"'Green River Killer' Gary Ridgway buried the victims' bodies in the dense forests on the outskirts of Seattle. Investigators never thought to search there because they were too focused on investigating the Green River area," said Hotchner.
"Of course, but no offense intended—this case doesn't require us to search in the woods," Detective Lehman still seemed somewhat unconvinced.
"These four victims all lived in the city, and their addresses are connected by a highway."
"However, giving the killer such a codename is inherently misleading. It gives all the officers involved the impression that the investigation should only focus on that highway. But you don't have any evidence proving the killer is strictly operating along Highway 99, do you?"
Detective Lehman was silent for a moment before reluctantly nodding. "I understand, disagreement settled. Anything else, sir?"
He knew in his heart that Hotchner was right, but his pride made it hard to fully concede. Even though they were from different departments, Hotchner outranked him and had the authority to overrule him.
After all, the BAU team had been brought in to lead the investigation. The moment Lehman's superiors made that decision, it was clear that any objections he had would have to be kept to himself.
Detective Lehman had made his comment casually, not expecting Hotchner to cast his gaze towards the bustling activity outside the meeting room.
"There are too many people. Do all of them need to be here?" Hotchner asked.
"What?" Detective Lehman wasn't sure he'd heard correctly.
"This is just a command center, right? Why are so many people staying here?" Hotchner continued.
"But these people have been working on this case since before you arrived, and they came from far away too."
Hotchner remained unfazed by the irritation in Lehman's tone. "A command center doesn't require so many support staff. I'm not asking for them to be removed from the task force entirely, but sending them back to their respective precincts would clearly help the investigation progress more efficiently."
Detective Lehman forced a smile. "I'll make sure they return."
With that, he left the meeting room and headed toward the other officers.
"If Hotch ever became president, our bureaucracy would undoubtedly be more efficient than ever," said Jack, returning to the room with a few cups of coffee in hand like a magician.
"I'm just being practical," Hotchner defended himself for once.
"This is yours, Dr. Reid," he said, as he removed the A4 paper labeled "Highway 99 Killer" from the map and handed it to Reid.
"Guys, there's been another murder, this time in Modesto," JJ said, entering quickly while grabbing a coffee from Jack.
"The killer's moved further south," Reid noted, circling Modesto on the map.
Hotchner looked over at Jack, Emily, and Rossi, who had already stood up. "You three head to Modesto. We'll stay here for now."
"I'll drive," Rossi said enthusiastically, holding out his hand to Jack.
Modesto was only about 120 kilometers from Sacramento, less than a two-hour drive. When Rossi parked the "Mammoth" on the roadside, he seemed like he hadn't quite had enough.
"Hennessey also released a muscle car version of this, based on the Camaro—the 'ZL1 Exorcist.' You might want to consider it," Jack mentioned, recalling the research he had done online. With Rossi's wealth, he could easily afford one.
Rossi seemed tempted but eventually shook his head. "I'm too old for such flashy sports cars."
The three approached the crime scene perimeter and showed their badges to a few officers. Soon, a gray-haired detective, roughly the same age as Rossi, came out to meet them.
"I'm Detective Daniels."
"I'm Agent Tavares, and this is Agent Rossi and Agent Prentiss," Jack introduced them, and after handshakes, Detective Daniels led the way. "Please, follow me."
However, when he turned around, he noticed the three hadn't moved.
"Is there a problem?"
"This family didn't have a dog?" Jack looked around. The victim's home was a typical wooden detached house with an attic, a yard, and a garage, but there was no dog stake or kennel on the lawn.
"No, no dog, no alarm system, and they even left the porch light off," Detective Daniels shrugged.
Rossi began his lecture, "This home meets the three key criteria burglars look for: no dog, no alarm, and no lights on. It also suggests the killer is patient, specifically targeting homes that are easy to attack."
He then looked at the elderly people standing beyond the police tape. "Are those the neighbors?"
Detective Daniels nodded. "Yes, we just finished taking their statements."
Emily took the initiative. "I'll go talk to them."
Jack and Rossi then followed Detective Daniels into the house.
The interior was well-decorated, with a carpeted living room, everything neatly in place, clean and orderly. While the family wasn't exactly middle class, it was clear they had a strong sense of home.
As soon as they entered the bedroom, the stench of blood hit them. The forensic team had just removed the body. The once-clean walls, the carpet, and the bed sheets that had been thrown aside were all splattered with blood.
"Is that the murder weapon?" Jack immediately spotted an iron resting on the nightstand, seemingly soaked in blood.
"Yes, we found brain matter from the victim on it," Detective Daniels said, handing over an evidence bag, indicating Jack should take a look. Inside was a small piece of fabric.
Jack put on gloves and opened the sealed bag. A sharp, pungent odor filled the air.
"Banana oil?"
"Seems like it," the detective nodded, looking confused. "I found it in the bathroom when I arrived at the scene. Not sure what the killer used it for."
Jack grinned. It seemed a piece of the killer's identity had just been revealed.
Rossi, surprised by Jack's reaction, asked, "You actually know about this stuff?"
Jack shrugged. "Did you forget I grew up near the slums?"
Of course, Jack had no idea if his past self knew this; it was actually a random bit of trivia he had picked up in his previous life.
In a country where drugs were tightly controlled, some people had turned to things like glue, banana oil, deodorant, and even nail polish remover to get high.
These substances all contained a class of chemicals known as volatile aromatic hydrocarbons, or volatile organic solvents.
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]