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Chapter 3

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Looks of confusion darted across the table as Grissom walked into the conference room, silencing any conversation. Sitting at the head of the table, he set his load on the floor before addressing the group.

"About fifteen minutes ago, I received a call. The woman said she had information on the case, but I think she has more than she's willing to give." Referring to a notepad, he relayed the conversation to the group, getting a mixture of confusion and excitement in return.

"She said we could ask questions and I'm anxious to hear what yours are, but first I want to show you something." He pulled out the same photos that Catherine had shown him earlier. Look at the message there: Ex 20 15. Now look at these photos."

As the pictures were passed around the table, Sara looked up. "These are the photos from the last homicide."

"Yes, now look at the enhanced version of the same shot," Grissom prompted.

Sara looked down and a moment later Grissom saw her eyes widen as she read, "Ex 20 14."

"Exodus, Chapter 20, verse 14. 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.'" Grissom quoted the Bible. "Remember the vic…"

"The vic was having an affair!" Warrick sighed through clenched teeth. He slammed his fist on the table for emphasis, disappointed he hadn't put two and two together before now.

"And this one," Nick said, holding up another enhanced photograph. "Ex 20 3."

"Exodus, Chapter 20, verse 3. Who remembers something about our vic in this case?"

Silence ensued for a moment, but even so, Grissom could hear the wheels turning in their minds as they fought to remember the almost month old case. Suddenly, realization dawned on Sara.

"He was Hindu!" she exclaimed, looking at Grissom for praise, but getting none. He addressed the group instead.

" 'Thou shalt have no other gods before Me,'" he quoted. "Commandment number one."

"Suck up," Nick muttered, earning him a kick in the shin.

"So, we're dealing with a crusader," Catherine murmured. "Killing in righteousness…"

"I looked for similar cases in other cities. Apparently, Vegas is her third stop. She started in New York, and then moved on to Miami. Ten kills in each city, one for each commandment, and sadly, number four is always a minor." Grissom spread his research out before him.

"Number four?" Nick asked.

" 'Honor your mother and father.'" Catherine said mournfully. Everyone knew she was thinking of Lindsey.

"So, the current case is commandment…what?" Warrick asked, as much to change the subject as anything else.

"Number seven. 'Thou shalt not steal.' Sara, did you notice anything familiar about the vic?" Grissom asked.

"Yeah, but I couldn't place him," she said, clearly frustrated.

"Hey, isn't this the suspect from that casino robbery last month in Laughlin?" Warrick asked, recognition dawning.

"Yeah! He disappeared after questioning," Nick noted, looking at the photos Sara had shot earlier in the shift. "Apparently he didn't get very far."

"She's established a pattern and it's very well thought out. Lots of symbolism. She kills every twelve days, and only in ways mentioned in the Bible: whipping, burning, and even stoning." Grissom passed around information on Miriam from the other murders.

"There's tons of symbolism here!" Catherine's eyes darted up and down the sheet. "She doesn't kill in order of the commandments, though. She takes out the most grievous first: steal, cheat, lie, kill. Then she goes after the smaller ones, the ones virtually everyone is guilty of. She leaves the verses…"

"Plus, Sin City is her third stop. Three is a huge number in Christianity," Sara noted. "Figures she'd save her biggest stop for number three…" she let her voice trail off.

"If we're allowed to ask questions, I want to know why," Catherine said emphatically. "Even in doing this, she's not making the world a better place. She has to realize this."

"I want to know how she chooses her victims," Nick chirped in. "And why is she communicating with us? It's almost like she's helping us catch her."

"All right, hold on," Grissom all but yelled as chatter increased. "First of all, I can't take all your questions at once. So write them down and we'll ask her later." He paused to hear the scribbling of pen on paper. "Second of all, Nick, I don't think she's communicating so that we'll catch her, so much as she's trying to make a point. And third, I'll be taping this, but I want a copy for each person, Archie. I know you'll all be able to pick up on something different."

At that moment, the phone rang.

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