were found on the body’s back and limbs, indicating the paint was still wet when the body was dragged over it. This leads to the assumption that she was killed in the northern part of the train station’s parking lot, then taken in a vehicle to the forest preserve. The perpetrators parked their cars, located a good spot, and drew the pentagram on the ground. Then they carried the body to the location, posed it, and left.”
As she spoke, the photos on the screen kept changing, giving them close-ups of the details she talked about, as well as multiple shots of footprints in the muddy ground of the forest.
“We think the victim’s possessions were thrown into the river. A team of divers is searching the area. We checked the security camera footage and have a total of four cars leaving the train station’s parking lot at the estimated time of death, and one of them is a van. We are trying to trace those vehicles, and particularly the van, but unfortunately, the camera’s resolution isn’t good enough to give us a license plate, and the drivers and passengers aren’t visible in the darkness. There is no security camera footage of the northern part of the parking lot, in which the victim was attacked, but we have footage of her leaving the one-thirty train.” A blurry photo appeared on-screen of a single woman walking through an empty train station. Henrietta’s last moments alive.
“The lab took samples of the paint used to draw the pentagram,” O’Donnell continued. “It’s water-based, run-of-the-mill stuff. They’re trying to figure out the brand. The knife is a simple chef’s knife, usually used to cut meat. No fingerprints on the handle, and it hasn’t seen much use. There are remnants of a sticky substance on the handle that might be the glue of a price tag. They’re looking into that as well.”
She clicked her mouse, and the image on the screen changed again to something that looked like a Coke can. “This was found ten yards from the scene of the crime. It’s a makeshift crack pipe. The technician who found it thinks it was left there recently. If it was, we might have a witness.”
Bright perked up. “Any prints?”
“Smeared, but they’ll see what they can do,” O’Donnell said.
Ellis cleared his throat. “We might be able to trace the person who left it there. There’s a crack addict who often sleeps under the bridge on South Halsted Street, very close to that location.”
O’Donnell nodded at him and moved on. “The anonymous phone call that alerted security was made by a mobile number that is now offline. We’re in the process of pulling records for the number.”
It was almost certainly a burner phone, but even then, they’d be able to know where he’d called from.
“The voice was identified by Dr. Zoe Bentley as probably belonging to Rod Glover, a man on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for the rape and murder of five women. We have solid reasons to assume Rod Glover was involved in the murder of both Henrietta Fishburne and Catherine Lamb.”
“Before we continue, I would like a quick summary of who this Rod Glover is,” Bright said.
Zoe cleared her throat when, to her surprise, Agent Valentine said, “I believe I can do that.”
“I am in a better position to summarize Glover’s background,” Zoe said dryly.
Agent Valentine smiled at her. “Well, I reviewed the file thoroughly. But thanks.”
She knew the tone all too well; she’d been hearing it nonstop for the past five years. The reasons for the condescension varied—maybe Valentine had issues with the BAU sticking their nose where they didn’t belong. Or maybe it was because she was a civilian, not a bona fide agent. Or because she was a woman. Probably a little of each. She was already on edge by the darkness churning in her mind, and the smell of Captain Bright didn’t improve things. Blood rushed to her face.
A brief touch on her palm. Tatum. He lifted a single eyebrow at her, eyes widening slightly. She’d been about to lash out, probably getting them both kicked off the case.
Instead, she took a slow sip from her hot chocolate and smiled at Valentine, baring her teeth. “Absolutely, go right ahead.”
Valentine nodded and glanced at the file in front of him. “In 1997, three women were raped and murdered in Maynard, Massachusetts. No one was charged with the murders—”
“Actually, someone was charged,” Zoe said. “A teenager named Manny Anderson. He committed suicide in prison