A/N: I know, it's a day late. Sorry about that. I got super busy with some other stuff that really demanded my attention. I can however promise that I will have another chapter up and running by Saturday at the very latest. Hope you guys are enjoying it. I sure love to read your feedback

.+Faith:.

Disclaimer: don't own anything. Not the characters. Although I would really like to own spike. Anyway nothing is mine sadly and none of the lines from any of the scripts are mine. The title and the plot are loosely based on the In Death books by J.D. Robb. I don't own it either

Rating: R, just for good measure

Chapter 3

Walking into her home office, Buffy decided an hour personal time for both her and Tara would do them both good. They aren't much good to the dead if she can't keep her eyes open.

Buffy opened the mahogany door and made a bee line for her computer. She figured that she could get in at least a half hours worth of work before Spike came looking for her.

She turned her computer chair around to see a very smug, blonde man sitting in it.

"You should get some sleep Lieutenant." Spike said lounging in her chair with a steaming plate of ham and eggs just screaming her name

"I got enough sleep earlier." She lied

"You look exhausted. Here, eat some then sleep." He said. It was more of a demand than a request as he pushed her down in her chair. It was a gentle nudge but with enough power behind it for her to know he would fight her on the matter

Just seeing the stern but loving look in those fiercely blue eyes made her melt and eventually cave in. Against her better judgment of course.

..>

A quick cat nap of forty-five minutes on a full stomach was a good idea; but she would never admit that to Spike, it would go straight to his head.

"So now that you're all rested and such, would you like to tell me about this new victim?" Spike asked as he saw her emerge from the bed. He had been watching her sleep and although even he gets creeped out at that thought, he couldn't help but stare at her gorgeous sleeping form.

"I can't tell you anymore than I already know and I don't know very much." She walked to her office, Spike following closely behind listening intently as she rattled off what she knew about Samantha Craven.

She grabbed a poured a cup of coffee for each of them from the mini kitchen in her office and awaited Spike's response.

"Well . . . that's interesting."

"He left a red rose on the body. I'm not sure if it means anything, I got to think that it does. He's imitating the greatest serial killer of the 19th century but maybe also wants to leave something of his own behind? Wants people to know who the new Ripper is? God, so frustrating." Buffy said as she set down her cup of coffee, sat in her chair and rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands

Spike walked over to rub her shoulders and asked, "You think it's a he?"

Buffy looked up looking straight ahead and said very confidently, "I know it's a he."

..>

After her hour was sup, Buffy called Tara into her office to brief her on the information Buffy had collected since the morning.

"Ok. This is what we know." Buffy began, sitting at her desk, her hands in her lap, "Her name is Samantha Craven age 24. She was once married but as a result of her husband cheating on her while she was pregnant, they got a divorce and Sam terminated the pregnancy. She kept small odd jobs around town so she could pay rent. She started working as a prostitute because guys noticed her and was willing to pay good money for a pretty face which they're having sex. Now, for the killer . . ."

"You know, you were supposed to sleep on our hour off, not work." Tara commented

Buffy chose to ignore the comment and proceeded on.

"The killer is imitating Jack the Ripper. I don't know what kind of significance it has for him, but it has to have some. We'll consult Giles later in the day. Samantha fits almost the exact profile of Polly Nichols, Jacks first victim. If he is going in order, which I think he is, his next victim will fit the profile of Annie Chapman. I want you to run a search of women in the area who are widowed, 3 children, one dead, one crippled by something. May suffer from depression. Before you go, did you send the paper and envelope to the lab for analysis?"

"Yep. Results should be here within a day or two." Before walking to the door, Tara paused and looked at Buffy.

"Something else?" Buffy asked

"Not really. Just . . . How do you know so much about Jack the Ripper?"

"You know how a lot of Kids are reading romance novels or cosmopolitan or stupid teenage books? I wasn't. I was reading about Jack, Albert DeSalvo, Charles Manson, and Ron DeFeao. It was what I read."

"You never read Dr. Seuss?"

"Nope."

"Man, you really missed out."

A/N: I know it's short, so sorry. Update by Saturday morning. Yeah, I know my serial killers…kind of scares me a little bit haha