Chapter 3: The Triangle
As Nikki was looking at the screen that held the contents of her past case, Danny came up behind her and asked, " What are you reading?"
" Oh, it's just an old case," Nikki replied tiredly. Nikki yawned.
" How long have you been here? You look awfully tired and you're yawning left and right," Danny asked sympathetically.
" I don't know since about 5 a.m, I think. I just couldn't sleep so I got up and came here," Nikki answered. Nikki yawned again. She knew that she needed sleep, but for her sleep just wouldn't come.
" So, you could look at the old cases that you were working on in Chicago?" Danny asked more precisely.
" No, just this one case. Something seemed familiar with the case here and the last case I worked on in Chicago. I never solved it because the guy got away. We suspected that he left the city," Nikki explained, " If I'm right, this guy is here and he's still alive and killing."
" Good one, I guess I'm not the only one who has a sense of humour. Okay, so what I want to know is why did it keep you awake? I mean, why this case?" Danny pressed on.
" Thank you, I think it runs in the family. Before I answer that question, I've got a question for you, how long has this guy been killing and is there any patterns in the murders?" Nikki asked.
" He's been killing for the past 3 weeks, in groups of three, then takes a break for a couple of days. Why?" Danny answered.
" Well, the killer stopped murdering about three weeks ago, and he always killed in groups of three. He always took a break after the third killing. It was almost like a triangle. That's what the press called it, the story was the biggest one to hit the newspapers, and television in Chicago", Nikki yawned.
" Alright, let's go find Flack!", Danny exclaimed. As Danny got up, he exclaimed, " Wait I've got to check on Lindsay first, meet you at the elevator!", as he ran off to go find Lindsay.
Nikki just shook her head. She started thinking about the case, and if she was wrong. She didn't think she was wrong though. Nikki was unsure about a lot of things, but not this case. Either they had a hell of a good copycat or this was the same guy.
Danny met her at the elevator a few minutes later, and Nikki asked, " So, when did you become so protective? You've never been that way, I know you, or at least I used to, so, what happened to you when I was gone?"
" Hey, I could ask you the same question, nobody quite knew why you ran off, I didn't. I don't even know why you came back. You never even said goodbye, you just left, without a word, it's not something that happens. You didn't even tell me that you were leaving, not until you sent me that letter four months after you left. By the way, I got married and then found out I'm gonna be a dad, that's why I'm so protective. Oh yeah, by the way, Mom's said that she can't wait until you get married and have children."
" I know I didn't tell anyone, and probably had Mom worried out of her mind about me. I did call Mom and Dad to tell them I moved, after I had moved. Oh yeah? I bet she can't wait, the question is will I ever get married?", Nikki asked more to herself than Danny and than wished she hadn't said anything.
" Exactly, you told everyone that you were gone after you were already gone, no one knew where you went, Mom thought you had been kidnapped. Why would you leave and not tell anyone, anyways? I asked why you left and you never did answer me. Mom was so worried, she came so close to phoning the police, and filing a missing persons report. You know how she is? I know that somewhere you have a good reason for leaving without telling at least me, what was it? Why would you think that you wouldn't get married? OK, I know you, you're my sister and you're a great woman. Any man would be lucky to have you as a wife and a mother to their children", Danny said. Nikki blushed. Nikki had never been anything but a disappointment to anybody, or at least that's what people said. She did have a good reason for leaving and not telling anyone, she just never said anything before. She also wasn't about to say it now. They had to find Flack and fast.
Danny and Nikki found Flack, who was just going to find them, outside the lab, Nikki explained that the case from Chicago and the case that they were working on was connected. She explained that besides the murders which were exactly alike, were committed by the same man, and how they were killed was like a triangle, three murders in three days. Flack had been a little confused at first, but after she explained it, everything made sense.
" So, you guys are saying that this guy has been killing here and in Chicago, has he killed anywhere else?", asked Don excitedly.
" We think he might have, it's hard to say whether he started in Chicago or not, point is, he was there and he killed a lot of innocent people and got away with it. Now he's here and he's continuing, I'm right back where I was 6 months ago. That's when it started in Chicago. We need to find this guy, he's armed, he's dangerous, and he's meticulous. He knows when to strike, where to strike, and who to strike. We need to get him before he kills again", Nikki answered solemnly.
" OK, well, I know a few cops in different states, I'll make a few calls. Let's find out if he's killed anywhere else besides Chicago and here", Don replied as he took out his cell and started dialling. Nikki turned around and took a breath of fresh air, it had been the first break in this case ever. She could feel Don's eyes on her back, as she turned around to face her brother and Don. Don looked at her sympathetically, and held eye contact until Danny broke the silence between them.
" So, who's hungry?", Danny asked looking from Don to Nikki. Nobody answered him, so he waited. He looked to Don as he finished his phone call.
" Yeah, thanks", Don said he as he hung up, tearing his eyes from Nikki.
" Ok, now that I broke your little staring contest, who wants to go eat?", Danny asked.
" Not right now, Danny, I have to go get some reports", Nikki replied as she walked back into the lab. Don watched her as she walked inside.
" Hey, Don, what about you?", Danny asked again.
" Yeah, Danny, sure. I could use something to eat", Don answered as they walked away to a coffee stand. Don looked over his shoulder as Nikki just entered the building, and thought to himself, What the hell is wrong with me?