“Why not kill her?” Riley talked as they walked. “Why switch things up? That’s the question I keep asking myself, and I can’t figure out the answer.”
“He’s playing a game, Riles.” A sick, twisted game.
“I get that, but he’s a serial, Eric. You and I have both taken the same courses on this shit. Guys like this need a routine. They crave it. And they don’t usually change their M.O.’s in the middle of the damn game.”
“They do if it’s not the middle.”
Riley’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“What if this isn’t the middle of the game? What if this guy is ready to end it?”
He could see her wheels turning as she processed his line of thinking. “If that’s the case, then what’s his ultimate goal?” She pulled her keys from her purse and unlocked her apartment door.
“Wait.” Eric put a hand on her arm to stop her. “Be careful.”
“Right.” Riley sighed.
He could tell she was just as tired of playing the perp’s game as he was. But Eric’s gut said they were getting closer to discovering the identity of their target.
They just needed to give it a little more time, and make damn sure they stayed alive until that day came.
Pulling their weapons, he and Riley entered her apartment the same way they had hours before. They started with the living room and kitchen, moved down the hall to the spare bedroom and guest bath.
Everything looked exactly as it had, which was to be expected. But he wasn’t about to take any chances.
Not with Riley.Neverwith her.
Riley’s bedroom door was closed, and Eric had the fleeting thought that it had been open earlier, when they’d left to search for Maggie.
He was about to say something when Riley reached for the handle and pushed it open. Her gasp reached his ears before his eyes landed on the horrific scene before them.
“Oh, my god,” Riley took a step toward her bed.
Toward thewomanlying bound and gagged in the middle of that bed.
“Stop.” Eric grabbed her shoulder to keep her from going into the room. “We still need to clear the room.”
But even as he said it, he knew the killer was long gone. A quick check of the walk-in closet and master bath confirmed his suspicion.
“I’ll call it in.” He grabbed his phone as Riley went to the body to check for a pulse.
“She’s dead.” Riley turned to him. “The son of a bitch must’ve killed her while we were out looking for Maggie. That’s why he let her live. She was a distraction to keep us busy while he was here.” She glanced back at the young girl. “He knew we’d be back, so he left her here, for us to find.”
No, not us, baby. You.
He called dispatch and requested forensics and a bus to transport the body. Then he called Cap and filled him in.
After that, Eric called his brother to let him know of the latest find. Derek offered to come over, but there was nothing for him to do here.
There was, however, something he could do from home.
“Can you gain access to Maggie’s medical records? Keep an eye out for any updates, specifically the toxicology report?”
“Sure thing, brother,” Derek drawled. “You thinkin’ something specific, or...”
“I don’t know. I’ve just got this nagging in my gut that says the answer to finding this guy is in Maggie’s blood.”
“Your gut works same as mine, so yeah. I’ll definitely keep an eye out and let you know.”
