Page 45 of Dead Fall (The Quantico Files 2)

His attempt to provide some humor actually helped a bit. Alex felt the tight muscles in her neck loosen.

“Yes, I’ll be working with you,” Logan said. “Things won’t really change. I guess someone has to act as unit chief, but trust me, the title is in name only. I’m not Jeff, and I could never replace him.”

The silence that followed his words was a testament to the truth of his statement. No one could ever take Jeff’s place.

“So Chief Gorman will brief us about Jeff’s...” Alex couldn’t finish. Jeff was dead, but no one wanted to say it out loud.

“Right. He’ll be here shortly to give us what he has. He’s not in charge of this latest ... incident. The Georgetown police are. But they’re working with Gorman and feel it would be smoother for us to deal with him directly. I don’t think Terry wants to have anyone else coming here anyway. It all worked out okay.”

Logan leaned over and picked up the briefcase he’d carried into the room with him. He opened it and took out some files, which he then placed on the table. “Before we get started, I need to give you your new phones.” He took out a box and handed each person a phone, then explained the new procedures.

“So we’re to use them only to call each other?” Monty asked.

“Right. I know it’s difficult trying to handle funeral arrangements on a landline downstairs, but we need you to stay safe. You can call the funeral home if you have to, but they can’t call you back on this phone.” He frowned. “Do you have a date for the funeral yet?”

“Not yet. My grandmother will be cremated, and the funeral home will keep her remains for a while. I’m hoping my parents will change their minds and decide to attend. Then we’ll have a service.” He looked around at everyone. “I hope you’ll all come.”

“It would be an honor,” Logan said.

“We’ll all be there,” Alex added, trying to rein in her emotions.

After a few seconds of silence, Logan cleared his throat. Then bringing everyone back to the matter at hand, he said, “Just remember these phones are the safest way for us to be in touch. Check the contacts list. Everyone on this system is there, including our whole unit, Terry, and Gorman and his detectives. Even Reinhardt since he’s here. And don’t give your number to anyone else. I mean that, okay? Even if no one else can call your number directly, we don’t want to give our UNSUB a chance to make it look like one of us is calling you.”

Everyone let him know they understood, so he moved on. “Let’s start by going over our previous profile and asking ourselves if we need to change it.”

“Logan,” Kaely said, “I have to address the elephant in the room. We’ve discussed Reinhardt as a possible suspect, and now he’s here. Near us. I don’t think this is a good idea. I’ve said I don’t believe he’s a viable suspect because of his almost obsessive adherence to following the rules. I find it hard to believe he would break that strong personality trait to kill his coworkers. But he’s still a suspect.”

Logan nodded. “I agree. We’re keeping an eye on him. He’s alone in a room at the end of the hall.”

“He gets his own room?” Monty said.

“Hey, you had your chance,” Logan said with a smile. “Are you already tired of me?”

“Well, you do snore.”

“You should probably consider yourself lucky. I could put you in with Reinhardt.”

“No, thanks,” Monty said. “You’re fine.”

Logan laughed. Then he looked around at everyone. “Okay, let’s get to work.”

A knock on the door interrupted them. “It’s open,” Logan said.

Chief Gorman walked into the room with Cooper and Palmer. He had files and papers in his hands. “We have a more thorough report from Australia,” he said. “Terry asked me to bring it to you. We don’t have Agent Cole’s autopsy report yet, but I’m sure you realize the cause of death was drowning.”

He put the files on the table. “An envelope was delivered to the Georgetown police station today. This was inside.” He handed each one of them a copy of a page from a book.

“From Dark Minds?” Alex asked.

“Yes.”

The three police officers sat down, and Gorman read the highlighted sentences. “‘Bayne and I worked together on the Austin City Strangler case. We profiled the killer as someone who wore a uniform. Someone the victims trusted. Just like the so-called Raggedy Man in Des Moines. After the killer was captured, we found that he’d worn a police officer’s uniform when he stalked his prey.’” Gorman added, “A number four was written on the back of the page.”

Alex turned the words over in her mind before saying, “He can’t be referring to Bayne. He’s already dead. This has to be pointing to Kaely.”

“With the Raggedy Man mention? Seems like it to me,” Monty said.

“How does he intend to get to her here?” Logan asked, irritation evident in his tone.

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