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Chapter Nine

Huang's Office

FBI Headquarters, Manhattan

"So let me get this straight Doctor. You believe that the same person who abused me as a child is the same person who killed Jeremiah Cohen, and 12 other boys that we know of so far. I'm a conspiracy theorist myself but even this is to much for me to consider."

"No doctor. You can't be right because if you are then that means I had the chance to stop this bastard thirty eight years ago and I did nothing. Besides this guy has to be 60 years old." "How can he……"

"Munch you know for a fact that we arrest hundreds of pedophiles every year well into their sixties. Age does not matter to these people. It's a compulsion. Have you every seen an addict stopped by their age?"

"I can't believe it."

"I'm not absolutely certain Munch, but the similarities are too strong to ignore. The scarring on the sole of your foot matches the circular star formation found on all of the victims."

"Okay I'll bite. What do we do about this?"

"Well, now that we understand that this guy is definitely a serial murder with range stretching over multiple states, this case is now in the jurisdiction of the FBI. We will work with the Manhattan police and the other departments in which bodies were found but for all accounts and purposes this case is now under the jurisdiction of the FBI. Specifically, it is under the care of Agent Petrosky and me. I currently have a conflict of interest, so if you would like to have me remove myself as counselor, I would completely agree with you."

"No way Doctor. You aren't handing me off to some other shrink."

"Munch….., Huang pleaded.

I understand what's happening and what's going to happen. I am Detective after all." Munch said taking a deep breath. "I'm going to wave my confidentiality privileges. Whatever it takes to catch this guy if he is one in the same as my abuser."

"Munch, I have to advise you to think about this a little longer before you make that decision."

"It's already done Doctor. The longer we take the more time he has to find another victim. Let's get this done."

Munch's Apartment

Fin walked up to Munch's apartment and prepared to knock on the door. Before he could knock Munch opened the door. "Hey Fin, come on in."

Munch walked into the apartment and headed to the kitchen where he seemed to be cooking some kinda of curry dish.

"Are you hungry I'm making some Ethiopian food. There is plenty of it."

"Sure. I haven't had dinner I was coming by to see if you wanted to pick up anything but I see the answer to that is no."

"Make yourself at home," Munch said before returning to the stove to stir the dish.

Fin hopped up onto the center isle and watched Munch cook.

Munch was quiet for a while intent on cooking.

"So I guess you've heard."

"I have heard a few things but I would rather get the whole story from you. I figured that you might be ready to talk now "

"Let's eat first because I know if I don't eat now, I definitely won't be able to eat after we talk."

"Okay," Fin said and hopped down from his perch.

After eating Munch and Fin sat in Munch's living room and talked into the early morning, Fin sat patiently listening his face, voice, and actions full of compassion but no pity. Munch liked that. He liked it a lot.

"So this dude Stein, they believe he may be connected to the serial murders of the young boys?"

"They believe he is the psychopath doing the killings. And it's my fault that he's gotten away with so much."

"Munch don't say that, don't you dare say that."

"Why not," Munch said looking Fin in the eye. "It's the truth."

"It's not true. You were twelve years old."

"I knew, I knew what he was doing was wrong and I didn't stop it." Munch said jumping up from his position on the couch and stalking over to the window.

"You did try to stop him which is amazingly strong." Fin said following Munch to the window. He placed his hands around Munch's thin waist because it felt like the right thing to do.

Munch tensed for a moment and then he relaxed and placed his hands over Fin's where they were clasped around his waist and they both stood there for a long time.

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