This second chapter is shorter, but I'm adding the third one today, right after this one! Thanks for the initial reviews!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything, just borrowing CM and its characters for fun.
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During the short flight, the team tried to familiarize themselves with the details of the case. Armed with an electronic pad in one hand and a cup of tea or coffee in the other, they were soon ready to exchange their thoughts. Reid started:
"We might be looking for an unsub of Japanese descent... New Jersey has a growing Asian population, and so does Princeton."
"Someone who might be a fan of karaoke, maybe even a singer?" said Prentiss. "We need to find out if the victims were participating, or just listening... Our unsub might be competitive."
"He's eliminating competition, alright," commented Morgan, after drinking from his cup. "He aimed for their faces; to hit their mouths, maybe? Or because they were good-looking?"
"Or, we might have someone who can't sing, is not good-looking, and very jealous..." Seaver wondered. "This unsub uses a long rifle, a hunting rifle probably or a sport rifle. He could be a competitive shooter. His aim is quite accurate."
Morgan countered: "They determined that he was at a fairly close range, at most fifty feet from his victims. The men were sitting in their cars parked in front of their home, or walking to their front door when they were killed. Not difficult targets to hit."
"So our guy is not looking for a challenge. He wants a hit; easy, quick, no witness," Rossi responded. "He probably didn't even need to get out of his vehicle. Might be competitive, but not over-confident."
Seaver sounded puzzled: "What about the location? Why does he keep coming back to the same bar? There are other karaoke nights in Princeton..."
"Maybe he works or lives nearby, he's comfortable in that neighbourhood. That would fit a not-so-confident profile..." Reid offered.
Prentiss added: "And not too bright? Unless he's delusional... He's able to escape the attention of the police patrols, so he blends in; maybe forced to stay there, or he's obsessed by something connected to the bar."
"We need to know why he chooses this bar." Hotch grabbed his cell phone and connected with their technical analyst: "Garcia, would you check and see how many places offer a karaoke night in Princeton? We'll need where and when..."
She promptly replied with the tone of a waitress: "One stack of karaoke bars or nights in Princeton coming right up! Anything else I can do for you, mon capitaine?"
"Could you also give us a list of the employees at the Sherwood Club, and any record you may find on these people." Hotch looked at the others to see if anyone had anything to add, then simply thanked Garcia, knowing she'd send the lists as soon as she could. Morgan, with a small grin, was satisfied to hear the analyst had regained her usual playfulness.
Rossi commented, "We need to develop our victimology a bit more..."
"And we don't have much time to come up with that and a profile. We'll set up base and meet with..." Hotch checked his pad, "...Detective Mitch Sorrell, the officer assigned to the case. Then we'll arrange meetings with the families and friends of the victims, and see if we can find out more about what happened the nights of the killings. Rossi and Seaver, you cover the first two victims, Morgan and Reid, you take the last two, Prentiss and I will talk with the employees at the Sherwood Club."
"What if our unsub is an employee at the bar?" asked Seaver.
"The police obviously did not scare off anybody with their interviews after the third murder since there was a fourth victim last week. It's probably not an employee; if that's wrong, then hopefully, we'll be able to spot our unsub during our interviews," he looked to Prentiss.
Prentiss wanted to share Hotch's confidence, but felt a little doubtful; however, she showed her best resolute affect to the others. There was no time for self-doubt.
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The team met with Detective Sorrell, a solid man in his fifties with a pleasant demeanor, but showing definite stress and fatigue in his body language. They exchanged names and pleasantries, and then set up office in a small conference room adjacent to the busy common area of the police station.
"I'm grateful for you coming in so fast," Sorrell began, "we're short-staffed right now because of three conventions, a music festival, and a political rally all happening now or in the coming weeks. I can ask for back up anytime we need it, but I'm pretty much on my own to run the investigation at this point."
"We understand your situation, Detective," Hotch replied. "We are short on time, though, so we need to get started immediately."
Soon, they were making calls to the families of the victims to set up interviews. Two of the victims had been killed at the family homes, so they decided to conduct all the meetings on site and Detective Sorrell would take Hotch and Prentiss to the other two crime scenes. Everyone would meet at the Sherwood Club afterwards to collect their findings.
The coroner's reports read like a repetition of the same case, and other than the very similar facial gunshot wounds, there was not much else to report. None of them showed evidence of defensive wounds or any other injury. Some of the victims had a very elevated alcohol level, one was negative for alcohol, one had used recreational drugs...
Garcia sent the two lists requested. The first confirmed that several other establishments offered a karaoke night at least once a month throughout the city, but none closer to the university than the Club. The second list gave the names of the bar's current employees and their criminal records. One waiter had been arrested for possession of marijuana, twice; the man had been working at the bar for four years. Garcia had dug a little, but had found nothing new that the police had not already found out.
The team went off on their dual assignments.