agent drove Whitney back
to the motel and told her he’d pick her up first thing in the morning. Whitney
spent the evening typing out her report and updating her files. She knew she
wouldn’t sleep well tonight, so she got out one of the romance novels in her
suitcase and tried to forget.
If only life could be like a
romance novel. Guy meets girl, he wants her beyond belief, and they overcome
obstacles to live happily ever after. No mutilated children, no sad endings.
Chapter 4
Nick didn’t see Whitney for
another five days. He saw her from a distance, working in the command center,
but they never seemed to be in the same place at the same time. Teddy and Nick
had spent the week interviewing anyone that was connected to the SVWC.
Nick couldn’t stop thinking
about Whitney. He didn’t know if it was the crazy stuff she could do, or they
way she made him feel. When he was out in the field, he wondered what she was
doing. That could be plain curiosity. The thoughts he had at night had nothing
to do with her gifts. When he wasn’t picturing her naked, he was wondering if
her heart was still beating. It was driving him crazy. When he did see her, it
looked like she was doing just fine. He wondered who they had found to be the
new assistant.
On Friday he got a call from
Agent Hollerman. They had found the Dolan boy. He was out in the desert just
North of where he lived. A family had been riding ATVs in the area and the dad
had found him. Agent Hollerman and Whitney were on their way, but Nick and
Teddy were closer. No one was to go near the body until the SAC arrived.
Nick was waiting with the
officers on the scene when Whitney arrived. She barely acknowledged him as she
walked down toward the body. Nick started to follow and the agent stopped him.
“Sorry Nick. We have to let
Whitney have a chance before everyone else comes in and throws all that extra
energy around. She’ll be done in a few minutes and then you can start examining
the crime scene. She knows how to be careful. She’s done this before. The
coroner is on his way.”
“Where is the new assistant?”
Nick knew Hollerman was too busy to handle that job.
“She says she’d rather go
solo,” Hollerman said shrugging his shoulders.
“And that’s fine with you?”
Nick was beginning to doubt the agents concern for his talented profiler.
“I told her we could play it by
ear for now,” he said turning back to watch Whitney.
Whitney was on her knees facing
the body, not moving. Nick watched her kneeling alone, staring at a dead boy,
and wondered what she was experiencing. Someone next to him started laughing.
“I can do that – watch. Oohhhhmmmmm. I’m communing with the dead.”
Nick turned and gave
the officer a look that stopped him cold. Whitney screamed and all eyes turned
to her. She was laying on her side now. The agent still wasn’t getting any
closer. “Not again,” he moaned to himself.
Nick ignored the agent’s orders
and started climbing down. Hollerman followed and stopped him a few feet from
the two prone figures. Nick whispered, “Are you sure she’s okay?”
“She usually doesn’t pass out
at the scene, but I think she’s fine. I don’t want to step in until I’m sure
she’s done.”
“Maybe it’s been too much for
her this time. Has she ever been involved in a violent case with crimes
committed so closely together?
“She’ll be fine,” the
agent snapped.
Nick watched Whitney. She
appeared to be breathing but he saw no other movement. After five more minutes
he couldn’t stand it and rushed over to her. Hollerman tried to hold him back
but he shoved him away.
“Whitney, Whitney can you hear
me?” He spoke softly and didn’t touch her. The agent tried to pull him away
again.
“I think we’ve waited long
enough!” Nick growled. They turned as she moaned. Nick crouched down and spoke
again.
“Whitney, do you need help?
“Ummm.”
Not sure if that was a yes,
Nick asked her to try to say the word
to the motel and told her he’d pick her up first thing in the morning. Whitney
spent the evening typing out her report and updating her files. She knew she
wouldn’t sleep well tonight, so she got out one of the romance novels in her
suitcase and tried to forget.
If only life could be like a
romance novel. Guy meets girl, he wants her beyond belief, and they overcome
obstacles to live happily ever after. No mutilated children, no sad endings.
Chapter 4
Nick didn’t see Whitney for
another five days. He saw her from a distance, working in the command center,
but they never seemed to be in the same place at the same time. Teddy and Nick
had spent the week interviewing anyone that was connected to the SVWC.
Nick couldn’t stop thinking
about Whitney. He didn’t know if it was the crazy stuff she could do, or they
way she made him feel. When he was out in the field, he wondered what she was
doing. That could be plain curiosity. The thoughts he had at night had nothing
to do with her gifts. When he wasn’t picturing her naked, he was wondering if
her heart was still beating. It was driving him crazy. When he did see her, it
looked like she was doing just fine. He wondered who they had found to be the
new assistant.
On Friday he got a call from
Agent Hollerman. They had found the Dolan boy. He was out in the desert just
North of where he lived. A family had been riding ATVs in the area and the dad
had found him. Agent Hollerman and Whitney were on their way, but Nick and
Teddy were closer. No one was to go near the body until the SAC arrived.
Nick was waiting with the
officers on the scene when Whitney arrived. She barely acknowledged him as she
walked down toward the body. Nick started to follow and the agent stopped him.
“Sorry Nick. We have to let
Whitney have a chance before everyone else comes in and throws all that extra
energy around. She’ll be done in a few minutes and then you can start examining
the crime scene. She knows how to be careful. She’s done this before. The
coroner is on his way.”
“Where is the new assistant?”
Nick knew Hollerman was too busy to handle that job.
“She says she’d rather go
solo,” Hollerman said shrugging his shoulders.
“And that’s fine with you?”
Nick was beginning to doubt the agents concern for his talented profiler.
“I told her we could play it by
ear for now,” he said turning back to watch Whitney.
Whitney was on her knees facing
the body, not moving. Nick watched her kneeling alone, staring at a dead boy,
and wondered what she was experiencing. Someone next to him started laughing.
“I can do that – watch. Oohhhhmmmmm. I’m communing with the dead.”
Nick turned and gave
the officer a look that stopped him cold. Whitney screamed and all eyes turned
to her. She was laying on her side now. The agent still wasn’t getting any
closer. “Not again,” he moaned to himself.
Nick ignored the agent’s orders
and started climbing down. Hollerman followed and stopped him a few feet from
the two prone figures. Nick whispered, “Are you sure she’s okay?”
“She usually doesn’t pass out
at the scene, but I think she’s fine. I don’t want to step in until I’m sure
she’s done.”
“Maybe it’s been too much for
her this time. Has she ever been involved in a violent case with crimes
committed so closely together?
“She’ll be fine,” the
agent snapped.
Nick watched Whitney. She
appeared to be breathing but he saw no other movement. After five more minutes
he couldn’t stand it and rushed over to her. Hollerman tried to hold him back
but he shoved him away.
“Whitney, Whitney can you hear
me?” He spoke softly and didn’t touch her. The agent tried to pull him away
again.
“I think we’ve waited long
enough!” Nick growled. They turned as she moaned. Nick crouched down and spoke
again.
“Whitney, do you need help?
“Ummm.”
Not sure if that was a yes,
Nick asked her to try to say the word
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