The Reckoning - BLACKBIRD book 3

3. impersonal

They were leaving when Tanya called Gillian, in conference with the team at the station, so she put the call on speaker. Sylvia Jones, the just-abducted woman, wasn't registered at any dating site.

"But we may have something, anyway," said Russell. "I'm going through the last logs of one of the fake users, and there's a complete change in grammar and vocabulary on one of the local women he was in touch with before abducting Rose Coleridge. The chat went on for about two hours."

"And this woman is among Sylvia Jones' contacts," added Ron. "We're trying to reach her, to check if she allowed Sylvia to access the site with her user ten days ago."

"The place Sylvia had on her calendar for last night is another restaurant," said Fred. "We've already asked for their security feeds."

"If the subject's accelerated his times, he may not keep Sylvia for a whole week," said Brock.

"We should deliver his profile to the local staff," said Russell.

"We'll do it as soon as I get there."

Gillian disconnected and turned a little on her seat, removing her sunglasses. If the stupid bitter man's questions a while ago were had been a clumsy attempt to clear the air between them, she just got the key. How come only now she thought about it? There would always be something they could talk about, and actually feel fine doing it.

So she asked, "Tell me more about this subject, please."

Brock glanced at her from over his sunglasses. "What d'you want to know?" he asked, rather cautious.

"Everything?"

Plain and simple. He knew that tone: she meant it. And talking about profiling could be a good way to smooth things out with her. So he breathed in and launched one of his calm, methodical explanations.

"He's what we call an impersonal killer, because the identity of his victims doesn't really matter as long as they fit his type. Most sexual sadists fall in this category. An impersonal killer is like an addict: he's always looking for the ultimate high. The problem is that their first kill is usually their highest rush. So they keep killing, trying to get higher, but they will never get that high again. That makes them feel frustrated, and they become obsessed."

Gillian let him act on her like he used to. His voice setting her mind in motion, his confidence helping her to feel more comfortable. She wanted him to stay on his profiler mood and keep explaining things to her, teaching her once more like he'd been doing for almost twenty years. When he was like that, she could forget about his rejection. She wasn't afraid of speaking or asking questions. She didn't need her smartass pose to shut him out.

"That's why he abducted another woman so soon?"

Brock could feel her eyes on him. She was really listening. Well, as usual. It was like that morning back at Orlando's, that strange pull between them, almost physical, linking their minds. Nothing could come between them at those moments, because they understood each other at a level maybe nobody else could. So he answered. To keep the conversation going, feed the bond that could overcome their differences, and allow them not to feel so uncomfortable around each other, so they could work together for real.

"I think so, yes. Right now, he can't think of anything else. It's a psychotic break: he's submerged in his own reality, where his pursuit of satisfaction through these killings has become his whole world. He needs new victims to improve his routine and try to get that ultimate high he's desperately trying to reach."

She just nodded, struggling to not gawk as she processed the information, delivered in the exact way she needed to understand it. As usual.

When she kept silent, Brock glanced at her, finding those bright blue eyes fixed on him with a mild, focused frown. She'd absorbed his every word and expected him to go on. So he did.

"However, this is no text-book impersonal killer. He's closer to a sexual sadist, because his high doesn't come from the killings but from his routine."

"And last night you said he's not getting any real high from it."

Brock pulled over before the station, deploring they were already there. "Yes," he said as he parked. "That's another element that accelerates his times, and it will increase the violence he displays."