Sister Beverly Manten stood staring at the orphans who were quietly enjoying the evening meal. The Ash Wednesday Mass ceremony was fast approaching and this was indeed a time to honor the Catholic celebration of fasting and prayer. She slipped away as the other sisters gathered the orphans to bring them to the chapel. Little did she know someone was waiting on the other side of the door for Miss Manten.

"Bonasera." Stella flipped her phone open and placed it against her ear.

"Stella, it's Claire Taylor."

"Hey Claire. What caused you to make a phone call so bright and early in the morning?"

"We have another abduction reported at the station and I thought you would be interested."

"Why? I'm homicide." Stella crawled from her bed and threw her curtains open, letting the sunlight brighten her studio apartment.

"Yeah, but it's the same pattern as your rape vic had."

"My dead rape vic?" Stella's voice rose slightly. Part because of anger remembering the particular case as disgusting above and beyond anything she'd investigated before; and part because of excitement that they could be one step closer to tracking the pig down.

"The very same." Claire confirmed. "My husband's coming by to pick you up. He should be there in about fifteen minutes, but he wanted to head straight to the station instead of the lab."

"Alright, I'll be ready." Stella was already brushing through the tangled mess her hair had a habit of becoming when she showered at night. "Did you and Mac get settled in all the way?"

"Yeah… three months past when we would have liked to have everything unpacked, but that's newlyweds for you." She giggled, imagining Stella rolling her eyes.

"You're better than coffee in the morning. I'm going to have to keep you around." Stella mumbled as she forced her toothbrush into her still sleeping mouth. She groaned at the thought of having to spit. "Mac's knocking, I'll see you in a bit."

"Alright, Detective, enjoy." Claire hung up leaving Stella to race to unlock the door and back to the bathroom, dressed but barefoot as of yet.

Mac laughed as he watched her retreat back to the bathroom. He heard her choke as she spit into the sink.

"I just got off with Claire." She yelled from down the hall.

"Yeah, she mentioned she'd wake you up for me and give you the good news."

"You think it's him?" Stella came out as she pulled her hair back into a plastic clip.

"I know it is." Mac looked very sure of himself as he adjusted his tie.

Stella raised an eyebrow at him before slipping into a pair of sneakers, mumbling something in Greek.

Mac snapped his attention to her. "What was that?"

Stella bushed. "Sometimes I forget you've only known me a little while."

"Yeah, but, what was that?" He repeated himself.

"Oh… yeah, suppose I could translate myself for you. I asked whether or not you certainty would actually make it to the interrogation point."

"Sarcastic so you said it not in English." It wasn't a question.

She confirmed anyway. "Yeah, something like that. It was Greek actually."

"It's all Greek to me." He laughed as she simply shook her head.

She grabbed her badge and gun as she locked her doors and followed him out. "What's wrong with me meeting you?"

"Well, I had to grab some things and figured the 'long drive' back to the station would be too boring."

She stared at him, a crooked grin on her face. "I'm glad you and Claire moved here."

"Yeah, we're a blast aren't we?"

She nodded. "How long have you been married?"

"Almost three years." He answered with a small amount of pride in his voice. She wasn't sure if the pride came from lasting three years or for remembering.

"Please. Please let me go." Miss Manten whispered hoarsely though she was sure no one else made their home in the dark basement she found herself. She'd done so much good in her life. What would warrant such a terrible end? She didn't dwell on it. Instead she attempted to discern what on her had been beaten and bloodied when she was taken from the chapel halls. No one would know she had gone missing right away, that she was sure of.