Weve got two dead women in Baltimoreone aged forty-one, the other aged thirty-nine, Anderson said. He finally looked away from the print-out and to his two agents. His brown eyes were full of energy and, as always, a little intimidating. Both were stabbed multiple times in the stomach. The bureau is being called in because of the timespan between the murders. Based on the bare bones details that exist, its believed they were killed within twenty to twenty-four hours of one another. Obviously, there are worries that it could be a serial, but the larger boiling point is the small window of time that passed between them.

When was the latest victim discovered? Rachel asked.

Around three thirty this morning. Its all there in the report. Because this one is two and a half hours away, I dont need you coming back to the office. Stay in Baltimore until its resolved. If either of you have issues with that, let me know now and Ill have you replaced.

Good to go, Jack said.

Rachel thought about it for a moment. It would be nothing new for her to be away from home for several days. Because of her job, Peter and Paige were both used to it. Over the last three years or so, her work as an agent had caused her to stay away from home for periods of more than three days about a dozen times or so. But with her current medical news and the war that was raging in her head over whether or not to even tell her family

Gift? Anderson was looking at her curiously. You good?

She figured taking a case that would remove her from home for a few days might actually work out in her favor. Time away from Peter and Paige as she tried to figure out what to do might be the very thing she needed. And God, she hated how absolutely selfish that made her seem.

Yes, sir, she said. And then, covering her tracks a bit, she added: Ill just need to make some calls on the way to make sure my husband and I can secure childcare while Im away.

Sounds good, Anderson said. All of the details and case reports have been emailed or texted to you…so dont let me waste your time. Get going.

They did just that, leaving Anderson alone in the conference room. Jack headed out first, with Rachel trailing behind with her still-black coffee. And even heading down the hallway with Jack in front of her, she could not shake the feeling that yesterdays prognosis was falling in behind her like a stubborn shadow.

CHAPTER SIX