She left the waiting area in an awkward silence. Jack got to his feet and looked out of the window that gave them a view of the edge of the parking lot. Without looking to Rachel, he said, With all due respect, what in the hell was that all about?

Like I told her: someone is killing women based on their desire to bring new life into this world.

And?

And the killer is getting the names somehow. What better place to look than a woman that works at the same clinic that has been staring death in the face?

Saying it out loud, she realized how heartless it might have seemed. She also once again found herself on the verge of emotionally breaking at the mention of staring death in the face.

Rachel, I know you well enough to know when something is wrong. You dont think like that. And even if you did, youd talk it out first and youd sure as hell have more compassion.

Jack, I

I dont know whats wrong with you, he said, finally turning to face her. I dont know if its the baby stuff with Peter, or something else. But I ask you as your partner and your friend to please get it together.

He looked to her for a moment and she was relieved to see more worry and compassion than outright anger in his eyes. He walked out without saying another word. Rachel got to her feet but she stood there in the silence a moment longer before she headed out after him.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Things were quiet in the car as they left the clinic. The few words that were spoken were all strictly related to the casein deciding to check in with all of the units that were currently working to watch over the five names on the list for fertility treatments. As they made their way to the first address, she was again overcome with the need to tell Jack. But whenever she would start to form the words, a feeling of hopelessness would come over here. She sensed that coming clean with her prognosis would not draw a weight away from her shoulders, but would add on another. Did she really want to work with a partner that was always worrying about how she was feeling, thinking she might literally keel over at any moment?

She was wresting with this as she pulled her car in behind the police patrol car sitting outside the home of the first woman on the list. When she and Jack got out of the car to speak to the officer in charge of the check-in for this particular shift, there was still an icy sort of wall between them.

They approached the drivers side door, and the cop rolled his window down. Hey, agents.

Anything to report? Rachel asked