Three months later

Raymond looked up as the door opened.

"Ah, Kate, just in time."

She walked over. He was sitting, gun in hand, across from a man tied up to a chair and bleeding from his leg. It was obvious that Raymond had shot him, prior to her arrival.

"I'd like you to meet Asher Bernstein. Mr. Bernstein was just about to give me vital information concerning the next name on the list."

Kate stood to the side between the two men.

"So, Asher, what was it that you were about to tell me?"

"She's in New Jersey, I don't know where exactly."

Raymond pointed his gun again at him.

"No wait, I can find out."

Raymond handed his phone over to Dembe. "If he doesn't have the info in the next ten minutes, kill him".

He stood, put his hat back on and joined Kate.

"Who is he talking about?" she asked as they walked towards the door. Raymond took a path that led to a beautiful garden and sat down on a bench.

"I love flowers, they are so beautiful, so pure and innocent. Yet some of them draw insects in by their color or smell and then when they least expect it, it entraps them and kills them. Many different flowers have defense mechanisms. I used to know a charming young girl named Rose, and she was everything the flower was, she was soft, subtle and mesmerizing, put if you tried to get too close to her, she would poke you like a thorn would prick you if you tried to pick it. Ah Rose, such good memories."

Kate listened. She had gotten used to Raymond's anecdotes about his past. Raymond seemed lost in his thoughts.

"Raymond, who was Bernstein referring to?"

He stood. "The Orchid."

"No one has ever been able to identify who The Orchid is. There are no pictures."

Raymond took a picture out from his pocket and handed it to her.

Kate looked at the picture then at Raymond. "Are you sure?"

"Unfortunately yes."

Donald looked at the picture on the screen as well as the police documents. "So, The Orchid is Stephanie Wilcox. Why is she on Reddington's list, her record is clean."

Kate looked at the picture. "Her real name is Jessica Melkin, Stephanie Wilcox is an alias."

Harold looked at Kate. "That's not in the database. How do you know?"

"Because she was my best friend."

There was a silence in the room as everyone looked at her.

"We grew up together. When I moved to New Jersey with my parents, she was the first friend I ever made. Her parents, like my mother were Belgian, they were expats and Jessica's father and my father worked for the same bank. We spent every weekend together until we each went our separate ways to College. After that, we lost track of each other."

"I'm sorry Kate", said Liz.

"Maybe you should sit this one out", said Harold.

"I can assure that there is no conflict of interest".

"I know, that's not why I'm advising you and not giving you and order. You too were close, I'd understand if this was hard for you".

"I've been tracking down The Orchid for the past 5 years. Knowing who she really is, doesn't change what's she's done."

Harold nodded. "Ok then, but my offer will stand at any moment of this investigation."

"So why The Orchid"?

"She leaves a white orchid on the bodies of the men she kills. 30 victims over the past 6 years."

"And all cops", added Samar.

"Why cops?" asked Liz.

"At first that was the problem, if we looked into Stephanie Wilcox's past, we couldn't find any motive. But if you look into Jessica's life…" she nodded to Aram and a newspaper article dating back 10 years popped up on the screen. It read: MAN ACCIDENTILY KILLED BY COPS IN A NIGHTSHOP.

"Stephane Roberts was Jessica's fiancé."

"The cops never admitted to their mistake indicating that they killed him in self-defense."

Kate nodded. "The whole story was very hazy, there were a lot of doubts but both cops told the same story. They both said that Roberts was reaching for a gun in his pocket, yet no gun was ever found. There were no surveillance cameras and it ended up being a cold case."

"She's seeking retribution."

"Yet, she never killed the two cops in question."

"No. I think she knew that after what had happened, she would be the first suspect on their list. She may have been desperate to seek revenge, but not stupid."

"Where is she now?"

"Apparently back in New Jersey. Reddington knows someone who is waiting to hear back on a potential location."

"Alright then, until then we sit tight", said Harold.

That night, in her apartment, Kate sat down in the sofa, a glass of wine on the coffee table and a carton box opened. She took out a photo album and turned a few pages. She looked at the pictures of her and Jess. There were so many of them. On vacation with their parents, at birthday parties, in Jess' swimming pool or simply goofing around.

She stood upon hearing a knock on the door. Raymond was waiting in the hallway. She invited him in and he looked around her apartment as he removed his hat and coat. He noticed, the open photo album on the table and walked over to the couch. He took it on his lap and looked at the pictures.

He laughed. "You haven't changed one bit." The picture he was looking it was one of Kate when she was 14. It had been taken in South Carolina when they had all gone on vacation to Kiawah Island.

Kate sat down next to him. "I don't have braces any more and I grew out the stupid fashion of having blond streaks in my hair due to a lemon juice mixture that was sold at Walgreen's."

"I agree, you are much better with your natural beauty."

He put the album down and looked at her. "This is hard on you isn't it?"

"I don't know what is harder. Knowing that she lost Stephane to this blunder, or that she felt that the only way to handle her grief was to turn to violence and murder. When I look at her, I still see my best friend Raymond, not a criminal."

She sighed. "Maybe Cooper is right, maybe I should step away from this case."

"Absolutely not."

"Why?"

"Because she was your best friend. If there is one person who can talk to her and make a difference between her walking into a jailcell or roll into a morgue feet first, it's going to be you."

"And when the time comes, what if I don't take the right decision?"

He put his arm around her and pulled her into his chest. "Have enough faith in yourself to know that you will do the right thing even if the outcome is not the one you wished for."