Edge of Mercy (A Kate Reid Novel Book 11), Robin Mahle [freenovel24 .txt] 📗

“I think that the Houston Field Office found no DNA left behind on any of the victims and they’re still sifting through the list of volunteers; the ones who signed-in, anyway.” Duncan gazed at the board. “I hope you can pull a rabbit from a hat. We need a profile. We need a place to look.”

“There has to be someone who remembers him.” Kate turned to her. “Has anyone talked to the triage doctors? Maybe one of them remembers who brought in these people for treatment. If we can’t find a volunteer, maybe we find the doctors.”

“Palmero might already be on it, but I can follow up on that.” Duncan placed her hand on Kate’s shoulder. “How are you holding up in here on your own?”

“I’m adjusting. I miss the back and forth I had with Quinn. He was brilliant.”

“A brilliant, manipulative, asshole,” Duncan replied. “You’re pretty bright yourself. I’ll leave you to your work and check up on those doctors. If I hear anything, I’ll get back with you.”

“Thanks.” Kate returned to her board. “What am I not seeing here? Who the hell are you?” An idea took shape and she returned to her desk and pressed the intercom. “Levi, do you have a minute to come to my office?”

“On my way,” he replied.

Kate waited for his arrival, which only took a moment.

Walsh entered. “At your service, Agent Reid. What can I do you for?”

She placed her fingers on her chin. “I think I’ve overlooked the obvious with our unsub.”

“How do you mean?”

“I’ve been thinking this guy only uses the opportunity to kill during times of chaos. These natural disasters.”

“Which we’re looking into the past five across the country to see if any of those locations had similar deaths,” he said.

“Right. And that’s what we need to do, but what if the killer manages to pull off similar stunts with his own patients? We know he has medical experience, likely a first-responder, right?”

“I follow you,” Walsh added.

“Emergency calls must be very chaotic, right? Lots of opportunities to overlook things, make so-called mistakes.”

He nodded. “You know what you’re saying, here, right?”

“That this unsub has killed a lot more people than we could possibly imagine. He would have had the means, the opportunity and a job that put him in a position of power over people when they need him the most.”

“You think the unsub currently works in the medical field? Either a doctor or a paramedic. Something like that,” Walsh continued.

Kate nodded. “I realize this gets us no closer to knowing who this is, but this case could be a hell of a lot bigger than any of us know. Duncan is asking around about the doctors who worked at the triage clinics in Oakview and in Riverside. I think one of them must have recalled who brought in the victims.”

“You’re assuming it was the unsub who brought them in.”

“It would have to be,” Kate said. “This person wouldn’t risk someone else trying to revive his victims. He would wait until there was no possible chance these people could be saved. He kept them nearby, not allowing anyone else to intervene. Then, when all was said and done, he made up his story as to what happened, and handed off his victim to the appropriate people.”

“Say you’re right,” Walsh began. “That would mean a lot of alone time with the victims to take his shot. A doctor might have that opportunity, but someone like a first-responder, an EMT, they’re partnered up, from what I understand.”

“Who’s to say the partner wasn’t needed elsewhere? Maybe the partner turned his or her back for just long enough. The possibility also exists a partner could be in on it,” she replied.

“It’s a possibility. I’ll grant you. But like you said, it doesn’t get us any closer to finding the unsub.”

“Maybe we’ll know more once Duncan has a chance to speak to some of these doctors. And, we’re still waiting on Palmero and his team to finish going through their lists. I know we have a long way to go, but what I know of this unsub right now tells me he won’t pass up on any opportunity to kill.”

Hours had passed when Fisher walked into Kate’s office to see her still peering at her board. “How’s it going in here?”

Kate turned around. “Hey. It’s going. I’m making progress.” She pointed to the board. “You should’ve seen this a couple of hours ago. I was beginning to wonder if I was on the right track.”

Fisher gazed at the board that now had question marks, scribbles and more photos plastered around it. “Looks like you’ve been busy.”

“What’s going on?” she asked. “Do you have anything new?”

“Actually, no. I wanted to stop by to see you on a different matter.” Fisher pulled the toothpick from his mouth. “I just got off the phone with Agent Jonathan Surrey from the Denver Field Office.”

She peered at him with raised brows. “Oh yeah?”

“Yep. He said they just captured the man who killed those three women and didn’t hesitate to give you credit for the work you did on the profile.”

“That’s great news. I was beginning to wonder because I hadn’t heard from my contact in a few days. I’m glad I could help. Surrey is an excellent profiler in his own right. I only built on the information he had.”

“Somehow, I figured you’d shift the praise onto someone else,” Fisher said. “It’s what I’ve come to expect from you, Reid.”

“I don’t understand.” She squared up with him. “Surrey had a lot of information already.”

“I know that. I’m just saying that’s what you do. You defer.” He folded his arms. “Don’t. You don’t need to.”

“Okay, I just wanted to give credit…”

“Reid, Surrey wanted you to know how much he appreciated your help. Take the compliment.”

“Sorry.” Her cheeks flushed as she turned away from him and back to her whiteboard.

Fisher pressed on. “I’ve looked at Surrey’s file. He has a lot of experience and is