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Previously: The team meets with Charlie Dagonet to learn about rumors of drugs at the Gatsby Halloween party, but realize either he or Ryan Dominguez are lying about what happened.
4:04 PM - Saturday, November 1, 2014
US Park Police Office, Ft Winfield Scott, The Presidio
Paco pulled the SUV around to the back of the building where there was parking. Mark saw that it was a classic Spanish-style military building but had been cleaned up with a coat of paint in recent years. A fleet of Park Police vehicles were parked neatly at even angles. They climbed the metal back stairs and Paco tapped his pass to let them in the metal door. A young redhead with braids and a US Park Police fleece vest poked her head around the doorframe down the hall. She had that pretty, hippie-granola, no-makeup look to her that made Mark think of oatmeal wool socks and hiking boots. He looked down to see she was wearing both.
“Oh good you’re here! I was just going to radio you.”
“Hey Meg. What’s happening?” Paco said as they made their way down the hall. Mark felt tired suddenly.
“Everything.” She replied. “The coroner is coming by with a briefing for you.” She looked Paco full in the face, eyebrows raised.
“Okay, thanks. Understood.” Paco said. Mark could tell it cost him a little to acknowledge that. They still had to talk to the Thomases. “Meg, this is Jeannie Hagen from SFPD and Mark Greenberg from the FBI. They’re helping with the case so they’ll be around. Guys, this is Meg - she’s one of our interns. Studying criminal justice and environmental science at SF State. She’s held us together today.”
“Hi Meg.” Jeannie smiled at her. “Thanks for your help.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” Mark affirmed. Meg gave them both a tired smile.
“They’ve brought some evidence into the lab downstairs, and there’s still sandwiches if anyone’s hungry - I put them in the fridge. And, Paco, I have to go at 5, so if you need anything in the next hour…”
“Okay, thanks. Are you maybe free tomorrow? We may need the help.” Meg grimaced a little.
“Maybe? A few hours?”
“Okay, thanks. I’ll let you know what’s happening.” After everyone made their pit stops, they all naturally made their way back to the open-plan office, which was making the most of the afternoon light. Paco’s desk was by the window, looking out at the other identical buildings that formed a U-shape around a central lawn that was overgrown and brown with autumn. Just beyond, the twin towers of the Golden Gate Bridge blazed deep orange above the fog that was breaking up. Meg was sitting at a reception desk that had a radio console, phone, and a detailed message notebook. A park map was mounted to the wall above. Above Paco’s desk was a framed photograph of President Obama boarding Marine One at Crissy Field the previous spring, with Park Police and SFPD in the background.
“What was this place?” Mark asked, looking at the view.
“It used to be US Army Artillery and Coastal Defense. The lawn was their parade ground.”
“Wow. It doesn’t look like that at all.”
“I know. It’s nice, right? The lawn is really great to have; kids come and play, and we get a lot of the birds gathering too. It’s peaceful.” Mark heard the pride and reverence in Paco’s voice. Meanwhile his office in the Civic Center was dark and often dank.
“My office is kind of a bunker.” He admitted.
“Well, we have bunkers too.” Paco said, chuckling a little. “Okay, they’re batteries really. Proper ones, from World War II. They’re right across the road over there. Part of the former Coastal Defenses. The guns are gone, but people love them - especially kids; they jump around on there and run around. Can’t beat the views. We’ll do the hike next week.”
“A hike?”
“It takes about 30 minutes.” Paco laughed, “but you’ll love it.”
“Love what?” Jeannie joined them with a cup of tea. Mark could smell the steaming mint.
“Batteries to Bluffs, I was thinking to take Mark next week.”
“One of my favorites.” She smiled fully, but it disappeared just as quickly. Another Park Police officer came into the room and Paco hailed him immediately.
“Hey Derek - a word?” The officer came over to Paco’s desk. “This is Jeannie from SFPD and Mark from the FBI - Derek Jackson. Sorry man, I need to ask since you were on duty last night, but didn’t you see a party happening up at Inspiration Point?” Mark realized this was probably as outwardly pissed as Paco ever got. Derek seemed to notice it too and took a deep breath.
“We went by a few times on our patrol, but there weren’t really any people up there at the viewing area - barely a handful. We kept getting calls about people down at Crissy Field and up on the Lyon Street stairs. We had someone parked at Lyon and Broadway and then down the hill by the Senator’s house. Lyon and Lombard, at the gate there were sideshows happening, people cutting donuts, and the Crissy Field parking lot was mayhem. I mean, with the Giants and Halloween - people were setting off fireworks - we had our hands full. We patrolled the point later on at around 11:30 and it was quiet. That’s the thing, even if it was a Friday everything got really quiet by midnight.”
“Okay, well the main party wasn’t actually up at the viewing area - it was down the trail on the stairs and Upper Ecology. I know you guys were overwhelmed, but you have to check all the access points, okay? Gotta get out of the truck sometimes.” Paco was stern, but caring. He clearly knew his team had slipped up and was worried how it would look.
“Yeah. I’m sorry. I feel awful about that girl.” Derek offered.
“We all do.” Paco replied. “It’s not your fault, D.”
“Hi - Mayfield?” A voice came from the entrance. They turned to see the face of the Coroner, with Doug McGuinness behind him. “We have some initial findings for you.” Mark immediately felt the atmosphere shift. Paco looked at the Coroner.
“Conference room.” He said quietly, nodding in its direction.
Jeannie followed Mark and Paco into the Park Police conference room where the Coroner was already setting up next to Doug. White boards and a huge map of the park flanked the walls where there were no windows. Michael Schwab’s famous poster of “The Presidio” was hung between the windows — a clever placement that revealed the same white arched buildings outside in Ft Winfield Scott as the one inside on the print.
“Okay.” The Coroner began, connecting his computer to the projector. His desktop appeared on the white board and his cursor tracked to a file with today’s date, and double-clicked. An array of photo icons appeared. Jeannie took a deep breath.
He opened one of the girl lying on a white plastic tarp, still wet from the spring water. Her eyes were open, revealing a golden hazel color with large pupils. The water droplets all over her skin were pink with her blood. It was absolutely Alexa Thomas.
Jeannie gulped. Minimize face time. She remembered from the academy. The way to not be as affected by a corpse is to minimize face time. Too late. She didn’t pray any more, but felt the need. Dear God, please help me in this moment.
“Victim is a teenage female, brunette,” the Coroner began, “despite the yellow wig which looks to be a part of a Halloween costume. Did a liver temp once we got her out, and I’m putting time of death between 10:30 and midnight. No cause of death as of yet, I’ll need to do a full autopsy which will take another day or so. Massive contusion across her chest though, no clear indication from what.”
“Why is her skin so blue?” Mark asked.
“I’m not sure. If I could guess, I’d say with the chest contusion she could have had a punctured lung which may have caused that. It also would account for the blood in the water. Slow release. I’ll find out once I can get her in the lab.” Jeannie cleared her throat slightly, her jaw tight.
“We’ve, we’ve been hearing that there were drugs at the party she was at. Will you be sure to test for everything you can?” She asked.
“Absolutely. Full toxicology,” the Coroner said. “I think Doug has more for you…” McGuinness took over the computer, clicking through a few more images.
“I photographed the area around her feet to see if there was any disturbance, and it looks like she may have tried to push herself back, but couldn’t get purchase.” He showed photos of her combat boots facing down in the dried grasses and vines. “Her boots are covered in mud, which makes sense, but the toes were wedged into the ground. I’m guessing here, but from the angle she was at, she probably just couldn’t get out.”
“So, she was struggling?” Jeannie asked, horrified.
“Possibly, but the ground cover, the mud, and the slope of the hillside were all working against her.”
“Did someone hold her down?” Mark asked quietly.
“No evidence of that. For me, there would be a lot more disturbance in the landscape if someone was with her. Either she didn’t have the strength or could have been under the influence of something. That would be in the tox report.” He looked to the Coroner who nodded agreement. “Also, her legs and arms are covered with small scrapes and cuts - a few blackberry thorns in the skin too. Likely from the surrounding environment. But it’s a lot.” The image of her legs showed an endless amount of scratches and scrapes all the way up to mid thigh. Even her dress was shredded at the bottom. “Looks like she was off trail before she ended up in the spring. It would have been painful.” She was running away from something.
“I’ve brought you her dress and wig - I left it in your lab downstairs.” The Coroner mentioned.
“Yeah, Amanda is hanging up the dress to dry it out. She also may have an update for you shortly. I know they found a few definitive things but there’s a lot to get through.” Doug added. “I’m not sure what Amanda and Jon have, but I’m itching to find what could have made that chest contusion. We should know more on Monday.” Doug nodded at all of them and left. The Coroner cleared his throat.
“The girl is in the room next to your lab, but I’ll need to take her to the morgue at SF General for the post-mortem. I should have more complete results later on Monday, but wanted to give you what I had.” Jeannie heard Mark take a deep inhale.
“Okay. Thank you.” He said. “Will you stick around - we need to go pick up her father to make the ID, but they’re close by.”
“Of course.” The Coroner shut his laptop and the whiteboard went blank again. Jeannie had a tingling sensation on her arms and shoulders, but otherwise couldn’t feel anything. “I’ll be down in the lab when you get back.” He left the room, leaving the three of them. Jeannie felt dazed; the image of the pink water droplets all over Alexa Thomas’ face was disturbing.
Paco stood and went to the window. Mark started pacing.
“Okay.” Mark began, “Okay, okay okay okay.” He sounded like he was reassuring himself more than anyone. “We can’t make any assumptions at this point. They’re still documenting everything downstairs and that will probably take us through at least tomorrow. We have to talk to her parents, and we also have to mitigate whatever rumor mill is going to kick into high gear once the Thomases let Alexa’s friends know.”
Jeannie had thought of this too. Everyone will be talking; it will be hard to separate fact from fiction.
“I actually have an idea about that.” She ventured. “Sorry I don’t mean to interrupt.” Mark looked annoyed but gestured for her to proceed. He began to pace the length of the table while she talked.
“Why don’t we call a meeting and get all the kids together to tell them the news. Right now, they don’t even know she’s missing except for Ryan, unless the Thomases have been calling people. No one knows she’s dead. Then we can conduct interviews immediately before there’s a lot of cross-chatter.” Mark looked confused. “So, this private school world is a small one. I’m thinking we can get the headmasters to play ball and call a meeting for all of the schools - at least the ones we know about: Academy, Holy Heart, Xavier, and get them to do a meeting first thing tomorrow. We can call it a meeting about drug and alcohol usage - the schools would want to button it up, they’re all about reputation. We tell them we’re concerned about the party activity Friday night and want them to lower the boom. We get the headmasters to bring the main players - Ryan and Charlie gave us a lot of names. I’m sure the Thomases may have some ideas too. We give the headmasters the names and…”
“Round up the usual suspects?” Mark offered, not looking so annoyed. “It would have to be immediate.”
“Yeah, exactly. A meeting Sunday morning. People will know it’s serious and we get the headmasters to imply there’d be some kind of penalty if they don’t show, like a failing grade or suspension. It has to be tomorrow - before school on Monday. We can do initial interviews, get more names, see what comes out of the wash before they can talk about it. We could even get them to hand over pictures from last night - who was with who, who was where…” Paco had turned around and looked at Mark. Mark looked from Jeannie back to Paco, who nodded at him. “I can talk to the Captain about it - he could help make it happen.” Mark was thoughtful and paced some more. He paused and looked at both of them.
“Okay. That’s our step two. Call the Captain, see if he can meet us here within the hour. Step one though, The Thomases. Paco?” Mark looked at him.
“Yeah, I’ll go with you.” Paco said quietly. Jeannie was relieved he didn’t want all of them to go to the Thomases. It would be hard enough to be here when they made an identification of Alexa. Jeannie saw Mark swallow.
“Okay, let’s go.” Mark said moving toward the door. Paco looked at Jeannie.
“Good luck.” She whispered and he nodded slightly.