Victoria had started as Alison’s boss when Alison had first been hired at the consulting office.It was under Victoria’s stewardship that she had worked with the prison system to evaluate inmates and recommend some for early release.
Victoria was almost sixty, and she had a wealth of experience.She had quickly become a mentor to Alison, guiding her career and pushing her out the door with a happy smile when she began consulting with the FBI.Alison’s office might have long since been given away, but she always had a position there should she ever wish to return.
It had been some time since Alison had been in the office, but it felt like home as soon as she walked through the offices with Victoria.
"There’s something I need help with," Alison admitted."I know you’ve heard about the two murders."(Victoria knew almost everything that was going on in the city)."The killer is killing inmates who were released early on my recommendation.I think they’re trying to prove that my evaluations were flawed, and that the system needs an upheaval."
"Okay," Victoria said slowly.
"I need to go through all of my old case files, and I would appreciate a second set of eyes, or as many sets of eyes as possible.Somewhere in there, the next victim awaits.Or the nextvictims.I don't know how long the killer plans to continue—I don't know where this ends."
"I can spare some people, and I’ll go over the files with you."
"Thank you, Victoria," Alison said, feeling some solidarity with her old team."Thereissomething else you can help me with."
They reached Victoria’s office, and Victoria indicated for Alison to sit."Just say the word."
Alison placed her hands flat on the table."If I can get you copies of the reports written by the killer, can you take a look at them and let me know what you think.I think it’s someone in academia, but I don't know.Maybe you’ll spot something."
"For sure," Victoria said."Send me the files over when you have them.For now, we’ll get you set up in the conference room, and I’ll talk with the archives and have them bring up all of your old case files.We also have a new espresso machine in the break room that you are welcome to use."
"I could get used to this, but I really want to get out of your hair and back down to the station as quickly as possible, bad coffee and all."
***
Alison was soon set up in the conference room, surrounded by hundreds of boxes of files.There was no time yet to reallocate the other employees from their current work, but it would happen as soon as possible.That meant Alison was left to her own devices with the files she had completed over the years.It made her long to be less prolific for multiple reasons.
She had stopped working with Victoria two years ago when she had been paired with Derek on a case, and she hadn’t looked back.Before that, there were ten years of evaluations done for the prison system.
Alison made a start on them, fueled by a double espresso.The more files she went through, the more potential victims she looked at, and the more guilt she felt.What if the killer never stopped?What if they meant to kill everyone Alison had helped to release early from prison?
The first thing to do was to sort the files into two groups: those who had been recommended for early release and had gotten it, and those who hadn’t.The latter group of files could be returned to the archives.Alison spent most of the afternoon doing the initial sort, expecting there to be dozens of files, but was surprised when the number grew to nearly a hundred.
She chatted briefly with Victoria when she poked her head into the conference room, and with the other employees she had worked with during her time in the office.She fielded multiple calls and texts from Detective Moore.
The list of potential suspects in Alison’s field was growing, much like the list of possible victims.They were looking into where the knives had come from, but, since they were a common brand and type of hunting knife, tracing them would be hard.The only useful news was that a forensic accountant had reviewed the nonprofit's books, and they looked good.There was no evidence to suggest Jennifer had been cooking the books, nor any evidence that she had slipped into her old ways.
That confirmed what Alison thought and hoped, but it also confirmed that she was the one being targeted, and people were dying because of that.
When Victoria next poked her head into the office, Alison looked up at the clock with horror when she realized it was past eleven.It wasn’t too late for Alison to be working on a case, but she had forced her old boss and mentor to hang around the office waiting for her to leave.
"I can go," Alison said.
"Don't be silly," Victoria said seriously."You’re welcome here for as long as you want.I’m staying for a while, and even if I leave, you can stay on and set the alarm when you go.If I know you, and I believe I do know you pretty well, Alison, you’ll still be here in the morning."
"There's a lot to go through," Alison admitted."I can't let anyone else die."
"You’re not letting them die," Victoria said, exasperated."You—let's come back to that.The reason I came back is that I’ve gone over the reports, and I think I’ve found something that might be helpful."
"What is it?"Alison asked.
"Go grab yourself another espresso and then meet me in my office," Victoria told her."We have a lot to talk about."
CHAPTER EIGHT
Alison hit the button for the espresso machine, and there was a slight, almost imperceptible whir as the magnificent machine kicked into action.She took out her phone and called Derek.It was late, but Derek would still be up.There was no hour too late for him when she called.
"Hey," he answered.
