Proof by Jordyn Redwood

He had him chew on a cotton ball for evidence even though they were limited in what they could do with it. When DNA typing came along nearly a decade later, they matched that saliva with semen at several of the crime scenes. It’s what led to his conviction.”
    “And how does this relate to our case?” Brett rested back in his equally abused chair.
    “It’s Torrence’s baby I’m most disturbed about.”
    “Why?”
    “Our guy is very interesting in the type of evidence he leaves behind.”
    Nathan stood from the desk and approached a large, dry-erase board with photos of several women aligned vertically to one side. He ran his finger slowly over each one.
    “I made this link chart to illustrate what I’m proposing as his series. We’ll start at the beginning.” Nathan pointed to the photo at the top of the board.
    “Victim one: Celia Ramirez. Victim two: Torrence Campbell. Victim three: Heather Allen. Victim four: Jacqueline Randall. Semen samples positively link the last two victims as having the same perpetrator. It’s what’s missing from the crime scenes that I find unusual. No hair, no saliva, no skin scrapings from under their fingernails that would otherwise identify him.”
    “We know he spends time bathing them. It’s likely his ritual versus him trying to clean up evidence.”
    “Victim one, Celia Ramirez, likely destroyed the semen sample. She states that she showered and douched several times before notifying police of the rape.” Nathan paused a moment before placing his finger next to Torrence’s photo. “Torrence did the same thing—showered and douched. No recovery of a sample from her, but she ends up pregnant.”
    “Obviously sperm was left behind in Torrence, but you also think there would have been in Celia?” Brett clarified.
    “Yeah, and I wonder why our criminal doesn’t care that he leaves it behind. He’s highly intelligent. It’s not him being sloppy.” Nathan turned his back to the board.
    “Maybe he doesn’t like to wear his raincoat when it’s raining.” Brett smiled.
    “I don’t think that’s it.”
    “Then what do you think?”
    “I don’t know. Why would he hunt down the only victim that became pregnant?” Nathan pressed.
    “We’re not sure it was him.”
    Nathan hit the board with an open palm. “She was run off the road on her way here!” Several sticky notes drifted to the floor.
    “All right … all right. I’ll give you that it likely was him. He could have caught wind of the ID.”
    “That’s even worse—it would mean we have a mole tipping him off.”
    “You’re right. That would be worse and an unlikely possibility.”
    “It’s not just the hit-and-run. It’s that he made contact with her, telling her to get rid of the baby.”
    “Doesn’t want to be sued for future paternity.”
    Nathan ignored the comment. “It’s perplexing me, but something within me wants a DNA sample from Torrence’s baby. I just want to have it to hold in reserve, like that Green River detective did with the cotton ball.”
    “So get a sample.”
    “I’m trying, but there’s a problem.”
    “What?”
    “It’s the grandparents,” Nathan sighed, leaning against one edge of the display. “They flat-out refused. They want Torrence and the baby cremated.”
    “We’ll have to get a court order.”
    “I know. I already have a judge on board. I know this has to be done, but I don’t want to traumatize the family anymore.”
    “Catching this guy will be good for them in the end no matter what they think. It’s not going to be that invasive getting the samples we need.”
    Nathan nodded in agreement. “This guy is very crafty. He takes his time. He watches them long enough to get a copy of their house keys.” He turned back to the board. “It’s odd. They don’t even resemble each other. He starts with Celia, a Hispanic woman. Torrence is next—the all-American girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. He follows with Heather Allen; a young woman,