Coldest Degree

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye!

Chapter Five

Jackson Rippner casually wiped the blood off his trusty knife. He scowled at the dead body lying on the floor. The man had died too fast—such a coward and not even worth killing. The sight of his own blood had nearly driven him insane. Any useful information that he might have held was lost.

When Lisa had disappeared, he had known that she was dead. Jackson had not needed to wait around for her body to surface to confirm his beliefs. Someone had gotten to her when he had been away. Disgusted, Jackson had packed up and hit the road.

He was eager to avenge his murdered wife. He did not know if he or the police would ever find her body and if he would be able to bury her as she deserved. There was no way of knowing for sure what had happened to Lisa and what torment she had faced. He could only hope that she had fought back and that the bastard had not violated her.

Whoever had gone after his sweet Lisa would die a painful death. He was already planning their eventual murder and the hours of torture leading up to it.

Jackson had missed killing people over the course of the past three years. The power and control over someone's life was exhilarating and intoxicating. Lisa had been his only reason for quitting the full scope of his job, but with her recent murder, there was no excuse to abstain from his job. There was nothing and no one to stop him.

He would have his revenge.

I'm sorry, Leese. I never meant for things to go this way. I never wanted you to get hurt.

"They found a body in the gutter. Looks like Rippner's handiwork," Eric Delko informed Horatio over his cell phone.

"Where?" he asked, heading towards his Hummer from the hallway that he currently pacing.

"2853 Windjammer. It's a mess."

"High class area. Did the victim live there?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out. His face was pretty bashed in."

"Hmm," H murmured. "Are we sure that it's Rippner?"

"Well, 'For Leese' is scratched into his chest. Son of a bitch is trying revenge killings to clear himself."

"Her father warned us that he'll be acting rash. I'm working it into the profile," Horatio said, striding towards the Hummer, the Miami sunlight striking the tan vehicle. He needed to see that body.

"H, is it possible that he didn't do it? What if Rippner was framed?"

"Then the evidence will show that. Until then, we need to stop Jackson Rippner. Get Joe Reisert in here to ID her body. Maybe he will feel up to sharing some more info on Rippner."

A week earlier…

"Jackson? Where are you?" Lisa called out into the crisp night air.

"Oh, he's not here, Mrs. Rippner. It's just me and you," sneered an unfamiliar voice.

Lisa instinctively reached for the .45 tucked into her purse. Jackson always worried about her safety after he had brought her back from the brink of death. He had bought the gun for her as protection for when he was not with her. She aimed it at the man in the shadows and clicked off the safety.

"No, no, Mrs. Rippner. Stop getting ideas. I'd hate to shoot you so soon. We haven't had any fun yet."

"Shoot me?" Her mouth fell open in surprise and the gun wavered in her grip.

Her attacker seized the opportunity to leap at her. She screamed and the gun went off.

"You bitch! You shot me!" he hissed, clutching at the spot where the bullet had sliced his arm.

Lisa cried out in pain as he slammed her head against the ground. She was stunned until his weight touched her body. Warning alarms rang through her head and she panicked.

"No! No!"

She fought back and he punched her. She cried out and clawed back as he snatched a handful of her hair. Then he drew his knife. He slashed at her skin and she rolled away.

Leaping to her feet, Lisa ran until he yanked her down by her ankle. She kicked out at him as he pulled her across the ground. Her skin was scratched on the twigs lying on the ground.

"No! Jackson, Jackson, help! Help!"

"I don't know why you need me here. I thought you had already confirmed that my daughter was dead," Joe said wearily.

"It's just a formality. We are positive that it is Lisa, but need a family member to finalize confirmation," Horatio Caine said, steering the older man towards the morgue, where Alexx was waiting with Lisa Rippner's body.

"Then why did I have to see her death splashed all over the news? Why did no one call me?"

"Mr. Reisert, I have no idea how the news got a hold of this information. We have a strict policy on disclosure of death. We always notify family first before the news gets an ID."

"I still don't know how it could be Lisa—she's so young and full of life…"

"Hello, Mr. Reisert. Is this your daughter?" Alexx asked quietly as she uncovered the young woman's head.

"Oh God," Joe gasped, bending down to examine the features of the woman on the cold metal table. Fortunately her face was unharmed except for a few bruises.

"Is this her?" Horatio inquired.

Joe sighed and shook his head. "No, that's not my Lisa. It sure does look like her though. I almost thought it was her…but it's someone else. She's still out there."

Author's Notes:

I went back and changed the last switch. Instead of hearing about it later, you can now "see" Joe's identification.