Reid nodded. "Since the killer hasn't stopped their activities over the past five years, I've ruled out the basement as a relevant location. The only meaningful place left is the warehouse in Norwood."
"It's been rented for nearly eight years, and items have been stored there over the years. It seems to fall within the killer's usual range of activities."
"Did you include the locations where the latest two victims disappeared? These cases are the most recent and might fit your proximity theory," Hotchner asked.
Reid's eyes lit up at Hotchner's suggestion. He immediately pulled out a map from his small satchel, marking three points and drawing a large circle. "A 40-mile radius, just about an hour's drive."
The benefit of the sparse population in the U.S. was evident here. The area within the circle seemed vast, but excluding the uninhabited zones and focusing on the roads, it only encompassed two small towns and a few even smaller villages.
"Call Garcia and ask her to screen for anyone in this area who works in electrical repairs, for the power company, or has an electrical engineering background," Hotchner began assigning tasks.
"JJ and Emily, keep a close eye on recent missing persons, especially those fitting the profile. The killer might be in their final frenzy, and this could be our last chance."
Then, he turned to Jack. "We collected DNA samples from the families of potential victims we previously screened. Take those samples to the Denver crime lab and compare them with the hair evidence Agent Moss found."
The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly became awkward. Reid shifted his head around, unsure where to look. Jack, on the other hand, stiffened his neck, forcing himself not to look at Rossi.
"It won't match," Rossi said in a deep voice.
"The odds are slim, but since the families provided the samples—" Hotchner began.
"That's not what she found in the warehouse," Rossi interrupted.
"She lied?" Hotchner, being sharp as ever, immediately understood Rossi's point.
Rossi nodded slightly. Hotchner's face darkened as he glared at Jack. "So, you two already figured this out? When were you planning to tell me?"
Huh? Why are you looking at me? Reid was in on this too! Jack mentally grumbled but forced a sheepish smile. "Even though she had other motives, the case is real. We confirmed the first victim before notifying you."
"You should know that kind of behavior is unacceptable." Hotchner was fuming.
Of course, he knew this wasn't entirely Jack's fault. He turned to face Rossi.
"You chose me to lead this task force, so I have to take responsibility. Now explain why you're defending her."
Rossi, clearly troubled, spoke in a lower tone than usual.
"Because I know what kind of person she is. She reminds me of myself 20 years ago. Long ago, I used to put myself first, using both victims and killers as stepping stones for my career. Until a particular case changed me."
Everyone knew which case he was referring to (Chapter 259).
"I hate the person I was then, but I can't change the past. However, it's not too late for her. I don't want her to make the same mistakes."
Hotchner took a deep breath, visibly holding back his anger. He didn't say more. He couldn't stay mad at the old man for too long, especially since, as Jack had said, no matter the means, Jill Moss's persistence had uncovered a major case. In that invisible gamble, she had won.
Western culture tends to emphasize individual actions and achievements, paying little attention to internal motives. It's a 'winner takes all' mentality. No matter the means, be they underhanded or manipulative, failure results in ridicule, but success is always above reproach.
Even in Eastern cultures, there's a saying: "Judge actions, not intent; judge intent, and no one is perfect."
But from Jack's perspective, Rossi only saw what he wanted to see. Jill Moss's issues seemed to go beyond her ambition.
To Rossi, Jill appeared as a strong-willed, independent woman who fought for women's rights and resisted male dominance in the workplace. These qualities won Rossi's approval, but they also seemed to cloud his judgment.
"Don't you think it's strange that a woman who's never experienced failure, the youngest and most pampered child from a single-parent family, strong-willed, independent, and good at using her advantages, would so easily gamble her career?"
Late at night, Jack held JJ close, and after settling into a state of clarity, he voiced these thoughts.
"So, that's why you were staring at that pretty woman's inner thigh earlier?" JJ's eyes widened as she twisted the soft flesh at Jack's waist, spinning it 180 degrees.
"Of course not! I was just explaining why I asked you to look into Jill Moss's public records," Jack said, exaggerating his pain to beg for mercy.
"Maybe she thinks winning over Rossi is enough. After all, she is quite attractive, and Rossi's reputation in the bureau…" JJ said, teasingly gossiping about her superior from the comfort of Jack's arms.
"Maybe." Jack hoped he was just overthinking.
"Or maybe I've been too traumatized lately and need further treatment."
Jack lowered his head and mumbled, burying it into the pillow.
"Have you ever heard of an art form from that island nation in the East? It stems from their culture of shame and focuses not only on the observer's perspective but also on the experience of the one being bound..."
---
After an entire night of "teaching" from Jack, he arrived at the Denver FBI office the next morning, feeling refreshed.
Garcia had already narrowed down the suspect list to fewer than 200 people. Their task for the day was to further screen and compare these individuals' backgrounds with the profile.
It was a lot of work, but the best option they had.
Around noon, Jack stepped out of the conference room, stretching. The coffee pot was empty, so he decided to brew a fresh pot in the break room.
Emily hurried toward the conference room, holding a file, with JJ following close behind.
"What's going on?" Jack quickly stepped aside, opening the conference room door for them.
"Denver PD just filed a missing person's report. The background highly matches the suspect's victim profile."
"Details? Profession? Age?" Hotchner asked, looking up from the stack of files.
"Katrina Townsley, 34 years old. Her car was found in an alley, and she's suspected to have gone missing yesterday morning. She's a reporter for The Chronicle."
"The Chronicle?" Rossi shot up from his chair. "Has anyone seen Agent Moss this morning?"
"I saw her still in the office at 10 last night, but I haven't seen her today," Reid answered, raising his hand.
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances.
---
Jill Moss was missing. Her phone was off, and no one was at her home. Fortunately, every FBI vehicle had a tracking device, and the local tech support team had already begun locating her.
Her laptop was password-protected, but it was FBI-issued, and Garcia cracked it remotely once Jack connected it to the network.
"There's a new email in her inbox, signed by Katrina Townsley, the missing reporter." Jack turned the laptop toward the others.
"Let your wild horses run free. I will let you unleash your darkest desires. Relish the thrill of electric shock."
The email contained a scanned page of a book. The handwriting matched the killer's previous writings exactly.
"Reid, have you seen this page in the materials before?" Rossi asked.
Reid leaned in for a closer look. "No, this is new. It's clearly a trap. They kidnapped the reporter, called her with a fake tip, and lured her in. But why would Agent Moss—"
"Because she likes it," Jack said, walking to Jill Moss's desk. He picked up a water cup and dripped some water onto her leather chair.
"Before she went to Rossi for help, she spent every day here in this office, in this chair, reading the killer's writings, interpreting his fantasies, and then..."
Jack put on rubber gloves and wiped the chair cushion where the water had dripped. A few glistening strands appeared between his fingers.
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]