Lilah
We've been in Beaufort for three days and we have almost nothing. Two more bodies were found, the same signature as the other three. The first two nights Soot sent us all to the hotel but tonight, we were all here, random cups of coffee sitting in different spots throughout the room.
"Fairchild, Salmon, go look at the newest bodies, see if anything seems different. Find out cause of death, see if anything has changed from before. We need to keep track of everything that could possibly have changed so we know what to look for." Soot looked up from the paper in his hand.
I nodded and stood, looking to Spencer. He stood and picked up a file, looking to me. We looked at the bodies originally when we got here so Will sending us to look at the newest victims wasn't too surprising.
"Fairchild." I turned and caught the keys Soot tossed me.
"Thanks."
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Ten minutes later I parked the car, glancing over at Spencer. He was tapping his finger on his knee, looking out the windshield. Something he often did when thinking.
"What's on your mind?" He seemed to jump slightly before looking over at me.
"You've been antsy the whole time we've been here. Granted I haven't known you long but you weren't like this until we went and saw our first victims."
"Like I said before we left, I lived here for a few years, the thought that the unsub is someone I knew, maybe even was friends with, it's unsettling." That wasn't it, not entirely, but I didn't know what it was that was getting at me.
He nodded. "That makes sense." He climbed out of the SUV without another word.
I let out a sigh, climbing out of the vehicle and following him.
"Anything different with these victims than the last?" Spencer walked over to the woman we'd spoken to before, Dr. Jay.
"One thing I did notice, a strange mark on the back of the neck, some sort of symbol. I don't know what it is though." He handed us photos, pointing to what he's been talking about. I froze as soon as I saw it.
Spencer
Lilah paled as she looked at the picture, her hand beginning to tremble.
"You said this was on the back of the neck?" I barely heard what she said, her eyes flicking to and away from the picture.
"Yes, directly in the center."
"Before or after they were killed?" She looked up.
"Antemortem. Whoever did this wanted the victim to feel them mark her."
"I have- I have to call Emily." She set the picture down and quickly strode outside, pulling her phone out.
"Thank you." I nodded to Dr. Jay and quickly followed her. "Lilah?"
"It's them Emily." Lilah was chewing at her thumb nail. "It's the same. I just saw it." She kept shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her hands trembling. "Yes, yes I'm sure." She ran her fingers through her hair. "It all makes sense- yes I'll talk to the others when we get back. I'll explain." She chewed on her lip. "Okay Em, I'll talk to you soon." She slipped her phone and her pocket and looked over at me. "We need to get back to the station."
"What's wrong?" She seemed to be shaking where she was standing, her hands trembling.
"I'll explain when we get back, I'll explain to all of you." Her hands were shaking so much that I reached out and grabbed them, squeezing them gently.
"Hey, how about I drive back? Give you a little to calm down and sort out your thoughts?"
She looked up at me and nodded a little. "Yeah. Yeah okay."
I walked over to the SUV and opened the passenger door for her, watching as she climbed in, leaning her head back against the seat.
I pushed the door shut and climbed into the driver's seat, turning the keys.
Lilah had her head in her hands almost the entire drive, muttering to herself under her breath. I couldn't make out what she was saying, so I just gently offered my hand to her.
She took my hand almost immediately, messing with my fingers slightly.
I parked outside the police station. "Do you want a couple more minutes to finish sorting everything out?"
She shook her head. "I need to tell you guys." She murmured. "It's a part of me, and it could help solve the case."
I just nodded and climbed out of the SUV, opening her door after walking over to the other side. "Alright, c'mon Lilah."
She ran a hand through her hair and got out of the car, walking inside and to the room we were using with me.
Soot looked up as we walked in. "Lilah, Emily said you needed to talk to us."
The woman behind me took a small breath. "I do." She sat down, rubbing her temples. "I need to tell you about my past. And that I think I know who our unsubs are."
