didn’t have a choice.
One of the things she’d hated most about dying was not seeing any grandchildren, even though he explained he wouldn’t have any. She pointed out many gay couples adopted, and they’d argue about the possibility while she had her chemo.
He rubbed his thumb over the glass and murmured, “I miss you, Mama.”
A knock on his door caused him to return the picture to the drawer before he called out, “Come in.”
MacLaughlin peered around the door frame. “The rangers will be here in a few. I wanted to check and make sure you were ready for this.”
“Yeah. I’ll have a preliminary report ready for everyone. Got some ideas that might be helpful, and I’m checking a few other things out as well. I’m going to have to go over to the rangers’ headquarters and look through all the actual evidence from the different crime scenes.” Tanner stood and strolled over to the board. He tapped the picture of the first victim. “I think we’re missing something.”
“Well, don’t tell me. Wait until we’re all in the same room before you go into your spiel.” MacLaughlin shook his head. “I read the rangers’ profile, and even if they’re only half right, this is one sick fuck.”
“They’re all sick fucks, boss.” Tanner scrubbed his hand over his hair.
“True. How long have you been doing this, Wallace? Six or seven years?”
“Seven.”
Probably six years too many . His head pounding, he wandered back to his desk and dug out a bottle of aspirin. Shaking out four pills, he dry swallowed them with a grimace.
“You would think you’d get used to this after a while, but I’ve been in the bureau for almost twenty years, and I still haven’t gotten used to the horrible shit humans do to each other.” MacLaughlin frowned. “Of course I don’t get too in-depth in the cases anymore, not like you.”
Tanner wished he didn’t have to study photos like the ones in front of him, but he did, and those mutilated bodies haunted his dreams at night. When he first started in the Behavioral Science Unit, he’d drink himself to sleep every night, trying to drown out the blood and gore. All that got him was a pounding headache the next morning and an ulcer. Finally he simply learned to compartmentalize every aspect of his life. He did his best to leave his work at the office, but it didn’t always happen. Something told him the victims of this latest killer would be one of those cases.
“I’ll let you get back to the case. I’ll see you in about thirty minutes. We’ll just meet in here since you have the board set up.” MacLaughlin waved a hand to the pictures.
“I’ll be ready.”
After his boss left, Tanner went through the bull pen, nodding to some of his fellow agents as he headed toward the break room. While he waited for his water to heat, he grabbed a napkin and tried to draw the carvings. He took his tea and the drawings back into his office. He sat at his desk and closed his eyes, continuing to draw them as he could remember them.
* * * *
“How do you like working with the fag?” Sorensterm strolled up to Mac’s desk and plopped his ass on the edge where Mac gathered his files for the meeting.
Mac glared at him. “I don’t like that word or the tone of your voice. I don’t care who Agent Wallace sleeps with as long as he does his job. His personal life is none of your business, Sorensterm.”
“Why? Are you and the Fed best friends now? Or are you a cocksucker yourself?” Sorensterm leaned closer to him. “Do you take it up the ass, Guzman?”
Anger surged through Mac, causing him to reach out and grab the man’s shirt. He twisted his fist in the fabric and jerked Sorensterm closer.
“Don’t ever say those words in my presence again, Sorensterm,” Mac snarled as he shook the other man. “You do realize, if I was gay, what you’re doing would be harassment, and I could get you fired for it.”
Sorensterm’s eyes widened, but his grin stayed snarky.
One of the things she’d hated most about dying was not seeing any grandchildren, even though he explained he wouldn’t have any. She pointed out many gay couples adopted, and they’d argue about the possibility while she had her chemo.
He rubbed his thumb over the glass and murmured, “I miss you, Mama.”
A knock on his door caused him to return the picture to the drawer before he called out, “Come in.”
MacLaughlin peered around the door frame. “The rangers will be here in a few. I wanted to check and make sure you were ready for this.”
“Yeah. I’ll have a preliminary report ready for everyone. Got some ideas that might be helpful, and I’m checking a few other things out as well. I’m going to have to go over to the rangers’ headquarters and look through all the actual evidence from the different crime scenes.” Tanner stood and strolled over to the board. He tapped the picture of the first victim. “I think we’re missing something.”
“Well, don’t tell me. Wait until we’re all in the same room before you go into your spiel.” MacLaughlin shook his head. “I read the rangers’ profile, and even if they’re only half right, this is one sick fuck.”
“They’re all sick fucks, boss.” Tanner scrubbed his hand over his hair.
“True. How long have you been doing this, Wallace? Six or seven years?”
“Seven.”
Probably six years too many . His head pounding, he wandered back to his desk and dug out a bottle of aspirin. Shaking out four pills, he dry swallowed them with a grimace.
“You would think you’d get used to this after a while, but I’ve been in the bureau for almost twenty years, and I still haven’t gotten used to the horrible shit humans do to each other.” MacLaughlin frowned. “Of course I don’t get too in-depth in the cases anymore, not like you.”
Tanner wished he didn’t have to study photos like the ones in front of him, but he did, and those mutilated bodies haunted his dreams at night. When he first started in the Behavioral Science Unit, he’d drink himself to sleep every night, trying to drown out the blood and gore. All that got him was a pounding headache the next morning and an ulcer. Finally he simply learned to compartmentalize every aspect of his life. He did his best to leave his work at the office, but it didn’t always happen. Something told him the victims of this latest killer would be one of those cases.
“I’ll let you get back to the case. I’ll see you in about thirty minutes. We’ll just meet in here since you have the board set up.” MacLaughlin waved a hand to the pictures.
“I’ll be ready.”
After his boss left, Tanner went through the bull pen, nodding to some of his fellow agents as he headed toward the break room. While he waited for his water to heat, he grabbed a napkin and tried to draw the carvings. He took his tea and the drawings back into his office. He sat at his desk and closed his eyes, continuing to draw them as he could remember them.
* * * *
“How do you like working with the fag?” Sorensterm strolled up to Mac’s desk and plopped his ass on the edge where Mac gathered his files for the meeting.
Mac glared at him. “I don’t like that word or the tone of your voice. I don’t care who Agent Wallace sleeps with as long as he does his job. His personal life is none of your business, Sorensterm.”
“Why? Are you and the Fed best friends now? Or are you a cocksucker yourself?” Sorensterm leaned closer to him. “Do you take it up the ass, Guzman?”
Anger surged through Mac, causing him to reach out and grab the man’s shirt. He twisted his fist in the fabric and jerked Sorensterm closer.
“Don’t ever say those words in my presence again, Sorensterm,” Mac snarled as he shook the other man. “You do realize, if I was gay, what you’re doing would be harassment, and I could get you fired for it.”
Sorensterm’s eyes widened, but his grin stayed snarky.
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