Page 17 of Praying Mantis

“Shhhh, Louisa. Don’t be too obvious but you will never guess who walked in.”

Trying to be as oblivious as possible I drop my fork and as I bend over to pick it up, it’s then I see why he’s in aww. Sitting up, I whisper the best I can, “Matthew is that…” I can’t even finish my sentence.

“Yes Louisa, that is Cee Bowerman, Mirrah McGee, and Desiree LaFawn.” There are four other people with them and thank goodness for name tags.

“I wonder if the other people with them are authors too?” I’m trying to read their name badges, and I probably look like a lunatic. Matthew answers my pondering question of who’s who.

“Jaime Russell, Melissa Filla, M Merin, and I can’t quite read the other tag, but I know M Merin’s work. Her bookCharlieis a thrupple, and it’s so hot.” I turn back to Matthew as he’s fanning his face. Now to try to not look like a stalker.

“I need to check out the other two authors, possibly find a new book obsession.” Before we can discuss anything else, our food arrives and suddenly I’m starving like I haven’t eaten in days. “So, have you decided on the game plan tomorrow?”

Matthew swallows his bite of food before answering. “I really thought we would just wing it.” I almost choke on my burger.

“Are you feeling okay?” This man has talked nonstop about this event and all the authors involved.

“Well, I just figured I’d give a foolish answer to a foolish question.”

I’m not amused. “In the words of Stephanie Tanner, how rude!” His laugh booms through the restaurant.

“Melissa I believe that guy has got you beat on the loudest laugh.” I hear someone say from the side of us and see the authors laughing.

“And now let the world swallow me whole.” I must be fifty shades of red at this point.

“I heard a saying that seven days without laughter makes one weak.” The groans from the table make me laugh.

“We couldn’t go one day without dad jokes, Melissa?” Cee asks the woman, who I assume is Melissa.

“I write rom-coms. It’s in my blood. I’ve said this before Cee, dad jokes make the world go around.” Then the laughter continues from the table. The waitress comes back with our bill and distracts us from the comedy show happening behind us.

“I got this, Louisa. It’s my treat.” Matthew grabs the ticket like he may lose his hand if he’s not quick enough.

“Okay, but I’m not putting out because I’m a lady. I wait until date number three for that.” All he can do is smile and shake his head at me. “Wait, have I made Matthew speechless? Someone call the history books, this needs to be documented.” I can see him trying to hold back the smile from his face.

“Come on, smartass, let’s get back to my room and go over the game plan for tomorrow.” We walk out, but not before saying goodbye to the author group. I know tomorrow will be absolutely amazing, but I would be lying if I didn’t say I can’t wait to see Sean when I get back.

Sean

Tony and I are sitting at the conference table waiting for the meeting about the latest Praying Mantis victim. The door whips open and our supervisor walks in and starts immediately.

“Thank you all for meeting here on short notice. As some of you know, there has been another murder, but this time in Texas.” My thoughts automatically go to Louisa and her being in Texas. I hope she is safe. “The victim is a sixty-eight-year-old woman by the name of Robyn Jones. She lived at Happy Trails Trailer Park in Spring, Texas. There was a call from the neighbors that the trailer she lived in was on fire, and we suspect arson.” I glance over to Tony who has the same shocked expression on his face. “Ms. Jones’s daughter was notified after the park manager released who last rented the trailer to the local police. Now we are waiting for the DNA confirmation from the medical examiner’s office.” Tony nudges my elbow.

“Are the local PD working with us or waiting for us to show up?” Right before I am about to answer our supervisor speaks up.

“That is a significant question, Agent Randall.” The dry tone of our boss leads me to think Tony asked a stupid question and interrupted his spiel he had prepared for us. Well, that shut Tony up. “As Agent Randall pointed out, the local police department is waiting for the assigned agents and team to arrive. Now if we find out that this is not in correlation with the other deaths, than we will leave it with the local police.” I raise my hand and my supervisor calls on me.

“How do we know this is the Praying Mantis? She’s never used fire before.”

“The head is missing. It was a clean cut through and through.” I nod, going back to taking notes.

It seems like an eternity waiting for our next steps. “Fortin and Randall, you are the lead agents on this case. I’ve asked Agents Drummer, Rinker, and Dumas to assist you both. Questions?” Since there was nothing asked before we went to talk to our assigned team, we scanned our travel itinerary. We make sure that our game plan for tomorrow is set, and we walk over to our team to debrief them. Standing in front of our team, I shake their hands and get right to business.

“Good morning Agents, we will leave tomorrow at six-hundred hours from Boston Logan International Airport and then fly into George Bush Intercontinental Airport.” I take a quick break to make sure they are keeping up with me. “Then we will check in with the local law enforcement and go to the scene.” They nod. I don’t know if they’re waiting for me to dismiss them or what. “Do you have questions?”

“How do you know the Praying Mantis is a woman?” Agent Drummer asks. I motion for them to follow me to the conference room. If they’re now on our team, they need to understand and know the evidence like Tony and I do, front to back, inside and out. The agents ask intelligent questions and are getting on the same page from the vigilante angle as well.

“This is crazy. How does a woman overpower a man built like this Nick guy?”

“We’re thinking she must be using a drug that doesn’t show up in the tox report. A lot of drugs, like GHB, eventually leave the system. Sometimes we get there shortly after the murder like in Vermont and find he was roofied, but this Nick guy had nothing at all in his system, like all the other victims. It’s hard to pinpoint the drug. I think if we do, then maybe we can figure out where they’re getting it from and work that angle. If we also knew what weapon she uses it would certainly help. I’ve been searching the internet for anything and everything. Nothing is making sense to me. The only thing we can figure out is she’s being contacted through the dark web, but what site they’re using is hard to know.”

---