+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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Back to the house, Gillian found everybody had taken a minute to adjust their outfit to the warm, humid weather. They'd also settled to work in the backyard, at a patio table with an umbrella she didn't even know was there. She'd barely set foot out of the family room when she heard Kurt's angry rant over Skype.
"You sons of bitches! I ain't doing your work so you can enjoy your fat asses over there! Forget it! I'm outta here!"
Gillian circled Tanya's chair, so the cam would show her there. "No problem, Kurt. Go home. Just clear your desk on your way out."
They all knew that silky tone and that understanding smile. So did Kurt, whose anger needed only a heartbeat to melt into a diplomatic scoff. "C'mon, Reg! Y'know I was just kidding! I had to, when those bastards called me from that fancy garden!"
"Point made. Now call back when you have whatever T asked you. And make it sooner than later."
"Sure! You'll have it all in an hour."
Tanya disconnected while the others laughed.
Brock came out then, a photograph in his hand. He saw Russell's loose tank top and swimming trunks and sighed. He always tended to forget Russell was punk-sensitive. Only five minutes and he was one of the gang in full, especially now that he dated Miles.
Brock showed the picture to Tanya. "Is this Irene Graff at the gas station?"
"Yes, sir."
He gave it to Gillian, who frowned. "She looks nothing like the pic we have."
"Quite the opposite," said Ron. "No straight blonde, but curly brunette. And she'd put in some pounds."
"We sure it's her?"
"That girl pays by the time Irene's card has a charge there. And she does it while making a call, which matches Irene's phone records. Plus, she leaves in Irene's car."
"If she changed her appearance so dramatically, she didn't want to be recognized," said Aldana.
"And/or located," said Ron.
"And followed," said Russell.
"What do you mean?" asked Brock.
"Maybe the road trip was to get away from a rough man," Aldana replied. "One who would resent her for dumping him, and follow her to get her back—or get back at her."
"Or maybe she just needed a change," Gillian said. "Many women change their hairdo after a meaningful event in their lives." She shrugged. "Now mind if we go back inside? I mean, for the sake of us not wearing beach gear."
Fred called when she and Brock preceded the others to the 101.
"Reg, you back at the house?"
"Yeah. Where are you?"
"Ten minutes away. Don't you start without us."
"Got something?"
"You bet."
"Hurry up, then."
When Russell heard about the delay, he recruited Aldana and took over the kitchen. Meanwhile, Brock pinned the picture back to the board. He noticed Gillian's eyes fixed on it. He could tell the girl's change of looks bothered her. And she didn't add it to the murder puzzle, but to the list of suspicious things about the case.
"Maybe she knew she was being followed?" Gillian muttered, coming to stand by his side.
"You think the subject's not a local?" he asked quietly.
"No. He's bound to know the area well in order to dump her where he did."
He sighed. "So we actually have nothing but a road trip to mend a broken heart, which made her a victim of opportunity."
Gillian looked up at him, troubled. Not the man she loved. Not the crazy idiot who dared to love her back. But the profiler she'd always admired. "Then why my gut squirms and screams we're wrong, sir?"
He raised his eyebrows. That was her sharp instinct talking again, but they had nothing to support it. "We're still second-guessing, Gillian. Let's see what your team has."
She nodded, grimacing, and turned to the table. "T, I sent you a couple of pictures a while ago. Would you print them?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Gillian was so shocked she couldn't even try a death glare at the girl. Aldana came back just in time to see Tanya's wink.
"Just so you don't miss'im," said the girl.
"Meaning you miss'im," said Aldana.
Tanya took her turn with the shock Gillian had just overcome. "What!?"
"Loose lips sink ships, T," said Ron, chuckling.
Gillian saw Brock's scowl darken at their upcoming banter and asked, "Alright, d'we have anything of a timeline?"
Ron patted a small notebook, on the table before him. "Shoot."
The door to the 101 opened then to let Fred and Hank in.
