" Okay," Charlie said suprised at his brother's reaction, " Then we just need to get the information from a different source."
" That's the thing, Charlie," Don started impatiently, " There is no other source."
" Of course there is. We just need to find the back-ups..."
" THERE ARE NO BACKUPS! The system crash destroyed all files from that year."
" Can't you get it from another office?"
" The files weren't going to be sent until after the system crashed."
" Media?"
" The press wasn't given details. You know that, Charlie."
" Then what about the men who solved the patterns? Have you tried contacting them?"
" The mathematicians are in lectures. The agents don't rememer much."
Charlie paced the room muttering, " There has to be someone. Some point of reference if we are going to predict a copycat."
" Well, there isn't. I'm sorry, but this case crept up out of nowhere."
Charlie looked up at Don.
" Isn't that ironic," he said.
" What?" replied Don not seeing where this was going.
" That are copycat struck at the precise moment when information that would have made capturing him easy disappears."
" Yeah," replied Don grabbing a file, " Coincidence."
Charlie shook his head, " There are no such things as coincidences," he replied softly.
Don looked back at his brother seriously.
" Charlie, we need your help on this. Your the only one who can break this code."
" Actually there are plenty of others...," Charlie started.
" Your the only one I'd trust."
" Okay."
"Does that mean you'll do it?"
" Yes, but I need the data from every murder. How many have their been?"
" Five," said Don handing him the folder.
" Hmm," replied Charlie taking it. Casually he flipped through the reports, thankful their were no pictures.
" Can you do it?" asked Don more out of habit then anything else.
" Yeah," replied Charlie not looking up, " I mean how hard can it be?"