Title: The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Author: Dana-Maru1
Summary: The team investigate a series of murders in the twelve days till Christmas...
Disclaimer: Sue, Jack and anyone else you may recognize are not mine. But thanks Pax for letting us borrow them from time to time...
On Wednesday evening Patricia Hall browsed the shelves in the shoe department of Macy's, searching for a pair of sandals for her night out that Friday. Walking back and forth between the aisles, she scanned for a pair with straps and a small heel, frustrated that the smallest heel looked to be about three inches. Finally, she found the perfect pair - red leather upper with a silver stiletto heel - and went to pair for them unaware of the man who'd been watching her the whole time. What he first noticed about her was the brooch she wore. Two white doves. He gazed at it with interest for a while deciding she was perfect for his task. And he followed her out of the store.
Patricia took a shortcut home, through a darkened alleyway lighted only by two streetlights. It was late and she'd been on her feet in the Emergency Room all day so she wanted to get home as quick as possible. Taking the alley route cut ten minutes from her journey. The man was still behind her, following closely. But not too closely so as not to arouse suspicion. Illuminated in the streetlight, she walked briskly and when the shadows fell upon her, he quickened his pace, catching up to her before they were bathed in the soft orange glow again. She managed to scream once before his calloused hand wrapped around her mouth. Silencing her and stopping her oxygen supply all at once. She kicked out at her assailant but met nothing other than that air. After a few moments, she stopped struggling and her body slumped against his. He let go of her lifeless form, letting her fall face down in the mud before taking the silver knife from his pocket and digging it deep next to her left shoulder blade. Once the knife had gone as deep as he could force it, he tugged it the whole way down her back and repeated this on the right side of her back. He watched with satisfaction as blood poured from the wounds, and calmly wiping the blood from his knife. He walked away as though he'd done nothing wrong. In his mind, he hadn't but to the rest of us ... well, this was his second murder in two days.
Jack walked into the bullpen on Thursday morning with a new case file in hand. As soon as he got the team's attention, and Sue was in his sight line, he began briefing them on the new killing.
"Patricia Hall, a 26-year-old doctor at George Washington Memorial was killed last night at an estimated time of 8pm. Her body was found at 7am this morning, when a man by the name of Peter Martin was taking his bin bags out to the trash. According to forensic reports, it looks like it's the same MO as Nora Samuels, with one difference: There were two stab wounds this time." He explained, handing case files round.
"Still no prints?" D asked before he opened the file.
"No fingerprints yet, and the rain last night covered up any footprints we might have gotten." Jack sighed. "And no witnesses besides our Mr. Martin. Which reminds me - Sue you wanna come with me to question him?"
"Sure." She said, smiling that wide grin that made his heart leap every time.
Lucy and Tara shared a knowing glance, whispering to each other and stopped short of giggling when Sue turned around and gave them a playful glare, somehow sensing they'd been talking about her and Jack. There is nothing going on between me and Jack! Her thoughts screamed, Stupid policy, why can't they just allow inter-unit dating? Stop it Sue! She mentally chastised herself. She tried not to let herself think these things, but often she let her mind wander. Only when she was alone, though.