It had been a few hours since Kirsty and Frank were alerted and the two uniformed officers were still at the store to keep them safe, right now though? Kirsty was on her break.

"If only I got this much attention when Ryan and Justin tried to kill me, at least that would've saved me a hospital trip." Kirsty thought with a sigh s she leaned back in her chair and played on her phone. "Actually? Scratch that, if they had never done that then Rebecca's murder would've remained unsolved because I'm pretty sure my ex would've tossed the switchblade they used to kill her!" Kirsty thought before she glanced up at the uniformed officer. "So, are you sure you have to stay with me and Frank? I'm just saying, I'm currently on my break."

"Sorry ma'am but these orders come from above my paygrade, my lieutenant told us to keep you safe and that's what we're doing." The younger officer responded with a shrug and Kirsty nodded. "Almost didn't recognize you from the Rebecca Gallagher case admittedly."

"Why do you think I changed up my appearance so much? That incident may have changed my life for the better but it still involved me being put on trial for a cop killing that my ex committed." Kirsty sighed as she played with her hair a bit. "I guess the only way I could've really fooled anyone from back then is if I put on a ton of weight, but with my short stature and, well, the fact that I wouldn't be able to pull of the pierced navel look? That was a no go."

"I'm not going to comment on that ma'am, just stay healthy, that's what matters." The officer responded as he shook his head and Kirsty grinned in response. "How did you get this job anyway? If you don't mind me asking."

"This place was just opening up and the owner wasn't especially picky about staff, not even after I brought up my juvenile record." Kirsty shrugged her shoulders in response before sighing. "Though I did start learning how to play guitar so I'd actually have some knowledge coming into this job! It's been slow going but it's been worth it."

"Heya Kirsty, hope I'm not too late!" Kirsty looked up and saw another employee showing up, a young man with long blond hair and brown eyes. "Did Frank hire security or something?"

"Afraid not Miles, this officer here is for my protection." Kirsty responded as she shook her head whilst motioning to the uniformed officer. "Ritchie was murdered on his way home from the night shift."

"You're kidding?!" Miles asked as his jaw dropped and Kirsty sadly shook her head. "Man, I was the one who got him this job, this sucks!"

"And that's gotta be the biggest understatement I've heard to describe a murder." Kirsty thought with a frown before glancing at the uniformed officer. "I'm afraid it gets worse."

"There's plenty of evidence to suggest that Ritchie was the latest victim of a serial killer." The officer explained and all colour drained from his face. "This is just a routine question sir, but where were you last night? Around 4:30am?"

"I was at home asleep, before that I was at my girlfriend's birthday party, I have at last twenty people who can voice for me." Miles explained as Kirsty checked to see how much time she had left on her break. "And if you want someone who can vouch for my whereabouts at that time, well, I was still with my girlfriend at the time, in bed, naked and….."

"TMI Miles, I didn't want to be put off my lunch before I even got it!" Kirsty interrupted him as she shook her head. "I'm friends with his girlfriend, I can call her up to confirm if you want?"

"Sure, just pass it on to me when she answers." The officer responded and Kirsty sighed as she got her phone out.

"Never thought I'd be calling up another girl to see if she was having sex with a guy at a specific time but here I am!" Kirsty thought as she called Miles's girlfriend and waited for her to pick up. "I bet they don't have to put up with this crap at the NYPD!"

*over at the NYPD*

"Mr. and Mrs. Francs, we are so sorry for your loss." Joe said sincerely as Ritchie's parents sat opposite him having just IDed Ritchie's body. "We are doing everything in our power to ensure that his killer is brought to justice."

"Thank you, I told him to get a job at a more reputable store but he's been passionate about guitars for as long as I can remember." Mrs. Francs responded in between sobs as her husband tried to comfort her. "Off course it was that girl who works at that store that sealed the deal, Kirsten I think her name was? I heard him mention that she had a record."

"Those offences were committed when Kirsten was still a minor, she's completely turned her life around." Mr. Francs responded as he shook his head and Ed gave him a surprised look. "I'm friends with her new family, the Gallaghers? She has become a completely different person since they took her in."

"More to the point, do you know anyone who would do this to Ritchie?" Joe asked as he tried to get the conversation back on track and Mrs. Francs shook her head.

"No, he was a good man, he had his whole life ahead of him." Mrs. Francs insisted and Joe and Ed nodded sympathetically. "What if we put a reward for information? Would that help?"

"It might, or it might hinder the case, there's little middle ground here." Joey responded as he shook his head and soon afterwards the Francs left the two detectives alone. "Her new family?"

"Kirsty was a foster kid/petty criminal growing up, turned out that she was the daughter of that cop she mentioned, the one that got killed?" Ed asked earning a surprised look from Joe. "Trust me, no one was more surprised than Kirsty herself, but once the dust settled on that case, Kirsty was welcomed into the fold by her mother's surviving family." Ed added and Joe smiled a bit.

"Not often that a kid in that situation gets an ending like that, at least she seems to be making the most of it." Joe responded with a nod before checking his notes. "Okay, we have the information on the other victims, the girl killed in Brooklyn was named Cassie Richards, worked fir a mom-and-pop store before she was killed, girl from Harlem was called Latesha Monroe, worked for her dad's grocery store before her untimely death."

"All three killed the same way but in different parts of New York, starting to get flashbacks to the Mark Bruner case." Ed responded with a slight shudder as he thought back to one of his last cases with Lennie. "That guy used his taxi to stalk his victims, never revealed where he kept the bodies, not even up to his death."

"I remember reading about that, and how his initial legal aid attorney was so scared of him she practically begged Jack to help get her off the case." Joe responded before shaking his head. "Let's hope that this killer isn't nearly as bad as that guy, you said that the girl in Harlem worked for her dad's store? Why don't we pay him a visit, maybe he can shed some light on the subject."

"Not a bad idea, I'll drive." Ed nodded before the two detectives left the precinct.

*later, in Harlem*

"Good afternoon gentlemen." The older African American store clerk greeted them as Ed and Joe entered his store and walked up to the counter. "What can I get you today?"

"I'm afraid we're here on police business sir." Joe responded as he and Ed showed him their badges. "We're looking for the owner, there's been a development in his daughter's murder case."

"You're looking at him." The owner responded with a sad sigh before leading them to the back. "I had to bury Latesha last month, no father should ever have to bury their daughter, especially not after they've been killed in such a way."

"I'm sorry for your loss, but we believe it wasn't an isolated case." Ed explained and the owner's frown deepened as it set in. "Another woman was killed in Brooklyn and a man was killed in Queens, both worked the night shift in retail, both were killed on their way home."

"Oh my god, I heard about that boy on the news but since it was a guy, I figured it was just a coincidence." The owner responded as it sunk in before he sat down in shock. "Latesha had started working the occasional night shift to put herself through college, she wanted to make something of herself man."

"Was she working the night shift the night she was killed?" Joe asked and the owner nodded in response. "Do you have any other employees here?"

"Just some local kids, late teens you know? I try to keep them out of trouble and their parents thank me for it." The owner explained with a sigh as he reached into his pocket. "Latesha's mother died in childbirth, she was the only connection I had to my wife and now she's been taken from me." The owner added before handing them a picture of Latesha. "That was taken at her high school graduation, if it's not to much to ask, can you keep that picture in your pocket when you catch this son of a bitch?"

"I'll keep it on me at all times." Joe assured the owner before taking the picture and putting it in his fancy jacket's pocket. "And if you think of anything at all, you can all me at this number." Joe added before handing the owner a business card.

"Will do, thank you." The owner thanked the detectives before they left.

"No matter how many years I spend on the force, speaking to the relatives of murder victims never gets any easier." Joe commented as the two men left the store right as Ed got off the phone. "Any updates from the precinct?"

"The two officers we sent to Guitar World have gone home as their shift had ended, Kirsty and the rest of the staff seemed in to be in good spirits all things considered." Ed explained as he turned to Joe. "We're still no closer to figuring out where Ritchie, Cassie and Latesha were killed before they were dumped but I think the idea that the killer uses a taxi might have some weight, I think we should start checking the taxi depos."

"It's how you guys caught Bruner, it's a start at least." Joe nodded in agreement before they left the store, got in the patrol car and drove off.

*later at guitar world*

Kirsty's shift at guitar world was almost over and she was trying to find a way to kill time before she headed home.

"Come on! There's gotta be something better than Christoff's radio show!" Kirsty thought as she played around with the radio at the counter. "Jacob Lowenstein is up for parole? He may have committed his crime when I was a kid but someone like him should never be released!" Kirsty thought before sighing as she leaned back, Miles was off to the side trying to sell a guitar to parents looking to buy a beginner guitar for their son and she let out a deep breath. "I'd help Miles but my shift's ending in about ten minutes, or at least until Travis comes in to relieve/hit on me." Kirsty sighed as she glanced at the ceiling. "Hopefully Frank finds another female employee soon, getting hit on by the guys like 50% of the time gets tiresome quickly!"

"Excuse me Ms.?" Kirsty looked up and saw an older gentlemen approaching the desk and she quickly went into professional mode. "I'm wondering if you can help me?"

"Well, if you're looking for a new guitar you're in the right place." Kirsty responded with a nod as she sized the guy up. "Unfortunately my shift's almost over, if you hang around for a bit the guy who's relieving me will be here to help you out with whatever you need."

"That's fine, I can wait." The older gentlemen responded before he stood to the side and Kirsty continued to look for a decent radio station. "So, have you heard about the string of killings? I heard one of the victims worked here."

"Well, at least he didn't open the conversation by bringing that up!" Kirsty thought before shaking her head. "The only one I'm familiar with is Ritchie and that's because he worked here." Kirsty responded as she shrugged her shoulders and the older gentlemen nodded. "Why do you ask?"

"I just find the subject fascinating, that's all." He responded and that immediately unnerved Kirsty as she glanced up at him. "Just something I tend to follow as a hobby."

"Okay, I'd be giving this guy a wide birth back when I was on the wrong side of the law! God I hope I get relieved soon!" Kirsty thought and promptly breathed a sigh of relief when two men around her age entered the store, Travis who was there to relieve her and her older cousin Jake who was there to pick her up. "And that's my cue to leave, have a good day Travis?"

"Eh, can't complain." Travis responded as the short haired guy walked up to her. "Have you checked out the Linkin Park CD I gave you? I keep telling you, those guys are going to be huge!"

"I did and it's too mainstream for me." Kirsty responded as she shook her head before motioning to the older gentlemen. "He's looking for a staff member to help him out but he showed up right as my shift was ending, he's all yours."

"I'll try my best." Travis responded with a nod before Kirsty walked around the counter and up to her cousin. "By the way, I heard that Ritchie was murdered?"

"Yeah, that's why I asked Jake to pick me up, don't want to take any chances." Kirsty nodded before she turned to Jake. "Ready to go when you are."

"Well, let's go then." Jake responded with a nod before the duo left the store and headed to his car. "How's Frank doing? I know he just hired Ritchie?"

"Not sure, seems to be taking it as well as he can." Kirsty shrugged her shoulders before they got in Jake's car, Kirsty in the passenger seat and Jake in the driver's seat. "I'm not a mind reader, for one thing if I was I would've caught on to the fact that my grandparents weren't a fan of tattoos and piercings before I had that work done."

"To be fair, I think your grandparents were hoping that you'd follow in Rebecca's footsteps." Jake responded as they put their seatbelts on and she gave him a funny look. "Err, as in being a cop when you were old enough, not to the grave."

"And I'll say the same thing I said to them, I don't think the police would hire someone who was suspected of killing a cop, even though I was exonerated retroactively after Jason, Mike, Ryan and Justin were sent to Death Row." Kirsty responded as she shook her head. "And even without that? My juvenile record says hi."

"True enough, I'm just remembering what they said after you took a few hundred dollars out of your account to get that work done." Jake nodded in agreement before they started driving off. "And buy your first guitar for that matter."

"Had to work on my fingering somehow!" Kirsty responded absentmindedly before immediately regretting her choice of words. "That sentence stays between us, deal?"

"Deal." Jake responded as he tried not to laugh and Kirsty grinned. "Though seriously? I think they are just happy that you've left your old life behind you."

"At this point? I can't even see it over the horizon! Besides, I was never cut out for the criminal life to begin with." Kirsty sighed as she shifted her weight. "At least Frank was willing to take a chance on me, if only the first family who tried to adopt me took that same chance." Kirsty sighed as she glanced over at her cousin. "Not saying it didn't work out in the end for obvious reasons, but I still wonder how I could've turned out if I didn't stay in Foster Care until my eighteenth birthday."

"Guess we'll never know, but you are in a much better place Kirsty, remember that." Jake assured her and Kirsty grinned in response. "You ever miss your old apartment? I know Rebecca paid your rent to stay there."

"Sometimes, but even after the dust settled I couldn't shake the bad memories associated with my old apartment." Kirsty sighed as she shook her head and Jake nodded in understanding. "It may have taken me about a year after the men responsible for Rebecca's death were sent to Death Row but I made it clear to my grandparents that I couldn't stay in that apartment any longer." Kirsty added as she brushed some hair over her shoulder. "My old neighbours were sad to see me go, Steve and Earl especially, but they understood that it was something I needed to do, if nothing else I managed to move to a bigger, nicer apartment."

"I don't blame you but it was a part of your relationship with Rebecca." Jake responded and Kirsty nodded before Jake sighed. "There's something your aunt wanted me to suggest to you, just a suggestion, but maybe you should get a gun for protection?"

"I'm not even sure if I can get a gun license with my juvenile record, besides I overheard the officers that were sent to keep an eye on me and Frank saying Ritchie was killed by gunshot to the head." Kirsty sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "It'll be easily explainable but with my record I could be a suspect and I've been to regular court once, not in a hurry to do that again."

"Your overthinking it Kirsty, once you show them proof that you got the gun recently they won't consider you a suspect." Jake assured her and Kirsty let out a deep breath. "As for the juvenile record thing? Those things are meant to be sealed so I don't see how it would be a problem, but I can check for you."

"Thanks." Kirsty thanked him with a grin before they drove off.