Foretold by SLynn

Summary: A woman walks into the crime lab only to tell Greg Sanders about her murder, a murder he's going to solve. Is she just playing games or is it something more?

Spoilers: Through 'Gum Drops'

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing and will return them all when I'm done, virtually untouched.

Notes: Thanks as always to my betas, Tripp3235 and RivenSky.

"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything."
George Bernard Shaw

Chapter 24: Progress

Greg and Sara came in that night together, smiling as they walked the halls. And if one or two of the techs gave them odd or knowing looks, they didn't mind. In fact, they didn't notice at all. They felt too good to care.

Greg's first order of the night was to find and listen to Henry Baker's interview tapes and then read through the case files. They'd arrived early specifically for that reason, but Sara had begged off actually going over them. She had a lead to track down with Warrick and the sooner it was done the better.

He had a chance to go through it all only once before shift began.

It had been interesting to say the least.

Henry's voice was easily recognizable, but the other two were unknown. Greg thought he would hear Harper on the tape before remembering that he had been replaced after the case had become high profile.

Still, it might be worth asking if he'd witnessed the interview from behind the glass. Harper had said he'd been in on all of them.

It was another short pre-shift meeting and soon Greg found himself on his way to a hit and run with Catherine.

She'd been unusually quiet for the first half of the ride, but Greg knew that wouldn't last. He could just tell she was itching to say something.

"Greg," she began, gaze fixed firmly on the road. "I wanted to talk to you about what happened the other day."

"Catherine, please. You don't have to. I appreciate that you want to help, but I'm fine."

"You may think you're fine…"

"Why is everyone so bent on telling me what I think?" Greg cut-in.

"I'm just saying I've been there," she coolly responded.

Greg turned away, not ready to concede.

"It can be scary…"

"Oh man," Greg muttered under his breath, turning further away from her in his seat.

"…and uncertain but that's what comes with being out in the field…"

"Alright," Greg interrupted, "I can't take this anymore. Catherine, please. I know we were on different shifts for the past year, but I was still in the field. I've even been shot at before. Really, I'm not going to fall apart on you. And FYI, the lab that I worked at before, not exactly a safe haven. Remember?"

Catherine nodded uncomfortably.

"Listen," Greg said with more control, "I know you're just looking out for me. And thank you, but I can do this."

"You're right," Catherine echoed, looking over at him with a wan smile. "You're right."

"And so you know, I'm not going home and crying myself to sleep or anything. I swear."

"Well, I imagine Sara would have something to say about it if you were."

Greg gave her a hard look; Catherine returned it with a wink.

"That quick? You all know that quick?"

"Oh please," Catherine said with a laugh, "you two have been making eyes at each other for months. I'm surprised it took this long."

Greg sat there, shaking his head.

"Come on," Catherine said, pulling to a stop. "Let's get this scene cleared so we can get back in time for you and Sara to take your breaks together. Again."

"You know," Greg called after her, "I think I'll take the mothering if this is the alternative."

"Oh no, you've made your choice."

"Just great," Greg said sarcastically but unable to keep from wearing a smile.

Greg did get back just in time to meet Sara for their break, but they didn't go alone. Nick and Warrick had waited around also, wanting to go over the Highwayman murders with them both.

"So," Sara started after they'd ordered, "what was on the tapes?"

"It was odd."

"Odd how?" Warrick asked, stifling a yawn. "Odd like Ashley or what?"

"No," Greg answered, struggling to put it together. "He was much more concise. I mean, he seemed to know exactly what he wanted to say. You know, after the standard interview stuff they always go through, he wouldn't really answer their questions, just asked a few of his own and then started rattling off all sorts of information."

Greg stopped to take a drink of his water.

"He told the detectives that the suspect was 'tricking them'."

"Tricking who?" Nick asked.

"That's what they asked and this is where he was a lot like Ashley; it seemed to confuse him."

Sara nodded in agreement. Not that she'd heard the tape, but it was a fair description of Ashley. The few times Sara had talked to her, Ashley had always seemed thrown if you didn't understand her right away.

"He just repeated it a few times and then he said, 'he's fooling them' and…"

Greg stopped again for another drink of water. The more time he'd had to think about this, the crazier it got.

"And?" Sara gently prodded.

"And then he said something like 'fooling like a clown'."

"A clown?" Warrick asked feeling much more alert than before.

Greg nodded.

"Then he did this, you'd have to hear it… it was just… I'm not sure I can even describe it. It was like the word 'clown' triggered something and he just went on about how it wasn't like a clown and he hated clowns and…"

"Clowns?" Sara repeated, eyebrow raised.

"Yeah," Greg confirmed. "Unless I fell asleep listening to the thing and dreamed it up, he definitely hated clowns."

"Okay," Sara said, trying to wrap her head around it. "Ashley was always referencing clowns and the circus. And now it looks like Henry was too. Was that in his journals?"

"No," Nick answered, shaking his head. "I'd have remembered that. But there was some references to water. Any on the tape?"

Greg thought about it for a minute.

"I don't think so," he finally returned. "But he did say that he'd done it before. That this wasn't the first time."

"That fits with why he'd have five names instead of three in his journals," Warrick supplied.

"What I don't get," Nick interrupted, "is why this guy, whoever he is, didn't brag. Usually these guys can't shut up about it. Why was Highwayman so quiet?"

"Maybe he wasn't," Sara said. "I mean, if it was Henry Baker who killed these women, going to the police with information is pretty close to rubbing the detectives' noses in it."

"Or maybe the detectives were on to him already and he didn't want to risk it," Warrick said.

"He said that," Greg said suddenly. "Henry said that in the interview. He told them they were close to it. Close to the killer."

"Do we have the old suspect list?" Nick asked.

"Harper would," Greg answered. "I was going to talk to him in the morning anyway about the interview; I'll ask him for it."

"It could be just another mislead," Warrick reminded them. "If it was Baker, he wasn't lying. They were close to him. About three feet."

"I guess you're here because of the Highwayman, right?"

Greg nodded to Detective Harper, having once more taken a seat in his cramped office.

"Where's your partner, what's her name, Sandy?" he asked.

"She couldn't make it," Greg answered. "She had an appointment this morning."

"Yeah," he nodded gruffly, "they always do. You know, that's exactly why they shouldn't let them on the force. When they're not busy with all their so-called 'appointments' they're off having babies. It's no place for a woman if you ask me."

For perhaps the first time in his entire life, Greg had no response. He just stared, wide-eyed in disbelief. Not that it was a big shock given his attitude before; he'd just never expected Harper to come out and actually say it out loud.

"Of course," Harper said, obviously back peddling, "some of them aren't that bad. Your partner seems alright. Tough. I'm sure she handles herself well."

Again, Greg just didn't know what to say. It was baffling.

"Um," Greg interrupted before he had to listen to any more, "yeah. Well, I was hoping I could get a copy of the original suspect list from you; from the Highwayman case."

"Why would you need that?" he asked. "They're going to close it. Didn't your boss tell you?"

"Yes but…"

"Well, why would you need it then?"

Before Greg could answer, Harper began to shuffle through the nearest filing cabinet.

"Listen," he said as he searched, "you're new to this, right?"

"I've been…"

"You're new," he stated firmly. "I've been doing this for years. These women, he kept them for days. Would have been easy to do out on that ranch in the middle of nowhere."

"But he had a wife and a child."

"So did the Green River killer," Harper insisted.

"Yes but he didn't…"

"Doesn't matter," Harper said. "A lot of crazies put up a nice, respectable front. They have wives, kids… doesn't matter."

Greg nodded in agreement.

"But didn't the Highwayman take mementos? I read the files and…"

"Yes," Harper nodded, for the first time looking doubtful. "He did."

"And they weren't found," Greg said.

"No," he admitted. "They weren't. But we're still looking."

"From what I've read," Greg began but was quickly cut off.

"Listen," Harper said. "This guy, he did it. After awhile, you just know."

"Did you ever meet him?"

"I witnessed his interview. He knew things. Things that he couldn't… only the murderer could have known. It was him. Henry Baker's our man."

"Yes but…"

"Henry Baker is our man."