CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER TWO
Illuminated by the fluorescent orange lights, William looked a little stockier, a little more haggard than he had earlier that evening. Ella thought of her early beginnings, and now here she was, about to be sitting in a smoky bar opposite an FBI director.
As a twenty-one-year-old criminology graduate, Ella had taken up an entry-level job with the Virginia state police. In her youthful optimism, she’d thought that maybe she’d get to see some action. Maybe a police officer would call in sick one day, and she’d rise to the challenge and become the day’s hero.
This fantasy never came true. Instead, she performed admin duties for two years, then moved into a data analysis role. More responsibility, more money, same amount of fieldwork opportunities—zero.
But at the ripe old age of twenty-five, an ex-colleague of Ella’s from the police brought her in for an interview with the Intelligence Branch Director of the FBI. She had the skills, in lieu of a computer science degree, but her work with the Virginia state police spoke for itself. After a rigorous clearance check involving urine samples, polygraph tests, extensive mental assessments, and in-depth scrutiny of her entire life, she was offered a six-month contract within the FBI Intelligence team.
Three years later, now twenty-eight years of age, she was still in the same role.
She’d made no secret of her desire to get away from the desk and out into the real world. Sometimes, she’d speak to special agents and profilers at social events, and the stories they told made her equal parts jealous and electrified. She’d sometimes see a picture of real-life crime scenes if she was amassing data from a Behavioral Research case, sometimes she’d be told something that the general public didn’t already know. Maybe a voodoo doll had been found alongside the dead body, or a victim had been strangled with a pair of stockings. These little tidbits filled her head with theories and possibilities, but as she was a mere Intelligence Analyst, no one was willing to hear her out.
Except for one occasion. It was that occasion that she believed prompted William Edis to contact her tonight, but she couldn’t be certain. However, she’d soon find out.
A knee-length woolen coat concealed his clothing, and a pair of mahogany reading glasses highlighted the wrinkles underneath his eyes. He joined Ella’s table, then threw a thumbs-up signal to someone behind the bar. He removed a black scarf and placed it next to him.
“Hope I haven’t spooked you,” he said.
Ella gulped down the last of her coffee. “Not yet,” she said.
“Good. Anyway, let me give you the long and short of it. We’ve got a situation out in Louisiana. There’s been a murder. Female, forties. Shot and decapitated in her own store.”
“Oh, that’s dreadful.”
“Yeah, he’s left quite a mess. We need a couple of agents to get out there tonight and see what they can gather. Who is this woman? Why was she targeted? Was this impulsive or premeditated?”
Ella felt a sudden chill run from her fingertips down to her spine. Was this going where she thought it was going?
“I’ve got one agent lined up and ready to go, but I want you there too. How would you feel about that?”
There it was. The invitation of all invitations. For years, she’d dreamt of being summoned to an untouched crime scene, still warm from the actions of an unhinged psychopath. Now that it was here, it felt almost surreal. Was there a catch? No, she was chosen for a unique opportunity due to her hard work. It was as simple as that, at least she hoped. She felt the excitement rise up in her.
“I mean, yes, I’d absolutely love to help out on an active case like that,” she said. Ella stopped while the same bartender dropped a shot of whiskey in front of William. They both smiled at her as she walked away. “But I have a few questions if that’s okay.”
“Understandable.”
She breathed deeply, collecting her thoughts. “First of all—why me? I’m no field agent. You ask for six years minimum before an agent can even be considered for FBI work.”
William sighed and downed his whiskey in one. Ella could almost feel the burn from the other side of the table. It must have been strong stuff.
“The way the FBI does things is antiquated. We use outdated technology to counter cyberterrorism. Our case management system is a total mess. When it comes to field agents, most of them have been molded by us from a young age. They only know what we tell them to know. Some of the directors are working on a new initiative, and it involves taking people with skills in other areas and applying them to active cases out in the field.”
“What kind of skills?”
“People who have experience from the other side of the coin, not people born into the job they’re doing.”
Ella nodded. It made sense, and she wasn’t going to ruin this opportunity for herself. “Have I been picked because of my help on the Strangler case?”
“Not exactly. I picked you because of your dedication, your ethic. I’ve seen you. You’re the first one to show up and the last to leave.”
“Understood. And what about the twenty-week training?”
“Think of this new initiative as an apprentice scheme. You’ll be partnered with a veteran who’ll teach you everything. Besides, you clearly know how to handle a firearm from what I saw earlier.”
“I do, very much.”
“I won’t lie,” William continued, “this is kind of a risk. Behavioral have a history of trying new approaches to investigative work, and not all of them have been successful. We really want this to work because it would open up a whole new pool of recruits for us, not to mention that open serial cases are up for the first time in thirty years.”
“Serial?” Ella asked.
“Yes. This Louisiana murder may be linked to other homicides.”
Holy shit,
Ella thought.
I’m working on a serial killer case.
“We need this case closed, so please, apply yourself.”
“You have my word, sir. I’m very thankful for the opportunity. I won’t let you down.”
“I have no doubt. Now, enough talk. You’ll need to run home and pack a bag because I don’t know how long you’ll be out there. Agent Ripley is waiting for you at the airport. We’ll arrange a cab.”
Ella’s eyes widened.
“Agent Ripley?” she asked. “As in, Mia Ripley?”
“The very same.”
You gotta be kidding me,
Ella thought.
Ella heard the music from down the hallway. As she arrived at her front door, she couldn’t even hear herself put the key in the lock. No doubt she’d be apologizing to the neighbors on her roommate’s behalf pretty soon.
She tried to sneak in unseen, but Jenna was leaning against the inside hallway wall chatting with some jock type guy. She turned upon Ella’s entrance, passed her drink to the guy beside her, and ran over to Ella. Jenna threw her arms around her in a way Ella thought was wholly unnecessary.
“Finally,” Jenna said, adjusting her skirt. “Where have you been, woman?”
“I can’t stay,” Ella said. “Work needs me to go on a trip. So sorry. I wish I could stay,” she lied.
“Screw work. You’re always doing work.”
“They need me. It’s a big deal.” Ella put her hand on the door handle to her bedroom, but stopped herself opening it at the last second. She turned around to her roommate.
“Jen?”
“What?”
“There’s no one in here, is there?”
Jenna took her drink back from the stranger. She bit her lip and made a worried face. “No. Well, I don’t know. You could try knocking?”
Ella shook her head. She wasn’t about to knock on her own bedroom door. She burst inside, and unsurprisingly, found a couple getting acquainted on her bed. They both turned to her, looking like deer caught in the headlights. Ella recognized neither the guy nor the girl. Ella dropped her head in her hands and then pointed to the door. Both of them scrambled off the bed in record time.
Jenna appeared in the doorway.
“Oh, you didn’t use Ella’s bedroom, did you?” She addressed her question to the culprits, who hadn’t yet said a word. “That’s so annoying. I’m not happy with either of you.”
Ella turned to Jenna and gave a look of disapproval. “Where in our massive duplex did you think they’d be? In the guest suite?”
Jenna laughed. “Good one. Get out of here, you two.”
They scrambled away, not making eye contact with Ella. “Go on, shoo.” She turned to Ella. “Where are you going, anyway?”
“Louisiana,” Ella said. She pulled open her wardrobe and took out the first clothes she found. She found her bag and stuffed them inside.
“Like, the south? Why? That’s miles away.”
Ella thought of a believable excuse. “Training,” she said. She fetched her toothbrush, a few books, and a bunch of hair ties. She threw them in her bag alongside her laptop. The essentials. She assumed her hotel would provide the rest.
“Sounds awful. When are you gonna be back?”
Ella thought about it. She realized that she didn’t know. “Could be a few days, could be a week.”
“A week?” Jenna asked, dropping her jaw for effect. “But what if I need you? What if I need to reset the security alarm again? What if I need you to fill out those forms for the gas and electricity?”
Ella ran a quick check in her head. She had everything she needed to survive out in the wild. She wasn’t really listening to Jenna prattle on. “You’ll be fine. Just call me. I’m going to the south, not Mars.”
Jenna put her hands on her hips. “Have you ever been to the south, El? It’s like going to the past. You won’t fit in.”
“I’ll be fine,” Ella said, heading into the living area. She saw about ten people congregating on her sofa and her floor, almost none of them she recognized. In more than one way, she was thankful she was being sent on a case. She headed toward the front door. Jenna caught up with her.
“Good luck and be safe,” she said, hugging her again.
Ella looked beyond her to the gentleman Jenna been chatting with, still loitering idly in the hallway. “You too,” Ella said, moving her gaze from him to her roommate.
Ella left her apartment and hurried down the hallway. The music gradually faded from her eardrums as she went out into the night toward her new life.