[MD2, 1:05PM, Virginville Airport]
Everything seemed to be taking just a little longer than Kate had planned.
Being a small town airport, she could forgive the fact that the guard
running the metal detector didn't get FBI agents through the gates every
day, and she could understand his reluctance to let three armed women pass
through, even if they did have credentials. She was determined to see
Eithne and Sandra off at the gate, and to make it back to the opposite end
of the airport to greet the new team members, but it soon became apparent
that, even as small as this airport was, there just wasn't time for both.
Rushing to the gate where the flight from DC had landed some ten minutes
ago, she took a look around for a group that might be the agents she was
meeting. Most of the travelers had already picked up their baggage and
were headed out, but there was a group of three who looked like they might
be the agents, gathered around a man holding a card with names on it.
Kate wished that she'd had a chance to ask Smith at least for the names of
the agents being sent. He hadn't said anything about sending someone to
meet them, but then, he really hadn't said much at all. Kate approached
the group.
"Excuse me," she said, producing her ID and showing to the group. "I'm
Special Agent Kate Calloway, team leader of unit Delta. Are you folks the
agents that were sent to join us?"
"Uh, yes. Agent Craig Hermes," the dark haired man said, looking a bit
confused and casting a suspicious glance at the individual holding the
card. "Let me introduce Agents Sharlyn Robins and Patricia McFly."
"Its a pleasure to meet all of you," Kate said. "Please, forgive me for
being a little late meeting you. Two of our agents were recalled to
Washington, and I wanted to see them off." She turned her attention to the
card holder. "And who are you?"
The man seemed a bit flustered, but regained his composure quickly enough.
"I work for the local taxi company," he said. "I, uh, got a call from an
Agent Smith, saying I should meet these people here and deliver them to
their hotel."
Kate nodded, but she was suspicious. "Agent Smith," she said. "I see.
Well, sorry to have wasted your time. I didn't catch your name."
"Uh, its Blake. Jim Blake," he said, but he said as though he wasn't quite
sure of the fact. "That's okay. Sorry about the mix up." He backed away
a few paces, then turned and scurried off.
"What was that all about," Sharlyn asked.
"I'm not sure," Kate answered honestly, "but I've been warned by people I
trust that Agent Smith is someone to be avoided. And I assume that extends
to anyone who was sent by him. Okay, let's get your luggage and we'll get
you all checked in to the motel. The team was planning to meet for lunch
after that. Did you eat on the plane?"
"No," Patrica answered.
Luggage gathered and finally packed in the trunk of the rental car, the
group headed out toward the Campus Motor Inn.
"Its not far to the motel," Kate said once they were in the car. "Why
don't you all tell me a little bit about yourselves on the way."
At the motel, everyone checked into their rooms and took a few minutes to
get settled in before meeting once again at the restaurant. The four
agents took a large booth at the back.
"While we wait for Agents Woods and Glass to get back from interviewing Dr.
Meadows," Kate said, "I'll tell you about the case we're working on." She
produced copies of the case file from a briefcase and handed them out.
"Over the last three months, a dozen young women, all of them belonging to
various sororities, have disappeared from the Karellon University campus.
Five of them have been found dead, their throats slit. The ring fingers of
their left hands and thumbs of their right hands have been removed. All of
them were found wearing wedding gowns."
"Five dead," Craig asked. "There are only four mentioned in the file."
"The latest victim, Ann Shepards, isn't in the file. Her body was found
yesterday at the Delta Pi house. Also not mentioned is Amy Richmond, who
was apparently the first girl to disappear. As yet, we don't have any
solid leads and not too many suspects. We also have one sorority girl and
a campus security guard in the hospital, conscious but unresponsive. At
the moment, Flynn and Damian are talking to the girl's doctor, in hopes of
finding out a bit more about what caused this condition. I should also
mention a psychology professor by the name of Dr. Burrell. Just what his
connection in to these girls, I don't know. Tara Craig, a member of the
Delta Pi sorority, suggested that he would know what to do about this
situation. Of course, when she said that, she didn't know I was listening,
and when I asked her, she wouldn't elaborate. I've talked to this Dr.
Burrell. He was not very cooperative and he has no alibi for the time of
the latest murder. All right, that's what we have so far. Any questions?"
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