"Hey," Moore called from the doorway."We need to go."
Alison knew from the tone in Moore’s voice and the tightness in her jaw that they weren’t just going back to the office to look into Langford.There was an urgency in her voice.If there were more relief in her voice or on her face, Alison would suspect they had found the killer or knew where the killer was.
No, this was another body.
***
"Patricia Holland," The officer told them.
The three of them stood outside an apartment building.
"She was found this morning by her boyfriend, who had come over with breakfast," the officer continued.
"He’s not a suspect?"Alison asked.
The officer looked up as if he could see through the walls and into the apartment where Patricia had been killed.
"Yeah, you see," the officer said with a sigh of resignation."The boyfriend is also married, and he was pretty adamant that we shouldn’t contact his wife.It wasn’t until we cuffed him because he was so evasive that he became more compliant.Anyway, we called the wife, and he was at home all night.She thought he had left for work, but apparently, this is a little detour he often makes before work during the week.Not what he expected when he turned up."
"He had a key?"Moore asked.
"He did," the officer confirmed."He went into the apartment, found her on the floor, covered inquitea lot of blood, and called the cops immediately.Well, right after vomiting in the hallway, so watch your step when you go up there."
"Do you know who she was?"Alison asked.
"Not personally, no, but she had ID in the apartment, and the guys back at the precinct put together a quick file for you coming down.Is it true that you just came from another like this?"
"We believe so," Moore acknowledged."Who was she?"
"She’s bounced back and forth between government organizations and private companies, but she mainly specializes in expert testimony.She’s been in court over a hundred times, both here and in other states.She gives testimony on psychological evaluations.With the number of times she’s testified against crazy people in court, that’s where you should look, if you ask me.Someone blamed her for being put away; they had just gotten out and came straight here.Absolute bloodbath."
"Thank you, officer," Moore replied."What floor are we going up to?"
"The fourth," he replied.
"Okay, we can find our own way up."
Moore and Alison left the officer and entered the apartment building.They took the stairs instead of the elevator.
"No commonality in the places they were killed," Alison pointed out."If this is the same killer, then they don't need to kill people where they work or live.It could be either.And it was done on the same night.We’re talking hours apart.That shows an urgency to me.It’s one thing to plan to murder someone, but quite another to plan to murder two people on the same night."
They reached the fourth floor, and Moore held the door open for Alison.
"Both connected to criminal justice," Alison added."That has to be the connection.One psychiatrist who evaluated defendants for competency and decided whether or not they would face trial, and an expert witness who likely presented either similar information in court, or even the information Dr.Langford supplied."
"So, we’re looking for a trial that they were both involved in?"Moore asked as they walked the hallway.
"Yes," Alison agreed.
When they reached the apartment door with the officer stationed outside, Moore showed her badge.Down the hallway, an old man stood outside his apartment, watching the proceedings.
"Did you see or hear anything?"Moore called out to him.
"I have no idea what’s going on," he replied.
A faint metallic tang hung in the air.They entered the apartment to see the body blocked by the forensic tech crouched over it, between Patricia, who lay on the floor of the living room, and the door.The blood wasn’t blocked from view.Long streaks of red on either side of the body, covering the surrounding floor, furniture, and walls.
"Detective Moore," Moore announced as they entered.