*Besides the pictures of the victims, Claire placed the enhanced image of the Lucy killer taken at the New Orleans schoolhouse. Just another guy, but he was a killer, a highly-intelligent, medically-trained..* That's it! *She shouted to the empty room. Tim peeked his head with a quizzical expression on his face.*
~That's what, Claire?~
Tim, the Lucy killer. We need to compare the pic from the New Orleans schoolhouse to student records at every medical school in the country. Focus on the name Danny if you can. I just can't shake the feeling he's using his real name. If you don't find him, check the other countries. I refuse to believe he taught himself all this. Also, check the Mensa records for Danny, Daniel, etc.
/Got anything for me?/ *called a chipper voice from the video screen*
No, Annie, I don't. Have anything for me?
/I can tell you one thing. The precision on those stitches is exquisite. Wouldn't surprise me none if the nutbag turned out to be a surgeon./
Well, Tim, there you go. Look for a surgery specialty.
~Will do, boss.~ *He left, and Claire turned her attention back to Annie.*
Any new leads based on the couple and kid?
/Would you believe we tried handwriting analysis on the blood smear?/
*Claire raised an eyebrow.* Don't you need something to compare that to?
/To tell if someone wrote it, yes. To try to determine personality traits, no. He's slipping. The writing, when compared to the carving on the first victim is more erratic, less controlled. What he's feeling isn't rage, though...I'm not sure what it is./
Well, if he's getting more erratic, maybe he'll make a mistake.
/Well, yes./
He'll make a mistake, I'm sure Annie. It's just a matter of how many people die between now and then.
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~*Two Days Later*~
*With nothing much else to do, Claire and her coffee cup made their way to the lab to see how Annie was doing. She was futzing around with some old piece of machinery. When the device failed to cooperate, she struck it once on top and once on the side.*
Annie! You break it and it's coming out of your paycheck!
*She turned to Claire and laughed, pigtails bobbing.* /Sometimes that's the only way to get it to work! Damn techs around here don't know their ass from a whole in the ground half the time./
*Claire took a drink of coffee, shaking her head.* Ya know, you could try requisitioning something that wouldn't require physical abuse to function. *In response, Annie rolled her eyes.*
/So true, Claire, but that would take five years to get and you know as well as I do, the criminals would just be laughing at us more./
Good point, Annie. Have you seen Tim?
/Last I heard, he was off researching doctors named Danny. Course, that was two days ago. I hope he's gotten some sleep since then. Speak of the devil!/
*Claire turned just in time to see Tim walk through the door of the lab. It looked as though he had not slept much in the past two days if at all. He was normally quite neat, but he was currently wearing the same outfit he wore two days ago.* ~Claire. Annie.~
Well, hello there, Tim.
/Tim, you look like shit!/
*He didn't even glare at Annie, just walked over to the nearest table and began pulling photocopies out of his bag.*
~I've identified the Lucy killer. It is indeed Danny Ward, not hand gloves Danny Ward, but Danny Ward nonetheless. Annie, you were right. He was a surgeon, trained at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh in the United Kingdom. The picture matched the one we had on file.~
/Sweet!/ *She did a brief dance, and then returned her attention to Tim.*
~He was born and raised in Kentucky, and after he got done with his schooling, he started work at Pikesville Medical Center near Weeksville, Kentucky.~
Excellent Tim. and Lucy?
*He placed more articles on the table.* ~His wife. Her maiden name was Lucy Cole and she lived near Weeksbury. Three years ago, she died in a car wreck. Drunk driver killed her and her unborn child, according to the papers.~ *At this point, Tim paused, shaking his head.* ~The baby was to be born in less than a week. But, shortly after they died, Mr. Ward disappeared. The driver received a suspended sentence because his dad had some power in the city, and then the driver and Mrs. Ward's body disappeared. Since then, no one has seen or heard from Mr. Ward, the bodies of his wife and child remain unrecovered, and nobody knows what happened to the driver.~
/I bet Danny killed him. I would have killed the son of a bitch./ *Both Tim and Claire turned to look at Annie, who just shrugged.* /What? He's a son-of-a-bitch! I know it, you know it, and Tim knows it! Course, I wouldn't get caught.~
*The irritation was obvious in Claire's voice when she responded.* We haven't caught him yet either, Annie.
/Oh. Right./ *Taking another drink from her coffee cup, she turned her attention back to Tim.* Anything else?
~Yep, pictures from Pikesville Medical Center also confirm it's the same guy. And, he's a genius. Tested 153 on the Mensa test, and certified card-carrying member. He's also 6'1 and 225 pounds, according to his Kentucky driver's license.~
Well, that explains how he could maneuver the bodies. *Tim nodded.* Then we need a BOLO out on him to the local-
~Already done, Claire. I took care of it before I came in.~
*With a nod, she patted him on the back.* Good job. Get some rest.
~Believe me, I will if I have to fall asleep in my chair.~ *Claire laughed.*
There's a cot in my office. Use it.
~Yes, ma'am.~