I would assume, then, that the killer has nothing personal against the women. He is acting out only because of something they are doing that he disagrees with. More than that, the way hes doing it leads me to think that he hates these women. He loathes them. Hes doing it quickly with a knife rather than taking his time with it because he cant stand being around them. He wants it done quickly so he can not only get away from the scene, but so he can be done with that woman. He stopped here, as if considering his own comment, and added, I would assume it is not the fact that they are undergoing the treatments that is causing him to select these women.

It seems fairly apparent thats exactly what hes doing.

Alex smiled and shook his head. You misunderstand me. Yes, I believe the killer may be headhunting these women through clinics or services. That makes sense. But the way they are dispatching their victims…its odd, given the situation. It makes me think they are killing not for their own needs or beliefs. These sorts of killings, so violent from what you describe, sound like either control or jealousy issues. Or both.

She was beginning to get irritated because it seemed like he was intentionally speaking in riddles. Maybe he was trying to get as much enjoyment out of this visit as possible because no one ever came to visit him.

Im not quite following you, she said, hating to admit it.

What Im trying to say is that the killer is likely not killing these women simply because they have made appointments for these fertility treatments. It seems to meand I could be wrong, grantedthat the killer is going after these women because the treatments will give them the chance to conceive. Meaning, perhaps…

That the killer has not been able to have children.

Alex gave her a little mocking clap and nodded. Ah, there you go.

She eyed him with confusion, not sure what to think of him. He said he had changed and the past fifteen minutes backed that up. Yet, at the same time, she had seen the grisly murders this man committed. It was as if a demon had been yanked out of him and replaced with someone capable of sincerity and reason.

Did any of this help? Alex asked.

You know, I think it did. She got to her feet and the words Thank you were on her lips. But then her mind brought forth images of his victims: a man disemboweled, a woman with most of her skin removed from her face and chest, the man with scissors jammed down his throat, a man with a hatchet buried in his crotch…

Guard, she said, her voice a bit shaky.

Leaving already? Alex said from behind her. And there was a bit too much cheer in his voice for Rachels liking.

Yes. Im done here.