19
By the time the team gathered in the Sapphire Shoals conference room, it was nearly eleven o’clock. Ryder had brought in a buffet for the team and even though Catherine hadn’t eaten all day, she only nibbled on some cheese and crackers, her stomach tight with anxiety.
Jim was the last to arrive, looking as drained as Catherine felt. He ran a hand over his long, hangdog face, grabbed a sandwich, and sat down.
“I may have something,” he said, but without much enthusiasm. “I flew samples to Quantico. They’ll be there first thing in the morning. The state lab could handle it, but Tony has assurances from the director that anything from us will be prioritized.”
“What kind of evidence?” Catherine asked.
“First, the county lab processed everything in their room and discovered a strong prescription-strength muscle relaxant in the coffee mugs. While the mugs they drank from were removed, it’s likely all the mugs had been lined with the drug.”
“What would that do?” Michael asked.
“Make them feel sick, tired, disorientated.”
“Can we trace it?” Sloane asked.
“No,” Jim said. “It’s a very common prescription. We can look for it among our suspect’s belongings.”
“But they were shot with a tranquilizer gun,” Michael said. “Why do that if they were drugged?”
“My guess,” Jim said, “is that there was no guarantee they would drink the coffee, or that they would both drink coffee at the same time. By this point, the suspect would know they were cops, right? So I’m thinking she drugged the coffee, but couldn’t guarantee it would knock them out before they could call for help. So she waited for a reaction, then hit them with the tranq. Also, even if she’s a good shot, if she hit one of them, the other might have time to get to safety or apprehend her. Drugging them first makes their reaction time slower.”
“Extreme foresight,” Catherine said. “A planner. She didn’t want to leave anything to chance.”
“Two other things stand out,” Jim said as he picked at his sandwich. “First, an unusual algae found on the second couple is typically found in freshwater, like stagnant ponds, not the ocean. Initially dismissed, it’s actually distinct and potentially traceable, so we’ve prioritized that analysis. Second, trace amounts of rust were found on all the victims.”
“That was in the original reports,” Catherine said.
“Right, but after the lab analysis, we have more information. The state lab identified yellow rust on an iron alloy, suggesting a high-moisture environment—probably near standing water, like a swamp or pond. While they couldn’t pinpoint the source, we have good samples of the alloy. If we can identify its exact makeup, it might help locate where the victims were held. There was also plant matter mixed with the rust—too small for testing at the local lab. Quantico might be able to match areas where the algae and rust overlap and identify the alloy. I’ll beback at the morgue tomorrow to examine more tissue samples. It’s clear, however, that all the victims were held somewhere damp, moldy, with nearby stagnant water. The more we learn, the closer we get to a location.”
“Thank you, Jim,” Catherine said. “That’s good work.”
“Not good enough,” he grumbled.
“Every piece of information helps,” she said.
“Why didn’t Reid go to his apartment?” Sloane asked, changing the subject. “He had his lawyer take him to a hotel in Jacksonville. The sheriffs are watching him, but why wouldn’t he want his things?”
“Maybe because he thought we’d be watching there,” Catherine said, “or he thinks it’ll be easier to disappear from a hotel.”
“It will be,” Michael said, “if that’s his plan.”
“Which is why there will be multiple teams of law enforcement watching him,” Catherine said.
“I hope it’s enough,” Sloane said. “I can go back after the meeting.”
“We all need sleep if we’re going to be sharp in the morning,” Catherine said. “But I wanted to share a new profile first. It’s rough and I don’t want to commit to anything yet. I need the insight of everyone on the team to make sure we’re heading in the right direction. After interviewing Garrett’s brother and father, then reviewing everyone’s notes, I have a better understanding of his personality and possible psychopathy.”
She glanced at her notes. “Initially, I assumed, based on the victim similarities, that Reid worked alone and the female victim was a surrogate for someone in his past. But we now know he’s working with a partner, and that she’s female changes everything.”
“So you concur with Ryder that his partner is a woman,” Michael said.
“Yes,” Catherine said. “I talked with experts at Quantico,and probability based on analysis of the image we have leans 90 percent female.
“Garrett Reid is a con artist,” she continued. “He seduces older women, and this is backed up by interviews and info from his brother. He’s well-liked by staff, especially older female staff. He’s charming, diplomatic, well-educated. He manipulates and seduces. However, I don’t think he’s a natural killer.”
Ryder, who rarely spoke unless asked a direct question, said with some surprise, “Are you saying the dominant killer is the female partner?”
