Same old disclaimer: I only own the characters I created.

Codes & Heretics-Chapter 3-The Second Body

Previously...

"That was trace. They said that Katherine Martin was raped. They found semen inside her pants."

"So we can narrow the search down to just men."

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

"They also found traces of juniper."

"Juniper? As in the tree?"

"Yeah. They were covered in human saliva. From a woman."

"So, she's still a suspect?"

"As far as I'm concerned, everyone in that group is a suspect," David said.

"But we should-" Charlie was interrupted by the ringing of his brother's cell phone.

"Eppes. Where? Okay, yeah, thanks. We've got another body."

"Where?"

"At the university."

The agents climbed out of the SUV and were greeted once again by Detective Williams.

"Who do we have this time?" David asked as they approached the crime scene.

"Trisha Lopez, 18. She was found by a Professor Michael Danielson."

"Did she have a brand on her left palm?" Terry asked a criminologist as they were shown the body.

"Yeah, it appears to be a cross in-"

"-a star in a circle?" Terry finished for the woman.

"Is that what the brand was that they found on the first girl?"

"Yes. It looks like someone is trying to make a point."

"Did you find any letters on the body?" Don asked.

"No, but we did find this," the woman said as she showed them…

"A stick?" David asked.

"It's not a stick," Charlie said. Everyone looked at him quizzically. "It's a wand. I went and asked Tasha & Karolin if they had anything we could borrow to help with the case, and they showed me what they said were wands. They looked just like that."

"A magical wand?"

Charlie nodded, "They said that they only used them during ceremonies. And since summer almost here-"

"There will be people carrying these things around?" David finished.

"Should my people be expecting to see more bodies?" the detective asked.

"Let's hope not."

The Los Angeles FBI offices.

"Hey, Don," Terry said as she came into the conference room.

"Yeah?"

"I've got the complete autopsy report. The female DNA came back as Katherine Martin's. And the coroner's report says that she was sodomized."

"With what? What could she have had that would have been made of juniper?"

"A wand. Remember, a wand was found at the latest scene."

"And it was made of birch," Terry continued.

"Birch?"

"Yeah. I've also got Trisha Lopez's autopsy report. She was raped & sodomized, as well."

"So whoever is doing this is making it personal."

"Agent Eppes?" A female voice said. The group turned to look in the direction of the voice and was greeted by the sight of Tasha & Karolin, each carrying a cardboard box.

"Can we help you two?" Terry asked as she ushered them into the room.

"We went around and asked everyone if they had received a letter," Tasha started.

The two women put down the boxes they were carrying and she handed five thick envelopes to the older woman.

"We also got all of the things we thought you could use in your investigation, as well as some of Kat's things," Karolin added.

"That was thoughtful of you," David said as he opened one of the boxes.

"I don't suppose you brought Katherine Martin's wand?" Don asked.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't find it. Miranda didn't know where Kat kept it either."

"Miranda?"

"Kat's roommate."

"Uh-huh. Do you know what type of wand she had?"

"I think it was juniper. Her favorite tree," Tasha said.

"Well, thank you both for your help. I have one more question for you before you leave, though."

The two stopped. "What is it?"

"Do either of you know a Trisha Lopez?"

The women looked at each other. "Why do you ask?" Karolin inquired.

"Professor Danielson found her body a few hours ago," Charlie said.

At hearing this, the two young women became quiet, as if to compose themselves before Tasha asked "How did she die?"

"The same way as Katherine."

"How, Agent Eppes?" Karolin questioned, feeling that his answer was not sufficient enough. "I understand what people are talking about when describing how someone died."

"She was raped. But that's all we have gotten so-" he started, until he saw her gaze become cold and dark, as if she could kill him simply by glaring. He continued, "Both were raped, sodomized, branded, and suffocated."

His words seemed to burn into them like the brand that the killer was using to claim his victims as his own property.

"Is there anything else we can do to help you?"

"Spread the word that no one is to go anywhere by themselves. We don't know yet if it's only one group he's targeting."

The two women nodded in understanding and left. As he watched them leave the bullpen, Don said to Charlie, "Call Amita & tell her that she needs to be in groups for her own protection."

Charlie nodded, took the phone that was offered to him by David, and followed his brother's directions, "Amita, it's Charlie. Listen, where are you right now? Okay, good. Stay with Larry. No, I'll tell you when I get there. Yeah, just stay put with Larry. Bye." He hung up. "I'm gonna…" he trailed off.

"Yeah, go," Don said and watched as his brother got his things and left for the university.

"Terry," Don started.

"Don't worry. I won't go anywhere without having anyone with me," she assured him, and then reassured him for a second and third time. "I know what's going on, and I know what I should do. Don't worry so much."

But Don was worried. The two women closest to him in his life, Terry and Amita, were in as much danger as every other woman in the city & county.

He was taken out of his worried state of mind by Terry telling him that there was a third body. "Where?"

"The university."

Well? Is it okay? Please review. I'm trying to get the story right.