It's Monday! Here's the latest installment. Thanks for the reviews and positive reinforcement! Maple Street...you're my inspiration.

And one more comment: Sarah (aka RED5) - one WaT fic is NOT ENOUGH. How about making good use of your time and trying another one!

This chapter is mostly plot development. It opens with Jack arriving at his office and finding Terry lounging about...

Too Good To Be True
By: Mariel

Chapter 14

An hour after being awoken by Terry's phone call, Jack strode into his office to find his friend talking on his phone with his feet comfortably propped up on his desk. Making a quick movment with his thumb, he made it clear he wanted the feet on the floor. With a silent grin, Terry continued his conversation, but slowly moved his feet.

When his conversation was finished, Terry replaced the receiver and rose. "Took you long enough," he commented. Eying Jack's typical black-suit-and-tie-with-white-shirt ensemble he added, "What happened? Trouble finding a tie to match?"

"This, from a guy who dresses like an English professor," Jack quipped as he sat his desk.

"I'm told women go for the look."

Jack snorted. "You haven't dated in a decade."

"So it's been a slow decade. It'll pick up," Terry grinned.

"While it's picking up, do you suppose we could discuss what it is you woke me up for? I told Vivian on the way through we'd be meeting with everyone in about half an hour."

Taking his usual seat across from Jack, Terry tilted his head towards the phone and said, "That was NYPD I was talking to. The woman they found wasn't killed by our guy." Shaking his head, he continued, "They just about gave me a heart attack when they called this morning and said they thought they had another body I'd be interested in. I was half prepared to think my theory was wrong, and that the girl didn't get away. That would've meant we had no one out there who might have seen something. Anyways, it looks like we're in the clear. The woman was Filipino, but she was stabbed. With an ice pick, so not much blood. The neck was broken, but post mortem, probably when she was dumped. They've already got a suspect in custody."

Jack nodded, allowing himself to feel some relief. Settling back into his chair, he asked, "How do you want to organise this?"

-XXX-

"You've all met Terry," Jack told his team. "Last time he was here, he helped with the Spaulding case. Now, he's following a series of murders he's hoping we may be able to help him with. I'm giving you fair warning that we're going to be living and breathing this case every chance we get."

Terry Baldwin straightened his long frame in readiness to speak. A glance from Jack, and he knew he was on.

Giving a brief smile to the people gathered around the bullpen's conference table, he plunged into his message. "About twelve months ago, the Houston Police Department noticed an unusually high incidence of murdered Filipino women in that area. The similarities between a number of them led to their contacting the FBI. Almost at the same time, the NYPD contacted us, questioning a similar observation here. We checked out the rest of the country, and the occurences appear to be contained to Houston and New York. We found little to connect these women, however, besides their being Filipina and relatively new to the country. None of them knew each other, or appear to have known any of the same people."

Pausing to sip from his coffee cup, he then continued, "These women's bodies were found at varying times after their deaths - usually in long abandoned buildings, or other out-of-the-way spots. Two were buried in shallow graves. The way they were killed, however, was consistent. The severity of what is done to them before they are killed has increased over the past couple of murders and the bodies seem to be appearing at an increased rate - a typical occurence when a serial killer gains confidence and becomes more angry."

"How many to date?" Martin asked, wondering how dead women fit into their perview of missing persons.

"Over the past three years, we believe as many as twelve."

Danny gave a low whistle. "That's one every three months."

Terry nodded. "On average, yes."

"Hard to do that and get away with it," Vivian murmured.

Terry nodded. "There were a couple things in the murderer's favour," he told them. Leaning forward to place his elbows on the table, he steepled his fingers. "Both cities have high Filipino populations, and both cities have a high murder rate as well. Our killer also seems to have alternated between Houston and New York. That made it as much as six months or more between murders for either of the police departments. Six months in a busy police department is a long time. People forget."

"The women he chose," Jack offered, "were also not the easiest to trace. They came from varying enough backgrounds and were found in different enough circumstances that nothing made each individual murder stand out. Some of the women appeared to have histories that went back only a few months, which increased the difficulty. The first two victims were believed to have been in the sex trade, others were believed to have been here illegally and perhaps involved in illegal activities. Information was difficult to gather, and other things took precedence."

"So how do we fit in?" Danny asked.

Terry smiled. "For starters, you were the lucky people who stumbled on the connection between New York and Houston that we couldn't figure out."

"How's that?" Vivian asked.

"Georgina Blackwell's murder wasn't part of the series of murders we've been following, but I believe it's linked to them. She obviously wasn't the intended victim - she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Speaking for the first time, Samantha asked, "Why is it 'obvious' she wasn't the intended victim? You're saying he killed the wrong person by mistake?"

"Perhaps I mis-spoke," Terry replied. Holding his pen by each end with long-fingered hands, he explained, "There's no doubt he intended to kill Georgina. She wasn't, however, killed for the reasons that spurred him to kill the others. To date, the victims have all been Filipino. They were also held for a while, sexually assaulted, mutilated, and then murdered. Georgina Blackwell, on the other hand, was killed quickly, and was not molested or mutilated."

"If she doesn't fit his type, what makes you think it was your serial killer who did it?" Vivian asked. Totally focussed on their topic, she sat forward and placed her elbows on the table, her hands clasped in front of her.

Terry looked at her, recognising the pose. He could almost see the wheels of her mind turning. "I think he did it in order to protect himself. Something happened, Georgina saw something, or showed up at an unexpected time, and he had to make a quick decision to kill her."

Without giving Terry a chance to continue, Martin stirred restlessly and shook his head. His brow furrowed, he said, "What you're saying is pure conjecture. I'm with Vivian - what makes you think your guy killed her? There's every possibility there's another killer out there. What is there to indicate this was done by your serial guy?"

Terry placed the pen carefully on the desk. He looked at it a moment, then said, "There is one glaring thing that links her murder with the ones I've been investigating - coincidence. Coincidences always make me sit up and take notice, and there's two staring me in the face right now I can't ignore." Holding up one long finger, he said, "Number one: The victims are all Filipino and we know that Georgina was working with an underground organisation that has helped Filipino women get away from abusive situations. That by itself," he admitted,"is a pretty tenuous connection, but add the second coincidence, and it's time to pay attention."

His gaze sweeping the circumference of the table, he held up a second finger.

"Coincidence number two involves how she was killed. Georgina was killed in the same way as the women murdered by the guy I'm tracking. She wasn't raped or mutilated first, but her actual death was caused in the same way as the others."

Jack took over the explanation. His gaze skipping from one agent to the next, he said, "Our guess is that the killer didn't expect to meet up with her, but when he did, he felt he had to act quickly and finally. Because he was caught by surprise, he relied on the method of killing he was most accustomed to."

"And that was?" Vivian asked.

"He broke her neck."

Vivan winced. "So he likes up close and personal."

"That he does."

"That still doesn't explain how we fit in," Danny prompted.

Terry smiled. "You fit in right where you belong. You've got background information on Georgina's activities that we need to explore further, and," he said, nodding towards a pile of file folders in front of Jack, "I have a few missing persons cases in New York and Houston I need you to take a look at. You're not familiar with any of them because NYPD didn't send them your way - they investigated and felt it wasn't worth your while. Houston police don't have an FBI Missing Persons unit to refer to - they investigated, found little or nothing, and moved on. We're going to take a closer look, see if we can find out what happened to these women, and at the same time, see if we can't discover what the hell is going on with that underground you stumbled upon. We know that it works from Houston to New York. Maybe it works New York to Houston, too. That would lend significance, perhaps, to the new missing persons report I received this morning from the Houston police."

Jack spoke up again. "And since, as Terry says, Houston doesn't have an FBI Missing Persons, I've requested and received permission to generously donate our time and services to help wherever we can. Our first priority will be to any new cases we're handed, but I've been assured that we won't be called upon unless absolutely necessary."

"What's the profile so far on this guy?" Samantha asked.

"We think he's reasonably young," Terry answered. "Twenty something, Caucasian. Likely quiet as a child, smart, analytical. Holds a grudge, which is what we think is at the root of these killings. I definitely get the feeling he's seeking revenge in some way. Eventually, we may figure out for what. And then," he said, rounding up his speech, "there's the sexual aspect to the murders - all the women were raped. That shows a need for dominance. The mutilations are not ritualistic, so cruelty lies behind them." He stopped and lifted a hand, palm up. "So far," he admitted regretfully, "that's all I have."

Martin still looked doubtful. "It's still a pretty tenuous theory," he said. "I mean, what are the odds of his killing someone who stumbled onto his activities who happens to work for an underground organisation who helps the same kind of women he victimizes and then having us happen along to investigate?"

Terry shrugged. "That's my point exactly. It's too big a coincidence for it not to mean something. Besides, my gut is telling me there's something to it, and since I've been given the green light to follow my reasoning - and in the time-honoured tradition of interdepartmental co-operation to call in your help - I'm doing so."

Still not totally convinced, but with nothing further to say, Martin sat back, his gaze sliding from Jack to Terry and then back. The two older men were so unlike each other physically it was almost humorous - one fair, tall, and lanky, the other dark, shorter and compact. Even the way they dressed seemed to be polar opposite - Jack in his formal black and white, Terry in his tweed suit jackets, coloured shirts and bold ties... They had a number of things in common, however - including an unshakeable faith in their intuition and a presence that made you hyper-aware of what they said and did. When the two of them were in the room, it was hard to know whom to look at, and when they were in agreement, they were a force to be contended with.

Silently, he watched the two of them confer. He felt relief that there was official approval for what they were doing - something told him these two men would have been sitting here and saying the same things even without it.

Interrupting Martin's private observations, Danny commented, "So we're getting closer already. All we need from him is a mistake. It will draw attention maybe to another coincidence, or a piece of evidence overlooked or underplayed."

Martin smiled, his eyes growing cold. Almost under his breath, he said, "Wait long enough and they all make a mistake."

"The problem is the number of people who lose their lives while we wait for the mistake to be made." Jack said. "It was only a bunch of coincidences-"

"-And your deciding to make some enquiries-" Terry interrupted.

"-And my asking some questions," Jack agreed, "that drew attention to Georgina's death as a connection. Otherwise, Terry would still be out there looking for one, and Georgina's death would have been considered something unfortunate, random, and inexplicable. It's just luck we're hunting a serial killer."

"Luck?" Vivian asked, one brow raised.

Terry smiled. "You know what he means. Better to be looking for one man than a dozen."

Thinking of the monster they were searching for, Vivian replied skeptically, "If you say so."

"One thing we need to investigate is who Georgina was meeting. They may have witnessed what happened. We believe the person, whomever it was, saw what happened to Georgina and escaped - a purse was found in an alley nearby with identification. Evidence points that Georgina's body was dragged in the opposite direction."

"So we've got a very scared woman out there somewhere," Samantha said softly.

Terry nodded.

-XXX-

As Terry and his team continued to discuss the case, Jack sat back and watched, pleased with how smoothly they had accepted this new challenge. Instead of showing resentment at having work thrown at them after a long, hard slog of weeks without a break, they sat alert, already deep into thinking possibilities and angles. A change in voice tone made him pay closer attention to the conversation...

"I don't suppose we'll be able to claim lieu time for this?" Martin quipped.

Terry raised an amused eyebrow and looked at Jack. "Jack?"

Jack laughed. "Martin, you've already got enough saved up to take a slow boat to China and back. Surely you're not looking for more?"

Martin grinned back. "Never hurts to try." Looking sideways at Danny he said, "Besides, Danny here can always use it to hunt down more conquests."

Vivian smiled. "What a guy. Always looking out for your friends."

Danny reached over and slapped Martin on the back. "I appreciate it, amigo."

"Then maybe you won't mind letting Danny have first dibs at the files Jack's got with him," Terry said, smoothly bringing them back to the task at hand.

Shoving the pile of folders into the centre of the table, Jack told them, "The blue files contain what we know so far about each woman who has disappeared that fits our killer's victim profile.The one on top is on the woman who has most recently disappeared in Houston. The Houston police are looking after the case for now. We may take our own look later. The other files are concerning the murdered women. Spend a while familiarising yourselves with who they were. When you're finished, we'll meet to examine links or coincidences and come up with ideas as to what questions still haven't been asked or answered. That's where we'll start our investigation - knowing that we're going to have to re-visit a number of people we interviewed while investigating Georgina's disappearance as well." He looked over at Samantha. "Those missing files in Georgina's house are looking more and more important."

Samantha nodded. Reaching for a file folder, she said,. "Just remember I want to be there when you go back to ask Victoria about them again."

Jack nodded, glad for the excuse to have her along.

Only Terry noticed Martin's frown.

-XXX-

Hours later, Terry sat back and looked with amusement at the people around the table. He'd lost count of the pots of coffee they'd drunk, and the remains of their takeout dinner were still evident. The day's sunlight had long left the windows and been replaced by the glow of interior lighting and the reflections of those still at work inside.

"I think we should call it a day," he said, as Vivian looked at the clock. "We've learned all we're going to learn from the files, so tomorrow we'll start with the leg work."

There were no murmurs of dissent.

"Victoria Newbury's first on my list," Jack said.

Terry smiled inwardly. "Do you think we have an excuse to do that?"

"Of course we do. We are, after all, looking into the disappearances of several young women whom Georgina may have had contact with. Those missing files are important, and we have evidence that Victoria was in the room and her fingerprints were on the filing cabinet. That's not conclusive evidence she tampered with the files herself, but it's certainly enough to make a case for a return visit to question her if she objects to seeing us again."

Jack turned to Vivian. "Vivian, I'd like you to take a deeper look into Georgina's and Victoria's pasts. Go back to their childhoods. See what's there and what connects to their lives now."

Turning to look at Danny and Martin, he continued, "And unless all hell breaks loose on us again, I'd like you two to visit Stephano Rossi. Be pleasant. Let him know we're wondering what he was doing at Blackwell's after Georgina's murder. Let him think we know more than we do about his connection to her."

"You think he had something to do with her death?" Danny asked.

Jack shook his head. "Damned if I know, but I doubt it. I don't think he's the type, and he's known her for years - both before and after her transformation into a respected upperclass young matron."

Danny shot him a questioning look, so Jack explained, "I saw a newspaper picture of Georgina, her husband, and Stephano sitting at the same table at a charity event. The caption mentioned their going to high school together," he said, grateful that scanning through the social pages of a large number of old newspapers had paid off with that little nugget of information. "He may, however, know something that will give us a clue as to what got Georgina killed. I'm wondering if he knows something about the underground racket she had going. He'd be the perfect source for getting the new IDs she used."

Terry smiled at Jack's deduction. "Why would he do that for her?" he asked. "He's into extortion, or something, for the Mafia, isn't he?"

Jack nodded. "That's the rumour, yeah. But he visited Jeff Blackwell the day after Georgina's disappearance. That makes me curious. To our knowledge, it's the only contact the two men have had outside that charity thing. I'd like to know what that visit was about. Blackwell didn't seem interested in telling us much about anything, and we didn't have the opportunity to interview Rossi because Georgina's body was found and the case turned over to NYPD before we had the opportunity to. Maybe Rossi will be more forthcoming with us and our enquiries."

"You have no legal grounds for questioning him."

Jack shrugged. "I think we do. Maybe the husband's a suspect and I want to know why Stephano was visiting a suspect the day after a murder."

"But Blackwell's alibi is rock solid, and the murder investigation is in the hands of the NYPD."

"Does Rossi know that?"

Terry shook his head, but refrained from saying anything in front of the team.

Understanding Terry's reservations, Jack said, "Terry, if Rossi can't tell us anything, he can't tell us anything, but my instincts are screaming that there's something there and that he's linked somehow. There's certainly no harm in trying. If he refuses to talk to us, I'll look around for just cause. I know we've got it, I'll just have to come up with it."

Terry couldn't argue with that. "If we all know what we're doing tomorrow, then, why don't we head home?"

There was a general rustle as people began to clear the table and organise their part of the chaos scattered over it. While they did that, Terry asked Jack, "Janice got back today, didn't she?"

Jack nodded.

"Think she'll feel like going for a drink somewhere?"

His friend shrugged. "Probably. You know what a nighthawk she is."

"Should we go to her hotel and surprise her, or give her fair warning of our arrival?"

Jack paused, then reluctantly provided information he would rather not have given in front of the team. In a quiet undertone, he said, "She's not at the hotel. She's staying at my place, now."

The sound of falling papers made Terry look over at Samantha. Watching as she covered her shock at what she'd overheard by picking up the scattered contents of the file she'd dropped, he tried to cover his own surprise with nonchalance. Wanting very much to ask just what, exactly, had transpired between the two since he had last been in town, he said instead, "Oh. I didn't know. Then maybe I shouldn't bother. I just thought we could have a drink and find out what the hell she's been up to lately."

Not wanting his friend to get the wrong idea, Jack said, "No, come over. She'd love to see you."

He sounded like a husband, asking a buddy over after work.

Terry examined Jack closely, trying to figure out what was going on. Slowly he nodded. "Okay, then. Anything you want me to do to help get you out the door? Rising to follow Jack, he felt Samantha's eyes follow them.

He wondered what she was feeling.

End
Chapter 14