In Death 19 - Visions in Death

taken me anywhere so dark, and I was afraid. I took a tranq and used it to block it out. Cowardly, but I don't claim to be brave. I don't want to be brave, not about something like this." She picked up her coffee again. "But this morning, I turned on the screen. I tend to avoid the news channels, but I was compelled to check. I had to know. And I saw the report.
    They ran her picture the pretty woman with the light brown hair. They said her name. I didn't want to come here. Most of the police are born skeptics. It's why you are what you are. But I had to come." "You say you saw in this vision the victim. But you didn't see her attacker?" "I saw . . . his essence, you could say. I saw a form." Her throat worked as she swallowed. "It frightened me, more than I've ever been frightened in my life. And, frankly, I wasn't going to come here. I was going to try to put it away. Knowing that about myself made me feel small and ugly." She lifted a hand, toyed with a chain around her neck. Her nails were painted a deep and shiny red, with the half moons picked out in vibrant white. "So I came to you, because Louise has spoken of you. And I'll try to help."
    "How do you intend to help?" "I might see more if I had something of his, something he'd touched. I don't know." A flicker of irritation ran over her face. This isn't my field. It's new ground for me, and you're not making this any easier." "It's not my job to make it easy, Ms Sanchez. It's my job to investigate." "Well then, investigate me all you want," she shot out. "I can only tell you what I know. I know the man who did this is big, or thinks of himself that way. I know he's strong. Very strong. I know he's mad. And I know this woman, Elisa Maplewood, wasn't his first. He's done it before. He doesn't intend for her to be his last." "How do you know?" "I can't tell you so that you'd understand." She leaned forward now, urgently. "It's what I felt from him. He hated her, and the hatred thrills and frightens him. Hate and fear, hate and fear. Those are paramount. He's hated all of them, and feared all of them. I don't know why I saw her, saw him. Maybe she and I were connected in some other life, or will be in one to come. But I'm afraid. I'm more afraid than I've ever been, that I'm connected, somehow, to him. I need to help you stop him because I think I'll go mad myself if I don't." "And your fee?" Celina's lips twisted into a tense smile. "I'm very expensive, and well worth it. But I would do this pro bono. With one provision." "Which is?" "I don't want, under any circumstances, my name released to the media. I don't want anyone to know, beyond those who are absolutely necessary, that I'm involved. Not only because it's the sort of publicity I'd find irritating, not only because it's the sort of exposure that would generate an interest in the sort of clientele I avoid, but because I'm afraid of him." "We'll let you know. Thank you for coming in." On a half laugh, Celina got to her feet. "Are you always so hard?" "You tell me. You're the psychic." "I don't read minds." Celina's tone took on an edge as she tossed her hair back. "And I don't read people without their permission." "I can promise you, you'll never get mine. I've got a job to do, Ms Sanchez. I'll add what you've told us and your offer into the mix. We'll be in touch." "Looks like Louise was wrong after all. I don't like you." She strode out.
    "Well gee, she didn't have to go and hurt my feelings." "You were a little rough on her," Peabody commented. "You didn't believe her?" "I didn't say that. My verdict on her is reserved until we check her out. Run her." "Sir, she can't be licensed if she's got a sheet." "She can't be licensed if she's been convicted," Eve corrected, and headed out. "Run her. Thoroughly. And track down Louise Dimatto. I want to see what she has to say." "Good thinking. Which, of course, goes without saying," Peabody added when Eve sent her a cool look. "If she checks out, will you use her?" "I'd use a two-headed talking monkey if it helped nail this guy. But right now, let's just do our tedious cop business in our tedious cop way."
    The morgue was her first stop. She could count on Chief Medical Examiner Morris to do the job, give her the data she needed, without a lot of bureaucratic bullshit attached.
    She found him in autopsy, with his protective gear over a steel blue three-piece suit. On closer look, she saw the vest was decorated with abstract line drawings of naked women.
    Morris