Rachel was expecting the third-degree from Jack when she returned to the station. She was back roughly half an hour earlier than shed projected, and she found Jack still sitting at the desk in the back of the building. He was now on a laptop and when Rachel looked over his shoulder, she saw that he had accessed the stations records directory.

What are you looking for? she asked. Her hope was that by starting the conversation on her terms about something he was doing, any questions about what shed been up to would be temporarily set asideor maybe even not asked at all.

I could only find four more women in that Facebook group from Baltimore or any surrounding areas, he said. One of them had not posted in about six months, but thats because she died in a car accident on the Beltway. She and her husband, both dead. Another seems to have moved several months ago, now residing on Orlando, Florida. Im checking for any dings on her record right now and so far have found none. As for the other two, they have completely spotless records. Nothing to go off of at all.

So nothing, then…

Well, nothing new. I did place a call to the bureau and had someone of the task force get in touch with the groups moderators. As of about an hour ago, its been set to Private. So unless the killer is actually part of the groupwhich, lets be honest, would be a stupid move on their parthis hunting grounds are now closed.

Thats good news, she said. She sat on the edge of the desk, as there was only one chair. She was fully expecting him to ask her where shed gone but it never came. Shed likely tell him before all was said and done but for now she was still trying to convince herself it had been a smart move. Visiting Alex Lynch had opened her eyes to some new insights and theories but some core part of her still felt cold and dirty for seeking him out for advice. The silence between them felt thick and she figured she may as well mention what she suspected before Jack could comment on the trip shed just taken.

Since youre already on the network, she said, Id like to pursue another avenue. Id like to cross-reference the records of both clinics in the hope of finding someone that underwent fertility treatments at both Regency and Greenfield Womens Health Services.

Why would they undergo treatments at both? he asked. But the nodding of his head at the end of the question showed that he already knew the answer before the question had been fully formed.

Rachel went ahead and answered for him anyway. Because the treatments could have failed. What if your killer had tried treatments at both clinics and came away with none of them working? What if these are revenge killings?