The Dark Places by R. Whitfield (novel24 TXT) 📕

childhood?” Parker asked. “I don’t get the sense that he was a victim at any point in his life,” he added.

“I agree,” Surin replied. “Not a victim per se, but different. People probably avoided him, which made it easy for him to fly under the radar in most situations. He almost definitely lacked a male role model. This guy grew up with at least one very dominant female, not necessarily abusive but emotionally unstable and easily agitated.”

Parker nodded in agreement. “We are painting a pretty dark picture of this unsub,” he said, holding his hand up and folding down his fingers one by one. “Patience, intelligence, hatred—”

“Don’t forget, the sexual aspect,” Surin interrupted, tapping on the table. “He rapes these girls, repeatedly. They are restrained and strangled multiple times until they die.” She crossed her legs. “Then the method of disposal, I mean he literally dumps them.” She gestured to the floor, emotion creeping into her voice. “No remorse. He feels nothing but disappointment that it’s over.”

Parker nodded. “Then the hunt begins,” he said quietly.

“The hunt,” Surin echoed. “Interesting that you say it like that.”

Parker looked at her, ignoring the flashing cursor on the computer.

“Interesting, how?” he asked.

She smiled back. “You’re the psychologist,” she stated.

“We have never really discussed his method of choosing a victim,” he added.

“No, we haven’t,” she replied. “I think it’s safe to assume he is hunting.”

“Absolutely,” Parker agreed. “No witnesses, no forensic evidence, and from what we can tell, no struggle.”

“He knows their routines, when they are alone, when he has access.” Surin wheeled over to her desk again, retrieving the pile of case files and spinning around with them on her lap. “He has a physical type. He sees them, chooses, and starts the stalking.”

“He may have more than one on the go at a time. A man like this would definitely think ahead to the next target,” Parker added.

“Emma was a waitress; Kara, a legal secretary; Jessica, a college student; Eva, a nurse and Isabelle was a lawyer.” As Surin read the names out, she dropped the files onto the floor in front of her. “There is no crossover we have found, he simply sees them, they fit his delusion, and their fate is sealed.” Surin put her head in her hands. “These poor girls, Parker, they didn’t even know they had targets on their backs.”

They both sat quietly for a few moments until Surin sighed and smiled sadly. “Let’s find the missing link then, shall we?”

Parker nodded, placing his hands back on the keyboard.

“Try 2008-2010,” Surin said. “That’s the gap between Emma and Kara.”

Parker hit enter and waited. The computer whirled for what felt like an eternity and then beeped with its result. Parker scanned the screen. “There are hits here, but no, no, nothing that looks right. Fifteen cases but nothing that fits all of the search criteria.”

Surin leaned forward over his shoulder. He immediately felt her brush up against him and shut his eyes to focus on the task at hand. “That can’t be right!” she said, louder than intended. “Shit,” she swore under her breath, and Parker felt her frustration. Defeated, she plonked back down onto her chair. “Fifteen.” She sighed.

“Yeah, a busy, few years, in Maryland,” Parker added dismissively.

Surin shot up in her seat. “Maryland.”

Parker looked at her, confused, waiting for more.

“He roamed, he ventured outside the state! This is what we have missed, Parker. How could I be so stupid!” she yelled. “Remove Maryland from the search parameters.” Parker did as she asked.

“Surin, a whole country? Do you know the hits we are going to get? It will be unmanageable.”

She stared at him, taking in what he was saying. “You’re right, let’s include states either side, Virginia, DC, Pennsylvania and Delaware.”

Parker’s finger flew across the keyboard, updating the search fields. They both sat in silence; the tension in the air was palpable. The beeping of the computer broke the quiet.

“How many?” Surin asked, not looking at the screen.

“Over a hundred,” Parker said quietly.

“Fuck,” Surin mumbled and started walking to her desk.

“Wait, Elliott,” Parker added. The tone of his voice made Surin turn around immediately. “There is, however, only one that matches all of the criteria.”

Surin stared at him. “You could have led with that Rhodes.” She smiled.

“Yes, I could have,” he replied with a grin and turned the laptop screen around to face her. “Meet Lilly Jackson.”

***

Lilly had been a nineteen-year-old childcare worker from Delaware. Her body had been found dumped four days after she had been reported missing by her co-workers in June 2009. She had been restrained, raped, and strangled, and not a single shred of forensic evidence had been recoverable.

“She could be Isabelle,” Surin whispered, staring at the missing person’s photo, “or Emma or Eva! The likeness is uncanny.” She stood up and stretched her back, grasping her hips and leaning forward.

They had been hunched over the computer for hours. “It’s not just the black hair,” she added, “they look so much alike, it’s freaky.”

“I agree,” Parker replied. “There is nothing random about any of this.”

“We have a time frame, though.” Surin sat back down and moved the mouse. “Two years apart.” She pointed at the screen to a timeline she had constructed of all the victims.

“Lilly slots in here,” she indicated, “between Emma and Kara.”

Parker leaned in closer to have a look, squinting his eyes. “So, this year he has escalated majorly. It’s only been twelve months, give or take, since Jessica Moroe and already three others since?”

Surin nodded, not liking the thoughts that were building in her head. “Whatever his game is,” she added, “it’s approaching its finale.”

They both stared at each other for a beat. Parker broke eye contact first, abruptly grabbing his coat off the back of his chair.