Page 24 of Zero Divergence
“In your dreams,” Jace grumbled.
“Serial killers tend to escalate their crimes, but Humphries never did. While his murders weren’t committed exactly a year apart, he never upped the timeline. Royce and I think he was getting his jollies elsewhere. Felix, did anyone ever talk to you about his lecture circuit?”
“Holy fuck,” Felix said in awe. “I never thought about it. I know he lectured some, but no one ever provided me with an official schedule or even brought it up in conversation. I’ll do some digging around to see what I can find.” He looked at Jonah. “Then we’ll look for unsolved crimes that are similar in nature to our ladies during the times he visited.”
“He could’ve gone with a different MO out of town, so look for unsolved murders involving women. Don’t just look for coeds who were found bound, raped, and strangled in their beds,” Sawyer advised. “I hate to give this bastard any credit, but he’s brilliant. I have a feeling any murder spree away from home would be completely different from those here. They would’ve been more impulsive and less tediously planned out, I think.”
“I agree,” Jonah said. “He’d capitalize on an opportunity.”
“If he’s so brilliant, how’d you guys eventually get his DNA for testing?” Rocky asked. “He wouldn’t have given it voluntarily.”
“Oh, but he did,” Royce said. “Once we realized we had a serial rapist and killer, we asked for male students and professors to voluntarily submit for DNA testing. Anyone who refused became a suspect. Franco Humphries gave a sample. He’s that arrogant.”
“Foolish,” Rocky countered. “I don’t know how he avoided getting his prints in their apartments, but one slip and his run was over.”
“He might’ve worn gloves as part of his bondage role playing, and he could’ve wiped the place down after he killed the ladies,” Royce said. “He’s either naturally bald or shaves his head. If he keeps the rest of his body hairless, then it diminishes our chances of finding DNA sources at the crime scene. Some people don’t like body hair on themselves or others.”
“They say most serial killers want to get caught,” Jace said.
“It’s true with some of them,” Jonah said. “Humphries is a completely different animal. Voluntarily submitting his DNA only added to his fun and excitement.”
“Sick fucker,” Jace said.
“What about us?” Blue asked, gesturing between himself and Ky.
“This part is the hardest to say out loud,” Royce admitted. “What I’m about to say cannot leave the cone of…” He looked over at Sawyer.
“Silence.”
“Yeah, that.”
“You got it, Ro,” Ky said.
“I’m always looking out for my boo,” Blue added.
“The only way B. Parker would’ve known to steal the evidence on that particular day is if she had an insider at the lab or…”
“Our police department,” Ky said, finishing for him.
“I need to discreetly screen every crime scene tech, every member in our unit, every person who works at our precinct, and everyone working in the DA’s office. Those are the people who collected, stored, shipped, or requested testing on evidence. They’d have a vested interest and might ask for status updates. I have to look at every single person. This order comes straight from Commissioner Rigby, and I’d rather lose a toe than disappoint her.”
“You can count on me,” Blue said.
“Me too,” Ky added.
It wasn’t easy to think about a traitor working amongst them, but it couldn’t be ignored either.
“What are we calling our secret mission?” Holly said.
Royce glanced at Sawyer and smiled.
“Operation Venus Flytrap,” they said together.
Royce thrusted his hips forward, burying his dick to the hilt inside Sawyer’s ass, eliciting a long moan from his man. “Is this what you wanted? What you’ve begged for?” Royce circled his hips, then leaned forward long enough to bite the back of Sawyer’s neck.
“Mmmm, I’m not sure,” Sawyer said breathlessly. Royce had spent the last twenty minutes working Sawyer into a fevered, panting mess. He liked it a fucking ton too. “Do it again so I can decide.”
Royce pulled back and pushed in hard enough to rattle the headboard against the wall, then paused again.