Chapter 10

An hour later, both men walked back into the office. Reid stopped and smacked Brent on the chest, frowning at him.

Brent grinned and walked to where Jac was sitting. “Tell me you’ve cracked the case.”

She stood up slowly and bit her lip. “No. You?” She watched as Reid walked over to the board and cross off the last name. She sighed when he wrote confirmed alibi and the numbers one, two, and three at the top. Puffing out her cheeks, she waited. “Well, I know where the money went.” She knew it wasn’t a fantastic announcement, but it was better than none.

The two men stood there watching as she started walking slowly around the office with her hands on her hips, looking at the floor. She looked up when another detective walked in holding papers. Reid met the other man halfway and took them from him. Without a word, he placed them on the table.

Brent went over to the table and picked up the sheet she had written the branch address on. He snarled and handed it to Reid. Neither man was happy to find out it was at least two hours away.

Jac paced for another minute before stopping to study their expressions. “There is another option.” She bit her lip. “It’s going to be very time-consuming.” She picked up the printouts from the dating site. “Going over the profiles on these lists.” She sighed. “Just because the names don’t match, doesn’t mean the pictures on the profile won’t.”

Reid tilted his head and looked at her. “What, like one could have more than one profile?”

She waved her hands around. “Something like that.” She cast a quick look at the papers in her hand. “This list includes all contact through the site, so it’s only logical to assume the women would message them a few times at least, before agreeing to meet them.” Pacing to the table, she set the papers down. “If we look at Clair’s list, there are,” she quickly counted the number in the list. “Thirty-five contacts, some of them are the same person two or more times, some of them she met, some she didn’t.” She looked up to see both men looking at her. They weren’t getting it. “If we start with the names on the list that she wrote more than once, then met up with at least once, then compare the profiles pictures, it might be the same man.” Both men were obviously skeptical. “The only other option is for me to spice up my profile and publish it.”

Reid shook his head. “You are not going be bait.”

Brent leaned on the table and studied the list. “Not a good option at all.”

Brushing her hair back, she shrugged. “I would at least be doing something until you can get the video tapes from the wire location.” Brent gave her a curious look.

“Video tapes?”

She pointed to the pages on the table. “The company the wire was made through boasts that they have surveillance equipment at every location to ensure client safety.”

Brent regarded Reid and then turned back to her. “Next time, mention video tapes first.”

Jac frowned. “Oh, sorry, I thought I had.

Brent grinned. “I’ll get on this right now.” He turned and jogged out of the office.

She closed her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck.

“Run this profile pictures thing by me one more time.”

Stopping, she opened her eyes. “It wouldn’t be too hard to have more than one profile, I mean, the usernames are laughable, chances are they’d use their own photo and just wear glasses or a hat or something to change up their look if they had more than one profile.” He shook his head. “What?”

Reid smirked. “I don’t think I would have come up with that in a million years.”

She sighed. “I just thought…”

“It’s a good idea; let’s start looking.” He picked the first victim’s sheet and rolled a chair over to the computer she used.

Jac sat down and opened her computer at the login. She typed in her username and was entering her password when he chuckled beside her.

“Mystic Lady?”

She eyed him. “It was the first original thing I could think of.”

He nodded. “It’s good, creative.” He looked at the screen and then back at her again. “Is that your real age?”

Jac leered at him. “Yes, why?”

He grinned. “You don’t look it.”

She sat there and looked at him for a moment, trying to decide if he was being sincere. “Thank you.” Turning, she picked up the page and scanned it to find the username that came up more than once. Typing it in, she waited for the profile to open. She sighed and looked at him. “If I publish my profile…”

“No.” He didn’t turn to look at her, just picked up the sheet and checked off the profile she had brought up. He turned back towards the computer screen. “Can you leave that picture open and look at another one?”

She nodded and glanced at the list for the next name. She typed it in. No? That was it? No discussion, just no. She chewed her lip and waited for him to check off the name before typing in the next one.

Brent came back in and leaned on the back of her chair. “Tape is being sent to us in the morning.”

She turned to look up at him. “Let’s hope there’s something on it.”

Brent shrugged. “We’ll know tomorrow.” He stretched. “So, what are we doing here?”

Jac turned back to the computer. “Not discussing why I can’t put my profile out there and see what happens.”

Reid studied her and then stood up. He looked at Brent, being less than helpful by raising his hands in surrender. Turning her chair, he leaned down, so he was face to face with her. “We are not discussing you using yourself as bait. We don’t operate that way here. This is not a movie or a soap opera.” He continued to look at her face. The kiss came to his mind, and he mentally cursed himself for even thinking of repeating the move.

Jac scowled at him. “Obviously, or I would turn it off and read a book instead.” She studied his eyes, looking for a break in his expression. She broke the eye contact and lifted her hands in exasperation. “Fine.” When he straightened up, she turned and looked at Brent. “My brain has hit overload can we just call it a day?”

Brent glanced over at the clock and slumped his shoulders. “I’m more than willing.” He to him. “Reid? Call it a day?”

Reid regarded the time then nodded. “Maybe we’ll get lucky tomorrow and get a picture of who we’re looking for from the tape.” He watched Jacinda for a silent moment. “I’ll give you a lift home.”

She picked up her purse and shook her head. “No need, I’m heading over to my office to see if I still have one.”

Reid frowned. Was he looking for an excuse to be alone with her? “Are you sure?” She just nodded and headed into the bathroom to get her bag of clothes. “Do you want a lift in the morning?”

She stopped and smiled at him. “Please. Same time?”

He smiled back and nodded.

She waved over to Brent. “See you tomorrow. Have a good night.” She walked quickly out the door.

Brent turned to him. “Does that strike you as odd at all?”

Reid gave him a puzzled look. “What?”

Brent laughed. “What?” He studied him. “Who are you, and where have you put my partner?” He shook his head. “She’s determined to publish her profile; you pretty much lay down the law, and she just smiles and waves?”

Reid cast him a blank look. Stopping, he glanced back to the door she’d gone through, then back at his partner. “Shit.” He had to get his brain back on track.

Brent pointed at him. “Now you’re back.”

Reid grabbed his jacket off the chair he’d tossed it on. “She’s gone to her office to do just that.”

“Good guess, Sherlock.”

Reid glared at him. “She is not going to use herself as bait.” He started walking towards the door.

“So, did you?”

Reid gave him a confused look. “Did I?”

Brent smiled. “Kiss her in the closet.”

Reid shrugged. “We’re working with her.”

“Yes, we are.” Brent put his hands in his pocket and continued to look at him.

Reid stood there and looked at him for a few seconds, then smirked as he turned, walking out the door. He ignored Brent’s laughter. If he hurried, he could get to her office before she had time to do something stupid.

***

Jac opened the office door, difficult with Sandy almost pushing her through it. “I can’t believe you’re going to do this.”

Jac walked in and flipped the lights on. “We’re not getting anywhere, this might work.”

Sandy dropped her bag on the table and then tossed her jacket on top. “But you won’t go out with any of them without backup or whatever, right?”

Jac shook her head as she turned on the computer. “Do I look suicidal, Doctor?”

Sandy smirked. “No, no, you don’t.” She dragged the chair around beside Jac’s. “We can make you out to be some spoiled socialite? This is going to be fun.” She rubbed her hands together and laughed. “I’ve never created a whole person before.”

Jac laughed at her friend. “And you think I need to get out more?” They both leaned toward the screen as she typed in her username and password.

Reid sat there in his car, scowling at the building. He’d gotten here in plenty of time. Enough time to see Jacinda flee from the taxi and look around excitedly. It didn’t take him long to see what she was looking for as her doctor friend quickly appeared from the parking area. They were both standing there; he could see Jac filling the other woman in on the plan, and then they both looked excited. The blonde went from her cool doctor exterior to a conniving, grinning accomplice within a few seconds.

He gave them a few minutes to get started on the profile upstairs. Did she not understand what she was doing? He was unwilling to identify her as victim number five at some crime scene. She was a hell of an investigator, and that’s where it stopped. She was not an undercover agent or bait or going to be more involved in this, except from the safety of the basement office. He let out a long breath as he climbed out of his car. Making his way across the street, he ran up the steps to her building and yanked the door open. “Time’s up, ladies.”

Jac stood beside the desk as Sandy typed. “Those are my interests and hobbies?” She grinned as she went to the small refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of water. “I don’t even know what a few of those are. Sandy, can’t we at least tone it down a bit so if I have to reply to any messages, I know what I’m writing?”

Sandy laughed and pushed the chair back from the desk. Taking the bottle of water, she tapped the cap with a manicured fingernail. “You’ll do fine. You don’t have to be this person, just fake it for a while.” She opened the cap and then grinned at her across the desk. “So, how rich are we going to make you?”

“I’d say dirt poor.”

Jac jumped and turned towards the door with a little squeak.

Reid grinned at her. He peered around her at Sandy. “Ladies, I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop in and say hi.”

Jac hoped he couldn’t hear how fast her heart was beating. “We were just…”

“Being rebellious?” He offered as he walked around and looked at the computer screen. He grinned down at Sandy, who sat there looking guilty. “Doctor Gains.”

Sandy gave him a little wave. Her eyes darted to Jac as she stood up slowly. “I should probably go.”

Jac nodded but continued to stand, glaring at the man looking far too pleased with himself as he stood behind her desk.

They stood there silently, staring as Sandy picked up her coat and bag and slipped quietly out the door.

Reid sat down in her chair and studied the monitor. “You like skeet shooting?”

“Not particularly,” she said through clenched teeth.

He leaned on the desk and looked at her. “What part of we don’t use people as bait didn’t you grasp?” His tone was oddly gentle.

“I wasn’t going to use myself as bait.” Her eyes studied the floor. “Not in a physical sense. I only…”

“Not in any sense.” He stood up slowly to walk around the desk, coming to stand in front of her.

Jac flung her hands up in frustration. “I just want to find this person—this person that…” She stopped and took a deep breath. “It’s so, so disgusting to kill someone for a bit of money,” She finished quietly.

“Yes.” Reid stuffed his hands into his pockets and watched her. “Erase the profile, you’re not publishing it.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked up at him and chewed her lip. “I could just talk to them in the message area, maybe we could …”

“Erase it.” His eyes were hard. He reached out as if he was going to place a hand on her shoulder.

Jac stepped back quickly and moved behind her desk. Sitting down, she began hitting the backspace button. She knew she was hitting it much harder than she needed to, but it stopped her from throwing something at him. She motioned to the screen when she had erased everything Sandy had typed.

Reid came around behind the desk and scrolled down. He found the settings and clicked on ‘change password’.

Her eyes bore into his back as he moved over and typed something. She could see the screen confirming the new password when he moved again. He’d locked her out of her own profile!

Closing the screen, he straightened up and glanced down at her. She could feel the anger boiling through her veins while he stood there smirking. “Can I give you a ride home?” He stuffed his hands in his pockets, the expression in his eyes changing to something she couldn’t quite determine.

Sandy would most likely be sitting down in the parking lot waiting to see what happened, so she shook her head.

Reid sighed and walked around the desk to the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.” He paused and looked like he wanted to say something more. “Have a good night.” He stepped out the door quickly.