Disclaimer:I don't own the characters of the Pretender or the
Profiler, this was written purely for my enjoyment..so don't sue.
Contains some mild spoilers for those who haven't seen Pretender 2001.
Feedback:YES!!
Author:Rhondapre10der2001@hotmail.com
New Orleans, Louisiana June 27th
Jarod was walking down Bourbon St. in the French Quarter, soaking in the local flavor of the city. He had been here once before when he pretended to be a hitman to save the lives of two people. He liked this town. If his life was different, he could almost see himself living here.
He'd only been in town for three weeks. He was pretending to be a Doctor to help a nurse accused of killing a patient. Happy with how things had turned out, he decided to spend his last night in the Quarter. Hospital hours hadn't allowed much time for play, and the last time he was in the city, there wasn't time then either.
He stopped walking when he heard a noise that sounded like a trash can being tossed over, then the stifled scream of a woman. Jarod took off down the alley. As he rounded a corner, he heard footsteps disappearing into the darkness. He cautiously walked forward. There was a large dumpster against the back of a buliding, but it had been pulled forward some. Jarod walked around to the side, and looked behind it. He'd seen a lot of horrible things since his escape from the Centre. But nothing had prepared him for this. Her tangled bloody body had been tossed behind the dumpster. Jarod closed his eyes and looked away for a moment, then bent down placing his index and middle finger on her neck to check for a pulse. He actually gasped out loud when he found one.
He picked up her limp body and carried her out into the alley where he could reach her better. She had multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen, but the one to her neck was bleeding badly. He placed his hand over the wound hoping the pressure would stop the bleeding. As her eyes opened, she drew in a deep breath, coughed up some blood and muttered "I don't want to die". She took in a few more ragged breaths, then stopped breathing. He started chest compressions, "Don't you die on me" he screamed out loud. "come on, come on, breathe". He bent down and blew two quick breaths into her and went back to compressions.
He didn't look away, even though he heard approaching footsteps behind him. A man yelled "FREEZE", but Jarod kept working. "Call an ambulance!" he commanded. When no response came, he turned and saw two police officers, guns drawn, pointing at his back. Jarod stood up pointing down at the woman, "Did you hear what I said? CALL AN AMBULANCE!!" he yelled. Jarod turned back and looked down at the woman, the pool of blood under her growing larger by the second. He looked down at his hands, seeing that they were covered in blood. Only then, did he realize what they might be thinking. "I know how this must look, but I was trying to help her."
The bigger of the two officers stepped forward "sure you were pal, get face down on the pavement". Jarod just stood there looking at him, "NOW!" the officer shouted motioning with his gun towards the ground. Jarod thought about running, but these men already suspected him of this crime, they'd shoot first ask questions later. He went down to his knees and lsid out flat on his stomach.
The other officer went to check on the woman. As Jarod turned his head to watch, the younger man felt for vitals, and shook his head. "She's dead Williams". Officer Williams bent down and cuffed Jarods hands behind his back. "You just bought a ticket to jail, pal". He read Jarod his rights, as the other officer called in the scene.
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The interrogation room was bare, harboring only a small metal table with four chairs. Jarod stared into the two way mirror. They had at least allowed him wash his hands, but he could almost understand why they chose to believe he killed her. He looked as though he bathed in her blood.
On the other side of the mirror, Officer Williams was talking to a tall, slightly round, middle aged man. Years of riding the desk had allowed extra pounds to creep on. His graying hair and lines on his face showed the stress of the job.
"Has he said anything?" asked Captian Robichaux (ROW BA SHAW)
"Yeah, he didn't do it." Williams paused for a moment, then continued, "says he heard her scream, went to help, claims he heard someone fleeing the scene, found the woman. Says she was still alive, he pulled her out from the dumpster, and that's how he got covered in her blood".
"You believe him?"
"I don't know Cap., I just don't know" Robichaux raises up the clipboard he's holding and reads it outloud. "Jarod Embry,MD. Just transfered from Charity Hospital after three weeks of employment. So, our boy here blew into town when these murders started. Get Cole down here, tell her I want a confession, or his alibies. We know he doesn't have one for tonight, right?" Williams gave him a nod.
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Jarod looked up when she walked into the room. "Mr. Embry, I'm Sergeant Cole, New Orleans homicide. I'd like to talk to you about your whereabouts on June 13th and June 20th between the hours of 9:30 and 10:30 pm". Jarod looked at her for a moment and said, "I'd be a little more cooperative if I was allowed to shower and change".
Sergeant Cole pressed her hands on the table leaning down in his face. "You'll answer my questions, then we'll see about that". Her green eyes were captivating. Her long blond hair was pulled up into a clumsy french twist. She was a small woman, but Jarod figured she could hold her own when it came right down to it. He was taken in by her beauty. If things were different, he'd definately be interested in her.
"I was alone in my hotel room" he said.
"Can anyone vouch for that, a door man, or someone behind the desk?"
"I ordered a pizza last friday, does that count?" he said with almost smiling.
"Look smartass, you're in a lot of trouble here. I'd think the last thing you'd want to do is joke" she answered flatly.
"I'm not IN trouble, I'm innocent, I was trying to save that girl, not kill her"
"You keep saying that, but you have no proof."
"You have no proof that I did it either" he said.
"They found you leaning over a dead body, covered in her blood." Jarod sighed hard and looked away.