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Chapter 9

John took out his gun and so did Jake, the two of them walked thru the small room and bathroom with guns drawn as they searched the room thoroughly. He wasn't still there, he was obviously gone, John put away his gun and walked over to her, he pulled her into his chest and held her.

"I'm so sorry I screamed, I know that was very unprofessional, it just caught me off guard" she said as she tried to regain herself.

She pulled herself off his chest after a few minutes; she backed up and looked into his eyes.

"What is it about this room and serial killers and me" she asked and the irony almost made it laughable.

"Are you alright?" John asked her as he forgot Jake was in the room with them, he remembers once Jake cleared his throat.

"Get your kit Nat, and your gloves, lets canvas and bag" he told her and he saw her start to move out of John's grip and vision as she grabbed her analysis kit.

"Wait Natalie, let me or one of my guys do this, you need to rest, I think you're still a little in shock"

"No, she isn't, she can do this, just step back LT and let her do her magic" Jake told him and John wanted to protest but he couldn't, she was already into swabbing and dusting.

The three of them worked almost like a team, a weird team of three. Natalie went out on the fire escape with John following her, she crouched down and studied the body, with her latex gloves on she carefully removed his Llanview PD cap and had to hold in her fear that started to ravel to the surface when she saw the man's hair. It was medium length; same as John's, same color and she knew even before she found the note in his pants that the killer was sending her a message.

John saw her remove the cap and he too knew what was happening, he put his hand on her shoulder reassuring her he was there as she proceeded to remove the note from the man pants. This note however wasn't in the pants pocket of the Vic. it was stuck in his zipper, the fly of his pants, she unzipped the note, careful not to ripe the small piece that stuck out for them to find.

Unfolding it as Jake walked closer to the window she read it out loud.

"I did it for you, all of it for you, now your far, or so near,"

Natalie turned to John, and then looked to Jake.

"He wants us back in Philly, he wants me back in Philly" she said softly as she felt again fear rise to her surface, she looked at John and tears started to pool in her eyes, then she looked towards Jake, he gave her the strength of her work so to speak, she pushed the tears completely away, she pushed them down deep and proceeded to examine the body. All three eventually moved their focus to inside the room.

Looking at the path of red wine from the window to the bed, Natalie kneeled down and noticed it wasn't fully absorbed into the carpet that meant it hadn't been that long ago. She thought about the significance of the path from the window and then to the bed, she looked over at John who had already figured it out.

"He's not happy you're here with me," John told her and she shook her head that she too got that point.

"What have you got babe" Jake asked her, so to break the staring trance John and Nat seem to have going, Jake wasn't out of this, not this case and most certainly not her life, he was putting himself smack down in the middle and not moving, not making a move till the time was right.

John tried to bite his tongue when he again called her babe, how many times had he called her that today? He asked himself pissed, he heard them speak of something else and call her babe again and he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Jake, do you really think its professional to be calling someone that works for you babe? " John said in a tizzy and Jake smiled knowing he was most likely again getting to John and John was becoming unraveled by his and Natalie closeness.

"I don't call her Babe at work, but we're not on the payroll here so I can call her any affectionate name I want. She actually really enjoys it, the other pet name I have for her is only appropriate for the bed room" Jake told he snidely with a sweet smile knowing that last remark was going to get him and get him good.

John walked closer to Jake, smiled bitterly and was about to open up his mouth with some not so nice words when Nat walked closer to them. She had been over by the trail of wine and she was so trying real hard to ignore their back and forth words but she couldn't any longer. She positioned herself in between the two of them; she looked back and forth between them.

"Now isn't the time for any of this, I think we need to get back to Philly," she said that last part as she looked a Jake.

"You're right Babe" he said purposely as he looked at John.

"Yeah, we really should go back, that's what he wants" John told her and she looked at him, she smiled a small smile as she stared into her eye's.

"You're gonna come?" she asked as her eye's glimmered, he would really come to Philly with her, help her on this case, she her life there.

"Of course, and don't go thinking it's because I think I need to be there to keep you safe either, okay well that's part of it" he said and he smiled, he took his hand and touched the her cheek with it.

"I want to see you in action, I'm also pretty sure I can help" he said as they again were in a blue eye to blue eye trance, Jake walked closer to pull them out of it

"You really aren't needed Lt, I'm all the help Natalie needs, and when we get back there, I'm in charge, she works for me, and I always keep her safe" Jake said and John shook his head.

"That's fine Lt, but I'll be there also, just in case she needs me, emotionally or physically" John said snide and he gave him a smirk