A Criminal's Mind

Vacation

When I head up to Maine for my cousin's wedding, it isn't three days before I get a call from Tench, "hey, Bill."

"Hey, Nance, just wanted to check in, make sure you got there okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine, Bill, thank you. What is this really about?"

"Uh.... Are you really going to be gone for two weeks?"

"Yes... why?"

"Holden is being Holden and you're normally the only one who can reel him in most of the time."

"Is he still on the Roger Wade case?"

"Yes, he is. They let him look into it. And he's riding our new guy."

"New guy?"

"Oh, yeah, we hired a new agent, Gregg Smith."

"Is he any good?"

"He's doing alright. He seems like he's really interested in the work."

"That's good. But not everyone can deal with Holden."

"This is true." Tench clears his throat, "I'll let you go. Have fun. See you in a couple weeks."

"See ya later."

I hang up the phone and shake my head. Can Ford really not control himself for two weeks? Of course, my next two weeks are full of the classic questions, 'are you seeing anyone?' 'what are you doing at work?' 'When are you going to get married?' I mean, I'm only 25, it isn't like I have to get married as soon as I'm done with school and starting my job. I like my job, I don't want to stop working because I am married or because I have kids. I do wish I was there helping Ford with the Roger Wade case. When I'm asked about work I can't exactly tell my family I interview serial killers. So, I just tell them that my team and I look into the behavior of killers to help look into other cases, I mean, it's not a lie. My dad is just happy that I don't go into the field. I don't have the heart to tell him just last week I was talking to Jerry Brudos like we were best friends.

That evening Ford calls me, "hello?"

"Nancy! I'm sorry to call you on your vacation, but I had to tell you about what happened today," Ford sounds very excited.

"Isn't it Debbie's job to listen to you talk about your day?"

"Maybe, but Gregg, our new guy, and I went to talk to some of the teachers and parents of the school today and then we talked to Wade, to ask him to just stop before something happened, and he yelled at us. Without listening to why we were asking him to stop, he acted like we were accusing him of touching his students."

"That's not suspicious at all," I shake my head, "someone's hiding something."

"That's what I thought."

"All this coming from the guy who told us we couldn't use the words Pyromania or Mutilation."

"That's what I said. But he wouldn't hear any of it."

"Keep an eye on him as much as you can. With this pressure it may be a stressor for him."

"I hope not."

"Well, I mean, Rissell's was his girlfriend leaving him and then someone acting like she wanted to have sex with him, so you never know."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry for calling you so late, I'll let you go."

"I'll see you when I get back. If you need anything call."

"Same to you."

While I'm gone Ford and Tench interview Richard Speck, who was convicted of killing eight nurses from South Chicago Community Hospital in July of 1966. I can only imagine how excited Ford is to meet and interview Speck. On our way back from Oregon from interview Brudos by ourselves, he said if there was anyone he wanted to interview it would be Mason or Speck. Maybe this will keep him under control for a little while.

The wedding itself is lovely, although it reminds me how much I miss wearing long dresses, or dresses at all. After that first case I try to only wear slacks or dark jeans with flats or boots, I only need to walk through a crime scene in a dress once to learn my lesson. From what I have heard from Tench they had even gone down to Adairsville Georgia to look into a case down there involving a young girl who had been murdered. And Shepard had begun to show more and more interest in the team, which could be either good or bad.

When I get back it's a Sunday and I am back to work Monday. To be honest, I'm ready to get back to work. When I walk in Tench looks up to me and stands, almost rushing over to me and gives me a hug, "she's back!"

"Hey, Bill."

"Did you have a good time?"

I nod, "yeah, I did. I'm happy that Wade is no longer at the school."

"Aren't we all," I turn to Ford, who also hugs me, "welcome back, Nance."

"Are you alright, Holden?" I place a hand on his cheek, "you look like you haven't slept in days."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just this case we're working on."

"Yeah," Tench nods, "you up for a trip down to Georgia?"

"I can't see why not," I chuckle softly.

Carr walks over to me and smiles, "because you just got back from Maine and I'm assuming you flew." Carr hugs me, "good to have you back."

"Wendy's right," Tench nods, "you can stay here and go over the Speck transcript. The case looks like a pretty open and cut one to be honest."

"Does it?" I tilt my head.

"Yeah, Holden and I will have it closed in a couple of days. You can stay here and catch up."

"I can catch up on the plane," I shake my head, "I've left you alone with Holden for two weeks, I'm going with you to Georgia."

"Alright," Tench puts his hands up, "if you really want to go."

Ford walks over to me, "you want to take point on this one?"

"Really? Can I do that since I wasn't with you guys last time?"

"Why not?" Tench shrugs.

"Yeah," Ford nods, "it'll stir something up in a town like Adairsville."