Theories

Kaoru was sitting at her desk again. It had been almost a week since she added Tomoe's name to the list of victims to the rose serial killer. She looked at the names again and again, but she couldn't connect them except for the fact that they were young, beautiful woman with average jobs. Why is this guy going after them? Is he picking them at random? No. He's not your average dump the body and run. What is he thinking?

"Kaoru-dono. Kaoru-dono." Kaoru's eyes instantly snapped and turned towards the voice. Standing next to her desk was Kenshin with two cups of coffee in his hands and a smile. Kaoru couldn't figure it out, but there was something about that smile that was so warm and yet so sad. What gave away his sadness the most was his eyes. "Kaoru-dono, I made you some coffee for the night. I don't make the best coffee, but I'm told it's alright."

"Thanks, Kenshin," Kaoru said as she gave him a smile and took it. She tried it and instantly pulled back. "This coffee…"

"I'm sorry. Is it really that bad?" Kaoru looked up at him in surprise.

"No. Actually, it's better than mine, though I hate to admit it." Kenshin stared at her for awhile before sighing in disappointment. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing." Kenshin smiled nervously as he looked at Kaoru. He was an awful cook, but to find someone worse was indeed a rarity. He didn't want to hurt her feelings because she was a nice person. She seemed so warm and caring. If she hadn't been dealt such a devastating blow with her sister, then maybe… "Are those the files to the rose serial killer case?" Kenshin asked, quick to change the subject. Kaoru turned back with a relaxed sigh.

"Yeah. I still can't figure this guy out. He's so clean and he doesn't leave anything to chance. The only connection I see is young women with average jobs. What could he be thinking?" Kaoru took another sip of coffee. It was black and strong, just the way she liked it. She had been pulling all-nighters the past two days, and tonight looked the same. She was stuck. How could she stop this guy?

"This man…he's an organized nonsocial, right?" Kaoru looked at him with confusion.

"An organized what?"

"An organized nonsocial is a psychopath that is unable to feel pity for his victims. Their sex drive is triggered by causing pain and agony to the victim. They are especially dangerous because they are aware of what is right and wrong, and they can't be treated for their condition. Also, they are very smart and can blend in easily with their surroundings. They plan each step carefully and consider each possibility, making them harder to catch then your average murderer. They are usually interested in police work, as I've been told. They aren't crazy, but they are far from human."

"Wow! I didn't know that!" Kaoru stated with eyes wide open. "How do you know all this stuff?" Kenshin looked away, trying to hide his emotions from Kaoru.

"I've…seen it before. It isn't pretty. Sometimes it makes me rethink my line of work." Kaoru put a comforting hand on Kenshin's shoulder, causing him to turn back.

"It's alright. I know what you went through, but you can't doubt yourself. You save so many people everyday. That's what we are about. Helping people is our business." Kaoru finally realized she was touching him and instantly retracted her arm. She knew she was blushing, but she didn't know why she was acting like this. "So, Takito came up with some theories. He said that this killer might be a woman, but I don't buy it."

"I think you're right. It wouldn't make sense to rape them like that, but there is a slight possibility. Also, I was looking at your list, and I noticed that all the women have even age numbers." Kaoru looked again and gasped.

"You're right! And look at this. The dates are exactly twenty days apart. So the next victim will be…"

"December 22. The time will be somewhere between 8:00 p.m. and midnight. That is a wide time frame. Plus, we don't know where to look. It could be pretty hard."

"Maybe not," Kaoru said as she pointed to the screen. "All the time frames are at half hours. If we eliminate that factor, then the next time will be 8:30 p.m. December 22 at 8:30 p.m."

"I don't know, Kaoru-dono. It sounds too easy. Does he want us to know?"

"Maybe, but we can figure that out later. What's important now is that we try to get ahead of this guy a stop him. Maybe we can make him mess up. We still need to find out where, but for now, a date sounds great. We'll probably be looking for a woman at the age of 20 or 36, so it's a start." Kaoru picked up her jacket as her computer shutdown. "I'm going to go home and get some rest. You should do the same."

"Hey, don't forget these," Kenshin said as he handed her some roses. "You shouldn't leave these out of water. The person that sent them wouldn't be too happy." Kaoru grabbed them and read the card.

Sorry about missing your birthday. Have a happy holiday. Takito.

"That Takito. He can be a scatterbrain, but he's really sweet. I'll see you tomorrow." Kaoru was almost out the door when she stopped. "Kenshin, I just had a stupid thought."

"Go ahead." He was right behind her.

"I don't know how to say this, but…what if you're the killer? I'm mean, you're pretty smart, and you know a lot about police work." Kenshin smiled as he patted Kaoru's shoulder.

"Kaoru-dono, I would never hurt you. I have a promise to keep. Besides, don't you think you would be in my trunk by now?" Kaoru laughed nervously, but she nodded. She believed Kenshin, and for some reason she felt safe with him.

"Have a good night, Kenshin. I'll see you in the morning."

That was long. Sorry for such a wait. I had a lot to do with scholarships and school. I should have more time now. I had to use some words from "Gone, But Not Forgotten" by Phillip Margolin. He's a pretty great writer. He does a lot on lawyers and police work, so give him a chance if you happen to come by his work. I recommend the Amanda Jaffe series which includes "Wild Justice", "Ties That Bind", and "Proof Positive". Have fun. Cya.