Tip of the Spear Pt. 02

"Probably not right away, but it very well could have," the doctor said. "By the way, it was the same stuff in that vial you recovered from Ginger's store. We recovered two sets of fingerprints from that vial. One belonging to Ginger, and the other from Mrs. Higgins."

"Speaking of fingerprints, Sheriff," Ron said when he joined the Skype call, "we found Ginger's fingerprints in the Higgins house, along with another set we haven't been able to identify yet."

"Interesting," Ryan said. "At least we can put Ginger at the crime scene."

"Absolutely," Ron said. "We also completed the comparative analysis on Mrs. Higgins' bedding as you requested. We discovered DNA from both women on it, and DNA analysis of the semen we found showed that it came from a man closely related to Ginger."

"Like a brother?" Ryan asked.

"Exactly," Ron said. Ryan nodded his head.

"So, we know that a man closely related to Ginger -- perhaps a brother -- was engaged in sex with one or possibly two women as Bertram's dead body rotted downstairs in his office. Is that what you're telling me?" Ryan asked.

"It sure looks that way, Sheriff," Ron said. By then, Ray Hale, the detective working the case, joined the call and listened to what Ron and Dr. Childress said.

"Glad you could join us, Ray," Ryan said. "I take it you were at the arraignment?"

"Yes, I was," Ray said. "And I'm relieved the judge remanded them both into custody. At least we won't have to worry about them taking off."

"What have you found so far?" Ryan asked.

"A whole pile of crap," Ray said. "This Ginger Rodgers is a real piece of work. From the videos and pictures we found, it looks like she and her brother have been doing this sort of thing for quite some time."

"What?" Ryan asked.

"Well, this looks like the first murder they've been involved with, but not the first time they've sexually assaulted someone. From what we can tell, it looks like they've been doing it for at least a couple years now. Almost as if they were contracted out for this sort of work," Ray said.

"Any idea who might've contracted them?" Ryan asked. Ray shook his head.

"No, none," he said. "We did find a reference to an 'AG' in the text messages on her phone, but we have no idea who that is."

"What else have you found?" Ryan asked.

"We finally got a response from the California DMV. According to them, Jeremy has a blue 1995 Chevy G10 van registered in his name. I've got the license plate number,

and I've already updated the APB with that info."

"Good," Ryan said. "That should help considerably."

"I've also gotten a subpoena for their phone records, and I'm waiting to get those in," Ray said.

"What about their computers? Anything on them?" Ryan asked.

"The hard drive on the computer we recovered from the Higgins place was wiped," Ron said. "We're working to recover it now, but it could take some time. The computer we got from Ginger's business didn't have much. It looks like she used it mostly for business, but she did surf a lot of kinky porn as well."

"No surprise there," Ryan said.

"One other thing, Sheriff," Ron said.

"What's that?"

"Those whips and that strap-on thing we recovered from Ginger's business tested positive for blood, feces, and other bodily fluids. It matched Commissioner Higgins' DNA perfectly," Ron said. Ryan nodded his head.

"Thanks," he said quietly. "Anything else?"

"Not at this time, Sheriff," Ron said. Ray and Dr. Childress said the same thing. Ryan thanked them all and ended the video conference. He sat back in his chair, wrapping his head around the information they had given him. He took another sip of coffee and considered taking an early lunch. His plans got changed when Elaine Bledsoe knocked on his door.

"Sheriff, District Attorney Olmstead, and a Special Agent Jackson are here to see you," she said.

"Send them in, please, Sergeant," he said. She nodded and motioned for the two men to enter his office. Ryan stood and shook Marvin Olmstead's hand, and the other man held a set of credentials.

"Special Agent Thomas Jackson, Homefront Security Task Force, El Paso office," he said. Ryan shook his free hand and looked at the credentials.

"Please, have a seat," he said. "Care for some coffee?"

"That sounds great," Marvin said.

"Please," Thomas said. Ryan poured them a cup and sat down.

"Homefront Security Task Force," Ryan said. "Never heard of it."

"I'm not surprised," Thomas said. "We don't usually advertise ourselves."

"So what brings you here to our little slice of Heaven?" Ryan asked.

"I'm here to follow up on the Form 3573 your Dr. Childress filed," Thomas said.

"I'm sorry -- Form 3573?" Ryan asked.

"My apologies," Thomas said. "That would be the Chemical Substance Encounter Report as mandated by current law. According to the form Dr. Childress filed, the substance in question was found on the tip of a spear reportedly used to impale a Bertram Higgins."

"Yes, it was," Ryan said.

"And the same substance was found in a vial located in the business owned and operated by a Ginger Rodgers. Is that correct?"

"Yes, I believe that's what Dr. Childress said. Do you have any idea what it is?" Ryan asked.

"We've seen a similar compound used before. It's essentially a psychotropic compound, but this one looks like it has been mixed with a paralyzing agent. A form of this was used on a federal agent overseas," he said.

"That's all very interesting, Agent Jackson, but I'm curious to know why the federal government is interested in a local murder case," Ryan said.

"Fair question, Sheriff," Thomas said. "The agency I work for investigates crimes like this. What do you know about the marriage between Mr. and Mrs. Higgins?"

"From what I've heard, it started going south when she returned from a retreat about three years ago or so," Ryan said.

"A spa retreat?"

"That's what I was told. Why? Is that significant?" Ryan asked.

"That's how MMAS recruited their people," Thomas said. "Did you find any paperwork mentioning MMAS? Invoices? Statements? Anything?"

"First off, what's MMAS?" Ryan asked.

"It stands for the Mutual Marital Assurance Society," Thomas said. "It was started several years ago by a female lawyer named Mona Larsen. She divorced her husband for adultery but didn't get the desired outcome. So, she set out to punish husbands who cheated on their wives. The group grew and morphed into a domestic terror organization. They've terrorized and brutalized thousands of men over the years. They're also responsible for the deaths of quite a few men."

"So, you think this MMAS has something to do with Commissioner Higgins' murder?" Ryan asked.

"Not directly," Thomas said. "The corporate entity known as MMAS was brought down quite some time ago. But there are still elements and spin-offs of the group working to realize their goals. There are also copycat groups operating all over the world."

"I see," Ryan said, not knowing whether or not to believe what Thomas just told him.

"I know you have Mrs. Higgins in custody, along with an accomplice," Thomas said. "I assume you performed a full search when you brought her in."

"Of course," Ryan said.

"Did you find a subcutaneous capsule on her?" Thomas asked.

"A... what?" Ryan asked.

"Did you find something embedded under her skin?" Thomas asked, clarifying his previous question.

"I don't know that we searched for anything like that," Ryan said.

"Might I suggest that you do? Especially around any of her major arteries," Thomas said. Ryan looked at Marvin.

"Can we legally do that? Or would it be considered a violation of her rights?" Ryan asked.

"I don't see any reason why you can't do that, Sheriff," he said after mulling it over for a few moments. Ryan picked up his phone and dialed the number to the women's jail. Deputy Ruby Alexander answered the phone.

"Deputy, this is Sheriff Caldwell," he said.

"What can we do for ya, Sheriff," Ruby asked.

"Listen, I need for you to do a detailed search on Mrs. Higgins and Ms. Rodgers," Ryan said. "I know you've already searched her, but I'm specifically looking for anything that might have been embedded under her skin, like a capsule or something. I'm sure it'll be extremely small. You probably should get the on-call doctor and a female nurse to work with you." Ryan looked and saw Thomas gesturing.

"Could you put that on speaker, please?" Thomas asked. Ryan pressed a button and put the headset down.

"Can you hear me, Ruby?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, Sheriff, I can hear ya fine," she said.

"Deputy, this is Special Agent Thomas Jackson. Listen to me carefully. When you do the search, be very, very careful. I strongly recommend using a portable X-ray machine if you have one. Look closely at the carotid artery. If you do find anything, have the doctor extract it very slowly. Don't let your subject jerk or slap at it. This is extremely important. Do you understand what I've just told you?"

"Yeah, I got it," she said. "What do you think it might be?" Thomas looked at Ryan before answering.

"Poison. A very fast-acting poison," Thomas said. They could hear Ruby gasp at the other end of the call.

"I understand," she said. "I'll take care of it."

"Call me when you're finished," Ryan said.

"I will, Sheriff." Ryan ended the call and looked at Thomas.

"What the hell do you mean, poison?" he asked.

"MMAS was a ruthless organization that brooked absolutely no disobedience or failure," Thomas said. "They were known for embedding poison capsules under the skin, usually next to the carotid artery. Then they would implant a chemically-enhanced hypnotic suggestion. Upon hearing or seeing a certain phrase, the victim would slap at the neck, popping the capsule. The poison would enter the bloodstream, killing the victim almost immediately."

"Oh my God," Ryan said. "We're still looking for Ginger's brother, Jeremy. That means they may have done the same thing to him."

"I doubt that, Sheriff," Thomas said.

"What makes you say that?" Ryan asked.

"To MMAS and those who followed, men aren't even considered human beings," Thomas said. "To them, men are little more than chattel property, worth less than your farm animals. Some would be useful for breeding or sexual entertainment, and others might be good as providers, but nothing more. Chances are, they wouldn't even trouble themselves with this Jeremy character."

"That's monstrous," Marvin said, shocked.

"Yes, they are best described as monsters. Of the worst kind," Thomas said. "Do you still have their phones?" he asked Ryan.

"Yes, we do," Ryan said.

"Can you get them here, please?"

"Of course," Ryan said. He picked his phone up and called Ray, who answered on the second ring.

"Hale," Ray said.

"Ray, this is Sheriff Caldwell. Do you still have the cell phones we got from Trudy Higgins and Ginger Rodgers?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. They're turned off at the moment, but they're on chargers," Ray said.

"I need you to bring those to my office if you would. Also, bring the photos we found at Ginger's if you would please. We have a federal agent here who's interested in the case," Ryan said.

"On my way," Ray said. Ryan ended the call.

"I hope like hell you're not just yanking our chain, Agent Jackson," Ryan said. A couple minutes later, Ray came into the office with two cell phones and the folder containing the photos they found at Ginger's. Ryan introduced him after he put everything on the desk. The first thing he did was hand Thomas the folder.

"These are the pictures you found at Ms. Rodgers' business?" Thomas asked.

"Yes," Ray said. "The first few show what they did to Commissioner Higgins. I don't know where the others were taken or when." Thomas looked through the photos with no emotion on his face. Apparently, he had seen this all before. When he finished, he handed the folder back.

"Yes, that looks like standard fare for MMAS," Thomas said. "You also have video?"

"Yes, we do. Hours of it. Disgusting stuff," Ray said. Thomas nodded his head.

"Interesting," he finally said. "Let's see what you got on the phones," Thomas added after a few moments. Ray opened up each phone, and the first thing he noticed was a new message had come in since the last time he had the phones on.

"Go ahead, open it up, and show it to us," Ryan instructed. Ray opened the text message and showed it to them: "Your services are no longer required."

The message came from "AG." Ray opened the other phone and found it had the same message from the same sender. Both messages had been sent Thursday morning.

"Damn," Ryan said. "Think you can get a fix on the phone used to send those messages?" he asked Ray.

"Don't waste your time," Thomas said. "Chances are the phone or phones used to send those messages are already destroyed. That's their M.O." Just then, Ryan's desk phone rang. He saw the call was from the women's jail.

"Caldwell," he said after answering the call, which he put on speaker so everyone could hear.

"Sheriff, this is Deputy Alexander," Ruby said. "We need you to come down here and take a look at something. Right now."

"On our way, Deputy. Thanks," Ryan said before ending the call. He dialed the forensics lab and spoke to Dr. Childress.

"I need you to meet me at the women's holding area right now," Ryan said.

"Okay, Sheriff. I'll be there as soon as I clean up," the medical examiner said.

"Bring the phones. You're going to want to see this," Thomas said.

"I'll take the folders back and meet you there," Ray said. Ryan nodded his head, and they all left his office. They got to the women's jail, where Deputy Alexander met them.

"You've got to see this, Sheriff," she said. "I've never seen anything like this before." By then, Ray met them, and they all went to the room where Trudy and Ginger were sitting. They each had a small bandage on the side of their neck. Sitting on the table in front of them on a paper towel were two tiny barbed gelatinous capsules.

"What the hell are those?" Ryan asked.

"We found them right next to their carotid artery, just like you said," the female doctor said. Ryan reached out to the table, but Thomas stopped him.

"Don't touch them," he said. "They break very easily. You have the phones?"

"Yes, right here," Ryan said, pulling out the two evidence bags containing the phones. Thomas opened one of them and prepared to show it to Trudy.

"Watch this," he whispered. "Mrs. Higgins, you received an important message I think you should see," he told Trudy, holding the phone so she could see the message. As soon as she read it, she slapped the side of her neck where the bandage was as though swatting at a mosquito. She apparently thought nothing of it.

Everyone else looked at her in shock. If she had seen that message with the capsule still in her neck, she would be dead. Thomas repeated the action with Ginger, who reacted the same way.

"What? Why are you all looking at me like that?" Ginger asked as she looked up at everyone.

"Why did you slap your neck?" Ryan asked.

"Did I? I don't know. I just did, I guess," she said, confused. "What are those things?" she asked, pointing at the two capsules on the table.

"Poison capsules," Thomas said. The two women looked at him, shocked.

"No. You're lying," Trudy said. "That's just a sexist male lie. The sisterhood looks after one another."

"Until you're no longer of any use," Thomas said. "So, how long were you a contractor for MMAS?" he asked Ginger.

"Say nothing!" Trudy barked. "Our lawyer said not to talk to anyone without him present."

"A male lawyer. Interesting. Wonder what the sisterhood would say about that," Thomas said.

"He's useful. For the time being," Trudy said. Thomas nodded his head and turned to Ruby.

"Could you contact their lawyer, please? Tell him what happened and let him know Special Agent Jackson with the federal Homefront Security Task Force needs to speak with his clients -- immediately," he said.

"Of course," Ruby said after seeing Ryan nod his head in approval. She left the room, and Ryan turned to Dr. Childress.

"Could you take these back to your lab, catalog, and analyze them, please? Be very, very careful," Ryan said.

"I'll get right on it," Dr. Childress said, picking the paper towel up as carefully as he could. A minute or two after he left, Ruby came back into the room.

"Mr. Callender is on his way," she told them. "He should be here in about five or ten minutes."

"Thank you, Ruby," Ryan said. "Could you get us into a conference room, please?"

"Sure," she said. "Follow me." Everyone got up and followed Ruby to a room with a table and several chairs. Ryan saw the camera in the corner of the room.

"Could you make sure we get this on video?" he asked Ruby.

"I'll take care of it myself," Ruby said. Thomas and Ryan took two chairs on one side of the table as Trudy and Ginger sat in chairs on the opposite side of the table. Jake Callender came into the room a few minutes later and set his briefcase on the table before sitting down next to Ginger.

"So, what the hell is going on? I was told there was an emergency with my clients," Jake said. "And who the hell are you?" he asked Thomas.

"I'm Special Agent Jackson, Homefront Security Task Force, Mr. Callender. I have questions for your clients, and they refused to speak to me without your presence," Thomas said.

"Why is the federal government involved in a local matter?" Jake asked.

"It's not," Thomas said. "But it is a somewhat related matter. In light of the fact that we saved your clients' lives, I think they owe me a few answers."

"What do you mean, saved their lives?" Jake asked.

"Your clients had poison capsules embedded under their skin, next to their carotid artery. One good slap, and they would have been dead before their bodies hit the floor," Thomas said. Jake's eyes grew wide as he looked at Thomas. "You didn't know?"

"Why would I know about something like that?" Jake asked, indignant that Thomas would even ask such a thing. Thomas said nothing but gave Jake a knowing smile before turning back to Ginger.

"Is it true you were a paid contractor for the Mutual Marital Assurance Society, Ms. Rodgers?" he asked. Ginger looked down at the table before saying anything.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Wait, what's the Mutual Marital Assurance Society?" Jake asked. Thomas smiled before opening his briefcase. He pulled out an old letter and put it in front of Jake. Jake's eyes grew wide, and the color drained from his face.

"How... How did you get that?" he asked.

"I kept it," Thomas said. "Don't you remember?" Confused, Ryan looked between the two men before grabbing the letter off the table. It was wrinkled and torn and looked like it had been pulled out of a garbage can and taped back together. He read the letter and looked at Thomas.

"This looks like some kind of an invoice. For $1,600.00," he said. "And a demand for Mr. Callender to contact them for an interview." Thomas nodded his head.

"That's exactly what it is," he said. "They would send those to the husbands they targeted every month until the husbands would give in and respond. You see, our Mr. Callender there had a very close and personal experience with MMAS. Didn't you, Mr. Callender?" Jake looked down before responding.

"Yes, I did. That was years ago," he said.

"Yes, it was. Would you mind telling Sheriff Caldwell who it was who helped you out of that mess?"

"It was you, Agent Jackson," Jake finally said.

"That's right. In fact, I still have a scar from the bullet I took for you," Thomas said. Ryan looked at the two men wondering what had happened. "I'll tell you about it later, Sheriff. In private," Thomas said. "The bottom line is that Jake here knows what kind of people we're dealing with, and he knows firsthand what they're capable of. Don't you, Counselor?"