Chapter 11

Reid bolted upright when his phone rang. He grasped at the table a few times before he opened his eyes and squinted at the clock. Three o’clock? He fumbled the phone to his ear. “Lo?”

“There’s a fifth one.”

His whole body was suddenly awake and alert. “Fuck. Where?” He leaned over, flipped on the light, and grabbed the pen. Brent mumbled the address. “Want me to pick you up?” He rubbed a hand over his eyes as he nodded. “Be there in fifteen.” Hanging up, he sat there for a moment. A fifth? “Fuck!” He’d really wanted to think it was over when the account was closed.

Standing up, he squinted and looked around for his stuff. Shaking his head in a futile attempt to get coherent, he opened the closet. They had to find a way to stop this one. Pulling his jeans on, he stumbled over to grab a shirt. Hopefully, with Jacinda’s help, they could trace things before the trail got cold.

He paused while pulling on his boots and realized what he was thinking. He couldn’t wake her at this hour. He pulled on the second boot and then stood before going over to pick up his cell phone and unplug the charger.

Shaking his head, he grabbed his keys. The second they had the scene recorded, he’d get her down at the station to work her magic on the computer.

***

Jac hit the alarm again, but the ringing didn’t stop. Opening her eyes, she frowned at the clock. It wasn’t time to get up yet. The phone? The phone was ringing. Flopping to the other side of the bed, she grabbed it. “Hello?”

“Sorry to wake you. It’s Reid.”

She bolted upright. “What’s wrong?” Her heart was beating so loudly in her ears that she worried she wouldn’t hear his answer.

“Can you come in now?”

She looked at the clock; the little hand was on the five… Putting her hand on her chest, she took a breath. “There’s another one,” she whispered.

“Yes.”

Kicking the covers back, she slid to the side of the bed. “I’ll grab a cab and be there as soon as possible.”

“I’m already headed your way.”

“Oh. I’ll see you shortly then.”

“Yep.” He hung up.

It seemed like she had just hung up the phone when someone knocked on her door. She only had her jeans on so far. Grabbing a sweater, she pulled it on and held it close as she went to the door.

He just stood there for a moment, his eyes traveling over the length of her before he stepped through the open doorway. “Sorry about the time.” His eyes moved over her hair several times, and she wondered if it was standing on end.

Jac waved him in. “It’s fine. Come in,” She closed the door. “Just let me find a top, and I’ll be ready to go.” She quickly walked to her room, figuring it was too early in the morning to wonder what the look on his face meant.

Pulling a sweatshirt over her top, she paused when she stepped back into the room. “Is it the same?”

Reid nodded. “So far.”

Picking up her cell phone, she stuffed it into her purse and then looked over at him. “Do you know who she is?”

He shook his head. “Brent is at the station right now.” He stood there with his hand on the doorknob, watching her pull her shoes on. “We’re hoping if we can get the financial data as soon as the banks open, we may be able to be waiting when the money is picked up.”

Jacinda straightened and nodded. Sighing, she rubbed a hand against her forehead. “I’d hoped…”

“We all did.”

“I’m ready, let’s go.”

Jac sat beside him during the silent ride to the station. She didn’t know if she could walk into the building where the body was found. The number of people on the scene meant that vibes would be on everything.

Reid kept glancing at her, but she couldn’t make small talk right now. He reached over and lightly gripped her hand. “Thanks for understanding why we brought you in on this as quickly as possible.”

She could feel his concern for her rush into her system, but there was something else she couldn’t grasp. Then the first flash hit her, she took a deep breath. The cold backlash from being near death washed through her. Pulling her hand away quickly, she opened the window a crack and turned her face towards it. Taking deep breaths, she focused through the nausea. Glancing back over at him, she faked a yawn. “Trying to get my brain to kick in.”

He grinned. “Tell me about it. Brent woke me at three, and I wasn’t even sure I had my boots on the right feet until about twenty minutes ago.”

“Your job sucks,” she said, trying to sound more light-hearted than she felt.

He nodded. “At this time of day, all jobs suck.”

She nodded and turned her face back towards the open window.

Brent looked over at them as they walked in. “Did he at least buy you coffee?”

She shook her head and went over to the computer. “Do you have a name?” Sitting down, she switched on the computer.

“Just waiting on the call. The captain is up there making sure it’s done now. Everyone upstairs is going over the scene again or pacing as they wait for reports.” He stood up and picked up his cup. “I’ll go harass them again and bring back coffee.”

“Thank you.” She looked over to see Reid staring at the board. “Was anything found with her?” He shook his head. Turning her focus back on the computer, she sat there in silence.

She turned when she heard boots on the stairs a few minutes later. Brent came through the door with two cups and a piece of paper.

Setting his cup down as he walked by the round table, he handed Jac a cup and then returned to pick up the marker and write on the board.

Jac had typed the name on the keyboard by the time he finished writing. Dawn Thomas, she hit enter. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but at this time of the morning, she couldn’t focus enough to determine why. As the first search engine started, she opened another and quickly typed in the name. Picking up her cup, she took a sip before she started with the third search.

Sitting back, she watched the search engines work. When a tear rolled down her cheek, she quickly wiped it away before anyone noticed. Taking another sip, she frowned and set her cup down. “How long until we have a credit card statement?” She asked without turning around.

“Can’t get it until the office opens,” Brent responded, sounding as defeated as she felt.

She stood up and looked back at the monitor. Glancing at the clock, she realized it had only been twenty minutes. As she went to turn away, the first search stopped. Leaning down, she quickly clicked on it. Opening the page, she read through it. Squinting at the screen, she moved over to pick up the printout Brent had brought downstairs with the coffee. Same neighborhood. She went back over to the computer and printed out the article.

Both men were looking at her when she turned around from the computer. She went over to the board and wrote the information from the search engine. She set the marker down, then went over and handed Brent the pages.

Reid watched her sit down at the computer, then looked at the board. Wealthy designer. Was what she had written. He took the paper Brent held out to him and scanned it quickly. When the printer started, he looked back at Brent, the same puzzled look on his face when they both turned to Jac.

Jac checked to make sure the search was ongoing before spinning around to face the two men, confusion evident on their faces. “Apparently, my brain works better when it’s half asleep.” She shrugged and walked over, and held out the page. “Ms. Thomas has recently invested in several online businesses.”

Reid frowned and looked at the page again. He frowned over at her. “I didn’t find out much about the dating site other than the address.” She held up a finger and looked over at the printer as it finished a page. She walked over and picked it up.

“Ms. Thomas has recently invested large amounts of her time and fortune into several online firms, blah, blah, several smaller sites such as Web Clinic, Pen Palz, and Love Quest, under the guidance and expertise of designers from WebFix, these firms have been an instant success, and Ms. Thomas believes it’s only the beginning of, blah, blah.” She stopped and shrugged. “Could be another dead end, but I found it interesting that a victim we’ve linked to the website also helped get it going.”

Brent walked over and took the sheet of paper from her. “It’s interesting, all right.”

She grinned. “I’m running a search on Web Fix right now.”

Reid grinned at her. “No more coffee for her, she’s making us look like amateurs again.”

Brent winked at her as he handed Reid the article. “What time does the Love Quest office open?”

“Nine.” Jac glanced at the clock and sighed.

***

By nine, Jac was drooping over her desk. She’d run out of things to search almost an hour ago and had been killing time until the offices of Love Quest opened. Hopefully, she could convince Mrs. Oster to send her the confidential files.

Brent leaned over to look at her. “Still with us?” She nodded. “We’re going up to talk to the captain, can we bring you back something?”

She yawned. “I’ll take a nap or a danish, whichever is the easiest.” Brent chuckled as walked out the door behind his partner. Sighing, she picked up the phone. Please let her still believe me.

When they walked back in, she was leaning against Brent’s desk. Reid looked at the board to see Love Quest written under the other information. He raised his eyebrows.

She shrugged. “I didn’t feel like waiting for a credit card statement.” She waved a few pieces of paper. “I have Dawn’s list from Love Quest.”

Brent set a bottle of juice and a danish on the desk. “You already cross-referenced the Love Quests list too?” He shook his head and then winked at her. “You’re slacking.”

Jac smiled at him sweetly. “Oh, I’ve cross-referenced already, none of them are the same as the other four.” She tossed the list on the table to join the scattered pieces of paper. Sighing, she picked up the bottle of juice. “I’ve run out of ideas or plans.” She glared at Reid. “That I’m allowed to do.”

Brent gave him a look and then studied the papers scattered over the table. “So, we wait for the video and the financial statement.”

Reid dropped into his chair and ran a hand through his hair until it stood on end. “Shit.” He watched her, recognizing that she felt crushed by the possibility that they weren’t going to get the person responsible. His expression softened for a brief second before he cleared his throat and glanced at the clock. “Let’s go get some breakfast.”

***

Jac stood between the two men, and they all stared at the screen. She’d lost count of how many times the video had been rewound and slowly played through. Checking the time of the transfer, she studied the screen one more time. “Do you think if it were enlarged we could see more?”

Reid rubbed his temple in thought. “I doubt it, it’s already blurry.”

“Are those sunglasses or those tinted things?” Brent asked quietly.

Jac turned her head again and squinted at the image frozen on the screen. “I’m going to go with sunglasses, reading glasses that size went out in the seventies.” Sighing, she wandered back over to the board. “I’m almost out of ideas.”

Reid turned and looked at her. “Almost? Does that mean you have more?” He tossed the financial printouts on the table. “I’m out. Ms. Thomas hasn’t transferred any large amounts, hasn’t charged any strange things.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “We can’t get more details on her finances until the judge probates the estate, which could take weeks.” He looked at Brent. “The post office boxes tied to the closed bank account, as well as the identification used to pick up the wire transfer, are dead ends because the boxes are no longer in use.” Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he shrugged. “Somehow, the blood toxicology results were botched up, so we wait for those, again. Not that it matters, nothing unusual was found in the other victims’ blood screens.”

Brent walked over and sat in the first chair he came to. “We’re missing something here. Something that is sitting right in front of our faces.”

Jac chewed her lip and looked at the board again. She had an idea, but how could she persuade them to let her try it? Telling them the truth would just get her escorted from the building or sent home to nap. Picking up the marker, she went to the left end of the board.

“Where was Clair found?” She gave Brent a tired look. “I know it’s in the files, but my brain isn’t at its best at the moment.”

Reid leaned against the desk and shrugged. “Empty parking lot, middle of nowhere.” He watched her write it on the board. “Between two buildings in an old neighborhood,” She nodded as she wrote and quickly stepped over to the third one. “In a park.” He didn’t need to tell her the last two; she quickly wrote them on the board.

Setting the marker down, she backed up and looked at the board. Come on, think of a way to lead into this discussion. “Have you put these on a map? Is there some sort of pattern?” Now you’re just sad - grasping at ideas from movies.

Brent gave Reid a puzzled look, shrugging Brent got up to get a map of the area. It took him a few minutes to write the victim’s numbers on the map, then stood back and watched Jac lean over and study it silently.

Jac chewed her lip again. Now or never. Sighing, she turned around to face them again. “I’d like to go look at the sites.”

Brent’s eyebrows shot up, but he didn’t comment.

Reid continued to lean against the desk and study her. “I don’t see how that would help.”

She paced over to the board. “I don’t see how, at this point, it could hurt either.” She threw up her hands as she turned to look at them. “I need a new perspective, and then maybe I will come up with something. I think Brent’s right, and we’ve been walking right by some important detail and not paying attention.”

Reid studied her quietly. She wasn't sure if he was scowling or squinting at her, but if she guessed, he knew she was hiding something. He straightened off the desk. “I don’t understand what you think you’ll find at the crime scenes.” He looked at Brent, who shrugged and sent him a blank look. “We went over them dozens of times, our team went over them. More than a month has passed for the first one…”

Jac threw her hands up and then dropped them to her hips. “I know. I’m not saying you missed anything.” She walked over and looked up out of the tiny window. “I do know I’ve checked every idea, cross-referenced every possible combination, and if we all sit here much longer staring at computers or the board, we’re going to go insane.” She walked back over and tapped the folders and papers scattered all over the table. “In these, we found nothing, the victims were in immaculately clean clothes, which still leaves a question of how can that be? But that’s it, nothing more, anywhere.” She chewed the inside of her lip again. Other than paper, clothes were things that held no memories. She just needed one solid glimpse then, maybe she could take this idea and lead them somewhere.

Brent leaned back in the chair he’d dropped into and crossed his arms. He looked amused as he watched his partner. Reid was less than impressed with her suggestion, the closed look on his face gave that away. He focused on the board and then turned his gaze to her again.

She stood there, chewing her lip with her hands on her hips, and dropped her eyes to study the floor. She glanced up to see Reid glaring as if he was trying to figure it out. Something flashed quickly over his face, but it was gone so fast she didn’t have time to decide what he could be thinking. Her heart ached to be able to tell them something, anything that would make them let her go to the scenes and use what she could to find justice for those poor women.

He flung a hand up. “Just tell me why,” he said, his eyes searching her face.

Jac hesitated for a moment. I wish I could. If I could just see where his thoughts were… She moved, almost involuntarily, toward him, coming to a stop less than a foot in front of him, and placed a hand on the arms he had crossed in front of his heart.

His eyes said he was furious, but his emotions were torn between wanting to help and wanting to walk away. Good, she thought without smiling. Indecision I can work with. “Please, Reid, just take me and let me look.” She dropped her hand from his arm. “I will explain everything after, if there’s anything to explain.”

He was shocked she had finally said his name. He was more shocked he was going to agree. He looked down into her pleading, sleepy eyes. “Fine.” He turned abruptly before saying something stupid and left the office.

Brent sat there without moving. Huh, the mighty Reid has a weakness, after all, and it comes in the form of soft brown eyes. He smirked for a moment and then looked over at Jac. “Better hurry, or he’ll leave us both here.”

She grinned and quickly grabbed her purse.