The next morning, Mac woke up smelling coffee. He opened his eyes and thought he was just too tired to get up and when he moved his legs, he really did not want to get up. He groaned as he sat up anyway. His whole body felt sore. He rubbed his face and realized the morning paper was lying on the coffee table in front of him. He picked it up and saw his story on the front page. PROFILE OF A SERIAL KILLER. Mac had to smile at that because it would definitely get his attention. He read what Jennifer Walsh had written and he had to admit she was a good writer. It would definitely get Wayne Bryant's attention.

Just then, Mac's phone rang. "Taylor," he answered.

"Have you seen the morning paper yet?" Jo asked.

"I have. I'm looking at it now."

"It looks good. It ought to get his attention."

"I know. He called me last night."

"What did he say?"

"Well, he was just gloating about the whole thing and said 'catch me if you can'."

"Oh, that is just so arrogant," Jo said.

"I think he will get angry and anger causes carelessness."

"I hope you're right, Mac."

"I think I am."

After that call, Mac stood up slowly. He could not believe his legs were so stiff. He had to get them moving…for one thing, he hoped they could find that killer today and another, he was getting married tomorrow! He thought walking on those crutches only made them get stiffer. He would work through that pain and he thought it would get better. He walked down the hall to the bathroom.

Christine came into the living room and found that Mac was gone off the sofa. She could hear the water running in the bathroom. She smiled at the thought that tomorrow they would be married and he would be there every morning. Mac came from the bathroom. "Morning," he said.

"Morning," Christine replied. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

"Sure. I think you're spoiling me."

"I intend to spoil you a lot."

Christine noticed how Mac was walking as they went into the kitchen. "How are your legs?" she asked.

"Stiff," Mac said. "But I think I can get that soreness out."

"Did you see the paper?"

"Yes. My plan is in motion now."

"Did you see what else was in the paper?"

"What?"

"I'll get it."

Mac sat down at the table while Christine went to get the paper. He could not help but wonder what was in there that she thought was so important. She came back and gave him the paper. She sat down in a chair and waited to see Mac's reaction.

Mac looked at the article she was referring to. He frowned and looked at Christine. "She announced our wedding in the paper? I didn't tell her to do that."

"I know you didn't. I think she did it for spite." Christine leaned on her elbow. "Just what was your relationship with her?"

Mac crumpled the paper as he jerked it down. "What?" he asked in surprise.

"It's a simple question. What was your relationship?"

"I didn't have a relationship with her. She's a reporter who came after me to get a story."

"Oh, and nothing else?"

"I don't care if she wanted anything else. I didn't want anything from her."

"She wasn't your type, huh?"

"That was not what she wanted. She wanted a story. What have you been doing, talking to Jo?"

"What does Jo know? Have you dated her?"

"No! What is this? The third degree?"

"I'm just curious why this reporter would go to all that trouble."

"I met you shortly after I met her. It doesn't matter what she thought."

"I don't know all that much about your dating history. How many women have you dated since Claire died?"

Mac stared at her a moment. "I don't know that much about yours either," he said.

"I dated a few guys, none of which were very serious. It's hard to get serious with someone when you're in love with someone else."

"I wish that we had met a long time ago but I wonder if things would have turned out different."

"You never know." Christine smiled. "That was quite slick how you changed the subject there."

Mac laid the paper down on the table. "You know about Peyton," he said.

"Yes, but I don't know about any others. Who should I expect at the wedding? If this woman would do this and you never even dated her…what will the others do?"

"Are we really having this discussion?"

"I think so." Christine smiled. "Does it make you nervous?"

"I don't know. Why are you asking me?"

"I just wanted to know."

"I didn't date many. I mean, most of them were only one date."

"Most? How many?"

"Maybe three. I went on more than one date with Rose but I wasn't really ready at the time. I tried but in my heart I was still married and I felt guilty. That was what went wrong with Peyton too."

"And it's different now?"

"Yes. I feel like I can move on and that I'm doing the right thing."

"I'm glad because I have never been so sure of anything."

"You're different and don't judge me because I had a long happy marriage. I can't go back and change what happened and I can't stop my feelings."

"I know that. I love you just the way you are. Have you decided what to do yet about the letter?"

Mac shook his head. "No, but I don't know of anything I can do. It's not like there's anything to bury."

"Well, let me get our breakfast."

Mac looked at the paper while he waited. He did not think Jennifer would do anything to disrupt his wedding…if it even took place. They had not caught that murderer yet and he would not be able to go anywhere until that was done.

After breakfast, Mac went home and took a shower. He thought of what Christine had asked him. He had to admit there were a few women out there, and some of them had not been too happy with him. He did not care whether they were or not. He did not do anything he did not want to do.

When he was ready, he went to the hospital to see Don who would be having surgery that day. "I hate this," Don said. He was very groggy from his medications.

"Just get well and don't worry about the case," Mac said.

"How is it going?"

"Well, we're waiting."

"And I'm laying here not doing anything."

"You let us handle it and you worry about getting well."

"I'm trying."

"I'll be back to see you this evening if I'm not tied up."

"Okay. I want to know what is going on."

"I'll try to keep you informed."

Mac went to the office after that visit and drove there in his Avalanche today. His legs were feeling better since that hot shower, but they were still sore and he would not be running for a while. He could end up making them worse.

"Morning, Mac," Jo said as they met in the hall.

"Morning," Mac replied.

"Are you better this morning?"

"Yes. Definitely but not out of the woods yet."

"So, what do we do today?"

"Wait. I think he is going to contact me soon."

"I hope so. You know how nervous people get when there is a serial killer out there."

"Yes. I'm nervous myself."

Mac went on to his office and sat down. He would just have to do paperwork until they got some sort of word. He did not have to wait long because Danny came to his office around 10 am. "Mac, we have a call about a murder," he said. "Lovato thinks it might be tied to this case."

"Then I'm going," Mac replied. "I don't have to chase anybody but I'm going to be there."

Danny was silent a moment. "Did you get the text?" he asked.

"No, why?"

"It's in your building."

Mac frowned. "My building?"

"Yes. Your apartment building."

"Let's go."

Jo came along with them to the Avalanche and they went to the crime scene. Mac stared at the victim as he walked into the apartment which was just right around the corner from his apartment. Jo looked at him. "You didn't hear anything?" she asked.

"I wasn't here," Mac said. "And he knew it." Mac could not believe that guy had manipulated him into thinking he was going after Christine so he would stay with her. It was too complicated and it would mean that the guy knew him too well.

"You were at Christine's?"

"Yes. I've been staying there on her sofa because I thought he would come after her."

Jo looked at the victim. "You think he knew you would?" she asked.

Mac shook his head. "He couldn't," he said.

"Just coincidence?"

Mac wondered if that guy did anything by coincidence. "We don't know that she is one of his victims," he said.

"It looks like it," Danny said. "The MO is the same and so is the signature."

Mac looked at the victim's hands as Danny shined his light on them. "We have to figure out how she knew the suspect," Jo said.

"And did she go to that gym?" Mac added. "Why didn't she know about this case?"

"Some people just don't pay attention, I guess."

They looked around the apartment and found that the woman's makeup kits had been rummaged through like the last one. Mac thought he would have to look at the crime scene photos from those first two victims and see if their makeup kits had been rummaged. Now that it was something significant they had to put them together. He supposed it was not considered part of the crime in the other two. He made a note of that and then looked around more. He did not see anything else that had been disturbed in the apartment, and Jo did not find anything on the victim except that she had been shot and that her nails had been removed.

As they were finishing the scene, Mac's phone rang. "Taylor," he answered.

"Hi, Detective Taylor," Bryant said.

Mac frowned. "What do you want?"

"You weren't home, Detective. I thought I would leave you a little surprise."

"I'm going to find you."

"Oh, and I saw your little article this morning. You think I take my suffering out on other people? I'll show you suffering, humiliation."

"Who humiliated you?"

"You did with that article! And they did!"

"Who?"

The call ended and Mac looked at Jo. "That was him," he said.

"What did he say this time?" Jo asked.

"He knew I wasn't home last night."

"How?"

"I don't know but we need to find out. He has to be watching either me or Christine."

"Have you asked Christine if she has seen him around the restaurant?"

"She hasn't seen him. She's seen the pictures and knows about this. She would tell me if he had been there."

"How could he be watching you?"

Mac considered that. "I don't know unless he's sitting around at our apartment buildings or he's got some sort of camera or he's got access to cameras on the street."

"How could he?"

"I don't see how he could. He's just figuring it out somehow."

They went back to the lab and got to work on the evidence while they waited for the autopsy to be done. That autopsy was pushed up because of the significance of it. Mac wrote everything in his report about the case so far. He knew the case was tied with the others. He wondered what Bryant meant when he said he would show him suffering. He just hoped that guy would come after him. He would teach him a thing or two even with his bruised legs.

When the autopsy was done, Mac and Jo went down to the morgue to see what Sid had found although they already knew what to expect. "Good day," Sid said. "I suppose you're looking for information."

"Yes," Mac said.

"I have the bullet and your victim has what looks like nail glue on her fingers where her artificial nails were removed, but there is nothing else. She was shot right through the heart."

Mac took the bullet. "Thanks, Sid."

"Congratulations on your wedding, Mac."

"Thanks."

"Mac, don't miss your wedding. Your job will still be here when you get back."

Jo nodded as she agreed with Sid. "I have to do what I have to do," Mac said.

"Your wedding day is a special day."

"I know. Thanks, Sid."

Mac and Jo went back to the elevator and headed back up to the lab. "He's right, you know," Jo said.

"Christine understands," Mac replied.

"Are you going to go through your whole life saying that? There is going to come a day when she won't understand."

Mac looked at her. "She knows what kind of job I have."

"Don't take it for granted that she 'understands', Mac. You will lose her. I don't care how secure you think you are. If you put this job before her, you will lose her."

The elevator doors opened and Jo walked out. Mac stood there a moment with his mouth open but then he went on to the lab. He gave the bullet to Lindsay and the glue to Danny. "Analyze those, will you?" Mac asked and went on to his office.

Mac sat down at his desk and thought about what Jo said. He did take it for granted that Christine understood. He never even thought about how upset she would be if he could not be at that wedding after she worked so hard, and he never thought about how upset she was when he missed a date. He did take her for granted just like he did Claire. He knew he did. He had put his job before Claire too and he had neglected her at times. Now he was starting the same thing again with Christine. He could not do that. He had to change that and he would be at that wedding if he had to leave in the middle of something.