+18 - eps 28-32 - On the sixth installment of the Blackbird series, Cassidy sends Gillian and her team with Brock and Russel to Tampa, Florida, to look into the death of a girl while winter storm Jonas beats the East Coast. But this seemingly ordina...
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As soon as the Pilatus took off, everybody unbuckled their seatbelts and gathered around the first two rows, where Gillian and Brock sat opposite Aldana and Tanya. Fred brought coffee for everybody in small paper cups and sat on Gillian's armrest.
Ron looked around and scoffed. "Dude, this is so Criminal Minds—feds on a jet discussing a murder."
"Their jet's better," said Aldana.
"Reminds me of CT's Falcon. We should have one only for us, like them," said Fred.
"Bet their salaries are better, too," said Hank.
"And they only work nine months a year," said Russell.
Tanya gave Brock the folder, knowing he liked paper best, and handed out three tablets for the others to share. That brought their banter to an end and they took a first look at the case.
The girl turned around her computer to show them the picture of a pretty blond girl. "Irene Graff, twenty-two, Senator Graff's niece. She was found dead yesterday morning in the New Tampa area, half a mile away from the I-75."
Ron read aloud from the tablet he shared with Hank. "COD fatal heart failure caused by repeated electroshocks."
Hank cursed under his breath. "Man, look at the autopsy diagram. Mouth, genitalia, ears, breasts... the son of a bitch didn't miss a single sensitive spot."
"He's one sick sadist," murmured Russell, looking at the report on Aldana's tablet.
"Who found her?" asked Gillian.
"A young couple from Hunter's Green—that's a development north of the crime scene," replied Tanya. "They jog every morning with their retriever cross-country from Flatwoods Park Trail to the I-75 and back. Yesterday, the dog sprinted away, and when they followed it, they stumbled on Irene's body and called 911."
"No more morning jog for a while," said Fred. "The Coroner established the time of death only a couple of hours before she was found. This kind of torture takes time. When was she reported missing?"
"She never was," said Gillian. "Look at Cassidy's notes. They called Irene's mother at her home in Richmond, Virginia. She said Irene was road-tripping alone. Looks like she needed some time away after a hard breakup with her fiancé."
"According to her phone records, her last call was on Wednesday evening, about seven-thirty," said Aldana. "D'you know who she called, T?"
"Her mom. And her phone last pinged not two miles away from where she was found dead."
"Credit card charges?" asked Ron.
"On it. I'll have them by the time we land."
"Reg, Cassidy said this was the work of a serial," said Russell.
Gillian nodded at Tanya.
The girl grimaced. "So far, we only have the name of a possible previous victim. I'm waiting for the original file, but I'm having a bad connection—must be Jonas."
"Even without it, we've got enough for a preliminary search," said Gillian. "This is too clean to be a first-timer, so his MO must show up somewhere. Female victims in their early twenties, abduction, ligatures and torture with a taser or electric prod. Search Florida databases, go back five years."
She couldn't help glancing at Brock, who nodded with his serious business scowl and added, "On VICAP, look for male offenders in their mid-thirties or older. They should also have an early history of violence against animals."
"That's your friendly neighbor Mr. Psychopath," said Ron as he stood up. "Fine, Hank, you and Fred go see the EM. Russ, you and Al interview the couple who found Irene. I'm checking the crime scene with Reg while Brockner and Tanya set up shop. Off the jet flying into light clouds. Opening titles. Commercial break. I'm first to the toilet."
Brock allowed himself a mild questioning scowl when the others laughed. He understood it was a reference to the TV show they mentioned earlier, but Ron's dispositions were anyway good.
"Hey, T, can you contact Kurt?" asked Gillian.
"I can try, but he won't be online. Sure as hell he's back to bed."
Gillian produced her phone with a crooked smile. "Let me take care of that. Put together a list of the searches you can't run from here."
"We can always ask Brandon. He was at the office when we left."
"And miss the chance to bother Kurt? Sorry, T, but no way."
She was surprised when Kurt picked up right away, wide awake and offended to no end. "You left us behind and went to Florida for the weekend! That's so low, Reg!"
"Us? Only you, dear. Doctor Schwarz is on board."
"What? But he said his car was broken!"
"If there's a will, there's a way. In his case, a taxi. Now get online, I need you to run some searches."
"I don't have access to the Bureau databases from home, Reg."
"Then get your ass to the office. We need them done in two hours tops."
Kurt grunted and huffed. "Tell T to email me the parameters. So much for the weekend off."
"Serves you well, for being always late. Tell Jonas I said hi."
