Free Terrorbyte by Cat Connor Page A

want to sit there and tell me this isn’t personal?”
    Another thought crashed into the forefront of my mind. Why were we assuming this was a man? Okay, so women didn’t usually kill like this. I decided to stick with the term Unsub and not label this killer male or female yet.
    My body switched to autopilot and propelled me to the door. I jumped when Caine spoke, “Ellie, where are you going?”
    Conscious thought took over again. I realized I was standing by the closed door with my hand on the doorknob. Freedom lay just beyond the pale-grained wood.
    â€œI don’t know, home maybe.”
    Caine’s phone rang. I turned to face him, finding myself transfixed as the noise disrupted the air, causing ripples to radiate from the telephone on the desk. They covered Mac, the chair I had occupied and then flowed over me. As I observed the odd phenomenon, the ripples appeared to pass through the walls and disappear.
    â€œEllie, you all right?”
    Mac stood in front of me. I didn’t know how he got there.
    â€œWhat’s wrong, Ellie?”
    Couldn’t he see the noise ripple through the air?
    I didn’t know what to say. Why couldn’t he see them? Then it occurred to me no one could see them but me.  I had a sudden flash of this being way beyond eccentricity. Seeing sound? Madness loomed. He can’t know.
    Be okay.
    I said, “I’m okay.”
    Caine interrupted. “Good.”
    I looked past Mac to see what was good. “What?”
    â€œGood, you’re all right. I can’t take you off this. We got a hit back from the bulletin posted through Law Enforcement Online. I want you to go to Richmond. There was a murder forty-eight hours ago. It’s similar to what we have up here now. View the crime scene. Speak to the next of kin … the victim’s husband. See what you can turn up.”
    The unearthly happenings in my head stopped abruptly. I refocused on the case. We had a hit. I swear one of the best inventions yet is the LEO system. Think MySpace or Facebook for police but not as pretty as MySpace and without the time-wasting applications of Facebook. Although, facial recognition software can be a real hoot.
    â€œI take it they know I’m coming down?” Mac and I were both back in our seats, taking careful notes.
    Caine nodded. “Mac, I’m going to have you assigned to us for the duration of this case.”
    He could have asked – Mac may not have wanted to be in on this case. He also could’ve run it by me first, in private. I didn’t know why I wasn’t thrilled to have Mac with me on this. I should be, damn it! We worked well together. He was fun, too. I was scrutinizing Mac’s face for a clue to his real feelings when he nodded in agreement with Caine’s plan.
    â€œI hate to say this, but why? We have no need yet for specialist help,” I said.
    â€œSam put the request in. It’s easier to have Mac on board from the beginning than to drag him in and have to play catch-up later.”
    â€œThat makes sense.” If Sam thought we were going to need someone like Mac on the team, then okay. I remembered that Sam and Mac had spoken of this in the mobile command center.
    I turned to Mac and asked, “You don’t mind having me as your boss?”
    His eyes sparkled. “I don’t mind. I don’t mind at all.”
    â€œGood okay, that’s settled. It’ll be great, just like old times.”  A cold shiver ran up my spine as the voice in my head hissed, ‘Let’s hope not.’ I pulled myself together and pressed all reservations aside. My focus was the task at hand.
    I remembered something else that needed looking into. “Has someone pulled the open case file for the rape a few months back, the gold ribbon one?” I struggled but for the life of me could not recall the victim’s name.
    â€œLee mentioned it, ask him.”
    I nodded. If Lee mentioned