look of an athlete, her body firm and toned. None of that would have helped if
it weren’t for the martial arts training. That training had made her the only coed so far to survive the attack of a serial
killer. By doing so, Stacey had given the police their first real evidence to work with.
Danni put her hands on Stacey’s shoulders and looked into her eyes.
“Listen to me. I don’t know if you appreciate fully what happened today. You saved your own life because of what you did.
You were unbelievably brave but you were still lucky. We’ll keep your name out of the papers and we can keep tabs on you for
a few days, but eventually you’re going to be on your own again. We haven’t established a pattern for this killer yet. Once
he knows that we have an accurate description, he will realize that you are the only person who can identify him. It may be
wise to take the semester off while we catch this guy.”
“But I don’t want to.”
Danni understood the sentiment. She’d been eighteen once. All eighteen-year-olds were immortal in their own minds no matter
what the potential danger. However, she understood Stacey’s parents’ concern as well. She had a daughter of her own, Hannah,
and she was a single parent. The fact that her daughter was only ten years old did not allay her fears.
“I’ve got to talk to some people for a few minutes. Stay here at my desk and I’ll let you know when your parents arrive.”
“Are you going to encourage them to take me home?”
“No. I’m going to provide them with the information they will need to make a decision.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Danni smiled again. She liked this young girl. Stacey had a lot of spunk and tremendous instincts. Danni was certain, however,
that Stacey’s parents would take her home. Every parent of a female student at the university was considering taking his or
her daughter out of school. After what had happened to this young woman, it was a no-brainer.
They would never be able to live with themselves if they didn’t do it.
Chapter Three
Y ou handled her very well,” FBI Agent Allan Peterson said to Danni when she entered the observation room where some of the
agents and detectives were still huddled. Peterson was Danni’s partner on the task force formed to find and capture the killer.
“I wasn’t handling anybody,” Danni snapped. The words were out before she could catch them.
“Whoa! Excuse me,” Peterson replied. Danni realized immediately that her response was uncalled for. Peterson was trying to
give her a compliment. The stress was getting to her.
“Sorry. Can we get down to business now?”
“We already have,” Peterson said. “We’re running down the Volkswagen and trying to decide what we’re going to do with the
sketch besides giving it to every police officer within a hundred-mile radius.”
“Is somebody actually thinking of sitting on it?”
“Maybe. If he knows we have a good description of him, he might run.”
“And young college students may no longer be killed.”
“Be killed here , you mean. If he’s got the urge to kill, he’s going to continue no matter where he is.”
“That’s not necessarily true. Some serial killers have been known to stop for no apparent reason. If we can interrupt his
pattern, he may stop.”
“Danni, we’re not in the hoping business. We’re in the catching business. And if we decide that distributing this sketch is
going to cause our killer to run, we’re going to keep it on the down low.”
Danni knew he was right although she hated to admit it.
“And who’s making that decision?”
“The higher-ups,” Peterson replied. “They’re meeting as we speak. Where’s the girl?”
“Sitting at my desk waiting for her parents to arrive. I think they’re going to take her home.”
“Good decision. This guy knows she’s out there. He’s got to take another pass at her if she stays in school. She’s the
it weren’t for the martial arts training. That training had made her the only coed so far to survive the attack of a serial
killer. By doing so, Stacey had given the police their first real evidence to work with.
Danni put her hands on Stacey’s shoulders and looked into her eyes.
“Listen to me. I don’t know if you appreciate fully what happened today. You saved your own life because of what you did.
You were unbelievably brave but you were still lucky. We’ll keep your name out of the papers and we can keep tabs on you for
a few days, but eventually you’re going to be on your own again. We haven’t established a pattern for this killer yet. Once
he knows that we have an accurate description, he will realize that you are the only person who can identify him. It may be
wise to take the semester off while we catch this guy.”
“But I don’t want to.”
Danni understood the sentiment. She’d been eighteen once. All eighteen-year-olds were immortal in their own minds no matter
what the potential danger. However, she understood Stacey’s parents’ concern as well. She had a daughter of her own, Hannah,
and she was a single parent. The fact that her daughter was only ten years old did not allay her fears.
“I’ve got to talk to some people for a few minutes. Stay here at my desk and I’ll let you know when your parents arrive.”
“Are you going to encourage them to take me home?”
“No. I’m going to provide them with the information they will need to make a decision.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Danni smiled again. She liked this young girl. Stacey had a lot of spunk and tremendous instincts. Danni was certain, however,
that Stacey’s parents would take her home. Every parent of a female student at the university was considering taking his or
her daughter out of school. After what had happened to this young woman, it was a no-brainer.
They would never be able to live with themselves if they didn’t do it.
Chapter Three
Y ou handled her very well,” FBI Agent Allan Peterson said to Danni when she entered the observation room where some of the
agents and detectives were still huddled. Peterson was Danni’s partner on the task force formed to find and capture the killer.
“I wasn’t handling anybody,” Danni snapped. The words were out before she could catch them.
“Whoa! Excuse me,” Peterson replied. Danni realized immediately that her response was uncalled for. Peterson was trying to
give her a compliment. The stress was getting to her.
“Sorry. Can we get down to business now?”
“We already have,” Peterson said. “We’re running down the Volkswagen and trying to decide what we’re going to do with the
sketch besides giving it to every police officer within a hundred-mile radius.”
“Is somebody actually thinking of sitting on it?”
“Maybe. If he knows we have a good description of him, he might run.”
“And young college students may no longer be killed.”
“Be killed here , you mean. If he’s got the urge to kill, he’s going to continue no matter where he is.”
“That’s not necessarily true. Some serial killers have been known to stop for no apparent reason. If we can interrupt his
pattern, he may stop.”
“Danni, we’re not in the hoping business. We’re in the catching business. And if we decide that distributing this sketch is
going to cause our killer to run, we’re going to keep it on the down low.”
Danni knew he was right although she hated to admit it.
“And who’s making that decision?”
“The higher-ups,” Peterson replied. “They’re meeting as we speak. Where’s the girl?”
“Sitting at my desk waiting for her parents to arrive. I think they’re going to take her home.”
“Good decision. This guy knows she’s out there. He’s got to take another pass at her if she stays in school. She’s the
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