The killer would strike again, Alison knew that.She didn't know where or when, but the clock was ticking, and it wasn’t the only ticking clock.The press would soon go public with the news, and not only would there be panic in the city, but Alison would also be under scrutiny.
When they had been at the crime scene, she had skimmed through the report.Once back at the office, she could go through the scanned reports in more detail.There was more within, not only a rebuke of her earlier assessments.There were also mentions of her more recent cases with Derek.
The killer knew about her early misjudgment of Cameron Walsh.It had been a rare mistake where she had assessed the man as being rehabilitated, only for him to stage multiple murders as suicides.The killer had been clever.He had only mentioned the case without explicitly stating that it called her professional opinion into question.
The killer knew the press would eventually get a hold of the reports, and they would put it together themselves, giving them an extra step that would make it feel like more of a discovery, something more exciting than the killer pointing it out.
There was also mention of Gabriel Sinclair, a case she had worked on with Derek.Sinclair had been influenced by Walsh, guided by his spirit.Again, the implication was clear.If Walsh had never been released, he would never have killed multiple people, and in turn, Sinclair would not have been inspired to kill multiple people.
Both men had been in jail before being released to murder people.
It would be sensational when it was reported.Sure, the killer would be seen in a negative light, but so would Alison.That was what the killer wanted.They had murdered three people; they were beyond caring what people thought.
Alison sighed and tried to concentrate on the task at hand.She didn't want her name in the press and her old cases dredged up, but they were public knowledge if people knew where to look.Still, it would be blown up more because of their killer.
The best way to counteract that negative press would be to generate something more newsworthy.If they could catch the killer, that would be bigger.The killer wanted fear and doubt.Alison needed to stop him and the fear he would generate.
"…Payne, too."
Alison looked up at the mention of her name.
Detective Moore looked at her from her desk, a short man by her side.Her eyes were slightly widened in the way that Alison had become used to: she had more good news.
Alison responded with an eye-widening of her own.
"The digital forensic team has something that might help us," Moore said."They need us over there now."
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Derek entered the FBI forensic lab, hoping for more good news.The fact that they had obtained a sample that yielded a limited genetic profile was a positive step, but he wanted more.
Part of that was due to his drive as an FBI agent.Multiple young women had been killed over a period of twenty-two years.That they knew of, it could have been longer than that.The further back they went, the less there was to work with.As an FBI agent, he needed to find the killer and bring them to justice, especially now that he was invested in the cases.
A larger reason for him to find some evidence that led somewhere was Alison Payne.He sometimes felt selfish about it, but he knew that he needed to find Emma Payne’s killer more than the other women’s.He hoped they all had the same killer, and if he found one, he would find them all.
"Tell me you have some good news for me," Derek said as he walked through the lab.He looked over at Dr.Somerset, the forensic scientist who had run the sample for him.
She looked up slowly, and that told him everything he wanted to know.She stopped what she was doing and waited for him to get to her desk.
"I’ve run it against every database we have, and there have been zero results," she said."I’m sorry, I wish I had something more for you."
"It’s okay," Derek admitted."I was half-expecting that.If we’re right about this guy, we know he’s as careful as they come.No arrests on record, no DNA ever collected, and if there are no matches, then no DNA left at any of the other crime scenes."
"I can liaise with foreign agencies if you think there might be a record of him elsewhere," Dr.Somerset said.
"Yeah, do it," Derek said."I don't think he’s been active in another country.I think we’re looking for someone local.You never know though.We might get a hit through sheer luck.Goodness knows we could use it."
"I’ll see what I can do," Dr.Somerset said.
"Thanks again."Derek left the desk and walked back through the lab, out into the main offices.
They knew they were looking for a middle-aged Caucasian male.That was about all they knew.Likely someone local, someone who had been active in the area as a killer for many years.Someone careful.Perhaps someone who could move around the city without being noticed.
Does it have to be someone who can blend in?
It didn't need to be, but it would be helpful.
Derek was a product of his generation.They relied on modern technology and the techniques it brought.It would be wonderful to have a sample that matched.This guy was different.He was in the present now, but he wasn’t before.He was also active in the past.
