Motive Behind the Madness

The squad room is completely dark, without a soul in sight except for the two working in the far corner of the room. The sergeant and his detective, Rachel, are working side by side, hoping to get a timeline of the recent crimes.

Joe is trying to concentrate on the task at hand, but he's finding it difficult to do with Rachel sitting so close. He looks over and sighs. She's a real beauty, a true work of art with her long auburn hair, big brown eyes, and gorgeous smile. His eyes trail to her cute pouty mouth. I'd give anything to feel those sweet lips pressing against mine like I do in my dreams. Joe thinks, reliving their romantic encounters in his mind. If only they'd come true, he thinks, gazing into the darkness.

Like Joe, Rachel is finding concentrating on the case is a hard thing to do. Why doesn't he take the hint and ask me out? Doesn't he realize that I'm interested in him? I've done everything but come right out and say it. She pictures a few hints in her mind and then shakes her head. Maybe that's what I should do, tell him how I feel, get it out there. She starts to blurt it out when another thought occurs to her. What if he's not interested? That I'm romanticizing something that isn't there. Can I handle that rejection after fantasizing about our hook-up for years? She looks over at Joe and sighs. What if he's the one I should be with, my Mr. Right? The one I let slip away. I'll never know unless I ask.

"Joe I..."

"Rachel..." Joe begins at the same time. The sergeant nervously chuckles and says, "Go ahead."

"No, you go ahead."

"I...I was just wondering..." Joe hears the light tap of a woman's shoe coming from across the room. Turning, he sees a silhouette moving towards them. He's been trying to ask her out for weeks, but something always seems to get in the way. I can't let it happen again. Turning towards Rachel, Joe blurts out, "Would you..?"

Smiling from ear to ear, Rachel blurts outs, "I'd thought you'd never ask.."

Excitement overtaking him, Joe leans in for a kiss. I'm in heaven, he thinks, pulling her close.

"That's one hell of a kiss," Sharon says.

"You'll never believe what just happened," Rachel breathlessly replies.

"What, what?"

"Joe asked me to marry him." Rachel winks.

"M... M... Marry you?" Joe stutters.

Sharon smiles, "Congratulations, you two."

"I can't believe it. My dreams have finally come true."

"M... M... Marriage?" Joe repeats, still shocked by what his detective said.

Rachel turns towards him. "Don't worry. I only want a small wedding, a few friends and family, nothing too extravagant."

"I'd love to help you plan." Sharon volunteers.

"But I... I..." Joe tries again.

"You're not getting cold feet already? Are you, Joe?" Sharon laughs.

Joe glances at Rachel and then back at her. "I didn't..."

Rachel looks over to find Joe's tan face has turned ghostly white. She laughs and says, "Think I should let him off the hook?"

Sharon chuckles. "He might have a coronary if you don't."

Taking his hands into hers, she looks him in the eyes and says, "I know you're only asking me out on a date."

Joe puts his hand on his chest. "Don't scare me like that."

Rachel pokes his chest and says, "You're not the only one who can pull a fast one around here."

Recovering from the shock, Joe turns toward the M E and asks, "Did you find something?"

"I found a few things, actually. The blood on Ava's cane matches several of our victims." She hands them a report. "The DNA from the hair came back to a Jackie Harris. She has a record a mile long. It started when she was twelve." She hands him a second sheet.

"It looks like she spent half of her childhood in juvie," Joe says.

"The other half in and out of homes." Sharon hands them a list of addresses. "She never stayed with a family for more than a few months."

"What happened to her parents?" Rachel questions as she scans the page.

"The police report claims that her dad killed her mom and then held her and her two sisters hostage in an abandoned cabin where he beat and raped them for days.

Rachel gasps."Oh my gosh."

"Sadly enough, her horror doesn't end there. The homes they placed her in were all run by abusive drunks.

"What happened to her sisters?"

"Their Great Aunt was granted full custody of them."

"Why didn't she take Jackie too?"

"According to what I read, no one knew where she was."

"Didn't DFS have a record of her placement?"

"They did, but evidently, Jacke had enough and split."

Rachel shakes her head. "She's another kid who fell through the cracks of our broken system." A scary realization occurs to her as she continues to read the report. I might've turned out just like her if my dad hadn't taken me in.

Rachel recalls her horrid childhood and how their mom made them trade sexual favors for food, rent, and her daily supply of drugs. DFS came in and took them away. Emma went to stay with her aunt and Rachell with her dad.

Sharon looks over to find tears streaming down Rachel's face. "Are you alright?" She asks. Rachel doesn't respond. Sharon nudges Joe hoping he'd know what to do.

Joe looks over to find the crime scene photos shaking in her hand. Reaching over, he gently takes them away. " Maybe you shouldn't work the case. Since it hits so close to home and all."

Rachel glances up at Sharon and then over at Joe. "I'm fine. Really, I am," she says, hoping to convince herself as much as them. Just when I thought I had a handle on things, Rachel aggravatedly dries her face.

"The DNA found on our victim matches the swab taken from Ava." Sharon hands him a final report.

"So Ava and Jackie are killing the drunks?" The sergeant concludes.

"It'd make sense since a drunk driver killed Ava's nephew, and Jackie was abused by drunks most of her life."

Joe reaches for his phone. "I'll have the guys pick Jackie up."