Thanks for reading. Tackling Nicole Wallace is intimidating. Hope I can keep up!
Chapter 2: Shark Bait
"How do you know it's her?" Bobby spoke for the first time since Eames joined them in the office. His voice was quiet but resolved.
"We don't." The younger of the two agents, McGinty, joined the conversation. "The first vic left a jazz club with a brunette he met at the bar. The second was last seen having dinner with a red head in an upscale Italian restaurant. The third apparently had dinner alone. Thirty minutes later that photo was taken as he ran a red-light at 5th and Main. Nobody knows where he picked her up or why. He was killed two hours later. The last victim brought a blond with him to a friend's 45th birthday party. They left early. He was killed that evening. The women or woman that spent time with the victims before they were killed are all a mystery to the victims' family and friends. As for the picture of Ms. Wallace, we think it's her only mistake thus far. We didn't even find a hair, no trace evidence at all, at any of the crime scenes. We ran that photo through our database and through INTERPOL. We got a hit on both. Her history led us to you, Detective." All eyes shifted to Bobby.
"We'll have the four case files sent over. You can review them and we'll be in touch."
Agent Foster made it clear there was no room for further discussion. Bobby and Alex had no choice but to cooperate with the investigation. Ross nodded to the Agents as they exited his office and closed the door behind them.
"Well, looks like you two are back in the game. Lets hope the home team wins this time and Nicole Wallace ends up in prison."
"Or in Hell," Alex added.
"I'm gonna' head down to the cafeteria. Why don't you two use my office to gather your thoughts on Nicole Wallace? We can discuss things further when I get back."
Bobby sat backwards in a fold-out chair in the center of the room. Alex shut the door and leaned against Ross's desk. "Bobby, she's killed you four times already…… an upscale Italian Restaurant, a jazz club. Bobby, these men……….they're you. Do you really think Nicole Wallace will stand for substitutes for long? These murders,…. she's moving closer and closer to the real thing……….closer and closer to you." Alex came across as calm and collected, but inside, she was screaming for Bobby to run, to run and hide before Nicole could get to him.
"I know…… I have to stop her before she kills again." Bobby's voice was soft and he sounded detached.
"Bobby," Alex wanted to take his face in her hands and force him to look at her, force him to understand that she was scared - scared for him – scared that she could lose him. Instead, she repeated his name, forcing him to meet her eyes. "Bobby, not much scares me anymore. You would be surprised at the few things that do. Nicole Wallace is one of them. She's evil. And, she's the only person I know that can rattle you, Bobby. She's not playing games this time…… I don't want to lose you."
Bobby broke from her gaze to contemplate his hands. "Let's look at the case files, see what we can see. At least we know what her ultimate goal is this time."
Alex drew in a heavy sigh and nodded. "O.K., we'll look at the files. Just promise me you won't agree to anything until we've discussed it first. If the FBI is gonna' dangle you in front of her like shark bait, I need time to fit you with a no-bite suit."
Bobby shot her a crooked half smile and nodded.
"I'll take that as a promise, Goren. Just remember, you're a man of your word"
TBC