allowed to do that, then this is the next best thing.”

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do. Which department?”

I told him.

The offer was turned down, on the grounds that they had enough detectives working the case. However, I then had a brain wave. John looked dubious, but two days later, I reported to Captain Edward G. Hamilton, in charge of the detectives division in Allandale.

I’d dressed in a smart skirt and jacket, with pantyhose and court shoes. I’d put my hair up and thought I looked like a lady lawyer.

The Captain looked at me rather suspiciously.

“So, Detective Brewster, your Lieutenant tells me that you have experience with the transgendered community. What’s your angle?”

“Captain, this is confidential, but I actually know the latest victim, I was transgendered myself, so was able to help Chrissie take certain decisions.…”

“You were….?” he interrupted, staring at me, his mouth dropping open. I smiled at his reaction.

“Let me explain,” I said, and then did just that.

“So, you actually never were male?”

“No, but I didn’t know that at the time.”

“And you’ve been a girl since way back then?”

“I’ve been a girl since I was born. Only I didn’t realise it until I started puberty. When the other guys started getting hunky, I grew boobs. Somewhat disconcerting when you think you’re a guy.”

“I’ll bet. But you’re a normal girl now?”

“Sure am, I’ve even got a fiancé and everything.”

He seemed relieved, if a little disbelieving.

“Look, Captain, as I said, I know the most recent victim, Chrissie Spencer. I was around when she came out, some months ago now. In fact, it was partly my fault she came out in the first place, so I feel slightly responsible.”

“Your fault?”

“Maybe not fault. I suppose I encouraged her to be true to herself. If I hadn’t done it she’d have done it anyway, just a bit later, perhaps.”

“Hmm, I just don’t fully understand why anyone wants to go and have a sex change, it seems to me a heck of a lot of trouble just to wear a dress!”

“It’s not a case of want to, more like have to. It’s not a thrill, but a compulsion. You just know you’re in the wrong body and have to change or else.”

“Else?”

“The suicide rate amongst unfulfilled transsexuals is very high. Do you imagine someone would risk complete social alienation, potential disfiguring and dangerous surgery, castration and financial ruin just because they like wearing dresses? No, Captain, this has nothing to do with clothes, it’s what’s on the inside.”

“Okay, it sounds like you seem to know more about this than anyone we’ve got. Go report to Lieutenant Grimble, he knows you’re coming, and try not to let him get to you.”

“Sir?”

“You’ll find out. The Lieutenant is, let’s say he’s different and slightly old school. I won’t be telling him about what you’ve just told me, as I don’t think he’d appreciate your, ah, peculiar gifts and experience. He’s a personal interest in the subject that may not be helpful.”

“Sir?”

“I can’t tell you, detective, as it is very personal, but just be careful.”

I left and did as instructed. I found the Lieutenant in his office. The rustle of papers after I knocked and the visible Hustler magazine in the trash basket was an indication of the man’s level of intelligence and literacy. The lieutenant didn’t waste time letting me know his opinion.

“If you ask me we’re wasting our time with these friggin’ fags. Whoever’s doing this is doing society a favour.”

I wisely didn’t answer, but was told to report to Sergeant June Sanderson, whom, judging by the lieutenant’s expression, was hardly his favourite sergeant.

“He’s a fat, ignorant redneck!” said June, almost as soon as we were out of earshot.

“Oh, that good?” I asked.

June grinned and immediately I knew we’d get on. We sat and chatted over a coffee, in the way that only girls can. I found myself sharing my history with her and, unlike her lieutenant; she believed that my experience would be invaluable to the investigation.

“Particularly when it comes to interviewing and getting out at talking to the T-girls themselves. They don’t talk to police as a rule, probably due to attitudes like Grimble’s, so to have one of their own to talk to may be just the break we want. Why that man was ever given this investigation to supervise, I’ll never know!”

“Sometimes it’s just harder for management to get rid of dead wood than to keep it under control. If he fucks up then they’ll have what they need top sack him, if he doesn’t, well, it makes them look good too,” I suggested.

“Yeah, but the man gives us so much pain in the process,” June said bitterly.

I shrugged as he wasn’t really my problem, or so I thought.

Fortunately, he never learned of my full history, but the mere fact I had friends who were transsexual was enough for him to start referring to me as the ‘Fag-ophile’ behind my back. He was so stupid that he didn’t actually realise the ammunition he was handing to any political pressure group to bring unwelcome reform to the otherwise effective police department.

I was to share a desk with another detective, Grant Glover. Grant was a twenty-year man, who spent his time quietly doing his job and keeping a low profile. The Lieutenant rarely left his office; so all the detectives would try and find things to do outside the main office just to avoid him.

“Welcome to purgatory, Sherri,” Grant said, shaking my hand.

“Purgatory?”

“Yeah, it ain’t quite hell, but then it ain’t heaven either!”

They gave me the file to read and I took myself to a quiet spot to bring myself up to date. June had interviewed Chrissie herself, and obtained a detailed statement. The poor kid had been anally raped, but for some reason the perp had been interrupted in mid flow, so to speak, and had run off after having given her a real bad beating. On the face of it the injuries were relatively superficial, but it was clear that one blow was intended to kill, but missed the neck by inches. She had a huge bruise on her shoulder and a broken collarbone, but she was still alive.

There was no DNA in the anus, and there was some doubt that it was penetration by penis, it could have been a foreign object.

The previous victim was not so fortunate. Erin Lawrence (originally Eric), aged nineteen, had been working as a clerk in a small office. She was disowned by her family and virtually friendless. Lived in a small bed-sit on the edge of Allandale.
The same M.O. was used in both attacks. Two single TS individuals walking within a mile of each other, taken from behind and dragged into undergrowth. Both male to female Transsexuals undergoing transition. Erin was further down the line, with SRS booked within the month of the attack.

The arms were restrained by plastic ties and duct tape placed over the mouth and a knife to the throat. This showed that the suspect was aware of restraint techniques used by special military and police units to incapacitate persons very quickly. Both victims were forcibly undressed, bottom half only, then turned face down and anally raped, but no one was sure exactly with what. For some reason the perp lost his knife during Chrissie’s rape, so instead of stabbing her, the person tried to beat her to death before decamping.

The knife had been found close by, so now was retained as evidence. No fingerprints were discovered on the weapon, as gloves had been worn, but traces of blood, of the same group as the first victim, were found and the knife made a match with the wounds, indicated a definite link.

There had been three other attacks before the fatal one. Each was similar in that the single person was attacked from behind and it followed the same pattern. Two were Transvestites out for a walk; the other was a genetic girl, who happened to be quite tall and not as feminine as some. It appeared that once the perp saw she was female, he simply ran off. The transvestites were anally assaulted by some foreign object for a short duration, as the suspect was never in the correct physical position to affect penile penetration. They were then punched but otherwise unharmed. It appeared that whoever the suspect was, the first few attacks were trial runs. This one would strike again!

I sought out June.

“Where’s Chrissie now?”

“Still in the hospital, why?”

“Would you mind if I went to speak with her?”

“Why should I? No, you go ahead, ask Grant to take you.”

Grant was only too happy to leave the office. He drove the unmarked vehicle carefully. I found he was a married man with three kids in their teens. He was hoping to make at least twenty-five years, if not thirty with the department, but the presence of the Lieutenant was making him look around for something else already.

He was a tall, thin man, with what had been ginger hair, but was now receding and greying rapidly. He had a permanent frown on his face and I could tell he wasn’t really happy in his job.

“Can’t the Captain or Chief get rid of him?” I asked.

“You’d have thought so, but no. You see, he’s been around for so long, he knows stuff that can cause too many people a whole lot of trouble. Not within the department, not any more. The last Chief was scared of the man, but he retired six years ago. The new Chief tried, but the mayor intervened. It seems that Grimble has something of our illustrious mayor that is mighty powerful. I’d love to know what it is.”

“That’s so wrong!”

“Sure it is, but that’s life.”

“There must be something someone could do?”

“When you find out what it is, let me know. The man never does anything wrong, he just never does anything! He complains and gripes and treats us all like shit, so no matter how much we complain, the Mayor intervenes every time the Chief tries something.”

“Then take it to State?”

“It’s been tried. It seems the old bastard has something on the governor, and the local County Sheriff.”

“This is crazy. He’s ruining a good department.”

“He’s not invincible. Eventually he’ll have to go!”

I shook my head, this wasn’t right.

We arrived at the hospital and made our way to the ward. Chrissie was in a private room, for several reasons, her gender problems being the least of them. A uniform officer was seated outside the room, reading a book. She looked up as we approached.

“Hi, Marie, this is Detective Sherri Brewster, she’s been brought in as she has special experience in cases like this.”

“Hi Sherri, how are you doing?”

“I’m okay, you?”

“Good, thanks.”

“How’s our victim, has she said any more?”

“Not yet.”

“Any visitors?”

“One kid.” She looked in her notebook. “Matthew Rogers, a student from her college.”

“No others, say family?”

“No, no one.”

I left Grant with Marie and went into the room.

Chrissie was looking awful. Great purple and yellow bruises were all over her face, and both eyes were partly closed. She had a drip feeding one arm that was in a sling and a bandage around her head.
She looked at me as I entered, attempting to smile.

“Sherri! You came all this way?”

“Hi girl, hey, do you look like shit or what?”

She tried to laugh, but it seemed to cause her pain.

I took her free hand and sat down next to the bed.

“I’ve been attached to the case. So, I’m here officially.”

“You? How come?”

“I’m an expert, apparently. I asked for it and they feel I may be able to talk to potential victims better than uninformed officers.”

“I’m so pleased you came. Matt’s been in, and Peejay wanted to, but sent some flowers. He’s studying and I told him not to come. I called my mom, but she can’t face it at the moment. Did Peejay tell you, she had a breakdown?”

“Yeah. To tell the truth, Peejay doesn’t even know I’m here. I arrived this morning and haven’t had a chance to call him. I wanted to surprise him later.”

She clutched my hand very tightly. Tears squeezed out between those battered eyelids.

“I’m so alone, Sherri!”

“I know, that’s why I came.”

I let her cry for a while and then started asking questions, nothing heavy, just testing questions about her treatment, her clinic and her movements. The other officers had gone into details of the attack, so I wasn’t interested in reopening old wounds. The connection was with the girls’ gender condition, so the suspect must be involved in that field somewhere. I knew the others had got everything about description and such like, so I was less interested in that than more general things.

I made a few notes and knew I’d have a lot of research to do to find any common ground. How did the suspect know to attack these five?

A nurse came in and looked surprised to see me.

“Hi, Chrissie doesn’t get many visitors.”

“I’m a friend from a while back. I’m also a cop, and that’s why I’m here.”

“Oh.”

“Sherri’s my good friend, she’s a friend first, but she’s also the best cop in the world!” said Chrissie.

“Hardly, but I’m hoping I can help find the person who did this.”

She was clearly feeling tired, but was noticeably more cheerful. I kissed her cheek and left her, accompanying Grant back to the police department.

Once there, I took all the details of the victims and planned my strategy over the next few days. I found June and told her what I intended to do.

“I want to re-interview all the victims and get some form of picture from which to get an idea if there is any common ground. In that ground I am sure we’ll find our suspect.”

“For what it’s worth, I agree, but to be honest, we couldn’t find any common ground at all.”

“It could be they weren’t willing to tell you everything.”

“Possibly, you reckon they’ll tell you?”

“If I don’t try, I’ll never know. But for now, I’m off to surprise my boyfriend. I’ll be in at eight tomorrow, if that’s okay?”

“Fine, see you then.”

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