­­­­­­­­­­Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the characters that I create.

"Is this your favorite restaurant?" Vanessa asks as they sit down to eat.

"Not really."

"Could have fooled me. Every time we go out to eat…we eat here… at your request." Vanessa says.

"We could go somewhere else." Flack suggests.

"No…I like it here…its my favorite." Vanessa says with a smile.

"Ok. Wanna order the usual then?"

"Alright."

Crime Lab - Days Later

"Anything new?" Vanessa asks walking into the room.

"Not since yesterday. Alibis for the Mixtan founders check out. They were at the book signing party the entire night from 10 to 3 a.m."

"They could have just hired someone to off the guy."

"Colorful vocabulary aside. I don't think they hired someone. They don't seem like the type." Lindsay says.

"You and I both know that looks can be deceiving. But anyhow I still feel that the wife and the personal secretary a.k.a the mistress have something to do with it. It seems too messy to be a hired hit."

"What evidence do we have to link them to the murder?"

"The fingerprint on the coffee table is a match to the wife." Vanessa says

"But she had access to the apartment being that she was his wife."

"Wait hold on." Vanessa says walking over to the computer. She types in some information. "Records show that the property was bought before he married Laurel, meaning she could not have known about the apartment beforehand."

"He could have told her."

"Then where would he take his mistress," Vanessa says.

"You think it was kept secret."

"Yes."

"Wait. When Stella and I arrived at the scene, the wife and secretary were inside the apartment."

"Yeah so." Vanessa responds.

"So if you are right then the wife wouldn't feel comfortable about being in a strange apartment."

"That's a long shot, but it seems probable."

"Moving on to the next question, how did the wife find out about the apartment?" Lindsay asks.

"Easy. The secretary told her."

"Why would she do that?"

"For kicks? I don't know. I just know that they are somehow involved."

"Ness, just because you don't like them doesn't mean they're guilty of murder." Lindsay says.

"I know that and don't call me Ness." Vanessa says leaving the room.

"We have a case to finish!" Lindsay yells into the hallway.

Morgue

"What do we have, Sid?" Mac asks.

"Déjà vu. Same fatal shot to the head on all three victims. Lacerations to the back as if someone took a whip to them."

"Can you recover the bullets?"

"Already did. Here you go." Sid says handing him the bullets.

"Anything else?"

"I found some bruising on one of the victim's backs" Sid says leading Mac to one of the bodies. Sid lifts up the body slightly so Mac can see the bruising.

"Looks like a shoe. A woman's shoe."

"This was made before the shot to the head."

"What about the other two?"

"No bruising on either of them." Sid says, "…If this is a serial then do you think Vanessa might know something since…"

"Thank you, Sid." Mac says as he leaves the room.

Mac walks into the hall and sees Vanessa leaning against the wall with a coffee cup in hand talking to Flack.

"Villanueva. In my office." Mac says walking past Vanessa and Flack.

"What did you do now?" Flack asks, smiling.

"Jeez, I don't know... And stop smiling." Vanessa says swatting his arm.

"Good luck." Flack says as she walks towards Mac's office.

"Whatever I did wrong I'm pinning it on you." Vanessa says disappearing around the corner.

"Hey, Stella. Have you seen Vanessa? I got a lead on our case." Lindsay says walking up to Stella.

"She's talking to Mac. I can go with you if you want."

"Ok sure. Is everything alright?" Lindsay asks seeing the concern look on Stella's face.

"Let's go. I'll tell you on the way."

Mac's Office

"What's this about, Mac?"

"The case Stella and I are working on." Mac says handing Vanessa the case file. Vanessa sits down.

"You think I might know something." Vanessa says looking up from the file.

"Do you?"

"Aside from the fact that it looks like the last crime scene. No I don't know anything about it."

"I read your medical file." Mac says.

"Oh."

"According to the doctors, you kept repeating 'not again' throughout the medical evaluation. It says here that you were set up to see the hospital psychologist, but you left."

"What does this have to do with your case?"

"It might help us establish a timeline when the serial killings began."

"What makes you think it started with me? According to the case file, there is no intended rape victim."

"That's why we need your help." Mac says.

"I don't know if I can be much help, Mac. I've tried to block out that night."

"Before New York?"

"Before New York." Vanessa confirms.

"I can ask Stella if you feel more comfortable talking with her."

"I appreciate that Mac." Vanessa says standing up and walking towards the door.

"I'll have Stella meet you in waiting room 3."

"Ok." Vanessa says. "And just so you know…it didn't start with me."

Hope you liked the chapter and the story so far. Who do you think is the serial killer? Could it be someone already in the story or someone you have yet to meet? I will update when I get the chance. Please review. I enjoy reading your thoughts on the chapters.

Until Next Time, Ancient 85