Quick THANK YOU to everyone who comments. Means a lot. This is long and technical, but highly important as it details what is going on. Let me know what you think! Love Love Love

Chapter 5

"Okay people. Settle down. Settle down now." Captain Mason puts his hand up to the crowd convening in the Major Crimes Unit. Sharon stands next to him at the whiteboard. Her arms cross and her glasses sit low on her nose; she is in power mode. Andy smiles at her despite the seriousness of the situation and his earlier hesitancy.

God, she's beautiful when she's in a Darth Raydor mood. He clears his throat and stands up next to Provenza, finally tearing his eyes away to focus fully on Mason.

"Let's get down to business. I'm Captain John Mason of the SDPD Major Crimes Unit. This is Captain Sharon Raydor of the LAPD Major Crimes Unit," John motions to Sharon beside him. "We also have Agent Howard from the FBI here to help us out with our investigation. Thank you, Agent Howard."

Fritz leans his head in acknowledgement. He puts his hands in his pockets and leans on Provenza's desk. Provenza arches an eyebrow at him.

"What?" Fritz asks him.

Flynn bends toward him.

"He only lets Sharon sit on his desk."

Provenza rolls his eyes.

"Really?" Fritz asks.

"Flynn!"

"What? It's true!"

"Ahem. Lieutenants?"

Andy and Provenza abruptly stop and turn toward Captain Mason. Sharon's eyes leave no doubt as to the talking they will receive later on.

"Sorry," they mumble incoherently.

"As I said, I'm Captain Mason. I will be in charge of this investigation. Captain Raydor is second in command. Both my team and her team need to work together, along with the FBI, to ensure we catch this guy sooner rather than later. Now, before we pick teams and all go off to do our jobs, let's get a little background going and catch everyone up to date on this case."

Sharon steps off to the side and leans on Provenza's desk next to Fritz. When she turns toward Andy and Provenza, she smirks, daring them. Wisely, they keep their mouths shut.

"I know many of you have worked on serial killer cases, but any information we obtain is knowledge that can break a case. First, most serial killers are not reclusive. Many have families, homes, and jobs. They appear to be normal, charming, and are often keen to help others. Their ability to blend in seamlessly is one of the reasons law enforcement often overlooks them. As police officers, we are trained to look out for the creeps, the strange people, or the ones who set off our radars. They don't fit that pattern, so we need to think outside the box. Most people think serial killers are white males. Not true. They can be White, African American, Hispanic, and Asian. Captain Raydor, what are some reasons that a person kills another person?"

Sharon pushes her glasses to sit high on her nose and slightly turns to the group.

"Though we are pretty sure this serial killer's motivation is sexually-based, there are many reasons for one to kill - anger, attention, money, or the plain old thrill of it."

She turns back to Mason and smiles. He smiles in return.

"That's exactly right, Captain. Now, moving on…"

Jesus, she's like the damn teacher's pet! Andy silently fumes until Provenza elbows him.

"Often, the law has thought that once a serial killer begins to kill, that person won't or cannot stop. Not true. Many come into an event or circumstance that inhibits their ability to kill. This could include a marriage, a substitution for their sexual activities, or a new job. A serial killer can stop killing for 10, 20, even 30 years before starting up again. One of the reasons I tell my people that we need to catch them isn't because they might kill again...it's because they might not kill again. They might disappear off our radar, and once they integrate themselves in society, they are virtually untouchable. Captain, let's have you discuss the personality of a serial killer."

Sharon nods and stands next to Mason.

"Often, they can be extremely cunning and intelligent. However, many suffer from some form of personality disorder, including psychopathy or anti-social personality. Many show signs of being sadistic. Most do not appear to be insane, though. You've heard it time and again. He was such a nice man. He was so helpful. They can con anyone. Even one who isn't highly intelligent can still evade the law. Why? Because with each kill, they become more knowledgeable. They have to select, target, approach, control, and dispose of their victims. It takes patience, organization, and skill to do it right. Being a serial killer is very complex. Now, imagine if, like our killer, they have several sites where they dispose their bodies. It becomes even more complex. Worse, with each successful kill, their confidence grows. Confidence can breed mistakes. Little shortcuts might happen. The killer may not plan out the kill like before. Or one might take more chances, perhaps make the kill more public. It isn't that the serial killer wants to get caught; he feels he can't be caught. That he is somehow above the law."

Sharon nods to Mason and moves back toward Fritz.

"Thank you, Captain. Great insight. I would like to reiterate what the Captain just said. When a killer gains confidence, he also gains a strong possibility of making mistakes. This is what we hope happens. We need those mistakes to happen, because often we have no other clues. Having said that, this serial killer is different. Captain, I'm going to have you come up to discuss the personality of our suspect."

Sharon rises and turns toward the crowd.

"Okay, here is what we do know about this serial killer. Narcissistic, histrionic, sadistic, and obsessive-compulsive. Captain Mason, his team, and I are of the firm belief we are dealing with a white male. We believe he is vain, grandiose, and possibly has a desire to be famous or known by the way he leaves his victims out in the open, and the way he ensures his victim's faces are not hurt. It tells us he wants his victims to see what he is doing to them. He wants to watch the terror in their eyes when he kills them. This suggests a power play. Perhaps our killer, prior to his killing spree, was someone who did not have power, or was not able to fend for himself. We know he is good with a knife. He could possibly be a doctor, a hunter, or a butcher. We think our killer was already confident before he began killing. Our reasoning – he left semen, prints, any number of evidence on all the victims. This guy knows he isn't in any of our databases. We think he is off the grid – a transient, someone who has never been fingerprinted or arrested before."

Sykes raises her hand and Sharon nods at her.

"Captain, how is it he has never been fingerprinted before?"

"Good question, Sykes. It's possible he wasn't born in a hospital. Very possible, depending on where he grew up, that he did not attend school, and from a very early age, he lived on the streets or in the wilderness. It would make sense that he therefore knows how to use a knife because he would need one to survive. He probably doesn't have a job, a social security card, or driver's license card. He could also be from another country, and that is why we cannot find any match in our databases. As Captain Mason told me earlier…this guy is, essentially, a ghost. We cannot ID him through fingerprints, bodily fluids, nothing. And that means we have only two ways of finding him. Either we catch him in the act, or we go to the streets and find him."

Sharon turns and nods her head to Mason and takes another seat.

"Thank you, Captain. If we are going to catch this guy, we need to think like him. Captain Raydor has given us great insight into this killer's background. He is probably from the streets. He's good with weapons. He's a planner and obviously has a place to take these girls. He keeps them for a week or even longer, and he doesn't get caught. So, even though he could be a transient, he knows buildings where he can stay for long periods of time. So, what would lead someone to have this type of life? Serial killers are the product of their heredity, their upbringing, choices they make while they are young. Serial killers are not born; they are made. Most people develop coping mechanisms very early in life. This helps them to become good members of society. Serial killers often fail to develop coping mechanisms. Most come from abusive homes. Abuse leads to violence and aggression within that child before positive coping mechanisms are learned. The biggest reason a serial killer becomes a killer – Because that person made a personal decision in choosing to pursue their crimes. This man could have reached out for help. He could have found more positive ways to deal with the problems in his life. He didn't. He chose instead, to rape, torture, mutilate, and murder teenage girls. So far, we don't know his motives or reasons to kill, except for us to know who he is. Because his crimes are sexually motivated, I think it is safe to say he probably eroticized violence during his early development, which leads the professionals to believe it is highly likely he was sexually abused as a child. Most children who this happens to intertwine violence and sexual gratification in their psyche. Agent Howard, could you say a few words about the traits of a serial killer?"

Fritz stands up and addresses the crowd.

"Thank you, Captain. We think our guy is sensation seeking, impulsive, has a need for control, has a lack of remorse and guilt, and is displaying predatory behavior. This man shows all the signs of a psychopath. He uses charm, manipulation, intimidation, and violence to control other people. As Captain Raydor said earlier, this man is grandiose to the extreme. He is glib and could be a pathological liar. He has a lack of empathy and responsibility. He could be shallow and lack realistic expectations. He has poor control over his behavior, and could very well have had behavior problems in childhood. A psychopath who is violent is able to assault, rape, and murder anyone without concern of any consequences. This man will do what he wants, when he wants, to who he wants. He does not value human life and more than likely is very callous in his interactions with his victims. This type of behavior is very evident in sexually motivated serial killers. Most serial killers of this caliber will be impervious to the normal interview themes. This man will never show sympathy for his victims or any remorse. In this case, when we catch him, ulterior interview skills will be needed. This man will only respond to someone who will exploit certain traits in him, such as goading his narcissism, selfishness, and vanity. He wants to be praised for his intelligence and cleverness, and his skill in evading capture for so long. So, I would say once he is caught, the FBI should take over any post interviews that occur. Our men are trained for getting convictions out of these kinds of killers."

Sharon puts a hand under her hair to rub her neck as she smirks. While tilting her head, her eyes land on Andy, who is staring at her. He smiles, points to Fritz, and rolls his eyes. Sharon's hand comes forward to cover her mouth as she laughs and closes her eyes. She looks away before she gets herself in trouble and focuses once more on Mason.

"Thank you, Agent Howard. We will definitely keep that in mind when the time comes. Most serial killers are not acquainted with or involved in a relationship with their victims. The first three victims do not seem to have had a personal relationship with the killer. But the fourth victim does. Captain Raydor, Agent Howard, and I believe the fourth victim to be a familial match to the killer."

Murmurs abound within the room. Mason holds up his hands to calm the crowd down.

"However…calm down…However, fingerprint analysis has come back negative. We have no ID on this girl. No former convictions. Essentially, if she is related, it is possible the killer brought her up in much the same way he was brought up. So, knowing the last victim is related hasn't helped us in identifying the killer. It did, however, give us more insight into the killer himself. This man selects his victims based on availability, vulnerability, and desirability. We have surmised that he was able to pick up each woman based on her lifestyle, her susceptibility to be kidnapped, and her appeal that she fit the profile he was looking for."

Mason steps back against the whiteboard and holds out a pen toward pictures of the first victim.

"The first victim, Holly Sims, was 14 years old. Blond hair. Skinny. Her family thought she ran away, which is very possible as he might have snagged her off the streets. She was found seven days later in Alpine. The second victim was Jenny Leland. 14 years old. She was kidnapped walking to school one morning and found six days later in Julian. The path she took to school goes through a park, and it tends to be empty in the morning. Jenny was blond and skinny. Both girls also happened to be dancers. The third victim was Rachel Meadow. 15 years old. Rachel was taken at night while walking home from babysitting. She was blond and skinny. Her mom says she was a swimmer. She was found seven days later in Mount Palomar. The fourth victim looks to be approximately 16 years old. She was blond and skinny and found early this morning in Los Angeles. Possible that she also was involved in some type of sport or dance by her physique. The first three victims were starved, chained, raped, dehydrated, stabbed multiple times in the torso region, and mutilated. Each was kept for about a week and then found dead in an open space where anyone could have seen them. Each girl was gutted, with her insides placed around her. Each girl had her breasts and backside cut off and placed beside her. As each of you can see from the pictures, their faces were kept in pristine condition. Each body was found after a phone call was made from a burner phone that could not be traced. We believe the killer wants each girl found right after the kill to ensure that no animals get to them. Now, the fourth victim was starved and dehydrated. She was held much longer as she was repeatedly raped. However, chain marks were slight. Looks like she was only chained for a day or two. This means she was free to walk around, and she wasn't chained while she was raped, at least not before the last few days she was alive. This suggests she was used to this type of behavior. There are no defensive wounds on the victim, nothing under her fingernails, nothing to suggest she struggled. She was also the only girl who was sodomized, and so far, the only girl not found in San Diego. Captain Raydor, can you think of anything I'm missing?"

Sharon shook her head.

"Okay let's get technical. As I said before, this is going to be a joint effort. We've got VICAP alerts, NLETS, and the LEO website up to share information and see if any other cases link up. Agent Howard has got the NCAVC, the Behavioral Analysis Units, and the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program involved to see if any of their cases link up to ours. Assistant Chief Taylor is handling any external entities for the case. This involves any political entities, the victim's families, and the media.

Assistant Chief Taylor raises his arm and waves at the crowd.

"So if you need any information or have any information that fits that criteria, you need to speak to him about that. Captain Raydor and I have completed MOUs to garner support and make sure we get the manpower and resources we need. Also, we wanted to ensure y'all got paid for your overtime."

The crowd claps at that. Sharon and Mason smile.

"We thought you'd like that. Now, we are going to combine our teams to ensure that everyone works together. We will have two task force teams. My team is primary and I will be lead investigator. Captain Raydor's team is secondary and she is co-investigator. My team consists of Agent Howard, Sykes, Tao, Ambrose, Reed, and Skylar. Captain Raydor's team will be Flynn, Sanchez, Buzz, Tyler, Andrews, Donnelly, and Doherty. Captain, watch out for Donnelly and Doherty. They tend to be the class clowns."

Sharon looks toward the two men, sees their smiling faces, and groans.

"Greeaaaatttt."

"Also, Lieutenant Provenza? Raise your hand, Lieutenant."

Provenza looks around suspiciously, raising his hand.

"Provenza is our liaison. He will be handling information that comes from the task force, the prosecutor's office, forensics lab, medical examiner's office, and other law enforcement agencies like the FBI. He will also handle any specific forensics or other related fields needed for the investigation and organize any available information needed from the SDPD and LAPD. Essentially, Provenza is the most important guy in this room, because he is going to keep all of us informed of anything new going on in the case."

Provenza grins at Andy and raises his hand higher, waving to the crowd. Andy sighs, looks toward Sharon and rolls his eyes again. Sharon whispers "Good grief." Andy whispers "I know right?" back at her.

"Be prepared to have daily briefings and periodic summary briefings. Be prepared to submit your VICAP reports immediately after you are done and before your shift ends. You will be given time during your shift, and you know as well as I that not turning those reports in could lose us a lead. Who has the murder book?"

Mason looks around him, looking like a deer in headlights.

"I do!" Sharon jumps up, turning around to pick a hefty book off a desk near her.

"Thank you, Captain. Okay this book will be with either Captain Raydor or myself at all times. Any pertinent information that you find needs to be added to it in paper format. There is also a copy of this book on Buzz's computer. Buzz is in charge of updating that nightly. Where is Dr. Morales?"

A hand from the back of the group begins waving spastically.

"Here I am, ready for my close-up." Morales smiles with perfect teeth.

"Tough crowd." He replies as no one smiles.

"Dr. Morales is our crime analyst. You can thank him for creating a timeline on the victims and compiling matrices to highlight any similarities between the victims. Dr. Morales will lend support to both Captain Raydor's team and my team, as well as give us insight as the lead Medical Examiner. The original medical examiner in San Diego was not available to be here, but he did speak with Dr. Morales about each victim. Anything that needs to be analyzed goes straight to the Doctor. Everyone understand?"

Mason waits until he sees a sea of nods.

"I would also like to introduce our prosecutor for this case. Where is DDA Hobbs?"

Hobbs quietly steps up and raises her hand.

"Thank you, DDA Hobbs. We are involving the prosecutor's office in this from the beginning. Whatever you need, DDA, you just ask for it."

Hobbs smiles, thanking the Captain quietly.

"Now, last but not least. Let's talk about all of you. I know what these cases can do to a person. What we've all seen has been brutal and senseless. My number one priority is the emotional well-being and safety of my people, and that includes every single person in this investigation. I want to know if anyone needs time off. Burnout, stress, a feeling of depression or hopelessness. It can creep up on you. Before you know it you're starting a fight, losing evidence, losing sleep. There are things we can do to help you combat all of that. There are critical incident counselors available to you. If you seek a mental health evaluation, you will get one. If you need time off, or do not think you can continue to be on this task force, then you will get your time off or be reassigned, and you will not be looked down upon for asking. The most important thing is that this guy doesn't create diversion. We all need to stay on our toes. We need to stay sharp. We do that by getting regular debriefings, getting enough sleep, and helping each other."

Mason looks around at the men and women staring at him.

"Now, who wants to go catch a bad guy?" He asks.

The crowd begins to hoot and holler. Mason sadly smiles and turns toward the whiteboard. He faintly touches a picture of the last victim.

"For you. For all of you. I promise."

With his back to the crowd, he misses Sharon swiping her fingers under her eye, a lone tear having escaped. Flynn swallows painfully, his fists clenching. He hates it when she cries.