See Disclaimer in chapter 1.

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Chapter 3

Alex remained quiet for a moment, she wasn't sure if she could comprehend what she had just read. After all this time, her past and her present finally collided.

"Eames? Alex, what is it?" Bobby's concern was etched in his face. He did not like the pallor her skin had taken.

Taking a deep breath to stem the nausea and panic, she handed him the page with shaking hands and slumped back in her chair. "Fourth name down," she whispered.

Curiously glancing at her, Bobby took the page and quickly scanned down the page, finding a name that made his stomach churn. His breath immediately caught in his chest. "It might not mean anything," he said, trying to reassure her. Truth was, he knew it meant everything.

"Bobby, you and I both know that is a crock. He was one of the first victims. Seven years ago and now we find out…" Alex shook her head not believing the evidence right in front of her. "They told me it was random. Just some crazed nut who was probably too drugged out to realize what he was doing. And now….now I find out that my husband may have been part of this sick prick's little game."

Bobby remained silent. He knew better. He knew she was right, the paper and his gut said so. This was just going to get worse and worse. He wanted to scoop her up and protect her and shield her from this awful truth, but he knew she would never go for that. It hurt to watch her in pain like this.

"How many?" she whispered.

"How many what?" he wasn't even sure he had heard her right.

"How many victims were there before him?" He knew where she was going with this and in all honesty he feared the answer but he looked anyway.

"Bobby?" Alex's voice had a threatening edge to it. She wanted to know, and she wanted to know now.

"Six."

"And no one thought they might have a serial on their hands?" Her voice had raised just enough to cause the other occupants of the squad room to stop what they were doing and stare. Pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration for not only making a scene but letting her emotions get the better of her, Alex angrily grabbed the discarded package given to her earlier and began picking at the tape on the edges. She needed something to do with her hands and her energy.

"This guy's smart. If he has managed to get away with it this long, there is no telling when he first started killing." She said nothing. He didn't think she would but he figured he would try.

Deakins had witnessed the little scene with Alex and Bobby a few minutes earlier. He came walking up to their desks slowly, trying to gauge the situation. "Please tell me you have something, anything, to get the guys upstairs off my back?" Alex Eames rarely let her emotions show the way they had in the previous moments, and Deakins was concerned.

"We ran a national search on the names and manner death for any cop killed in and out of the line of duty for the past ten years that might match this guys M.O," replied Bobby.

"How many so far?"

"200," Bobby replied handing him the large list of deceased cop's names.

"Damn, that's a lot of dead cops."

"We're attempting to narrow it down to which ones might be part of a pattern."

"That sick bastard," gasped Alex.

Bobby and Deakins turned to look at Alex, looking for the cause of her outburst. Seeing a badge tumbled out on her desk, Bobby quickly jumped from his chair and moved to her side. "Who's badge is it? The last victim?'

"It's Trent's." Her reply was barely above a whisper but it was loud enough for Bobby and Deakins to hear. The pain was evident in her voice, and her hands were shaking.

"I'll get a CSU team up here." Deakins said before grabbing Bobby's phone. "Yes, this Captain Deakins in Major Case, we need a CSU team up here immediately." There was a brief pause before he thanked the person on the other line and hung up. "They're on their way." By the time he returned his attention to his detectives, Bobby had on some gloves and was pulling something else out the package.

"There's a note. It's addressed to Eames." Taking a look at her for permission, he began to read it aloud.

My dearest Alex- You are so beautiful. It will be interesting to see if your beauty is matched by your brains. You and your partner are supposed to be the best the NYPD has to offer, so I look forward to the challenge. As you can see, this is your husband's badge. Remember him? I killed him because I could. But I didn't know you were what was waiting for him at home. Otherwise, I would have come for you next, taking you out of your grief. It looks as though you have found a new body to fulfill your lonely bed though. Of course, it should be me instead. Now, I am back and you have been delivered to me as if by some Providence.

I know that those who find themselves in positions of power might be intent on removing you from this case, but that would be counterproductive to your investigation, much less the department. I will add two badges a week for every day you are off the case. I must have my delicious Alex as my adversary.

You will grow to appreciate my compulsion and maybe even join me in it. Until that time my dearest Alex, please keep me in your thoughts. You will certainly be in mine.

"Guy's twisted." commented Deakins.

Bobby was watching Alex, looking for a reaction. She refused to look him in the eye, and quickly got up and left the room, slamming her chair into the lockers behind her desk.

"Alex…" Bobby started to plead with her.

"Leave. Me. Alone. Bobby," she ground out the words through gritted teeth. She left him standing there, rubbing his neck contemplating the situation they now found themselves in.

TBC……...