From: martin@abacus.mc.duke.edu (Michele Martin)
Subject: XOVER:The Witness pt7
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 1995 15:12:39 -0500 (EST)

scene 9
Coroner's building
8:30pm
  Nick had stood by and helpfully answered Scully's questions as she 
looked over the data Natalie had helpfully left out in the open.  He 
spent most of the time while she was reading trying to puzzle out what 
was going on with Schanke.  His partner seemed different, somehow.  Maybe 
the case was getting to him.  Maybe he was just sick.  *His dietary 
habits are probably getting the better of him. I don't care how long 
you've been a homicide detective, souvlaki and headless bodies just do 
not go well together*  But something still nagged at him.  He was 
convinced he'd heard Schanke talking to himself in the men's room earlier 
that evening.  And his speech patterns were somehow, well, off.  *Hmm, 
maybe this case is just getting to me.  Glad we were able to get an ID on 
that guy Scott saw...though Agent Mulder's theories are a bit 
disquieting. I may have to go and be a bit more forceful about getting 
information out of Gregory.  I'm sure he's hiding something.  Maybe 
LaCroix...no, better not.  He's the last person I want to go to for help*
  "Are all the victims still here, Detective Knight?"  Scully asked.
  "I think so...no one's identified them, so no one wants to take them 
off our hands.  I'll ask Grace to show you where they are.  Do you still 
need me for anything?  I'd like to see if Agent Mulder and Schanke have 
come up with anything else."
  "Well, once I finish here I'd really like to talk with Dr. Lambert.  
Say, in about an hour or so.  I'd like to examine the most recent victim 
with her."
  Nick nodded.  "I'll give her a call once I get back to the station and 
tell her to meet you here."
  "Thank you for your help, detective."
  Nick found Grace in one of the adjoining rooms and asked her to give 
Agent Scully any help she could.  He then headed back to the station.  
Nat wasn't going to be terribly thrilled about coming back here, but at 
least she should've had some time to finish eating.

Restaurant
8:45pm
  Natalie was thoroughly enjoying her evening out.  She didn't have many of 
them, so it was a welcome change from her ordinary activities.  Anne's 
new SO Duncan seemed like a very nice person, and his friend Robert was 
also quite charming.  In fact, Natalie had the impression he was flirting 
with her, especially after that comment about Duncan's "getting all the 
good women" coming to an end.  The dinner itself was excellent--this was 
one of the best Italian restaurants in town.  Finishing up her pasta dish, 
Nat wondered if perhaps she could get Nick to work up to spaghetti.  With 
lots of sauce.  It would be nice if they could go to a nice restaurant 
together once in a while.  *There I go again.  Every time I meet an 
interesting guy, I start thinking about Nick. Stop it...just enjoy the 
evening.*  She smiled at Robert. "So, Robert, do you think you could 
come down to the station some time and help us out with this sword we found."
  Connor smiled back and replied, "Sure.  Always willing to help out a 
lady in need."
  *He has such an interesting accent* thought Natalie. *Kind of like a 
Scotsman whose spent alot of time in France.  Or a Frenchman whose spent 
alot of time in Scotland*  Nat was about to continue making arrangements 
for Robert to stop by the station when her beeper went off.  Fortunately 
it was set on "vibrator" and not "beeper", so she discreetly checked the 
number on the indicator.  She groaned involuntarily.  She knew it was 
too good to last.
  "Sorry, I just got 'beeped'.  Better go see what they want.  Did anyone 
see a payphone around?"
  "I think there's one over by the restrooms," Duncan replied.
  "Great.  I'll be right back."
  She reached the phone, decided she could spare the change, and dialed 
Nick's desk number, from whence she'd been paged.
  "Knight here."
  "Nick, it's me.  What's up?"
  "Sorry to interrupt dinner, but Agent Scully from the FBI really wants 
to talk to you.  She's still going over the victims, but she mentioned 
wanting to look over that latest victim with you.  Can you meet her back 
at the Coroner's office at 9:30?"
  "Do I really have a choice?  Oh well, at least I got a chance to finish 
eating and get some conversation in on the side.  Guess I'll tell 'em 
duty calls.  Oh, Nick, I think I found someone who can tell us something 
about that sword we found.  A friend of a friend of my friend's is an 
antiques' expert...'
  "A friend of a friend of your friend's?"
  "Well, Anne's boyfriend had a friend in town and they brought him along 
to dinner and he offered his expert opinion.  He's some sort of antiques 
dealer or something."
  "I see.  Okay, tell you what.  I'll meet you at the Coroner's office 
and get the details on when we can meet with him from you.  Oh, good 
news...sort of...we've got an ID on that man Scott Edwards saw."
  "Why is this 'sort of' good news?"
  "Well, this guy, Russell Nash, is supposed to have been dead for almost 
10 years.  He was a suspect in some similar incidences in New York."
  "Boy this case keeps getting better all the time."
  "You're telling me.  See you back at the office."  With that, Nick hung 
up.  Nat made her way back to the table.  
  "Problem?"  asked Anne, concerned.
  "Oh, it's this stupid case.  I hate to do this, but I'm going to have to 
leave a little early.  I'm sorry, Anne.  Maybe tomorrow we can get 
together and chat some more."
  "Nat, I think you work too hard.  But don't apologize for having to 
leave--I know that without you this whole city would be in trouble," 
replied Anne.
  "Thanks for understanding.  Robert, Duncan, it was a real pleasure to 
meet both of you.  I hope we can get together again without work getting 
in the way. Um, is there a number I can reach you at so we can work 
something out about you coming to the station?" she asked Connor.
  Connor grabbed a napkin and scribbled down a number.  "I'll be waiting 
to hear from you."  Natalie smiled and wondered if he had more than 
business on his mind.
  Both Robert and Duncan stood as Nat gathered her things.  She offered to 
pay for her portion of the meal, but Duncan insisted that he pay for the 
meal.  Anne offered to walk outside with her so they could have a few 
more minutes of conversation.  Nat smiled gratefully and waved to the 
two men as she and Anne made their way out of the restaurant.
  "He's quite a find.  Good to see you're doing well for yourself," said 
Nat as soon as they were out of earshot.
  "Yes, he's a very...interesting person to have around.  I see you and 
Robert apparantly hit it off."
  Nat blushed.  "He seemed rather nice.  Have you met him before?"
  "No. Oddly enough, Duncan never mentioned him before he got a phone call 
from him last week.  They seem to know each other very well, though."
  They reached Nat's car. "Looks like it's time for me to go back to the 
old grind.  I'll call you tomorrow and we can work out something."
  "That sounds great."  Anne then gave Nat a hug before returning to the 
restaurant.

  As soon as Nat and Anne were out of earshot, Duncan turned to Connor 
and asked, "So, why did you call me?  It sounded urgent."
  Connor sighed, "I didn't call you, Duncan. It was Stayde.  He always had 
a knack for impressions.  He wanted to lure you here to kill you.  Though 
I think he might have had a harder time taking your head than he did the 
others."
  "Had?  So you killed him?  Was he responsible for the beheadings 
here in Toronto?"
  "Yes.  Using that same ploy--he lured Immortals here to Toronto by 
pretending to be friends or mentors of theirs.  He figured killing them 
here away from any friends or loved ones of theirs would add to the 
mystery for the police, who wouldn't be able to identify the bodies.  
Stayde always did have a thing for teasing the local law enforcement."
  "Well, I think the local law enforcement might not be very thankful to 
you for ridding them of the menace if they find out how you did it.  You 
accepted Anne's offer before I could warn you that her friend was working 
on the case."
  Connor shrugged, then flashed a smile. "Even so--it was worth it.  Your 
friend's friend is very nice.  Maybe your monopoly on the good women is 
over.  Besides, what's the worse that could happen?  She goes into work, 
sees a composite sketch of me holding a sword and says 'Hey! That's 
Robert Greene! I just had dinner with him'? You worry too much, Duncan."

  "Ohmigod!  That's Robert Greene! I, I just had dinner with him!"  Nat 
exclaimed in shock and more than a little dismay. *It figures.  I meet a guy: 
he's handsome, he's charming, he's a psychotic serial killer. Just my luck.
I sense a pattern forming, Nat my dear*.
   She'd arrived at the Coroner's Building at about 9:30, having first 
gone home to change out of her really nice clothes into her moderately 
nice work clothes.  And to make sure Sydney, her cat, had a little of her 
attention before she dashed off again.  When she'd arrived, Nick had been 
waiting outside the building.  He'd told her that they'd gotten 
information on this 'Russell Nash' from the NYPD and that Scott had 
positively identified the mug shots before going home with his father 
after a rather trying evening.  He'd also confided to her that he thought 
Schanke was acting more than a little bit strangely ever since they'd 
left the crime scene early in the evening.  Once inside, she'd been 
introduced to Agent Scully, who'd told her what the FBI knew from the 
previous cases...and her partner's rather bizarre theory on the matter.  
Knowing something about things that others would consider bizarre, namely 
Nick, Nat didn't feel she had any right to say anything disparaging.  
And, after all, this case was rather bizarre.  
  Nick had then reminded her about the sword.  She'd gone into the 
evidence room to get it, and when she'd come back, Nick had pulled out a 
copy of one of the pictures of their suspect.  He handed it to her in 
exchange for the sword, and she promptly collapsed into her chair.  Now 
she stared incredulously at the picture.
  "Nat, are you sure?"  asked Nick. He and Agent Scully exchanged glances.
  "Yeah, I'm sure...Nick, this is the expert on swords I was telling you 
about."
  Scully nodded.  "Russell Nash was an antiques dealer in New York.  I'm 
sure he's come across more than a few old swords in his time.  You 
mentioned that he'd actually agreed to come here and examine that sword?"
  Nat pulled out the napkin with the phone number on it.  "He wrote this 
down and said to call him whenever we wanted him to come over and check 
it out."
  Nick took the napkin gently out of her hand. "Well, we shouldn't keep 
Mr. Greene waiting too long.  I suggest we all go back to the station and 
give our expert here a call.  This certainly makes things easier for us."
  "We can look over the victim later, Dr. Lambert," Scully said 
sympathetically, obviously aware that Nat had suffered a bit of a shock.  
Nat nodded.
  "You alright?  Maybe you should go home and rest..." Nick suggested.
  Nat shook her head.  "No, I'll be okay.  Let's go."  *I want to look 
him in the eye when they arrest him and see if he really is the kind of 
man who'd do something so horrible.  I just can't believe I'm such a 
terrible judge of character!*