Each board had a timeline. Lexas showed what time shed left the hospital and when shed crossed various traffic cameras on her way home, her call to Morgan, and when Morgan had found her. Michelles had much the same. Theyd both left their respective hospitals late and the times they left didnt correspond to normal shift changes. That made sense with Lexa. Residents worked all kinds of hours. A lab tech should have been more on a regular schedule, though. Why was Michelle out so late?

Each board also had photos of the two crime scenes. Morgan took a moment to inwardly steel himself before looking at those. It didnt help. Sorrow threatened to swamp him as he looked at Lexas staring eyes and slack jaw. He turned away.

Careful there. Danielle gestured at the cord to her laptop as she took a seat. Morgan sat down across from her. I thought we could start with reviewing the files on Michelle and Lexa to see if we can find any commonalities.

Besides that they were both women working in health care in Washington, D.C., and looked a bit alike? Morgan asked. There are probably hundreds of people who would fit that description. How sure are we that the killings are even related?

Well, theres the cause of death. They both had their throats slit. She shoved the folder for Michelle across the table to him. If we had any questions about it, what you noticed probably erased them. Look at her knees.

Morgan flipped to the autopsy report, although he knew what he would see. The same scrapes as had been on Lexas knees and that were on his own. He blew out a breath. So somebody lured Michelle to them as well? By pretending to be injured?

Danielle leaned back in her chair and stretched. We think so. We checked Michelles cell phone. Wanna guess who her last call was to?

Morgan shook his head. Guessing wasnt really his bag. Deducing from a set of facts? Sure. Not guessing, though.

911. She called to report an injured man in an alleyway close to where she was found. We hadnt realized the two things were connected until you pointed out that thing about Lexas knees. Danielle tapped the file folder. No one was looking for the site of a fake injury when we first investigated the crime scene. He dragged Lexa away from the place he ambushed her. It makes sense that he would have done the same to Michelle. Weve got people looking now, but it might be too late to find whatever he staged.

So its definitely a man.

Statistically it makes sense. Serials are generally men. Especially in cases like these where the unsub seems to be hunting victims. Plus it would have taken a certain amount of strength to drag Lexa and probably Michelle the way he did.

Unsub?

Sorry. Jargon. She wrinkled her nose. Unidentified subject.