Micah fought the urge to tear at his hair. “You’re kidding me, right? The rope burns? The fact that Nico was found naked on public property? That he likely died of strangulation? This has the Hooker Hunter written all over it.”

The more evidence Micah listed, the stiffer Jensen grew, and by the time Micah had finished – and had actually said the serial killer’s name aloud – Jensen’s expression was completely closed off.

“We caught the Hooker Hunter over a week ago,” he said. “Or have you forgotten that we got an actual confession from the guy?”

Micah shook his head. “You know as well as I do that people admit to crimes they don’t commit all the time, sometimes simply for the notoriety.”

“Normandy fits the profile,” Jensen argued staunchly.

“Maybe, but his latest victim didn’t,” Micah pointed out, “not exactly. None of the others that the Hooker Hunter took were raped – at least not so blatantly.”

Jensen snorted. “Oh, and this guy – this Nico – does fit the profile of his victims? The Hooker Hunter killed gay prostitutes, not random college students.”

“Nico was homosexual,” Micah shot back, “and the right age. Not to mention the fact that he had a webcam show where he masturbated for money. Nico’s roommate said that he thought he was going out to meet someone the morning he disappeared. Who’s to say it wasn’t one of his patrons?”

Jensen pursed his lips. “Even if that was who he was meeting, running a webcam show is not the same thing as working the streets. You’re stretching.”

“Maybe the Hooker Hunter used Normandy’s confession as an opportunity to switch things up,” Micah reasoned. “Or maybe he was growing bored of the easy prey that prostitutes provided and wanted to up the ante a little?”

“That’s a lot of maybes. And regardless, none of the other victims were beaten as badly as Nico,” Jensen pointed out. “This is much more likely to be a result of gang violence or even a hate crime.”

“Or,” Micah said, refusing to let the subject drop, “the Hooker Hunter didn’t count on Nico being difficult.” He knew he was being stubborn, but something deep down in Micah’s gut was telling him he was right. “Like you said, Nico wasn’t a prostitute. Maybe he didn’t take as kindly to… whatever the Hooker Hunter says or does to his victims before killing them. Maybe Nico fought him.” Micah chewed his bottom lip. “Look, I’m not saying it’s a sure thing, but it’s something we at least have to consider.” He shrugged. “Besides, Normandy’s confession never sat right with me.”