John knocked loudly on Ron's door, waiting a moment as it swung open. "Jesus," Ron said. "What now?"

"Relax." John said. "I'm looking for your buddy, Bobby."

"You guys don't leave anyone out, do you?" Ron said. "He's up on the roof. Oh... and he's not your guy."

"Thanks for the heads up on that one," John said. He turned and ascended to the roof, letting the cool breeze hit him as he looked around. He caught a glimpse of Bobby striking a match to light up a cigarette. John slowly approached him.

"Bobby Warren?"

"Yeah, you shouldn't be up here," Bobby said.

John flashed his ID. "I need to ask you a few questions."

Bobby leaned against the edge of the building. "This about Ron?" he asked. "I thought he was cleared."

"He was. He is." John said. "I wanted to ask you a few questions about your whereabouts..."

Bobby laughed, dropping the cigarette and stomping it out. "So I did this now?" he said " Who next? One of those girls? Did they do this to themselves? Was it some ritualistic cult thing? You're wasting your time, Agent McBain."

Why don't you just tell me where you were, Bobby and let me determine whether or not I'm wasting my time."

"I was here... alone." Bobby said. "No alibi. Ron went out and I was asleep. That's it." He was lighting a second cigarette.

"You use matches all the time?" John asked.

"That a problem?"

"Not at all," John said. "We'll be in touch."

>>>>>>

Al sat in the apartment, head in his hands, mind racing a mile a minute. First Jessica, then Jen and this psycho was still out there.

"It's a pity," Luna said, sitting beside him.

"That all those girls are dead? That Jess and Jen were killed? Where's the justice?"

"It doesn't make sense, darlin'. I know." Luna said. "But you don't have much time now. You have to get Marcie to see you. To make everything right, sugar."

"Making everything right... it's just not happening. It's not happening, Luna. And I'm going to be out of this whole picture soon because this is all hopeless."

"Don't give up, sugar." Luna said. "You still have 'til midnight. You still have a chance to fix things."

"And I'm going to. I have to and I will." Al paused. "I will, Luna. I will."

>>>>>>

Marcie sat in the diner, watching as the patrons came and went. "Marc?" she heard from behind her. She turned to see Riley.

"Hi..." she said softly. "Riley..."

"How are you doing?" Riley asked her. "Are you OK?"

Marcie nodded slowly. "What about you?"

Riley sighed. "The cops still have nothing," he said "My dad is just as clueless as the rest of them, but I know Jen. You know Jen. Would she have turned her back on anyone she didn't know?"

"No" she said . "No, she was more careful than anyone." Marcie paused. "Jen knew him. She knew the killer."

"Not that it narrows things down much but..."

"It kinda points us in some sort of direction."

"Jen knew a lot of people," Riley sighed.

"Well... do you think that maybe if Jen knew him, Jessica knew him too?"

"Maybe." Riley said, sitting. "But they both knew a lot of the same people."

"So what now?"

Riley was silent for a moment. "I don't have any idea what the cops are doing but... we can narrow the list a little."

"It's New Year's Eve." Marcie said in sudden revelation. "Jen and I... were supposed to go to the party for... the opening of Rex's new restaurant."

"Yeah..." Riley sighed. "I was gonna meet her and Joe there... some big party. She was really excited about the whole thing."

"New Year, new Jen," Marcie said. "That's what she kept saying to me." They were both silent for a moment. "We should go. For Jen, we should go."

"You really think that's a good idea?"

Marcie nodded. "Yeah," she said. "Yeah. Come with me. If it's weird, we'll leave."

Riley shrugged. "I don't think so, Marc."

"Please," Marcie said. "Riley... I don't want to go alone. We don't have to stay long. Just... don't make me do this on my own. Please."