"If he seems to like young, female joggers more than the average person, we'll all be with him, but not before Alison is back.We only have one shot at this, and I don't want to mess it up.If he’s the killer, Alison is the one who’ll know."
"I hope so," James said."We need to talk to him to see how he reacts and whether he breaks down and confesses.The killer has been active for years, so I’m sure it won't be that easy.We don't have enough evidence as things stand, so our best bet without more evidence is to get him talking."
"If anyone can get him talking, Alison can," Derek said.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Alison woke to her alarm.She’d barely been able to sleep, but not because of the current investigation.For the past two days, Derek had not said much about the investigation.Up until then, he had given her regular updates on what he and her father were doing, but over the past two days, his messages had changed, and she had an idea what was up.
She wasn’t able to sleep as she thought about the implications.
If there was nothing to tell her, Derek would have come out and said that already.By not saying anything, she suspected that Derek and her father had found something, but they were waiting for her case to be over, so she wasn’t distracted from it.And that was what was distracting her.
Alison was sure they had found something, but were waiting for her to be done in Philadelphia before they explained what they had found.There was the possibility they were waiting for her to return before they went to talk to a suspect.They might only have one shot at interviewing someone.
She hadn’t come out and asked Derek what they had.She needed to be as focused as possible on the current case, and she knew her men would have things under control back in California.
Alison checked her phone again as she got out of bed.No message from Derek, nor from Hartley.That meant they hadn’t located Kenneth Sterling yet.As soon as they did, Alison would be alerted.And not only had they not found him, but there was no lead to follow.No possible sighting, nothing on camera, no credit card transactions.If there was something they could follow, Hartley would have called Alison.
Alison knew she had to see the case through, but she was growing worried that it might go on indefinitely, and the pull to return to California to help Derek and her father would grow stronger and stronger.If she wasn’t helping anymore with the case in Philly, she needed to go home and concentrate on the case there.
As long as the case didn't spread there.
Alison’s blood turned cold.The murder of her sister had gone unsolved for years.What if the killer knew that and planned to use it?They were already trying to frame her.What if the plan now was to lie low and wait for her to go home before killing someone there and posing photographs of the people connected to Emma’s case around the body?And in the process, framing Alison.
It would create emotion, and that brings motive.It could easily be argued that I’m upset with the justice system because it failed Emma.If that is what the killer has planned, then they truly are brilliant.
That put Alison in a catch-22.She could stay, and maybe nothing would happen, or she could go home to try and solve her sister’s murder, only to be part of the next murder.Alison had been able to put herself in the mind of a killer somewhat, but she wasn’t so sure anymore.Could she outthink this killer?
Alison wasn’t sure about that anymore, but she was sure that she had to try, so she headed to the bathroom to take a shower and brush her teeth.She didn't need to eat until she got to the FBI offices.The more time she spent there rather than at the hotel, the less chance the killer had of manipulating the case around her.They could order food to be delivered to the office and eat while trying to figure out the killer’s next move.
When she was done, she grabbed her bag, jacket, and shoes and headed downstairs to hail a cab.There, she found a familiar face.
"Dr.Carver," Alison said."How are you?"
"Do you have time to talk?"Carver asked."Ten minutes of your time."
"Of course," Alison said.
"I’m at the same table as I was the last time," Carver said."Get some coffee and come and sit with me."
"All right," Alison said."Give me a moment."
She went to the coffee bar and ordered herself a drink.She hadn’t told Hartley a specific time when she would arrive at the office, only agreeing to be there early.Ten minutes would not make a difference.And Alison could only think that Carver had information for her.
Or she’s making good on her promise and taking over the case.
There had been more deaths since Dr.Carver had last been in the hotel lobby, so that made the most sense.Still, Alison couldn’t be sure.Carver had been cold at times, but also hugged her, then happy and supportive at other times.It made Alison wonder what was coming next.
Alison ordered her usual black coffee with no sugar and took it back to the table to talk with her former colleague.
"What did you need to talk to me about?"Alison asked, worried that Carverwouldtry to take over the case, especially at a time when Alison was worried about being framed.What would Carver make of it?Would she be more on the side of Detective Wolfe or Special Agent Hartley?Would she toss Alison from the case completely?
"It’s somewhat of a delicate situation," Carver said."You’re the only one I can talk to about this.The only onehe’lltalk to."
"He?"Alison asked.
"Kenneth," Carver replied.
