Chapter Seven

"I was able to convince the Reynolds to drive back home later today, but only because we gave our word that she would have round-the-clock protection. We'll need to do the same with the other women bearing the same name throughout Michigan."

Brook's lungs burned with the brisk, morning air as she and Theo crested the small incline from the pier to the lake house. The steady rhythm of their running shoes thudded against the hard cement of the sidewalk. Gradually, they slowed to a walk until they came to a stop to begin their stretching regimen. Her favorite exercise was balancing on one foot while bringing the heel of her other shoe against her backside.

The relief in her thigh was palpable.

The bright sun had crested the horizon maybe fifteen minutes ago, and neither she nor Theo had spoken a word since they had left the house…until now. Their moment of peace had come to an end.

They had gotten into a morning routine when on field assignments, and she never would have expected that having company on a morning run could be so enjoyable. There was comfort in unity.

Brook wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, her pulse still echoing in her ears even though her heart rate had steadily slowed while she finished her stretches. Her thigh hadn't twinged once during her morning jog, and she was very pleased with the healing process.

"I've placed a few calls, and I'm confident that we'll get approval for the additional safety measures. Although you're right, and most will probably be at a local level."

Theo led the way to the front door of the rental house. They crossed the threshold into the coolness of the living room. The delicious aroma of coffee filled the air, but that was only because Brook had preset the coffee maker to brew a full pot by the time they arrived back from their run. She would have a glass of water first, but there was nothing like that first sip of coffee in the morning.

Bit was sitting at a makeshift desk in the middle of the room. He lifted a hand in greeting without interrupting his focus, obviously not completely lost in whatever was happening on the screen in front of him. His head was bouncing with the beat of his music streaming out of his headphones while the numerous monitors on the long, rectangular table flickered with activity. He was running a multitude of programs with information about their victims to find a common thread. She was confident that he would eventually be successful in that endeavor.

"Donuts," Brook announced in victory, pointing toward the half-eaten jelly donut on a plate next to Bit's energy drink. "I hope he picked out some chocolate ones."

"I don't know you can eat a donut right after a run," Theo muttered good-naturedly as he moved through the living room toward the kitchen. "I need a good hour before I can digest anything other than my protein shake."

Brook admired Theo's ‘everything in moderation' outlook. Sylvie had recently taken on a healthier lifestyle with great success due to monitoring Theo's daily regimen.

"I will have you know that a donut covered with chocolate icing hits three of the five food groups," Brook informed him as she followed behind, pausing only to pick up her tablet that she had left on the side table. "And don't you dare say that I'm rationalizing when I haven't had my coffee yet."

The interior of the lake house was an eclectic mix of modernism anchored in rustic charm. Exposed wooden beams traversed the ceiling, while sleek, metal light fixtures dangled above. Their dim light cast soft pools of illumination over the hardwood floors. While there was a hearth surrounded by river rock on the far wall, it was currently too warm for a fire. Instead, Bit had positioned the large 4k portable screen that served as their murder board in front of the fireplace.

Theo crossed into the kitchen first, which was in contrast to the dim makeshift operations center that they had set up in the living room. The bright morning light bounced off the lake"s surface, filtering through the sliding glass door and the wide window above the sink. Sunrays generated a shimmering dance across the white marble countertops and stainless steel appliances.

Brook walked over to the sliding glass door, pulling on the handle until the door stood slightly ajar. An inviting, cool breeze brushed over her face, and she inhaled the faintest hint of pine and freshwater.

No fragrance could cut through the aroma of coffee, though.

Theo was already holding out a glass of water by the time she turned around. She took the proffered drink before monitoring his progress to the fridge. Along the way, he swiped a napkin from the counter to wipe away the perspiration from his brow, taking extra care around his eye patch.

He retrieved his protein shake before letting the fridge door close on its own. The cap gave way with one simple twist, and he leaned against the counter to take a long, replenishing drink.

"You haven't mentioned Mia in a while," Brook said after she had polished off her water. She then set the glass gently in the sink. "Everything okay between the two of you?"

Jacob's previous actions of having someone infiltrate their lives in such an intimate manner had affected every one of them. Sylvie's decision to go with a home health agency should not have resulted in a woman stealing another woman's identity, inserting herself into Sylvie's life to learn every profound detail, before then attempting to take Sylvie's life. Bit was the only one who seemed to be able to strengthen his relationship with Zoey, while the rest of them had been left to put up additional barriers.

"I asked Mia to join us at the pub on our next Thursday night outing, whenever that might be," Theo said, his smile breaking free after he lowered his protein shake. Apparently, Bit wasn't the only one who had been able to move on. Brook was always astonished with how time could heal some wounds. She reached for the coffee cup that she had set out next to the coffee maker. "You'll like her."

"I have no doubt," Brook said, meaning every word as she continued to pour the contents of the carafe into her cup. Sometimes, she wished she could just insert a straw into the machine. "From what you told me about Mia, she understands our work and respects your time. That's a rare combination to have in a relationship."

Her fingers wrapped around the mug before leaning back against the counter so that she could face Theo. The welcoming steam curled upwards, and she couldn't help but inhale deeply before taking her first sip. As she lowered her cup, her gaze landed on a colorful box with its lid open on the countertop of the island. The jelly donut that Bit had already confiscated had left behind a noticeable void among its pastry companions. Fortunately, she spotted two chocolate donuts on the lefthand side of the box.

"You have it with Graham," Theo pointed out as he lifted his bottle once more.

"I do," Brook agreed softly as she couldn't suppress her own smile. "But Graham's entire career was spent in the military. He understands the demands of the job."

It was rare that Graham was able to call during his trips, but he had managed to call her via video last night. They had spent a good hour talking about their views on what constituted incredible modern art. It was silly, but she had appreciated the distraction.

"Have you decided if you're flying back to D.C. on Wednesday to have dinner with his mother?" Theo asked, causing her hand to pause mid-air, her cup inches from her lips. Fortunately, Sylvie's sudden presence prevented Brook from having to reply. "Don't think that lets you off the hook."

Brook feigned ignorance before turning her attention to Sylvie.

"Morning," Brook said as she took in Sylvie's appearance. She had dressed comfortably for the upcoming trip to Lansing, but she had also maintained an air of professionalism with the soft pink blouse that she had paired with white denim. Her pink pumps matched, as well as her earrings. Brook was happy to observe Sylvie's vigor to dive into work. "All set for the drive out to Lansing?"

"I contacted Mary Two's husband, and he's meeting me at his residence later this morning." Sylvie's blue eyes lit up at the sight of donuts. She immediately reached for a napkin and didn't speak again until she had taken a bite out of a blueberry cake donut. Her eyes rolled in satisfaction. "This is delicious. And I don't want to hear one word out of you, Theo. Everything in moderation, right? And on another note, Bit should start a rating system for bakeries."

"Moderation is key," Theo said in agreement before switching the conversation back to the case. "It's hard to believe that Mary Two's husband didn't sell the house. They have a daughter. You'd think that he would want a fresh start."

"Well, his daughter might be the reason that he hasn't sold the house," Sylvie pointed out after licking the corner of her lip. "Their daughter has already been through so much, maybe it's best to keep her in the same routine."

Brook snapped her fingers, causing both Theo and Sylvie to glance her way. The fact that Mary Two hadn't been born Mary Jane Reynolds had special meaning, and it was imperative she cover the profile thus far before Theo and Sylvie headed out for the day.

"Let's gather in the living room to go over the profile." Brook pushed off the counter. She made sure to top off her coffee, tuck her tablet underneath her arm, and snatch a chocolate donut from the box before proceeding toward the small hallway. "There are a few things you should know before interviewing the family members and friends."

"I'll be in shortly," Sylvie said as she set her donut on the napkin. "I'm going to make a cup of tea."

Theo remained behind with Sylvie while Brook walked into the living room. Bit was still in his zone, head bobbing to the beat of his music. He reached up and pulled his headphones off when he caught sight of her.

"Hey, Boss. I can confirm that the first three victims had no contact with each other online. As far as the data goes, they did not know one another."

"Thanks, Bit." Brook carefully set her items down on a side table, keeping ahold of her coffee. She would have preferred to have taken a shower before their meeting, but she understood Sylvie's desire to get a start on her day. "Would you please add Arden to the meeting?"

With a few keystrokes, Bit was able to connect with Arden in their D.C. offices. While it was a Saturday and quite early in the morning, Arden had assured them that he would be available to join in on any meetings regarding the investigation.

"Good morning," Arden greeted with his usual morning smile. His mustache was more salt than pepper, and he had deep laugh lines etched into his weathered features. Brook was able to detect from his background that he wasn't sitting at his desk, but rather in the large conference room. Doing so gave him the ability to view the same information on the large 4k monitor as the one Bit had brought with them to Michigan. "How is the rental? I made sure the living room was large enough to accommodate all the equipment."

"The house is perfect, Arden," Brook responded as she stood in front of the portable monitor. "Were you able to do the same in Ann Arbor, just in case we need to change locations?"

"Yes, and I also took the liberty of doing the same in Mount Pleasant and Lansing." Arden's gaze drifted over Brook's shoulder. It was evident that he wanted to know who else was within earshot, but she quickly shook her head to dispel any attempt at discussing the kitten. He understood and kept the conversation casual. "I only needed to put small deposits on the other Airbnb locations. The owners understood our situation, and they were very accommodating."

"Morning, Arden," Theo greeted as he entered the living room. He must have polished off his protein shake. A bottle of water was in his hand, though he hadn't removed the cap yet. "How goes the battle?"

"Depends on which battle you speak of," Arden said with a hearty laugh. "According to the eye doctor, I'll need cataract surgery soon."

"What's this about surgery?" Sylvie asked with concern as she joined them. She usually preferred to boil her water in a kettle, but she must have slipped a cup of water into the microwave for her tea. She came to a stop beside Brook with a teacup in hand. "Can it wait until we're back? I'd like to be there, Arden."

"Oh, you don't have to—"

"Gumshoe, you know that you can't win an argument against Little T," Bit warned as he righted his knitted cap after knocking it askew with his headphones. "How do they numb your eyes? Drops? Needles? I heard this story about—"

"The unsub," Brook stated loudly in an effort to avert Bit from upsetting Arden with stories of surgeries gone wrong. Brook closed the distance to the portable monitor. Since it was a touch screen, she was able to move the video of Arden to the side. His shoulders were shaking from laughing at Bit, who still didn't seem to understand where he had gone wrong with his questions. "Caucasian male, mid-twenties to mid-thirties. Even if we were working without the autopsy reports, which do happen to indicate the force at which the victims were stabbed with a fixed-blade knife, the profile points toward a male subject. DNA from the first two crime scenes is a match, but the unsub is not in the system. We're still waiting on the forensics report from the Mount Pleasant crime scene. This isn't your textbook serial killer, though. Something very specific drives him. I do not believe that he kills for the sake of killing or satisfying some sexual fantasy. The unsub is charming, sociable, and blends in seamlessly with his surroundings."

"Profession?"

The inquiry had come from Sylvie, who had taken a seat on the couch. She set her tea on the side table while finishing off what was left of her blueberry donut.

"White collar," Brook replied as she pulled her profile up on the screen. As usual, she had made bullet points for easy reference. "The killer most likely has the ability to work remotely. The combination affords him the time needed to study the daily routines of his victims."

"After last night, the killer has two potential victims in Crestlake," Theo pointed out grimly as he pulled a seat out from underneath the table. Bit reached for his donut and energy drink to move them to the other side of his workstation. "By the way, I listed the wife of the couple last night as Mary Five into the software program."

Brook had spent a good portion of the evening on the phone last night with Agent Tirelli. He had agreed it was in the Bureau's best interest to give every Mary Jane Reynolds in the state of Michigan some type of protection, whether through their local law enforcement or a federal agent. Tirelli had also agreed to make the arrangements. He would have another federal agent contact all Mary Jane Reynolds, with the exception of Mary Five, whom Theo had personally escorted to and stayed with at the hotel until the arrival of a local state trooper.

"The murder of Mary Two points to the motive that the kills are not about women born with the name Mary Jane Reynolds," Brook pointed out after taking a sip of her coffee. She then reached out to the screen and closed down her profile. She opened the three crime scene photos. "I'd like for the two of you to take photos of the crime scene for comparison. Mary Three was the only victim wounded in the back, while the other two were stabbed in the chest. Considering that Mary Three was on her morning run, we can assume that the unsub isn't searching for something specific. Bit, can you conduct a street view of the jogging trail where Mary Three was killed?"

"Sure thing, Boss." Bit glanced up from his screen. "I still haven't found any connections between the victims. One married, one engaged, and one single…the list of differences is endless."

"Could that be it?" Sylvie asked as she crumbled a napkin in her hand. She reached over for her teacup before settling back against the cushion. "The victims' differences?"

"No," Brook murmured, confident in her summation. "If we take out Mary Four, who is thankfully still alive, only one victim was adopted. Two victims were raised in loving households. One victim has a child, the other two do not. I believe there is a connection, and we will find it in due time."

"Before I forget," Arden interjected, garnering everyone's attention. "Theo, a rental car is waiting for you at the car agency. I scheduled you to have it for the next few days, but I can easily extend it if need be."

"I appreciate that, Arden."

"I"ll be speaking with Daniel Callaghan today," Brook informed them as she finally stepped away from the monitor. "Bit located the rental house that he booked for the week. His preliminary background check states that he is thirty-two years of age, an electrician, and also happens to be going through a divorce. Bit discovered through Callaghan's social media that he is meeting some old high school friends to fish for the week. Evidently, he arrived a day early. He may not fit our profile, but he could have seen something last weekend when he was fixated on Mary Four. Afterward, I'm going to place a call to the detective who investigated the first murder in Ann Arbor. Depending on what he has to say, I might be taking a drive out there."

"That's a two-and-a-half-hour drive," Arden pointed out with a frown. "I can call one of the private airstrips. Maybe someone can fly you there and back."

"I'll keep you posted on my plans," Brook said before taking a sip of her coffee. "Arden, anything on the home front?"

"We received a call regarding a cold case in Minnesota," Arden replied, his gaze being drawn off-screen. "Four victims between 2016 and 2018. Lit on fire, and left to die. From what I gather, the investigation never made it into the hands of the FBI."

"Email me the information, and I'll reach out to the caller later today." Brook's curiosity was piqued, but she pushed it on the back burner. "To finish, the three victims also had very different professions—teacher, accountant, and sales. Theo and Sylvie, include colleagues in your list of people to interview."

"Sylvie, will you drop me off at the car agency?" Theo asked as he stood from the chair. He had finished his water, and he carried the empty bottle with him toward the kitchen. "Give me ten minutes to shower and dress. I'll—"

A timid meow could be heard through the speaker of the portable monitor, but it was so faint that it could have been mistaken for a figment of one's imagination. Arden immediately began to whine in a high-pitched voice before wincing to finish out the charade. "Ah, damn charley horse. That's my cue to go and eat a banana. Call if you need anything."

No one in the living room said a word as the video feed disappeared from the screen. Bit coughed, Theo rubbed his mouth to prevent Sylvie from catching his smile, and Brook merely continued to sip her coffee. She had warned them that it was a bad idea to pick up the kitten while they were out of the city.

Fortunately, Brook's cell phone rang, creating a diversion. She walked over to the side table where she had left her phone to charge, recognizing the number on the display. The agent in charge of finding Stella Bennett's remains was reaching out to her, which meant a team was about to start their grid search of the area that used to house the cabins for summer camp.

When Jacob had turned himself into the FBI, he had done so with the purpose of luring Sarah Evanston out of WITSEC. She had been the only woman to survive one of his horrific attacks, and he couldn't stand that she had gone into hiding. Betting that she would believe it was safe to live her life once again, Jacob had taken extreme measures to entice her out of safety.

Fortunately, Brook had managed to convince Sarah to remain in the witness protection program, knowing full well that part of the deal to take the death penalty off the table was to give a list of victims' names. Brook's brother never would have given up his freedom without having a backup plan. Several of them, in fact.

Only Jacob had left one name off the list—Stella Bennett.

Should the remains of the young girl be discovered and her death traced back to 1996, it could result in devastating consequences for Jacob. A trial would ensue, and with it…the death penalty.